🚗 Inflate with Confidence: Your Road Trip Essential!
The Ring Automotive RTC500 is a powerful 12V air compressor that inflates tyres quickly and accurately, featuring a user-friendly design with a backlit digital display and built-in LED light for nighttime use. Weighing just 1.15 kg, it comes with a convenient carry case and storage solutions for easy transport and organization.
Manufacturer | Ring Automotive |
Brand | Ring Automotive |
Model | RTC500 |
Product Dimensions | 21.9 x 20 x 8.9 cm; 1.15 Kilograms |
Item model number | RTC500 |
Manufacturer part number | RTC500 |
Bulb type | LED |
Item Weight | 1.15 kg |
S**E
Excellent unit, one glaring design oversight
Note the 5 stars, it was nearly a 3 !The unit is simple to use, and simple to handle. The bag makes it neat and tidy to keep in the car, and secured. I tested with both car tyre and my daughters bike tyre. The car tyre needed 45 PSI, and the bike needed 55. By default the air hose has a screw on based connector, the screw on makes a solid connection and is easy to put on. Note also that the power cable is plentiful to go from 12v output inside car (cigarette lighter), to next to any of the wheels. No cable length anxiety for me. When first switched on, you can easily set the desired pressure in the unit of measurement of your choice, I stick to PSI and is easy to configure. When the hose is connected you will see a digital reading of your current pressure. When activated, the unit will start and you'll see the digital display start to increase. As soon as target pressure is reached, the unit will hold that pressure.Now... this is where the THREE stars was earned. All absolutely perfect until this point. What could possibly go wrong. Well, unless you're superman or supergirl, and you can spin the hose adapter screw at 10,000 rpm and make an instant disconnect; unfortunately, you'll be like me. I'm a mere mortal. For the bike tyre, the best I could do was drop a whopping 12 PSI in the time it took me to spin the screw thread enough times to get through the fully attached to semi attached (air now coming out), to half attached, to partially attached (air still gushing out) to finally detached. It's a ludicrous design feature. For all the mathematicians out there, I drop nearly 22% of the tyre pressure just trying to get the hose unscrewed from the valve. In anyone's book that's inadequate. The car tyre faired a bit better, just simply through volume of air. Even then I still lost a good few PSI, which means I have to pump the tyre up a few notches to estimate pressure loss through unscrewing. Doable, but what's the point of a digital pressure gauge.So, why the 5 stars? Well, this product is saved by a £6.https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089NB65GX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1Once fitted, you get a quick release locking tyre chuck at the head end. Instant disconnect, zero pressure loss. It's almost too simple. Shame it had to cost £6. Why something like this isn't included is a mystery. But there you have it. If you're prepped to purchase the adapter, this air compressor is an easy 5 stars. If you are a dare-devil, and stick with the screw piece you're better than me!5 stars because despite my gripe it works brilliantly, and it's so simple to use. Just get the adapter.
T**S
Connector could be better
This is a vast improvement on using a foot pump! It is easy to set up: just plug into power outlet (eg: cigarette lighter); enter the required pressure; connect to tyre valve and press start (seemed to need to press twice for some reason); and away it goes stopping when required pressure is reached.I cannot be sure how accurate it is as no alternate calibration available, but it did seem to confirm some of my tyres were still at their correct pressure so I am fairly sure it is good.Slight niggles: a slightly longer power cable would be useful; the screw connection to the tyre valves takes a little while to connect and allows more air to escape than with the more usual clip-on type (I decided to set the pressure half a psi higher to compensate for this (but that was guesswork); and good luck getting the powerlead back into its slot.
F**R
Really well made and fast tyre pump
I neded a new electric tyre pump as my old one (not Ring) disintegrated. Did some research and found this. I liked the size and that the target pressure was shown in the backlit display - my car has different pressures front and rear.In use it does take a few seconds to report a stable tyre pressure when attaching. It is really very fast to inflate and I like the screw on in-line connector rather than the 90 degree clip-on ones. It also has a deflation button if you need to reduce the pressure which is handy. Good length of airhose. Only downside is that when picking it up I find it very easy to press the pump button, but that is the fault of my fingers!Very good pump and very good value
A**B
Top notch air compressor.
This model with auto cut-off is worth a few £ more than the more basic models. It shows the set target pressure and the actual pressure (when you connect it to the tyre valve). Press start and it pumps up to pressure quite quickly then stops. The preset pressure is memorised, so you don't have to set it again, but is easy to change if you wish. Some reviewers say they don't like the screw on valve connector - I disagree, I thinks its very positive and goes on easily; you do loose a little air when unscrewing, but it is marginal, just set the pressure 0.5psi higher if it worries you. I have checked the pressure accuracy with a separate gauge, and it is spot on. Storage compartments for the electric lead and the air line, and a good zip up case for storage. What more would you want! Highly recommended. I researched several other models before buying, but believe that this model is great value.
B**M
Good, but fiddly
I got this as my husband has the same brand. It’s quick to inflate and the auto stop means you don’t need to watch the pressure gauge. The screw connector is fiddly and loses air when you take it off. The power connector is a poor fit. It takes a lot of force to push it into the socket. I’ve tried it on another car and had the same problem. The cable also doesn’t fit back into the storage area. It could do with a lid on the compartment to stop it falling out.
B**J
Decent inflator
Inflates quickly and great to be able to set the target pressure. Sometimes not sure it is very accurate, but useful when needed. Would be better if it had a nicer way to wrap the power cable instead of just a hole in the bottom. Good quality product, but the only really annoying thing is the connector to the valve is very difficult and poorly designed, and would be no use for people who dont have good dexterity in their fingers
I**
Best tire pump
This product has been a life saver, does excellently well. I had to refer a friend to get it. Cheers
Y**B
Misleading product information
Bought the product as liked it when I saw a friend use it, bought it specifically due to the windup cable management at the back of this product that just makes it easy to put away having after I have ordered , it has arrived completely different, does not have a wind up reel at the back. The product info and pictures also state it has cable management. Misleading to be honest
Trustpilot
5 days ago
2 weeks ago