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Well, it's been posted a million-times before on the Web, but I thought I'd just chronicle my OBA setup. I did not have the time nor the inclination to go rummaging through the pick-n-pull for a York AC compressor to get OBA.
Admittedly, Kilby Enterprises makes it easy to order everything including the York compressor online, but I was far too cheap and lazy to even go that route. I reasoned that eventually the Missus would get a Jeep and need OBA, so why fix it to one vehicle?
Installing an electric compressor was also a consideration, but the price was again an issue and I'd still have to pop the hood and route all that wiring. Furthermore, although there are portable compressors that can be moved from truck to truck, I was concerned about duty cycles and having to let the thing cool off between long inflation sessions.
PowerTank looked pretty cool, easy, mobile and maintenance free. Again, my skinflint persona could not swallow the $390+ price tag I also reasoned that I would not be needing low-pressure CO2 output as I would not be:
So, I got my lazy butt off the couch and pieced together the poor man's Power Tank.
Fixed output CO2 regulator from William's Balloons. This is the heart of the system.
My recommendation is to get the 150 female regulator. The 150's are finger tightened, while the 103's are wrench-tightened and require a fiber disc washer. The female is better for when the coupler snaps off because you dropped your tank, you can just drill it out of the female socket. I went with the 150 PSI regulator, but if you plan to use airtools you care about get the 120 psi regulator which should bring pressure down to 100-120 psi.
Don't forget to ask for the Jeep club discount. I said my club was the My Jeep Rocks Club out of Southern California
. Cost $36.49
Next, had to get a cylinder. I knew I wanted something with a handle to protect the valve and facilitate carrying it around. I chose the same size as the most common PowerTank, 10#. I also chose aluminum over steel, because of the weight savings. My tank looks like this
.
BeverageFactory.com sells these cylinders for $84 plus shipping (they are out of San Diego). Unfortunately, they have to ship empty which means another trip to get it filled.
Well, being the lazy butt, I just called AirGas and found their nearest location. I was delighted to learn that they had just come into a new shipment of 10# aluminum cylinders with handles. Cost $95 including the first fill
Now, if you are feeling really cheap or sneaky, you can pay a nominal deposit and get a heavy crappy beat-up steel tank and just exchange it for another heavy crappy beater cylinder when it's empty. Just pay for the fill and get your empty cylinder swapped. Now, if you are sneaky or friendly, you may be able to talk the attendant into getting you the nicest looking tank they have, sometimes they have aluminum cylinders in the pre-filled stands. If you get a nice aluminum cylinder, bonus! Eat the deposit, paint your name on it and get it refilled while you wait.
A few things about buying used cylinders, they have to be hydrostatically checked every 5 years. Once it passes test, the cylinder gets the test date stamped on it. No cylinder will be filled with an expired test date, so think about that when you go fishing around the flea market for a cylinder. Also, you need a CGA-320 Valve on the cylinder otherwise your CO2 regulator won't fit and it won't be filled by the attendant.
OK, full tank and regulator in hand, I went to every cheapskate's favorite tool store, Harbor Freight. There I picked up:
25' 300psi hose. Cost $8
Two quick release couplers and a fistful of couplers for the hose and tools Cost $5
1/2" drive air impact wrench (already had set of 3/8" sockets and 1/2" to 3/8" adaptor) Cost Easily the best $15 I ever spent on my Jeep!
On the way home picked up a tire inflator from PepBoys with an integrated 0-60 psi guage. Cost $15
I used tie-down straps and bungees to strap it down to the floor of the Jeep until I had a horrible vision of a 25# metal cylinder squashing my skull like a ripe tomato. I ponied up for the PowerTank mounting bracket. Cost $50
The most expensive item after the cylinder was the bracket. You may be able to fab up something on your own or perhaps hunt around a fire extinguisher/welding/scuba store and see if you can get a bracket that costs less than a Ulysses S. Grant.
Total cost $224.49
For this paltry sum, I did not have to lift a single wrench to get on-board air and now thanks to my air wrench I was able to install my front bumper and rollcage extension in a few hours! See what you can expect from your 10# cylinder.
Hope you found this write-up useful and inspires you to get on-board air in your Jeep!
