Inflating wheelchair tires to 90 PSI

compressorpowertoolsterminology

I'm looking for a way to easily fill my wheelchair tires to 90 psi. I understand that I don't understand all the technical stuff I should consider when buying a small compressor or a tire inflator, and frankly, my head is spinning from it all.

Originally, I thought I could get away with just an inflator, but it appears to me that very few of them have a minimum psi above 90. And I'm suspicious that those numbers are inflated. I feel like the descriptions don't give me enough info. I'm having such trouble comparing all of them! Adding in the small compressors–I just can't figure this out.

If I do need to go the compressor route, which I think I do, I have some restrictions in noise level and space. Some don't list if they're belt-driven, and I just don't know enough to extrapolate the missing info. Sizewise, I'm confused by the fact that sometimes smaller tanks show higher CFM than others and vice versa.

I'm not looking for someone to try to explain all this to me, I guess I'm looking for someone to just advise me of what numbers am I looking for. By way of example:

  • Would a pancake compressor which states "2.0 SCFM delivered @ 90 PSI pump, 3.5 gallon tank and 135 max PSI" work for my needs?

  • Is one that says "200 PSI 3.0 CFM 2.5 gal 71.5 dB" going to be too much?

Can someone just give me ballpark numbers to look for? I hope this makes sense to someone.

Thanks so much for your time!

Betsey

P.S. With the numbers you give me, could you possibly tell me what additional types of uses it might have, if any? Thanks so much!

Best Answer

The CFM of the compressor is the volume of air the compressor can move at the rated pressure. Your chair tires have a tiny volume just about any compressor on the market can handle them. The peak or max pressure is what you need to look at. The peak or max pressure is the value the compressor shuts down at for safety. You want this pressure to be higher than your needed pressure for losses in the hoses and the bit you loose when disconnecting the air fitting. All the pancake compresses I know of (even harbor freight) will have sufficient SCFM , if the max pressure is 125 this should more than enough to reach 90 psi on your tires once the tank fills without having to run longer than to fill the tank.

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