Nitrogen Question...

[funcat]

If you have a nitrogen filled tires is it OK to put regular air in in case when you see the pressure low and you far from the nitrogen fill station??

[RaoulDuke]

Yes, nitrogen makes up 78% of the air in the atmosphere, it is inert, and the majority of the air in the compressor will be nitrogen anyway. Nitrogen-filled tires are overrated, unless you can get it for free. There is less temperature fluctuation and it seeps out more slowly, but that is about the only real difference. Nothing anyone would really notice.

Edited April 26, 2012 by RaoulDuke

[funcat]

Yes, nitrogen makes up 78% of the air in the atmosphere, it is inert, and the majority of the air in the compressor will be nitrogen anyway. Nitrogen-filled tires are overrated, unless you can get it for free. There is less temperature fluctuation and it seeps out more slowly, but that is about the only real difference. Nothing anyone would really notice.

Thanks...the "little" difference is probably "bigger" if you are riding a wide and low profile tires,I guess...they probably get hotter sooner?

I do get nitrogen fill up free,but it is not near close where I live.They've(the tire shop) said that I don't need to check with them sooner than before 3 months,but now it's only 2 and one tire is getting low...well,I need to pay them a visit...

...now,when I fill up this one tire with the "regular" air,after going back to the tire shop,do they have to drain it completely and than refill with nitrogen again...my guess will be "yes"...am I correct?

[Farma]

Unless you're racing in formula 1 I seriously doubt you'll notice any difference at all. Another use for N2 is in aircraft tyres and thats to provide an inert gas at times of brake fire.

Depending on how much N2 has been lost out of your tyre I'd just top it back up with N2 the next time you visit that garage. It doesn't matter if it's flat, just pump it up with air. If it's a small leak the percentage of non N2 gas from topping your tyre up with air in the meantime wouldn't make a difference.

If you have a slow leak i'd be more concerned with having the leak fixed and you'll get a fresh fill of N2 anyway.

Personally I think the extra paid to fill car tyres with N2 is just another way to increase the tyre garages profit. I drive a sporty car with low profile tyres, have an abundant supply of N2 available and fill them with air.

[funcat]

Unless you're racing in formula 1 I seriously doubt you'll notice any difference at all. Another use for N2 is in aircraft tyres and thats to provide an inert gas at times of brake fire.

Depending on how much N2 has been lost out of your tyre I'd just top it back up with N2 the next time you visit that garage. It doesn't matter if it's flat, just pump it up with air. If it's a small leak the percentage of non N2 gas from topping your tyre up with air in the meantime wouldn't make a difference.

If you have a slow leak i'd be more concerned with having the leak fixed and you'll get a fresh fill of N2 anyway.

Personally I think the extra paid to fill car tyres with N2 is just another way to increase the tyre garages profit. I drive a sporty car with low profile tyres, have an abundant supply of N2 available and fill them with air.

...sure,not a big deal...just sounds good a makes the life little more interesting...

[luwahn]

Unless you're racing in formula 1 I seriously doubt you'll notice any difference at all. Another use for N2 is in aircraft tyres and thats to provide an inert gas at times of brake fire.

Depending on how much N2 has been lost out of your tyre I'd just top it back up with N2 the next time you visit that garage. It doesn't matter if it's flat, just pump it up with air. If it's a small leak the percentage of non N2 gas from topping your tyre up with air in the meantime wouldn't make a difference.

If you have a slow leak i'd be more concerned with having the leak fixed and you'll get a fresh fill of N2 anyway.

Personally I think the extra paid to fill car tyres with N2 is just another way to increase the tyre garages profit. I drive a sporty car with low profile tyres, have an abundant supply of N2 available and fill them with air.

...sure,not a big deal...just sounds good a makes the life little more interesting...

My 2 cents: I think the difference is real but theoretically technical and not so obvious.