Admittedly, Kilby Enterprises makes it easy to order everything including the York compressor online, but I was far too cheap and lazy to even go that route. I reasoned that eventually the Missus would get a Jeep and need OBA, so why fix it to one vehicle?
Installing an electric compressor was also a consideration, but the price was again an issue and I'd still have to pop the hood and route all that wiring. Furthermore, although there are portable compressors that can be moved from truck to truck, I was concerned about duty cycles and having to let the thing cool off between long inflation sessions.
PowerTank looked pretty cool, easy, mobile and maintenance free. Again, my skinflint persona could not swallow the $390+ price tag I also reasoned that I would not be needing low-pressure CO2 output as I would not be:
- Using CO2 as a shielding gas for welding
- Keeping a beer keg pressurized
- Using airtools that I care about (thank you Harbor Freight)
So, I got my lazy butt off the couch and pieced together the poor man's Power Tank.
Fixed output CO2 regulator from William's Balloons. This is the heart of the system.
My recommendation is to get the 150 female regulator. The 150's are finger tightened, while the 103's are wrench-tightened and require a fiber disc washer. The female is better for when the coupler snaps off because you dropped your tank, you can just drill it out of the female socket. I went with the 150 PSI regulator, but if you plan to use airtools you care about get the 120 psi regulator which should bring pressure down to 100-120 psi.
Don't forget to ask for the Jeep club discount. I said my club was the My Jeep Rocks Club out of Southern California
. Cost $36.49Next, had to get a cylinder. I knew I wanted something with a handle to protect the valve and facilitate carrying it around. I chose the same size as the most common PowerTank, 10#. I also chose aluminum over steel, because of the weight savings. My tank looks like this
.BeverageFactory.com sells these cylinders for $84 plus shipping (they are out of San Diego). Unfortunately, they have to ship empty which means another trip to get it filled.
Well, being the lazy butt, I just called AirGas and found their nearest location. I was delighted to learn that they had just come into a new shipment of 10# aluminum cylinders with handles. Cost $95 including the first fill
Now, if you are feeling really cheap or sneaky, you can pay a nominal deposit and get a heavy crappy beat-up steel tank and just exchange it for another heavy crappy beater cylinder when it's empty. Just pay for the fill and get your empty cylinder swapped. Now, if you are sneaky or friendly, you may be able to talk the attendant into getting you the nicest looking tank they have, sometimes they have aluminum cylinders in the pre-filled stands. If you get a nice aluminum cylinder, bonus! Eat the deposit, paint your name on it and get it refilled while you wait.
A few things about buying used cylinders, they have to be hydrostatically checked every 5 years. Once it passes test, the cylinder gets the test date stamped on it. No cylinder will be filled with an expired test date, so think about that when you go fishing around the flea market for a cylinder. Also, you need a CGA-320 Valve on the cylinder otherwise your CO2 regulator won't fit and it won't be filled by the attendant.
OK, full tank and regulator in hand, I went to every cheapskate's favorite tool store, Harbor Freight. There I picked up:
25' 300psi hose. Cost $8
Two quick release couplers and a fistful of couplers for the hose and tools Cost $5
1/2" drive air impact wrench (already had set of 3/8" sockets and 1/2" to 3/8" adaptor) Cost Easily the best $15 I ever spent on my Jeep!
On the way home picked up a tire inflator from PepBoys with an integrated 0-60 psi guage. Cost $15
I used tie-down straps and bungees to strap it down to the floor of the Jeep until I had a horrible vision of a 25# metal cylinder squashing my skull like a ripe tomato. I ponied up for the PowerTank mounting bracket. Cost $50
The most expensive item after the cylinder was the bracket. You may be able to fab up something on your own or perhaps hunt around a fire extinguisher/welding/scuba store and see if you can get a bracket that costs less than a Ulysses S. Grant.
Total cost $224.49
For this paltry sum, I did not have to lift a single wrench to get on-board air and now thanks to my air wrench I was able to install my front bumper and rollcage extension in a few hours! See what you can expect from your 10# cylinder.
Hope you found this write-up useful and inspires you to get on-board air in your Jeep!
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