Woods

This isn't JK specific, but it works for my JK.

I have been looking at ways to do an on-board air solution. I had an old regulator and 10 lb. CO2 Bottle, from my kegorator. I don't need it any more, now that I'm married (or now I need it because I'm married... and I'm just not allowed to have a kegorator any more, which is one of the reasons that I need it... ). So I went to Lowes to figure out how I was going to connect my Keg Regulator to a tire inflator. As Lowes I came across a "portable compressed CO2 regulator". I purchased the CO2 system, as well as a tire inflator with gauge. The system comes with a free 9oz CO2 bottle, which is only enough to fill one tire. For my tires, I have calculated that I need half a lb. of CO2 per tire, to go from 15 to 30 psi. On ebay I found a new 3 lb. bottle shipped for $27. I happen to have a 20oz bottle from my paint ball gun. So I end up with over 4 lbs. of CO2. for $160. The whole systems (other than the 3lb. bottle) come in a nice compact case. The system uses a valve called a Pin Valve. I asked the guy at lowes, and he told me that it's similar but slightly different than a standard paintball valve. I didn't believe that it was different, so I tried both the bottle from the kit on my paintball gun, and my paint ball bottle on the CO2 system. Every combination seems to work fine, but caveat emptor. Re-fills at Lowes would be expensive, but I should be able to go to any paintball store. Now If I can only find a way to keep the keg cold on the trail.

Lowes link;
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...735-J-6901-100

Lowes Pic




Picks of my system;

JackMac4

Hey thats pretty cool..i have a whole stock of 20oz'ers for my Tippmann A5 that I could use. Kinda pricey though, don't you think?

Woods

Not cheap. Less $ than a power tank though;

http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?pid=PT10B

And Rubimon can use it to blow the water out of his mirrors.

JackMac4

True but a lot slower to fill as well I bet.

Woods

This was definitly one of my concerns. The pin valve must restrict the flow a bit. I tested the flow pressure on the inflator. With the reg set at 115 psi, the pressure guage on the inflator was at 89 psi. Running off of my compressor at 100 psi, the inflator was running at at about 94 psi.

IGOFSHN

You can get a complete 10 or 20 lb co2 system for under $150 if you buy the parts yourself. I got my 20lb tank for $75 from a returant supply and bought a regulater for $60, the hose I already had. Filling the tank was $14 at a welding supply store. I can fill a lot more than 4 tires and got a much better price.

bigwrm

I dont think I have ever seen anyone mention anything like what I have on my work truck. I have no idea about the compressor, but its just a tiny electric one that was probably $50 at an auto store.

Anyways, Its an F450 regular cab, and the compressor is behind the seat, then the hose runs through small hole out back of cab onto the deck.

Then I just have a regular I think 10 gallon tank with a connector like on the Keg pump posted. The tank is just a cheap one like this.



The compressor is slow, it takes 10 mins to fill the tank to 120 psi but I just keep it full. Then refill if I need to. I can usually fill 2 or 3 tire up on a tank depending on the size.

I have been thinking of something like that for my Rubi, I just dont know where I would fit the tank. I see the power plant has a smaller rounder tank you can buy extra with it. I need a tank like that and mount it under the hood or something.

/ramble off

possumface

you can also pick up co2 tanks from fire extinguisher companys they sometimes have co2 extinguishers but i prefer aluminum cyl. cause of the weight factors you would then need to convert the valve on the extinguisher to a turn handle type and then get a good regulator, hose etc. never use a co2 tank that has rust on it. these are not something to play with if your not well informed. a explosion from a co2 tank will blast you and your jeep off the face of the earth

possumface

i wanted to add that co2 bottles have safety discs installed if the co2 pressure gets to high " say on a hot day" it could pop the disc and release co2 , if this happens make sure u roll down your window or breathing will become difficult or impossible.

Major Ho

In my former life I worked for Pevs Paintball. (Dunno if you guys have heard of it)
Co2 is a far inferior propellant compared to the High Pressure Air Systems,HPA, on the market.
There are paintball markers out there that use HPA only and dont accept Co2 for fear of liquid Co2 entering the gun. On the otherside, there are paintball guns that do accept Co2 so it can be interchangable with HPA.

From a 20oz Co2 tank on a good warm day you get approx. ~600-700 shots out of a paintball gun. I would assume that logic on a warm day you can get more air to your tires but according to Woods math thats only ~2.5 tires.
The HPA systems out there for the paintball market deliver a constant regulated pressure of ~800 or ~400 depending on your choice of tank reg.
At 68 cubic inches and 4500 psi on average you can get ~1200+ depending on the effieciency of your paintball marker. So you get much more air for roughly the same size and weight of the container.

Im wondering if any of you jeepers out there already have some of this equipment and could use this particular regulator to further drop the pressure to a lower psi for the tires. The tank threads are interchangable and use the same pin valve technology. If you weighed the cost of the HPA tank alone plus this nifty regulator Woods informed us of it would be pretty much the same cost as the 10 lb bottles of portable air already on the market.

With the huge popularity surge paintball had a few years ago I would assume at least a few members on the board already have this equipment and I would venture to assume their tanks are enough to refill all 4 tires.

Sorry if I rambled. I have been immersed in the paintball culture longer than I can remember. LMK if I can clarify on anything