Motrflate AutoMagic Digital Air Controller

LJDC

TJ Enthusiast
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I picked up the Morrflate AutoMagic Digital Air Controller when it was first introduced. There was an initial discount of some sort, and I was looking for a new automatic inflator. I would not buy this one again.

Generally I think that multi-tire inflators are a waste. I don’t want to carry all of those long hoses. I don’t think it’s relevantly faster to reinflate more than one tire at once, using just ARB Twin. I do enjoy the automatic feature, because I like to be able to set it and chat with people when we’re airing up, rather than crouch down and annoy my back muscles. And I don’t mind carrying one additional short hose to inflate a second tire.

My old automatic inflator (one tire at a time) wasn’t perfect. It was bulky and oddly shaped, so packing it was annoying. And it just ate AA batteries—so much that I was replacing them after every trip or sometimes during the trip. But it was accurate and reliable, which seems like a baseline.

I ended up using my old inflator on my last trip, and then I had to take a break from trips for a few months (family reasons), and then winter, so I didn’t get the chance to use the new Moorflate until now—when the sudden cold air dropped my tire pressure significantly (on both Jeeps). That meant that I needed to use it to inflate ten tires.

Note: Read the update at the bottom.

This thing is a piece of junk. The “Automagic” is supposed to allow you to set a tire pressure and automatically deflate or inflate both tires at the same time to that pressure. I already have Coyote deflators, so the Automagic only deflates my tires by accident—more on that shortly.

Sometimes it’ll will inflate bit third to the desired pressure. But often it will flash “ERR” and just keep inflating. Sometimes it will deflate. It sometimes holds the pressure you last used and sometimes does not. And it beeps incessantly. There does not appear to be a way to update its “software,” so it is as good as it will ever be.

There are other issues. For instance, it does not have a bleed valve, so unhooking hoses can be difficult. The buggy software means that you need to turn it off and on all the time, especially between inflations.

I hope this brief review is helpful to someone. Maybe my particular unit is defective, and the rest are good. I can only report my own experiences. My advice is, if you buy one of these, make sure you can return it.

Also, once I bought it, Moorflate started spamming me with so many messages that my junk filter began to catch everything sent from the company. I haven’t figured out how to whitelist them, so if there have been updates, I haven’t heard.

Here are some of my results: When I set it to 37 psi to fill my 33s, two ended up at 40 psi and two ended up at 35 psi. The screen was blinking crazily, but it seemed to settle at 37.0. When I set it to 31 to fill my 35s, two ended up at 28 and two at 29. In between I had to turn it off and on several times due to the “Err” message.

Update: I was contacted by Morrflate (after I commented on a FB ad), which explained that early models had bugs and offered to send a replacement. Assuming that actually happens, I’ll update this review with what I learn.

Update 2: I received a replacement from MORRflate. The good news is that most of the bugs are gone. The bad news is that one annoying bug is not.

I tested it on my wife’s car, with tires I keep at 33 psi, and on my two Jeeps—one with 33s that I keep at 37 psi, and one with 35s that I keep at 31 psi. I’m mentioning this because changing the set point still causes failures.

When I changed the pressure without turning the device off and the back on again, I could lower the pressure without a problem; but if I tried to raise it the setting would immediately jump from 31 to 37.

I could lower it from there, but if I overshot it would jump again. For instance, I was at 31 and wanted to go to 32. I hit the “+” button and it jumped directly to 37. I hit the “-“ button a few times and could get back down to 32. But if I made a mistake and pressed the “-“ button one extra time, I’d be back to 31 as expected. One press of the “+” button and I wouldn’t get to 32 but instead back up to 37.

This bug is very annoying. If I got it new, I’d send it back and demand they fix it. But at this point, I’m going to live with it. It’s just hard to believe that nobody noticed this bug before they shipped it. Didn’t they use it to inflate a bunch of tires? Or maybe the dev work is actually contracted out overseas, and they’re stuck with whatever they’re buying. Or maybe something else. I don’t know. But it’s kind of a dud.
 
