Nitrogen in Trailer Tires

mike-s wrote:

time2roll wrote:
The compression process provides a very dry product so there is never a moisture issue to affect the tire, wheel or TPMS.

You obviously don't have a compressor. The air inside the tank is at close to 100 percent humidity (you need to drain water from the tank on a regular basis). When it comes out, the temperature drops and that moist air turns into moist air and water. Their's a good reason they sell water separators, dehydrators, dryers to put on compressors.

Yes, there's less water coming out than going in (which is why the tank needs regular draining), but what comes out is by no means "very dry."

'

We had several air compressor units at the power plants
400# Soot blowing air systems'
100# general service air systems
100# Instrument air systems

Both soot and general service air was 'dirty/moisture laden' because they were just fed from an air compressor...just like the air from any air compressor

Instrument Air had to be CLEAN & DRY
Same old air compressor...air went to same type of storage tanks which had to be blown down occasionally due to water build up in bottom of tank BUT the key was air then went thru set of filters and a chiller unit to clean & dry it PRIOR to use.

Air compressor alone will NOT make air clean/dry.



Nitrogen...is drier gas
RV Tires are filled at factory by RV MFG.
IF RV Dealership is providing FREE N2 ---great
IF Charging for N2 -------PASS

Either way....sooner or later you will need to adjust RV tire air pressures. AND good changes are that will be done the old fashion way........with an AIR Compressor.

Never PAY for N2. Benefit/cost does NOT make it worthwhile

mike-s wrote:

mat60 wrote:
Back in the day I raced stock cars and we used nitrogen in our tires thinking it would help slow down the expansion of the tires as they build heat.

Nitrogen obeys the same gas laws as other atmospheric gases. There is absolutely NO difference in heat expansion.

What does make a difference is moisture, which you also get from air. Industrial grade N2 might have 5 ppm of moisture (~0.03% relative humidity @ 70F). Even dry desert air might have hundreds of times that. For today's Daytona race, right now it's 73F and 72% RH. That's ~12000 ppm moisture.

Compressed N2 can simply be a more convenient source of dry gas than a compressor and good dessicant dehydrator. Nitrogen is just the cheapest compressed dry gas available.

exactly!!! If you used dry air, the effect would be almost identical to nitrogen. but as you mention dry nitrogen is cheapest and easiest way to get a dry gas source.

Race teams use it because (a) it is dry and (b) it is consistent.

One small advantage is that the nitrogen molecule is slightly larger than Oxygen, even though the molecular weight is less. That means pressure loss over time will be SLIGHTLY less. not enough to justify it's use alone.

Pass air through the right membrane and all the oxygen and water will go through and all your left with is nitrogen. also a nice way to make an oxygen concentrator.

time2roll wrote:
The compression process provides a very dry product so there is never a moisture issue to affect the tire, wheel or TPMS.

You obviously don't have a compressor. The air inside the tank is at close to 100 percent humidity (you need to drain water from the tank on a regular basis). When it comes out, the temperature drops and that moist air turns into moist air and water. Their's a good reason they sell water separators, dehydrators, dryers to put on compressors.

Yes, there's less water coming out than going in (which is why the tank needs regular draining), but what comes out is by no means "very dry."

I put Helium in my trailer tires. It significantly reduced the wear on my tires. In fact, most of the time they aren't even touching the pavement.

Found out this week, it doesn't matter what you put in them if there's a nail in the tread. Food for thought. Air is cheap. And readily available.

New to this forum: should have checked for previous conversations on this subject. Thank you all for info. Thought it was a lot of whooy. But I may go with the helium idea! make TT lighter!! :);)

I use a nitrogen alloy. It is called air and available at most locations.
The compression process provides a very dry product so there is never a moisture issue to affect the tire, wheel or TPMS.

mat60 wrote:
Back in the day I raced stock cars and we used nitrogen in our tires thinking it would help slow down the expansion of the tires as they build heat.

Nitrogen obeys the same gas laws as other atmospheric gases. There is absolutely NO difference in heat expansion.

What does make a difference is moisture, which you also get from air. Industrial grade N2 might have 5 ppm of moisture (~0.03% relative humidity @ 70F). Even dry desert air might have hundreds of times that. For today's Daytona race, right now it's 73F and 72% RH. That's ~12000 ppm moisture.

Compressed N2 can simply be a more convenient source of dry gas than a compressor and good dessicant dehydrator. Nitrogen is just the cheapest compressed dry gas available.

I suspect that one reason cars use nitrogen is to reduce the possibility of moisture affecting pressure monitoring sensors; especially in cold weather. GD

Bought a new Tacoma last year and it's tires came with nitrogen in the tires. I've now had this truck for well over a year now and to this day I've never had to add any. The Tacoma has an on board tire monitor, And the tire pressure never gets any higher then 4 to 5 lbs higher at highway speed. Now if I asked to put Nitrogen in my trailer tires, probably not. Just saying.