I need something to maintain pressure in my bicycle tires with (they go up to 80 psi) as well as to occasionally blow dust out of electronics. My budget is under $100 if possible; the cheaper the better but only if it does its job well and doesn't fall apart. I can't seem to find any concrete recommendations and would appreciate the help.
Looking for a Solid Budget Air Compressor for Bicycle Tires and Dusting
zetapulse on 16/11/2019 - 16:15
Comments
Water vapor isn't really a problem if you're only doing it once every so often though. Certainly better than a layer of dust caking up your components!
It's not vapour, you'll get actual water droplets from condensation in the tank plus possible oil from the compressor being spat out. You'll want to use a trap.
It's also complete overkill for bicycle tyres as while the pressure is high, the volume is low. You can fill one with a manual floor pump from flat to ready to go in less time than it'll take for the compressor to be plugged in and build pressure.
You're right on both points, but if the OP is working to a minimal budget then a water trap is beyond his needs and budget. The additional cost outweighs any potential risk.
It's also complete overkill for bicycle tyres as while the pressure is high, the volume is low
This.
Buy this and save yourself time/money.
@o53djz7qTPY4der: And then buy a tin of air duster spray for cleaning electronics
$10 here
https://www.binglee.com.au/laser-cl-1827f-air-duster-spray?g…
Floor pump for the bike (also called a track pump)
Then get a 2l plastic soft drink bottle drill 2 holes in the cap and fit one with a valve from an old tube. Fit the other with a bit of hose with a clamp on it. Use the bike pump to pressurise the bottle via the valve. Then point the hose at where you want to dust and open the clamp on the hose.
$30 tops and free to run.
Nice lifehack, I'll have to try it out sometime.
Wear ear muffs just in case you pump in too much pressure. They're loud if they pop and given they're thinner these days compared to back when I used to do it I'm not sure they'll hold more than around 30psi.
Really if you want something for dusting, consider one of the electric blower dusters. I purchased one of the Datavac dusters to clean PCs and it works really well. The downside is they cost as much as a compressor but can only be used for one thing whereas compressors can be useful for other things.
Thanks for the fair warning.
…consider one of the electric blower dusters… The downside is they cost as much as a compressor but can only be used for one thing…
This is exactly why I'm on the fence over this matter, but yeah if I must have a compressed-air duster I might eventually have to settle for one of these.
Soft drink is typically 40-50psi. In a hot car can apparently get up to 100psi. There would be a safety margin in the bottle design.
Agree on taking it easy with the pressure though. I first saw the bottle idea for inflating tubeless mountain bike tyres where you need a lot of volume fast. They recommended pumping to 60psi IIRC. Also recommended placing a heavy blanket or something over the bottle to dampen any potential explosions, especially the first time you inflate.
@Euphemistic: I doubt softdrink is anywhere near 40psi. Maybe when shaken vigorously it may get near that for a short period. I used to inflate the bottle to 50psi and they were far harder than when filled with softdrink. Since then the bottles have become much thinner so I'd be very cautious inflating them to this level now.
@apsilon: I was just going on a quick google for soft drink pressure. The consensus seems to be 35-60psi
@Euphemistic: Seems high. I'm going to have to think of a way to measure it now LOL.
All I know is you can squeeze a soft drink bottle, there's a fair bit of play. At 50psi of air they're almost rigid.
I guess I'm never going to need compressed air to clean stuff, I'll just continue with my ESD brushes and Aldi handheld vacuum for that, and a floor pump for my bike.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-24l-1-5hp-oil-free-air-com…
Not really recommended for using to blow dust our of electronics due to the possibility of water in the air, you would need to get a water trap at minimum.