12v Air Compressor

Viair is one of the bigger names in portable 12 volt air compressors.Their 400 series of compressors have more of what you need in a portable compressor.These are not light weight units that are capable of only inflating smaller tires and beach toys.

The Viair 400P in particular is able to put out 2.54 (cfm) cubic feet of air per minute,which is more than most lighter weight portable compressors.The more air that a compressor can push,the faster you can fill the tires,which comes in really handy if you are filling larger tires like you would find on off road vehicles.

In fact it can fill a 35 inch tire from 15 (psi)pounds per square inch to 30 psi in less than 3 minutes.And from 0 psi to 30 psi in just under 5 minutes.Helpful information if you do pressure down your tires for the occasional offroad foray.

Viair 400P-A Automatic Portable Compressor Kit 40045

The 400 P has a maximum working pressure of 150 PSI.What does this mean for you?It means that while other compressors have topped out at 100 PSI and are struggling to get the job done,the 400 P still has room the go.

While you wouldn’t ordinarily need that much pressure if you are just using a compressor to fill small tires or inflatables.But if you are using this compressor to fill tires on motorhomes or heavier trucks,you might as some require 80 to 100 Psi.Something you won’t get out of smaller and lighter units.

The Viair 400P has a duty cycle rating of 33%.Many smaller air compressors only have a 25% duty cycle rating.The higher duty cycle means that you will be able to run the unit longer before it needs to cool down.In the case of the 400p that would be about 15 minutes versus 10 minutes.

This is something that all portable compressors are subject to.It is perhaps one of the draw backs to them as opposed to larger units that you would typically have in your garage.

Power for the Viair compressor comes from an 8 foot power cable that attaches directly to your vehicle or secondary 12 volt battery with heavy duty alligator style clamps.The clamps are like the type you would find on the ends of jumper cables.

The length of the cable(8 feet) should be plenty to allow you to place the compressor on a level surface and the clamps make connecting rather easy.

To get the air where you want it,the 400p compressor has a 25 foot air hose with a built in 100 psi air pressure gauge 5 in 1 inflator/deflator.You can air up continuously,air up intermittently,air down continuously,air down intermittently and check pressure.

To check your tire pressure simply turn the compressor off and keep the quick connect valve attached to the tire.The back pressure will give you a reading of just how much pressure you have in the tire.

The Viair 400 p has a sand filled base to help keep vibration and movement while operating to a minimum.Vibration is one of the biggest problems when you use portable 12 volt air compressors.Some lighter weight compressors knock themselves silly with the vibration that comes from the motor.The sand helps to soak up that vibration which in turn helps the unit to stay in place and run quieter.

While a little heavier than some compressors at 8.5 pounds,it still isn’t as heavy as 120 volt powered models.Neither is it as big at 7 inches high by 11.25 inches long and 4 inches wide.But it still is a good size for a portable which is what it is intended for.The 400p should easily fit in your trunk ,storage compartment or even behind your front seat of your truck.

The Viair 400P 12 v air compressor comes with accessories like a zippered carry bag with storage compartments.That is a nice feature.So many times you get something for your vehicle that has accessories and have nothing to store them in then they get lost and make whatever you bought useless.

Aside from the airhose inflator/deflator combo and power cable,you also get a 3 piece inflation tips kit for a variety of applications as well as an owners manual.

The Viair 400p portable 12 volt air compressor lists for $286.25 but I have seen have it listed  for $198.95 which is 30% off.The Viair400p has a 1 year limited warranty.