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How to choose a car pump: see, what to look for when buying?

June 24, 2020

The car pump is a "must have", which must be in the trunk of every driver. Many may object, that in most cases maintenance stations are engaged in pumping tires, however, it is recommended to monitor air pressure and inflate the wheels from time to time. in addition, an abnormal situation is possible on any trip, at which it is necessary to inflate the tire. For this purpose, it is useful to have a car pump on hand.

In order not to be afraid on the way of unpleasant situations with the wheels, it is necessary to approach the choice of this necessary accessory carefully

Sometimes novice motorists ask questions: which pump to choose and what is the difference between its different models? We'll talk about that below, how to choose a pump for inflating car tires and what to look for when buying.

Types of car pumps

Today, the industry produces two types of similar products, the pump for car tires can be mechanical or electric. From the name it is clear the difference between them - a mechanical pump is driven by human physical effort, and electric runs from the engine, which is powered by electrical energy.

Car foot pump

Each of these species is also divided into categories, which we will talk about separately. And electric, mechanical models have their advantages. Usually, mechanical products are more compact, are cheaper and do not require connection to a power source. Electric compressors are much more expensive and take up more space, however, their advantages are high productivity and no need to exert physical effort. Using a compressor, you can not worry about that, that your hands are tired or your back hurts.

Mechanical pumps - types and features

According to the type of action, a mechanical automobile pump can belong to one of two groups:

  • manual - air is pumped into the tires by hand. This is a vertical cylinder with a piston and a handle in the form of the letter "T";
  • sheath - such devices are actuated by foot. They are made in the form of scissors, where the cylinder and piston are installed in the middle.

Because it is important to monitor the pressure inside the tire when pumping, the product is usually supplied with a manometer, which allows you to control the process. Mechanical models are much less productive, than electric, therefore they are used only for cars, where the pressure is about two atmospheres.

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The mechanical pump is actuated by foot or hand

Speaking of convenience, then most motorists prefer manual foot options, as at their work on a back it is necessary much less loading fatigue comes much later.

Electric pumps

An electric car pump is also called a compressor. As mentioned above, it is powered by electricity. There are two types of compressors:

  • membrane;
  • piston.

The first group uses a rubber membrane to inject air. A serious disadvantage of this variety is the lower performance, short life and inability to use at low temperatures. This is due to the fact, that in the cold the elastic rubber membrane hardens, and this leads to the impossibility of using it. Therefore, piston devices are increasingly used today, where air is pumped through the piston.

Piston, in turn, driven by an electric motor. The compressor for this purpose is connected or to the cigarette lighter, or directly to the battery terminals.

Electric car compressors run on mains or battery

There are different models of electric compressors. In some the piston works directly from the motor shaft, others have intermediate mechanisms. Common sense tells you, that fewer intermediate links gives greater performance and increases the reliability of the device.

As well as mechanical pumps, electric compressors are provided with a pressure gauge in order to, to control tire pressure. It can be an analog or electronic device, for convenience, some of them have two types of scales with markings on domestic and foreign systems.

What to look for when buying

After we looked at the types of car pumps for inflating tires, let's consider, what to look for when buying:

  • think, which is better for you - an electric compressor or a simple mechanical model. Today, most people choose compressors, because they are more productive and do not require physical effort;
  • productivity is time, which is needed to inflate one wheel. In mechanical models, productivity directly depends on your physical capabilities - strength, endurance, etc.. P. In electric compressors, the average pumping time of one tire is about 5 minutes;

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Modern models of autocompressors are easy to use, universal and necessary on the road for every driver

  • maximum air pressure - in cars and trucks it is different. Therefore, if a small car is enough 2 atmospheres, then the truck will need a product, able to provide from 4 to 9 atmospheres;
  • power - when choosing should be aware, that increasing power leads to higher power consumption;
  • the time of continuous operation of the device - many do not pay attention to this criterion, however, it is very important. If the compressor is able to run for 20 minutes, and the pumping time of one wheel is 5 minutes, then your device will run at its limit, which will lead to rapid breakage. Therefore, choose products with stock, able to operate without stopping for at least half an hour;
  • hose length is an important criterion, because a short hose will bring a lot of inconvenience;
  • compactness - pump, which takes up too much space in the trunk, hardly convenient. Therefore, pay attention to the dimensions of the product, before you buy it.

Additional features

You can also pay attention to some additional features, which can be provided by a product, here are some of them:

  • flashlight - it will help, if you have to inflate the wheels in the dark. Some models, except for a flashlight, still have a red emergency stop signal, which will attract the attention of passing cars;
  • automatic stop - this function allows you to set the pressure value, to which tires should be inflated. Once the pressure reaches the set value, the compressor switches off automatically;
  • possibility to use the pump not only for car tires, but also for pumping boats, balls, air mattress, etc.. P. Such functions can be very useful in a country trip, if you organize a picnic in nature with a game of ball.