Theoretically, N2 isn't nearly as susceptical to the 'condensation buildup' that can occur in regularly inflated tires in hot and humid temps. Theoretically, this condensation can cause tire pressure fluctuations, by definition interact and deterioate the metals on wheels and (a further extreme) works to degrade a tire's balance. All of these points are theoretical and the degree to which an 'ordinary' driver will notice any of these effects may or may not be negligible. The only downside to using N2, IMHO, is its universal availability and the monetary advantage that some establishments charge for its use.

I use N2 but I wouldn't pay mucho baht just to use it!

[Kwasaki]

Thanks...the "little" difference is probably "bigger" if you are riding a wide and low profile tires,I guess...they probably get hotter sooner?

I do get nitrogen fill up free,but it is not near close where I live.They've(the tire shop) said that I don't need to check with them sooner than before 3 months,but now it's only 2 and one tire is getting low...well,I need to pay them a visit...

...now,when I fill up this one tire with the "regular" air,after going back to the tire shop,do they have to drain it completely and than refill with nitrogen again...my guess will be "yes"...am I correct?

There has been threads before on this subject and I say unless you have experienced the benefit of N2 you can't really put up an argument against it.

First of all like has been said get it free, usually the only way to do that is to buy from a tyre place e.g. " Cockpit outlets ".

If one of your tyres is going down you have leak problem but filling it with air to stop it going flat is no problemo.

If you take it back to the N2 tyre place, they will remove the tyre clean the rim and check the tyre & valve for leakage.

To give some idea I went once from Sukhothai to Phuket, drove around for 14 days, eventually came back and the tyres were spot on the same pressure the next morning when checked.

Did the Chiang Rai, Pia, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai etc and still no loss of pressure, that is what convinces me to keep using it, as I have done for 4 years.

[funcat]

Thanks guys....I went back to the shop today,just manage to get there before 5pm(!),but still time to get service...no problem...they got the wheel off,cleaned,checked for leakage and...no leak detected,so...nothing else to do just put it back on.They did take the valve out and refilled with the N2...great!...just one more thing I wanted to do is to check my gauge with theirs...no problem, LF wheel 32 psi same,same,so they just used mine for the rest...LR 32 OK...RR 35(!) oops...RF(the problem one) 37(!!)...when will they get this part right,if ever ...anyway,will have check the pressure every day for now to see,if there is a hidden problem...BTW,it was a good service considering the late time and...the bottle of Sang Som and soda already waiting for them(TGIF)...

[cocoy]

if's its free.. then there no difference.. if you have to pay for it.. then the difference is in your wallet. heheh.. BTW there are some tire shops that have a filter system that totally removes the moisture from the air that you pump into your tire.. i guess that would make it as good as nitrogen then, because the moisture wont be present to corrode your rims.. if in fact mags can still get corroded. just for the experts out there.. would air with no moisture be considered pure nitrogen or just ordinary air with no water molecules?

[sezze]

if's its free.. then there no difference.. if you have to pay for it.. then the difference is in your wallet. heheh.. BTW there are some tire shops that have a filter system that totally removes the moisture from the air that you pump into your tire.. i guess that would make it as good as nitrogen then, because the moisture wont be present to corrode your rims.. if in fact mags can still get corroded. just for the experts out there.. would air with no moisture be considered pure nitrogen or just ordinary air with no water molecules?

Air is more then water and nitrogen . Nitrogen or N2 is inert and basically doesn't do anything . Air contains roughly 78% N2 and 21% O2 ( oxygen ) and some other compounts . The amount of water is never measured as in how much there is in these numbers . So humidity of the air does not change the amount of N2 or other gasses . Making the air 100% humid or 0% it stays 78% approx . .

Pure N2 is free from other gas compounts and water and is more then 99,9% pure .

Filling your tyres with N2 , well i would never pay for it . It is better since your pressure stays more equal and the temp inside is also more stable . Also , your tyre on the inside will less deteriorate because of the lack of O2 ( oxygen ) .

Is it a salestalk , yes and no . You do not have to check your tyrepressure as often as with normal air , and that is about it . When you get it for the same price , take N2 , when paying , never ... take air .

