Top 10 autocompressors

In the automotive compressor market, the Airline brand, despite its Chinese origin, won the trust of customers: the price-quality ratio of the models of this company is more than acceptable. Here there is an “honest” piston compressor, and both the piston and the cylinder are made of metal. Consequently, one can expect a decent compressor life. The cylinder has fins, so it can withstand up to 20 minutes of work without overheating.

The dial gauge of the X3 model cannot be called convenient - it is small in size, and the price of dividing the “correct” scale is 0.2 atmospheres. Given the size of the arrow, a run of 0.1 atm between the wheels is quite likely. On the other hand, here the scale in psi is not so striking that it is good. A nut is used to connect to the spools - this is not as fast as with a conventional clamp, but reliably.

Autocompressor productivity is small - 30 l / min. Although for a compact single-piston model it is not such a bad indicator. It will take you about 2 minutes to pump one R14 wheel. Compressor connection - only through the cigarette lighter (note - the current consumption reaches 12-13 A), the cord is soft, not twisted. There is no compartment for the cord, unfortunately, the compressor does not have - every time it will have to be rewound where it will turn out.

Rather powerful for its class car compressor for tire inflation, issuing 30 l / min at a maximum pressure of 7 atmospheres. The design of the model K50 is typical for compressors of this class - the electric motor is coupled with a single-piston compressor with a crank on bearings. The disadvantage of this design is a decent level of noise and vibrations at work, on the other hand, the utmost simplicity for the budget model is the key to a good resource.

The compressor is connected to the cigarette lighter socket with a regular cord, the length of which will be enough for a family sedan.When you turn on the compressor, note that it can consume up to 12A, so it is better to turn it on not in the cigarette lighter but in the power outlet, if it is in the car. The cord itself, unfortunately, has nowhere to wind up - the manufacturer provides customers with only a velcro on the cord.

Not the best node “Kachka” is its pressure gauge: the metric scale is already rather coarse (one division is 0.2 atm) and is also located inside the main, “inch”. For the compressor produced for Russia, the Chinese could supply a more suitable pressure gauge, especially since they are found on other models from the PRC.

This compact car compressor could compete with the leaders of the rating if it were not for one big fly in the ointment: its passport consumption current is 14A, which would be unnecessary for most cigarette lighters. Moreover, replacing the fuse with a higher rating will not always be the way out: the fine wiring of most modern cars can cause a considerable voltage drop, and as a result, the compressor will not give out its stated 35 l / min.

Otherwise, it is a typical representative of its class: fairly noisy, vibrating, but at the same time affordable and not taking up much space in the trunk. It is necessary to note only one nuance - there are several versions of this compressor on the market, differing, in fact, only by the design of the pressure gauge. The most easily digestible of them is suddenly the pressure gauge of the cheapest version - although it is coarse, its accuracy is generally accepted in the budget class, and the triple digitization is quite readable this time. In the 01N High-tech version, the metric scale is not only smaller - the additional arrow-pointer of the desired pressure reduces the accuracy even more, since it is twice as wide as the main one.

A simple compressor for tire inflation, according to the manufacturer, is able to pump up to 37 liters per minute, but in reality it has fewer possibilities. This is not surprising, the motor is low-powered here - but the compressor itself weighs a little and can be connected to the cigarette lighter without any problems.

For budget cars with a dimension of wheels up to approximately 185 / 65R14 it will be enough, then already the needs will start to conflict with a limited time of continuous operation. However, it is necessary to take into account that usually the compressor is taken out of the trunk in order to pump up the wheel, and not to pump it from zero, with this he will manage calmly.

Completion for the money is inevitably minimal: the hose at the compressor is fixed, short (only 0.6 m), so the compressor will have to be carried from wheel to wheel. Well, the manometer of the type most hated by the author is small, with atmospheres hidden inside the scale and at a division price of 0.2 atm, and the arrow occupies the entire space between the divisions.

The most powerful of automobile compressors ParkCity is a two-piston model with a capacity of 50 liters per minute. Of course, you can admit that such a volume of air is quietly pumping single-cylinder models, and why complicate the design? However, two small pistons, working in antiphase, provide a noticeably lower level of vibration and noise.

Here's the engine that drives them, the performance is not impressive. It requires current up to 30 amps, like professional compressors with a capacity of twice as much - and even a cheaper AVS with the same power consumption can pump 40 liters per minute more! So with a limited battery capacity, it is better to start and warm up the engine first, and then swing the wheels, otherwise you will have to look for a donor for lighting up. If you have a powerful generator, you can not turn off the engine when pumping wheels, at the same time and it will go faster.

The manufacturer should say thanks for the pressure gauge - it has a large scale, marked up only in the "correct" units. However, it is still necessary to verify his testimony with the reference: no one has canceled the Chinese origin, and the exact calibration of the mechanical gauges of our neighbors do not differ.

"Bright, powerful, evil" (according to the sticker) AGR-40 Digital in the center of the case has an informative digital display. In addition to pressure, it can also display the voltage of the battery or the generator running - just click the "Test" button. Next to it are the pump pressure setting buttons: now you don’t have to nervously rotate from one foot to the other, looking at the arrow crawling slowly on the scale, set the desired pressure to the compressor and wait for the automatic shutdown.The electronic part with the pressure sensor is the same here as in the digital compressors “AvtoProfi” and “Kachok”, it has proved itself quite well. To the right of the handle is a large deflator button.

The compressor is connected to the cigarette lighter, which indicates its relatively low productivity (35 liters per minute). In this case, note that it consumes up to 15 amps - this is the limit for most cigarette lighters, it is better to use a power outlet for power!

If the autocompressor Berkut can be compared with a marathon runner, the Aggressor is a true sprinter: it can produce up to 160 liters of air per minute ... but not more than 20 minutes in a row. In addition, it is significantly larger than the "Golden Eagle": the length of the "Aggressor" is more than 30 cm, so this model is not suitable for every trunk.

For what I want to say thanks to the creators of this compressor - it is for the pressure gauge (here, like the "Berkut", a gun was used for pumping, connected via a quick-release 8-meter hose). This time the scale kg / cm2 is placed on the outer radius, and the arrow allows you to work perfectly with the divisions, whose pitch is 0.1 kg / cm2. Thus, the accuracy of the set pressure is guaranteed.

The compressor consumes current up to 45 A. Convenient crocodiles are used to connect it to the battery, the cord has a sufficient length of 2.4 m. The fuse is located on the compressor housing itself next to the reset button of the safety thermostat.

In general, the compressor could be a good alternative to the R20 Berkut, if not its inability to work for a long time - a number of users noted the destruction of the connecting rod during long-term operation of the compressor without stopping, sodespite the high price, "Berkut" noticeably wins in popularity.

The compressor head is equipped with a short hose with a quick release, and you can connect, for example, a twisted 7.5-meter hose from the kit to it. This hose ends with a deflator tip and a large gauge. True, the pressure gauge is traditionally “wrong” - well, tell me, why is the main scale for PSI for the Russian market?

Shakes the compressor very thoroughly for the passenger model: whatever one may say, its performance at nominal supply voltage is 55 liters per minute, while the noise level is quite moderate (67 dB). Power - strictly through the "crocodiles", the current consumption reaches 18 amperes. Note that the engine is equipped with overheating protection - if you have all 4 wheels lowered, it will not be superfluous.