1
\$\begingroup\$

I've recently bought an air compressor with a cigarette lighter socket cord. It plugs into your car.

The specs say that it takes 12V dc at 14A but I want to power it with small batteries (AA, AAA, 9V) so I can carry it on the go. I know that there are heavy car batteries that would work, but I want a light solution.

I tried using 2AA's and a 9V, only to realise that the current was too low.

Without putting 105 batteries in parallel, is there any way to amp up the current of a battery?

\$\endgroup\$
5
  • \$\begingroup\$ Well with a dozen or two AAs you can get 12V@14A possibly but not for very long. How long time do you need it to sustain 14A BTW? \$\endgroup\$
    – user3528438
    Commented Oct 3, 2017 at 11:29
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Try some Li-ion 18650 cells, 4 in series. Most 18650's have a max current rating printed on them, make sure its greater than 14A. \$\endgroup\$
    – Steve G
    Commented Oct 3, 2017 at 11:34
  • \$\begingroup\$ 168 Watts - it's just too much to ask from some AA "batteries" or even smaller cells. There's a reason why it's supposed to be connected to the cigarette lighter socket. A big lithium-ion battery might work as a replacement. \$\endgroup\$
    – Oskar Skog
    Commented Oct 3, 2017 at 11:50
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ Look at flight packs for RC aircraft or quadcopters. They will be Li-Ion as Steve G suggests, buy more than one and a matching charger. They are small, light and will do the job - a quadcopter is just a fancy air pump. \$\endgroup\$
    – user16324
    Commented Oct 3, 2017 at 12:30
  • \$\begingroup\$ Also bare in mind that those air compressors have a major inrush current (100+ amps) so even if you could manage with AA batteries you would need a thermistor to manage the current on turn on \$\endgroup\$
    – Makoto
    Commented Oct 3, 2017 at 12:51

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2
\$\begingroup\$

You are out of luck. This compressor takes 12 V at 14 A, so 170 W. Anything that can source that kind of power for a useable period of time is going to take some space and weight.

Trying to do this with AAA or even AA batteries is like trying to bail the Titanic with a teaspoon. Ain't gonna work.

\$\endgroup\$
1
  • \$\begingroup\$ What if I were to use 6V lantern batteries, will it be worth the price? \$\endgroup\$
    – Beaver .Hacker
    Commented Oct 4, 2017 at 7:27

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.