Questions about filling tires with CO2.

[JJ Jackson]

We go to the sand dunes alot, and sometimes have to air way down to get through soft sand.



If I brought my 20lb CO2 tank, would I be able to air up my six tires from 15lbs back up to 60lbs with one tank? If so how many trips can I do this before I run out? TIA... ... Jim

 

[flimmy]

You should be able to do it 2 maybe 3 times. I use the same tank to fill the tires on my rock crawler. I also take the tank when I go on trips to run air tools and fill a tire if I get a flat and it can be plugged.

 

[GWBourne]

CO2 dry rots your tires so as soon as you are able get air into them, or nitrogen... .

Grant

 

[JJ Jackson]

Thanks for the response. I had no idea about the dry rot. Guess I'll have to air them down when I get home and fill them back up again.



I got the fittings today to plug into my welding regulator. I'm only getting about 10lbs of pressure even when I turn the pressure increase up all the way. I realize welding pressures are low but I assumed because the guage went to 60lbs I would get more pressure.



Is there something else I need to purchase at the welding shop?



TIA... ..... Jim

 

[flimmy]

your CO2 tank should have about 1200 lbs in it when it's full. Make sure your regulator and gage are working before you damage something.

 

[DaveK98]

Our ranch hand uses propane to fill the tires if he gets a flat.



He was a little scared when there was a fire and he had 3 tires full of propane though.....

 

[TRCM]

I think I'd have been running the other way... ... :--)

 

[Lorenz]

co2 also seeps out throught the tire rubber. I can't keep my mnt bike tires filled for more than a week with co2.



I have both co2 and nitrogen that I take out to the dunes. I end up using a small compressor for tires if I'm not in a pinch. I was only able to get one round of fill ups from 20psi to 80psi in a buddies Ford. I have a 10# co2 tank and it guzzled 80% of it. At $15 a fill for my tank, it turned out to be an expensive "top off"...



co2 is great in a pinch, and I'm sure I could find a cheaper fill for my tanks if I wanted to. But the small compressor is now my friend.

 

[JJ Jackson]

I have a 3 gallon air compressor I usually bring, but the last trip to Sand Mountain Nevada it was 11* at night when I tried to fill up and my little 2500w generator wouldn't kick it over, even after I purged the tank.



Well I tried the regulator again today and this time I got 50lbs out of the regulated side. I had to crank the pressure all the way up on the dial then crack open the tank. Don't know why but that made it work.





Only one more question, it has good pressure but not very much volume ( fills very slow ). Is my welding regulator the problem?... ... ... ... . Jim

 

[Allnew2Me]

Can't you just have the tank filled with air at the same pressures, like at a dive shop? Or is this not possible? Seems like it would be great if you could carry around a tank with 2 or 3K of pressure in it, safely of course, and with a good regulater.

 

[Nate]

Good info here http://www.powertank.com/... .



Co2 tanks are great for filling tires, air tools, etc.



The welding regulator... your talking about for a MIG welder? That's very low PSI. You need to get the proper regulator for tires, etc. Also your using just Co2 for shielding gas?? Most people use C25... 75% argon, 25% Co2.

 

[JJ Jackson]

Thanks Nate, looks like a cool product. I just thought this project was gonna be a lot simpler and cheaper, you know... . go to the hardware store on the way home, pick up the stuff, be on the dunes in a couple hours!



I deflated my tires and found out that it takes about 5 minutes to inflate to 55psi from 10psi. Then I had to douse the regulator with water to keep it from iceing up.



Do I have to get a powertank or can I just get a higher volume regulator that won't ice up?... ... ... ... ... ... ... Jim

 

[Lorenz]

Here's what I found when researching the Co2 deal.



Co2 is stored as a liquid and becomes a gas a @800psi. Storing co2 as a liquid allows for lower storage psi and more "air" in the same size bottle compared to Nitrogen or a dive bottle. Double wammi, 1) lower pressures in the tank, 2) more usable "air" out of the same size bottles.



My nitrogen bottle is steel vs Co2's aluminum bottle (read less weight to lug around), hold 2200psi and drains quickly using power tools or airing up tires. I can get off 8 lugs with a 400 psi drop in a "10#" N2 tank. I think 10# would refer to the co2 and not the nitorgen, but to an untrained guy, they look to be the same size. My co2 will run my impact on probably 5 trucks when removing lugs before it would be exhausted. The nitrogen would be lucky to last 1 truck of lug nuts and an impact gun with the same size bottle



Co2 is decent for shielding gas when welding, though not great. I concure with the C25 mix. It will draw a better looking bead w/o as much spatter.



Co2 is used for soda and readily used by restaraunts in the size bottles you want. I've seen alot of Used Co2 bottles for sale and rarely find oxygen, nitrogen, or other bottles used. Dive tanks sound like they would work but didn't look into it.





Conclusions:

1) Small compressor and generator for tires.

2) Co2 for impact tools, cleaning sand rails before you go to work, and ease of portability for tires.

3) Nitrogen for shocks an preserving tires. Costco now uses the stuff for an extra $3-5 a tire?



Sean

 

[Nate]

Yeah the Powertank is overpriced and you can build your setup for alot less. I just posted that link since they have a decent amount of info.