Autocompressor: what is it and how to use it?

The wheel tire is an impermeable construction, hermetically sealed. However, the air still manages to leave the tire, leaving the driver a big nuisance-a flat tire. It can be pumped up at the service station, but it is better to be able to do such things yourself. After all, the problem of a flat tire can be found on the road, and at the most inopportune moment when you need to go urgently.

An electric car pump called a compressor is used to pump the wheels of a car. In this article, we will learn how to use a car compressor, how to connect the pump correctly and how often you need to pump up the wheels.

Types of compressors and their design

An autocompressor is an electric pump that compresses air at the right pressure and supplies it to the tire. There are two main elements in its construction:

• Electric drive.
• Pumping part.

The pumping structure can be of two types:

• The first type consists of a piston and a cylinder. These types of car compressors are called reciprocating compressors. Their indisputable advantage is their high power. The piston compressor can provide pressures up to 8 atmospheres.
• The second type is diaphragm pumps. Instead of a piston, they have a membrane responsible for air injection. Such pumps are simple, they are cheaper, but they cannot boast of high power. Their limit is 6 atmospheres and the performance is lower than that of piston ones, but this is quite enough for passenger car tires.

How the autocompressor works

The principle of operation of a car compressor is that the electric motor starts the pump. Then air is pumped in different ways:

In reciprocating compressors, the air compresses the piston. It moves reciprocally in the cylinder, forcing air during its movement. High pressure is generated at the outlet. Compressed air enters the tire through a hose with a tip, through a wheel fitting.

In membrane compressors, the air is compressed by an elastic membrane.

Regardless of the structure and method of air injection (piston or membrane), each car compressor perfectly performs three tasks. It collects air, compresses it and delivers it directly to the wheel.

Before inflating the wheel of the car, you should give power to the electric motor of the compressor. To do this, you need to connect the compressor to the car's cigarette lighter (if the compressor is not battery). For the connection, we use a long cable equipped with a plug. The plug itself is designed to seamlessly connect to the cigarette lighter socket. You just need to plug it into the cigarette lighter outlet (its voltage is 12 Volts) and turn on the toggle switch on the autocompressor.

In case the power is not supplied, you should check if the cigarette lighter socket is working. A fuse may have blown and can be easily replaced with a new one.

If, nevertheless, the 12-volt output does not give voltage, then you can connect the compressor to inflate the tires directly to the battery. The process is a little troublesome-you need to cut off the plug, and make loops from the ends of the wire stripped from the insulation. They will act as terminals. Some reciprocating compressors are equipped from the factory with "crocodiles" for direct connection to the battery. How to connect such a device? We connect them to the battery, being guided by the fact that "plus" is a black cable, and "minus" is a red one. If everything is fine with the charge in the battery, then the compressor will start working. If necessary, you can start the car (with the battery on).

How to swing the wheels?

Who often uses the compressor, he already knows all the nuances of the connection. And for beginners, you should prepare and do everything step by step so as not to make mistakes. You need to use the compressor correctly in the following sequence:

• Place the device near a flat tire.
• Unscrew the nipple cap.
• Attach a compressor lance to the wheel union.
• Plug into the cigarette lighter socket.
• Turn on the pump toggle switch to the horizontal position. This immediately opens the valve on the compressor tip, and air begins to flow into the tire.
• We monitor the pressure indicator. When the required tire pressure is reached, the toggle switch must be turned off.
• Swapping has ended. Disconnect the tip and screw on the nipple.

What should be the tire pressure

Any car has its own size and type of tires. The operating pressure in a tire may vary from vehicle to vehicle. Typically, the tire pressure indicator sticker is affixed by the vehicle manufacturer to the driver's side door (sometimes the passenger side). In the information you will see two numbers-these are the pressure indicators in summer and in winter-for winter wheels.

Easing car tire pressure shouldn't take you by surprise. You should regularly measure whether the pressure reading is correct for your vehicle. The tire pressure is measured with a pressure gauge. It is recommended to do this every two weeks if the car is driven daily.

This test prolongs the tire life and prevents tire wear. Even a floor under-pumping atmosphere leads to the wear of the tires on the sides. In addition, if the tires are flat, it negatively affects the suspension.

What to look for when choosing a compressor?

There are a lot of different pumps for inflating tires on the automotive market. When choosing a compressor for your car, you need to consider several factors in order to get a durable and reliable assistant.

Power . Reciprocating compressors are always more powerful, however, the power indicator should not be chased. A good diaphragm pump with wheel pumping up to 3 atmospheres is a great purchase.

Size . The higher the power of the device, the larger it is. This applies to all technology in the world, and to autocompressors too.

Pump type -diaphragm or piston. The piston, of course, is more reliable and more productive. But it is more suitable for vehicles with large wheels, 15 inches and up (SUVs, trucks). For cars the size of the wheels is 13-14 inches, you can take an inexpensive membrane pump, its capacity for inflating a flat tire will be enough.

Choose and buy a car compressor for inflating tires at 130.com.ua.

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