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I have their manual 4 way kit with their dual compressor and love it
I have to admit that I almost pulled the trigger on the automatic controller but decided I really didn't need it, glad I passed now
 
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I know we're all just big kids that love a new device, but I just don't get these 4 tire inflator/deflators. They're so expensive, they add more bulk to find room for in the Jeep, and in your case it doesn't even do it's intended job well.

Maybe it makes more sense if you're running really large tires, but my 2 piston Napa compressor fills my 33s from 10 to 27 PSI in about 90 seconds per tire, and my valve stem puller deflator airs me down in about the same amount of time. 🤷
 
I've got the Morrflate and I appreciate it. It's nice to flip on the compressor and pick up trash while I wait for 4 to 8 35s to inflate... often from 3-4 psi to 30.

I just wish I could set a PSI and it would shut off the relay. Doesn't seem to be that hard to rig up.

-Mac
 
I've got the Morrflate and I appreciate it. It's nice to flip on the compressor and pick up trash while I wait for 4 to 8 35s to inflate... often from 3-4 psi to 30.

I just wish I could set a PSI and it would shut off the relay. Doesn't seem to be that hard to rig up.

-Mac

Some sort of safety pop valve?
 
I've got the Morrflate and I appreciate it. It's nice to flip on the compressor and pick up trash while I wait for 4 to 8 35s to inflate... often from 3-4 psi to 30.

I just wish I could set a PSI and it would shut off the relay. Doesn't seem to be that hard to rig up.

-Mac

That’s what this is *supposed* to do. ..
 
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For those of you who live in the cooler climates and never use your ac, you can convert your ac into a high volume air compressor.
 
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Santa sent me a Milwaukee M18 tire inflator. Best air-up solution ever. Don't even need "on board air" solutions anymore.

2min video and shows just how simple and effective it is to use.

I picked one up last year. I added a small extension with a lock-on chuck. So far I'd say I'm impressed.
 
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Last season I got a similar (non-automatic) system from Thor. Wasn't sure if I'd like the multiple hose take out/put away, but found it easy enough and worth the convenience. What I like, as mentioned, is that I attach the 4 points and don't have to crouch/bend over all the time. I use it to deflate my tires as well, because it does all 4 to the same pressure (and up to same pressure the other way).

I like that I hook it up either way and can chat with the group, and only steel away to the back where I hang the control to check where it is at.

Some in my group have made their own and saved a bit, but not likely to save hundreds. I couldn't be bothered as I have too many things to do already.

Thor's Lightning Rapid 4-Tire Inflation/Deflation System​

 
I've got the Morrflate and I appreciate it. It's nice to flip on the compressor and pick up trash while I wait for 4 to 8 35s to inflate... often from 3-4 psi to 30.

I just wish I could set a PSI and it would shut off the relay. Doesn't seem to be that hard to rig up.

-Mac
Jerry had one he built. I hopped out with my 10 lb Co2 tank and short non curly hose and started airing up at the same time he started untangling that mess of hoses to hook up his quad-flator to his York. When I finished and was putting the tank and hose away, he was still airing up. I don't think they save much if any time at all. It also reminded me of the time someone got a flat. I used my folding 4 way lug wrench and the stock bottle jack. We had the tire off and the spare almost back on before he found the air impact, got the hose out, and the York fired up.
 
There are pressure relief blow off valves set to various PSI that are ~$15 each. Much cheaper than the digital controller if you want to do all 4 at the same time
Maybe better is a relieving type adjustable pressure regulator.
https://www.amazon.sa/-/en/Parker-14R118FC-Regulator-Relieving-Pressure/dp/B007FXJH2W
71uRRwY9IWL._SY679_.jpg
 
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Parker stuff is generally pretty good. That regulator and others like it are available from hundreds (at least) of other sources where the risk of counterfeit is low to non-existent.
 
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