Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

[Diehard]

Originally Posted by joe0482

I went to pepboys today and picked up my compressor. First off it is identical to the one at costco (its the same compressor just a different name). In the parking lot of pepboys I aired down one tire to 12psi, it took just at 4 mins to 35lbs. The only complaint i have is it got so hot i had to let it cool a few mins before i could even touch the connector on the hose to disconnect it. That was doing one tire only kinda worried now when i have to do all 4, I may have to let it cool between each tire but for under $40.00 (after rebate and $5 off coupon) I can deal with it for now. Im going to mount it in the back on the wheel I havnt.checked yet but it should clear the rails for the top and the seat when folded forward. Ill add the pics when its complete.

Be careful installing it. It draws 30 amps. so you need to use some larger guage wire to hook it up. DO NOT use the power tap in the back if you have one. Its not meant to handle that kind of amperage draw. DO NOT change the clips to a cigarette type plug-in, again becuase of the amps it draws. Just some tips.

[CNY]

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

I do two tires at once and though from an airing up only time point of view it's no faster, the complete process is actually faster overall. Both tires fill to the exact same pressure and I only have to mess with getting the pressure exact once per side. ....

I do the same thing. I modded my MV-50

Write up:
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/teamcny-general-tips-faq-223698-post1718537/#post1718537


There is a TON of infor on this compressor here
Checker auto 12V tire inflator

[joe0482]

Originally Posted by Diehard

Be careful installing it. It draws 30 amps. so you need to use some larger guage wire to hook it up. DO NOT use the power tap in the back if you have one. Its not meant to handle that kind of amperage draw. DO NOT change the clips to a cigarette type plug-in, again becuase of the amps it draws. Just some tips.

Im hooking it up to a relay that i already installed and a rocker switch. I was just going to use the wire that are on it just cut the clips off. There long enough to go from the back seat to where i have the relays.

[CNY]

Originally Posted by Thomas Jeep

Anybody got photos of this being mounted somewhere in or on their Jeep?

Originally Posted by Tacoma750

Has anybody MOUNTED one of these in the tub or engine compartment?

http://www.yotatech.com/showthread.php?t=54907
http://www.mudrunner.ca/OBA.html

Originally Posted by silver_2000_TJ

That little compressor is amazing, I have finally got my hands on one and mounted it under the hood of my Jeep.

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford2007

...... maybe I'll pick up one of the Costco compressors as a backup for my York-based OBA.....

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford2005

Total POS .....You'll regret buying that compressor the first time you pass the 40 minute mark getting all four tires refilled. ..... Spend the money for something like a QuickAir II at a minimum if you're really going to start doing some offroading...

link

[Fatboy97]

Originally Posted by phoric

Went to Costco today (world headquarters in Issaquah) and couldn't find this compressor. They had another huge yellow portable one but it was nothing like this. Might have to check some of the other warehouses in the area.

None at the Costco in Yakima either.

[mtxe]

Originally Posted by Marauderk

MV-50 (red Costco version) i have one and the only complant i have with it is where you attach the hose to the compressor head leaks it started out small but got worse and worse.

get some thread seal teflon tape.

[mtxe]

Originally Posted by phoric

I found this one on their web site, I wonder if it's similar? Seems to be a different brand.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11196210

just a different model 15amp

you want the "Tsunami" 30amp

[Derbunk]

Just found them here at costco in VA!

[EricD10563]

I purchased one the other day and I'm very happy so far, of course I have only used it once. I drive around on some hard packed dirt roads lots of wash board stuff and because I had a cheap compressor most of the time I did not air down it just took to long to fill. Went yesterday and air downed a little 18psi, such a nicer ride. Afterwards I could not believe how fast it would air up my tires (30 9.5x15) will never not air down my tires again. Thanks for the info here, I purchased it at Costco $49.95

[Bowhunter46563]

I finally got my Pepboys Tsunami air compressor mounted and hard wired today. This is a great little unit for the money. I made a switch box (thanks Fitch) and it mounted between my visors. Made a shelf and mounted the compressor where the factory spare tire was. I changed the air cuck in the compressor to a more common one, its 1/8" pipe so it took an adapter but works much better.
Installed a relay and used 10 gauge wire to the compressor. Used one of the switches in the overhead box to fire the relay.

[RickyN29]

Nice!


........

[cj7guy]

Great information. I'm going to pick up a Costco unit ASAP and mount it in the rear hatch area. I think I'll try to add a tank, and fill it on the highway, or during the trail ride, so I can do some tire filling without running the compressor/engine.

Has anyone else tried this with the Costco unit? I figure I can upgrade to a bigger/badder compressor if I smoke this one.

[XabuJr]

Originally Posted by cj7guy

Great information. I'm going to pick up a Costco unit ASAP and mount it in the rear hatch area. I think I'll try to add a tank, and fill it on the highway, or during the trail ride, so I can do some tire filling without running the compressor/engine.

Has anyone else tried this with the Costco unit? I figure I can upgrade to a bigger/badder compressor if I smoke this one.

One thing to note on the Costco unit is that if you want to increase it's efficiency is to Teflon tape all the metal-on-metal connections. They also sell that unit under other brand names at other stores. I picked mine up at GI Joes before Costco offered it for almost double the price..

[cj7guy]

Yeah, I'll make sure she's sealed up tight like a tiger.

It was $49 at Costco here in Pgh. I emailed my dad about it, he's been wanting air in our trail-rig for a while, so he went out with a co-worker who is a member and bought it. Was it really half of that before?

Thanks for the advice! I am going to hard-wire it in the hatch area ASAP, probably swap out the fittings too.

[XabuJr]

Originally Posted by cj7guy

Yeah, I'll make sure she's sealed up tight like a tiger.

It was $49 at Costco here in Pgh. I emailed my dad about it, he's been wanting air in our trail-rig for a while, so he went out with a co-worker who is a member and bought it. Was it really half of that before?

Thanks for the advice! I am going to hard-wire it in the hatch area ASAP, probably swap out the fittings too.

Oh, no I meant I bought it for double the price, before costco offered it. So now it's $50 where I paid $100.