[gregoryx]

For the air compressor, a search for "onboard air" or something like that will get hits. There's a few of us that have them and they work well for pumping up tires and blowing out dust. The one we're running doesn't do enough volume to work well for stand-up-paddleboards (didn't realize that until trying - high volume is different than high-pressure) but great for bikes and cars.

In theory, you could use the air tank for anything pneumatic, obviously... but I wouldn't consider a pneumatic pump driven by a compressor to be an improvement over a 12VDC high-quality pump. A high-quality water pump correctly mounted doesn't exhibit a lot of vibration or noise. 🤷‍♀️

 

[Calothrix]

A pneumatic pump worked fine in my early '70's VW Beetle. I kid you not, the windshield washer sprayer was "powered" pneumatically by air in the spare tire. It consisted of a reservoir connected by tubing to the Schrader valve on the spare tire which was located under the hood. As long as you kept the spare aired up, it worked fine. Leave it to those German engineers!

 

[gregoryx]

@Calothrix, I totally forgot about that setup! The washer-fluid reservoir had the Schrader right on it. So weird. I had a couple of those. In the old ones, to clean a pretty small and totally flat piece of glass.

Reminds me of older Beetles that used a mechanically-driven float / gauge for the gas... so lots of old-school tech going on there.

 

[orton]

A couple of different ideas to consider:

I had a typical RV water pump in the Sprinter build. Did not like the noise, huge space required or the possibility of a pressurized water system leaking my whole fresh water tank into the van. For Transit conversion I bought a very small 12 volt DC solar centrifugal water pump. Water system is not pressurized. When I want water at the sink, I have an on/off switch. Works fine, is quiet, requires about 1/8 the space and costs less. I can also drain the fresh water tank through the pump. Centrifugal pump must be mounted below the tank. A small amount of water is directed back to the tank to keep the pump cool if I forget to turn it off.

Fresh Water | Orton Travel Transit

www.ortontransit.info

One example of a pump similar to the one I bought:

Product Details | Ford Transit USA Forum

Instead of a permanently mounted DC air compressor I bought a very quiet portable 1 gallon 120 volt AC compressor from Harbor Freight. Easy to move it where I want it in/out of van or for home projects. Also less expensive, no installation and no high amperage DC wiring. Run it using the house 1000 watt inverter.

1 Gallon 135 PSI Ultra Quiet Hand Carry Jobsite Air Compressor (harborfreight.com)

 

[orton]

Reminds me of older Beetles that used a mechanically-driven float / gauge for the gas... so lots of old-school tech going on there.

Our new 55 Beetle had a very simple gas gauge. Large (5* dia. ?) gas tank cap. Open the hood, remove the cap and look in the tank to determine amount of fuel. In addition, there was a valve under the dash to turn if you ran out of gas which provided fuel from the reserve portion of the tank. The best part was filling the tank for $2.

 

[njvagabond]

doesn't do enough volume to work well for stand-up-paddleboards

Going off topic a bit, but since we are already back to 1970 1955, here I go.
Are you using one of those HR to schrader adaptors. I was hoping to use an air compressor (hp/lv) but was going to try an open flow chuck on the compressor with the valve core removed from the schrader adaptor. Maybe that might work ... or not. 🤷‍♀️ Right now most times we use the boards are a specific adventure so hand pump is not a big a deal, but quick to set up when on the road might facilitate more use. Also thinking it's not necessarily all nothing, just using the compressor to finish off the inflation eliminates the hard part.

 

[gregoryx]

Our new 55 Beetle had a very simple gas gauge. Large (5* dia. ?) gas tank cap. Open the hood, remove the cap and look in the tank to determine amount of fuel. In addition, there was a valve under the dash to turn if you ran out of gas which provided fuel from the reserve portion of the tank. The best part was filling the tank for $2.

IIRC, my 59 had that setup still. The 63 had the mechanical gauge. Pretty sure still mechanical in 64 and 65. Didn't have any newer than that. But pretty sure the 70 Ghia was electric. Or maybe I just replaced the mechanical with electric. 🤔

@njvagabond, didn't try anything to increase volume. Might work? But I kinda doubt it. I think it would require a different pump.

 

[carringb]

Pneumatic pumps make a pretty audible chugging noise, like a tiny steam engine.

Pressurizing a water tank would be cool, except it would have to by cylindrical so you'd lose out on packaging efficiency.

 

[ranxerox]

I had Air Start on my 1984 Kenworth semi tractor, It would scare you right out of your shoe's if you where standing in front of the truck when I started it. It was loud!
When the truck needed to be jumped off you did not use jumper cables,, You used a 120 psi air line coming from the compressor on another truck.
Air start is a air operated starter motor for the engine.

I have also used Air Hoists and they are loud too, A air hoist is a air operated chainhoist used for lifting heavy things.

 

[greenvan]

Air powered pumps are noisy and expensive, this one is cheap, but personally would never buy. Not good for pressure, just moving fluids. I can't even hear the Jabsco pump in the last build i did. Stick with what works.

VEVOR Air-Operated Double Diaphragm Pump, 1/2 in Inlet & Outlet, Polypropylene Body, 8.8 GPM & Max 120PSI, PTFE Diaphragm Pneumatic Transfer Pump for Petroleum, Diesel, Oil & Low Viscosity Fluids | VEVOR US

Discover VEVOR Air-Operated Double Diaphragm Pump, 1/2 in Inlet & Outlet, Polypropylene Body, 8.8 GPM & Max 120PSI, PTFE Diaphragm Pneumatic Transfer Pump for Petroleum, Diesel, Oil & Low Viscosity Fluids, Sturdy Polypropylene Body and PTFE Double Diaphragm at lowest price, 2days delivery...

www.vevor.com