Compressor/jump starter combo

Deb55

Has anyone used this? It seems like a good thing to have for blowing out water lines, topping off tires or jump starting a dead battery. I've been looking at various models, and this one seemed like it might be good. https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-1400-Peak-Amp-Jump-Starter-with-Digital-Compressor-DXAEJ14/300385259

targ

That really won't work for blowing out the lines.  For that you need something with lots of volume behind it.  For reference, I've got a 3 gallon pancake compressor and it is really not big enough either.  To do it right, you really need a large shop size compressor that can supply a large volume of air over a sustained period.

Sharon_is_SAM

@Deb55, when we started purchasing items for the TaB, we looked at combo units.  They never were as good as the separate components, plus, if one component goes bad, you end up replacing both.  So, we ended up purchasing a portable 12 V compressor for use on the road (inflating tires, urgent winterization) and at home for winterization.  We have the Viair in the pic below.  Sturdy, compact, it packs nicely just inside the door, under the bench.

We use it quite effectively blowing out our lines in our CSS.  You just need to wait a minute for the pressure to build.  Since you are limited to using only 50 PSI in the plumbing lines anyway, other than saving a few minutes, there is no reason to require a large compressor.  There are some members who have used a bicycle pump to blow out their lines!  

pthomas745

The key number on a compressor for blowing out lines is how much air it can move in Cubic Feet Per Minute, or CFM.   The Viair lists CFM in their specs as 1.06 CFM, so see if you can find the DeWalt CFM spec.

I used a Kensun tire inflator side by side with the Viair, and it did work,but took a long time to come up to pressure.  The Viair seemed much more effective.  (I'm not an experienced winterizer!)

Here is a video of a guy using a bike pump to clear lines in a home garage test setup.  I'm sure a lower power (CFM) item will work if you take care and know what  you are looking for to know if the water lines are clear or not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf-DJCDPMkk

Deb55

Thanks for all your comments. Based on what I'm learning here, I've decided against the combo unit. Even the manufacturer (I put a query out on Amazon, too) said it wouldn't work to blow out the lines. I'm still researching, and since I'm winterized, I don't have to decide right away!