Air compressor, yeh or neh?

I'm going to say both operations will likely take quite some time with an 8 gallon tank.

Tires typically hold more air than an 8 gallon tank. If the tire is flat, with a slightly fast leak, GOOD LUCK. Sand blasting probably not.

Probably because you have 50' of unusable extension already. If you could move your receptacle to anywhere, that might be OK. In many cases the larger compressors suggest using 20 amp receptacles. Technically you are actually running 100' of 14 gauge with a 50 14 gauge extension. The length is important. If you have a 14 gauge in very close proximity of the breaker, you might be able to use a 14 gauge extension cord.

Manuals probably assume you have already got 50' of romex/extension to start with.

CYA at its best.

Assuming the compressor does not come on until it gets to those lower pressures. But on a very low tire or flat the compressor will likely run continuously, and fill slowly.

"The length is important." That's precisely my point.

The manual for my PC pancake says: "If an extension cord must be used, be sure it is no longer than 50 feet, 14 gauge (AWG) or larger."

What length of house wiring did PC use when they granted me another 50'?

If I plug my compressor into my shop receptacles, I'm plugging in ~30' from the panel, Romex length wise. If I take it out back and plug it into my shed, it's close to 100'. Where it lives in the garage, it's roughly half way between those 2 lengths.

As a matter of fact, I have another receptacle at least 20' from the shed, wired from the shed. Am I still allowed 50' at 120'+ from the panel? Nothing in the manual says I'm not, so I guess I'm good to go.

Where does it end? Well, I know where ends: It ends about 1" before the compressor fails. ;-)

My point is that the extension cord length specification in the manual is basically useless without knowing what length they are using for the wiring to the receptacle.

With no compressor a 25 lb prpane tank used as an "air pig" will inflate a 225/70 16 inch tire to almost 30PSI if you start with the pig at 125 or 150 psi as long as the bead isn't unseated.

I am not saying it cannot be done. But the compressor will kick on long before the tire is filled.

DerbyDad, You are a good salesman! Comparing one admittedly "low-end" compressor to another, the 8-gallon, 150-PSI, Performax at $133 seemed. to me, the best bang for the buck at this time. I picked it up, on the last day of the sale, the first thing this morning. I haven't put it together yet, but so far I learned the difference between an "Industrial", "Automotive" and "Universal" coupler--or, rather, at least I've learned the distinction! : )

Sonny, I bought some "(air) tool oil" on your recommendation. But the couple of references to it I have seen suggest it goes into the tool (and not the coupler). Maybe I just misunderstood what you wrote when I read it the first time.

A question I don't know the answer to is if *filters* are the norm for typical tool use--I wouldn't expect it to helpful for general inflation. Besides keeping water out of paint being sprayed, I perceive that the idea is to keep water out of the the tool (which is related to the reason to use a little oil).

Ah, Like a moth, I've always been attracted to "potential energy"! : )

Air tools require oil. At least the ones that spin or shoot nails. 2~3 drops in the male end of the coupling on the tool.

Now having said that some nail guns are oil-less.

A filter will be helpful if you run the compressor a lot. Hot air inside the tank will tend to blow the humid air through the hose rather than let it, the moisture, build up/settle at the bottom of the tank.

Do you think, perhaps, that PC was perfectly aware that there is house wiring between the service entrance and the point at which the extension cord is plugged in? And took that into account when making their recommendation?

You can determine the resistance of your extension cord for the particular AWG involved, and calculate the voltage drop at the compressor, it's pretty simple math.

I've found Milton 'M'-style couplers to be the best.

If you're using the compressor to drive a paint gun or HVLP gun, you really do want to filter out both any oil and any moisture.

How can you even ask that question after reading *my* question?

"What length of house wiring did PC use when they granted me another 50'?"

Isn't it obvious that I "think" PC took house wiring into account?

I see that not only didn't you address that question, you snipped the rest of my post. Did PC take my 30', 60', 100' or 120' into account? I have receptacles at all of those distances from the panel.

It's safe to assume that they took *some* number into account, but don't you see how that number impacts what they recommend as far as extension cord? If they used the 30' of house wiring then the math says I can use a 80' cord if my receptacle is right at the panel. If they used 120' then the math says I can use a 170' cord from that receptacle.

That maximum recommendation of 50' starts at the receptacle, yet they (nor anyone else) ever says how far that receptacle can be from the panel. Therefore any such recommendation is useless.

Totally irrelevant to this discussion. I'm asking about the *recommendation* of a maximum of a 50' extension cord without any reference to the location of the receptacle relative to the panel.

Why don't you call their consumer line and ask them rather than speculate endlessly?

Clearly they cannot measure every single household in their target market(s). So they figure an average, lowball the in-house wiring (12AWG is more common for an outlet circuit than 14AWG, for example) by assuming some above average length of 14AWG from the service entrance to the receptacle and hence the suggestion of no more than 50' of 14AWG extension cord.

Then the only way you'll get an answer is to ask the entity making the recommendation. Call them: 1 888 848 5175

Yes, and the Automotive world uses this type.

There is a difference between the female couplings. Guarded and non

-guarded.

The guarded can be drug around a post or other stationary object with out it disconnecting.

Another consideration, an extension cord adds at least one more connection that is a slide fit on both ends. That might introduce another source for resistance.

Is that your way of admitting that your last post was worthless?

Fact or assumption?

Email sent. Stay tuned.

Here is my update/review for anyone who may be interested. Others should skip to the next post. I bought some "air compressor tape" (slightly thicker TPFE than the usual stuff), since that's what the folks on the YouTube videos I watched were using. Assembly required about 4 different (non-metric) wrenches in all, ranging from 9/16" to 13/16" (pretty big!). The hacks on YouTube used "locking pliers"--ha, but admittedly one could probably save time that way.

It took about 5 minutes to open the plastic package of accessories without destructing some "helpful information" on the back, so including de-boxing, reading the manual, assembly, attaching connectors to the hose and 2 tools, and de-coiling the 50' hose it took about 90 minutes, but I wasn't hurrying.

The "oil-resistant rubber hose" seems to have a sticky coating (maybe that's the oil-resistant part?), so much so that you'll want to wash it off your hands sooner rather than later. But you don't need to touch it unless you are coiling the hose, and it was a non-issue during use.

Testing: The compressor worked exactly like it was supposed to. It had enough volume to satisfy me, but then it shut off and I inflated my tires in relative silence. It kicked on while bringing one tire from

So far, so good: 10/10. A bit "pricey", but not so bad in the whole scheme of things. And to be honest, it was sort of fun, and surely educational. : )

Remarkable that those connectors able to "seal" so well, without any tape? It seems counter-intuitive. It must be a great design.