[luwahn]

if's its free.. then there no difference.. if you have to pay for it.. then the difference is in your wallet. heheh.. BTW there are some tire shops that have a filter system that totally removes the moisture from the air that you pump into your tire.. i guess that would make it as good as nitrogen then, because the moisture wont be present to corrode your rims.. if in fact mags can still get corroded. just for the experts out there.. would air with no moisture be considered pure nitrogen or just ordinary air with no water molecules?

Ha-ha-ha as we go down that slippery 'Theoretically' technical slope.

The main advantage is that, in theory by looking at its properties, N2 is more dependable when it comes to maintaing air pressure.......period. The 'degree' to which this is true isn't huge, but when you're looking for an edge, (auto racing?), then N2 is for you.

Also, O2 is susceptible to moisture build up be it from the air pump or outside temperatures. Again, in general, we're not talking about 'huge volumes', suffice it that there is the 'theoretical' potential with O2 and not with N2.

I see what you're getting at: "...would air with no moisture be considered pure nitrogen or just ordinary air with no water molecules?". Short answer is "No", but, that's the next best way to keep one's tires inflated. The problem then becomes, how to maintain (and ensure) this moisture free environment inside one's tire! Remember, this isn't critical, but something that only the most technically pure of heart - race car drivers - need to concern themselves.

So, as long as it isn't a financial burden, I would always recommend going with N2.

Sezze explains it more better and Cocoy has the ideal solution, right-on.

[Kwasaki]

1. they got the wheel off,cleaned,checked for leakage and...no leak detected,so...nothing else to do just put it back on.They did take the valve out and refilled with the N2...great

2. will have check the pressure every day for now to see,if there is a hidden problem...BTW,it was a good service

1. I would guess it was the valve that was the problem.

2. Checking the pressures every day !! Think better every month I say but then I use to check my new truck tyres at ' Cockpit ' every three months and then check myself once only the next morning because they always put more psi than I preferred.

I would just mention and I'm sure you know, be careful when checking with a guage as pressure can be released when doing so on connection check, adding to any loss.

As tyres get older pressure losses can i have found increase.

I would only recommend using N2 if you have new tyres fitted at a tyre outlet that offers free checks.

That said I did change to N2 in the car when the tyres were 2 years old because of N2 being used in the truck tyres and only a 2 - 3 psi loss every 3 months.

And yes I have found it interesting especially if you can't be bother to keep checking, but with a good little air compressor at home or a stop in a garage and a good tyre guage, air is OK for most.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Kwasaki

[funcat]

1. they got the wheel off,cleaned,checked for leakage and...no leak detected,so...nothing else to do just put it back on.They did take the valve out and refilled with the N2...great

2. will have check the pressure every day for now to see,if there is a hidden problem...BTW,it was a good service

1. I would guess it was the valve that was the problem.

2. Checking the pressures every day !! Think better every month I say but then I use to check my new truck tyres at ' Cockpit ' every three months and then check myself once only the next morning because they always put more psi than I preferred.

I would just mention and I'm sure you know, be careful when checking with a guage as pressure can be released when doing so on connection check, adding to any loss.

As tyres get older pressure losses can i have found increase.

I would only recommend using N2 if you have new tyres fitted at a tyre outlet that offers free checks.

That said I did change to N2 in the car when the tyres were 2 years old because of N2 being used in the truck tyres and only a 2 - 3 psi loss every 3 months.

And yes I have found it interesting especially if you can't be bother to keep checking, but with a good little air compressor at home or a stop in a garage and a good tyre guage, air is OK for most.

"Checking the pressures every day"...I meant the problem tire and not necessary with the gauge,but visually...just to make sure I will not get caught with the same problem again

[Kwasaki]

"Checking the pressures every day"...I meant the problem tire and not necessary with the gauge,but visually...just to make sure I will not get caught with the same problem again

Your good to go, you only the nitro booster kit for the car engine now.