Electrical power needed.....need help

[Andrew2KRT10]

I usually trailer my car to events and I want to run a small compressor from my truck.
Those $19.00 - plug-in-the-cigerette-lighter ones stink. My problem is that even a small compressor, when it kicks on, draws too much and pops the fuse on my DC-AC convertor which is probably to small to handle the load anyway. I know I have to go straight to the battery. And I know that someone out there has done this before....so please give up the secrets. What type of convertor have you used, how many watts...

Any info will be appreciated. Please don't hesitate to e-mail since I may not be back to check this board today but will be on e-mail later.

Thanks.

 

[joe117]

Compressors often pull quite a few amps at startup. If you need to run it from a converter, you just need to get a big one.
I know that's not much help. The real reason I posted was to tell you that you might find that getting a big air tank might be the best way to go for air at the track.

 

[luc]

How much air do you need?

if it is to remove wheels and/or inflate tires,a good solution is to buy/rent a nitrogen bottle.

They come in 3 sizes from small to big and even the smallest one is good enough to do all the above for a race/track weekend.

Luc.00GTS

 

[Vic]

One thing I noticed about my Campel Housefield AC compressor, is that it can pop the breaker, when I start it with a partial tank full of air.

If I let all the air out first, it will keep compressing right up to and beyond the pressure that it quit at, when starting under a load.

Electric motors can draw 700% of their rated nameplate current, at start up.

If you start the motor under a load, it just makes things worse.

Try starting from an empty tank, when the motor doesn't have to work as hard to get going.