should I use air compressor w/o engine running ?

[blazer2007]

Just wondering if is ok or too hard on the compressor to pump up air bags w/o running the engine.

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by blazer2007

Just wondering if is ok or too hard on the compressor to pump up air bags w/o running the engine.

It is really harder on your battery than your compressor.(s) It all depends tho on how many compressors are you running. What is the tank size you are trying to fill. These determine how long the compressor(s) will be running off your battery. I normally I try not to fill mine often with the engine off.

Marc

[blazer2007]

I just have 1 comp. and 1 med. size tank. Just I read somewhere last winter that the compressors like full running battery power or can damage the comp. I was just worried cause I run the compressor on mine without the engine running sometimes as I have a leak on the fr. bag fitting. Thanks

[SCOTI]

Electric motors wear faster @ slower speeds in general so the battery or supply power source needs to @ 100% for best life expectancy.

[mr48chev]

It shouldn't have any effect on the compressor at all. Not any damaging effect, If you are playing the look at my truck go up and down with the airbags at a show or just doing show and tell it will put a pretty good on the battery without the engine running and charging. If you don't have a dedicated and isolated when not running battery for the compressor it is going to drain the battery just as if you sat there for a few hours blasting an annoying sound system at a show. Most of us have seen that guy who either played with his air bags, played his sound system or other toys and drained the battery down to the point where the car/truck wouldn't start when it was time to leave.

Truth be known, once the new wears off and you don't feel the need to play show and tell anymore it will be a non issue. You fire it up, air it up to set your down the road ride height and stance and off you go the only time you touch it from then is if you need ground clearance or if you drop it to the low cruise setting for a bit of cruising. Then when you get where you are going you set your "parked stance", and done.

I've often thought that laid out, air tank drained and main compressor fuse in your pocket is a good security setup for parking it when you are going to be away from it for a length of time like in a Motel parking lot. Another trick or two would probably defete a very low profile repo wheel lift.

[LONGHAIR]

Why wouldn't a guy, who uses that much battery power, run an isolator and a second battery? Running your "only" battery, knowing that it is what makes the vehicle start, seems at least a little short-sighted.
This was a common practice decades ago for guys who had winches and snow plows. Just because the power drawing device might have changed doesn't mean the solution has.