Nitrox in car tires?

[MaxBottomtime]

I use the 13 cf tank also to soak my regs pressurized. So I was thinking to have a second purpose topping off car tires.

You don't need a full tank to soak regs. A 13 cu ft tank should last years with a single fill if that's all you're using it for.

 

[Johnoly]

A good tech diving shop should have a 20 - 30 ft fill whip,,,cause that's how you fill a set of doubles so you don't have to pull them out of the back of your car. So filling a car tire is a breeze. But you still need to pay 10 dollars for the inspection sticker and good luck trying to get that to stay on the metal rim thru the car wash.

 

[boulderjohn]

With a pony, the true drawback is the annual vip and 5-year hydro cost... it is like paying for insurance...

If the only thing you are using it for is as described, and if you are filling it by transfilling from another tank, it is up to you to decide if you want VIPs and hydros.

I can see the value of keeping such a tank in the car for emergencies, but how often do you expect to use it? I do not have to fill tires all that often. I would think one tank fill would last a lifetime.

 

[TheQuintessentialMan]

Carbon rich rubber tires, enriched O2 gas under pressure; what could possible go wrong?

The ability for common stuff to burn increases dramatically as the amount of available O2 increases. I don't know anything specific about rubber tires but have seen demos of stuff that smolders in normal, air flare up pretty good as O2 level increases.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Carbon rich rubber tires, enriched O2 gas under pressure; what could possible go wrong?

The ability for common stuff to burn increases dramatically as the amount of available O2 increases. I don't know anything specific about rubber tires but have seen demos of stuff that smolders in normal, air flare up pretty good as O2 level increases.

With recreational mixes? Other than potentially faster breakdown of the rubber, nothing. Which is why regs do not need to be O2 clean for recreational mixes and cylinders only if partial pressure blending is used to fill them.
I keep either a 19 or a 6 cu ft bottle in the car for filling my bike tires. I also have a good hand pump but sometimes I use the cylinder because it's quicker for schrader valves on the hybrid bike. For my gravel bike that has presta valves the pump is what fits without an adapter.
But then, I have anywhere from 6-8 cylinders, now that I've sold a half dozen off, that I can transfill from and two of them are always going to have 21% in them. I haven't used nitrox much in years as the dives I'm doing don't mandate it. Even the deco dives I've done would not see that much benefit of nitrox over 21% since the I'm willing to do the deco required.

 

[broncobowsher]

There is theory "horrible, oxygen will age the rubber faster"
Then there is reality, it is hardly any more oxygen inside the tire than air. The benefits of pure nitrogen fills for normal use have not materialized. Race cars, large aircraft, potentially have some benefits. But this is fringe stuff. The Nitrogen fills do exist, but for profit is selling the machines and profit is selling the fills. The customer benefit is strictly an emotional one.

I'm a car guy. Do the R&D stuff for major auto maker. We have played around with everything from SF6 to He in tires. I can tell you that you are fine. Normal recreational levels of Nitrox will be fine for the occasional top off. The oxidation inside the tire is nothing compared to the weathering the outside gets. It's probably better than your little home compressor or even a shop air compressor. Because the little compressor will be wet air while the pony bottle will be dry air.

 

[NYCrecdiver]

There is theory "horrible, oxygen will age the rubber faster"
Then there is reality, it is hardly any more oxygen inside the tire than air. The benefits of pure nitrogen fills for normal use have not materialized. Race cars, large aircraft, potentially have some benefits. But this is fringe stuff. The Nitrogen fills do exist, but for profit is selling the machines and profit is selling the fills. The customer benefit is strictly an emotional one.

I'm a car guy. Do the R&D stuff for major auto maker. We have played around with everything from SF6 to He in tires. I can tell you that you are fine. Normal recreational levels of Nitrox will be fine for the occasional top off. The oxidation inside the tire is nothing compared to the weathering the outside gets. It's probably better than your little home compressor or even a shop air compressor. Because the little compressor will be wet air while the pony bottle will be dry air.

Thanks! I was thinking also about dry gas from pony possibly being beneficial. Appreciate you sharing your opinion being a car guy! I'm gonna go ahead and top of with 32% once in a while. If something horrible happens, I will report back my ordeal.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

There is theory "horrible, oxygen will age the rubber faster"
Then there is reality, it is hardly any more oxygen inside the tire than air. The benefits of pure nitrogen fills for normal use have not materialized. Race cars, large aircraft, potentially have some benefits. But this is fringe stuff. The Nitrogen fills do exist, but for profit is selling the machines and profit is selling the fills. The customer benefit is strictly an emotional one.

I'm a car guy. Do the R&D stuff for major auto maker. We have played around with everything from SF6 to He in tires. I can tell you that you are fine. Normal recreational levels of Nitrox will be fine for the occasional top off. The oxidation inside the tire is nothing compared to the weathering the outside gets. It's probably better than your little home compressor or even a shop air compressor. Because the little compressor will be wet air while the pony bottle will be dry air.

I would not worry about a little moisture in your tires...

Ballast: The Tractor Tire Fluids Rundown - Countryside

Do you have good tires, but still have a hard time gaining traction on loose/wet surfaces? Adding downforce with tire fluid can assist on slippery surfaces.

www.iamcountryside.com

 

[happy-diver]

Yeah that's it man exactly!

I have topped off my car tires with a scuba tank containing nitrox for years. The tires ALWAYS seem to wear out in less than 4-5 years. If you want to make your tires last avoid driving on them.

my best happy diver impression.

Typical tightarse diversI

Just get on in there, grab your spare set of tiny doubles

and bolt em on in there

Then find yourselves a ye olde happy to do the job dive shoppe, with a long fill hose

Fill your tyres for years and years and in the pub whilst everyone else is still pumping

When you come off the beach that is

Dudesesses!!!

 

[Jeff_O]

Yeah that's it man exactly!



Typical tightarse diversI

Just get on in there, grab your spare set of tiny doubles

View attachment 763204

and bolt em on in there

View attachment 763205

Then find yourselves a ye olde happy to do the job dive shoppe, with a long fill hose

Fill your tyres for years and years and in the pub whilst everyone else is still pumping

When you come off the beach that is

Dudesesses!!!

The adapter for intimidate pressure to fill shrader valve are at the scuba shops. I would sometime also use the adapter that has a fine nossle for air to dry stuff or get dust out. Both are great. Just a word of caution where using too much air too quickly can cause condensation inside a tank. This even more so on smaller cylinders. I do use the 13cf and immerse it with first stage in large bin of water, depressing the purge button and other stuff on gear to work the valves along with getting salt out. So I have to be careful not to over do it when using it that way. I would
opt for filling car tire with those plug in 12v jobs for under 40 dollars. Also can fill inner tube with dive flag. A bike pump was kept in my truck and I filled tires for automobile with it. Does work, but takes a while. These electric cheap compressors also are not that fast. They though have there place.