Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Just wondering if anyone can explain the actual benefits of running an air tank, over just a compressor alone.

Reason being, i may have access to an air tank for nothing and trying to work out if its worth fitting or not. Tank is approx 8-9 litres.

Im using a standard compressor at the moment (twin piston, no built in tank) but am thinking about getting an Arb (has small built in tank) to replace it, so i can run lockers in the future.

Main uses of the compressor will be tyre inflation, and air locker/s.
Would it be too much to ask of the arb compressor and tank to run a small rattle gun for wheel changes?

Now some more questions...

If i decide to go with the ARB and the seperate tank, what is the best way to connect the 2. Can the air tank just be connected directly to the arbs small tank, so its just as though the arb has a massive tank?

so charge the tank once, and use the air locker a crap load of times before switching the compressor back on....?

If not, then which way is reccomended?

Mike

it should just be enough to do your wheel nuts, idea is for the tank to fill the first tyre or so and allow the compressor to play catch up. just finished plumbing my new boss grande big mofo compressor to my 9L tank, its a shame i dont have more room for the 15L as it would be better suited

If you unsure if you want to fit the tank you could sell it to me

To connect it, I removed the airline chuck fitting, and fitted a T piece, then a tap, then a check valve, then 3/8 nylon flex hose to the air tank. The tap is there so I can isolate the tank ( its small and only for my air horns) when inflating tyres.

with a tank installed i can run my air locker all day without needing the compressor to run.
with tank also helps pop the bead back on with a big rush of air.
faster tyre inflations as well.

you will need to run a one-way valve between compressor and tank.

11_evl wrote: you will need to run a one-way valve between compressor and tank.

Why?

Mike

mike_nofx wrote:

11_evl wrote: you will need to run a one-way valve between compressor and tank.

Why?

Mike

It keeps the pressure off the head of the compressor so it makes it easyer for the compressor to start

And compressors are not completely airtight, air from your tank will slowly escape back through your compressor.

A 9l air tank makes stuff all difference to tyre inflation speed. (maybe 10 seconds)

depends on how fast your pump is. if your pump is getting near max flow that the tire valve will flow then tank won't make it quicker.
but if you have a slow pump then the tank will be quicker.....till it empties.

just remember that a lot of the cheap pumps don't like pumping up to high pressures and for a tank you really need to pump up as high as you can.

but if you have a slow pump then the tank will be quicker.....till it empties

Correct in about 10 seconds

Simonc3 wrote:

mike_nofx wrote:

11_evl wrote: you will need to run a one-way valve between compressor and tank.

Why?

Mike

It keeps the pressure off the head of the compressor so it makes it easyer for the compressor to start

And is this also the case for the ARB compressor... which has its own tank?

It should therefore be designed to handle tank back pressure... should it not? all you would be doing is increasing the ARB's tank by about 8.5L.

And tank volume shouldnt matter, only pressure.

Mike

i wouldn't call that thing on the arb compressor a tank

what minimum size tank would be worth fitting ?

tweak'e wrote:i wouldn't call that thing on the arb compressor a tank

what minimum size tank would be worth fitting ?

Call it what you like... but its still a tank. You can turn the compressor off and still run a locker from the remaining air in the 'tank'.....

Well, unless your ARB is in your cab, how do you knew its not cycling anyhow? Mine sits under my seat in the GU, and cycles roughly once every 30 minutes, for about 1-2 secs. With the check valve fitted between tank and compressor, and yes, I have checked all the connections for leaks, its obvious that pressure does backflow through the compressor, even in a brand new comp.

I bet you will find that size tank wont be big enough to run a rattle gun for long, rattle guns need a large volume of air and although it would run ok for the first few wheels...doubt it would do them all...

For this you need either a large tank or endless air type compressor (a/c)

Brad

you also have too keep in mind things like duty cycle, max start up pressure etc

BundyRumandCoke wrote:Well, unless your ARB is in your cab, how do you knew its not cycling anyhow? Mine sits under my seat in the GU, and cycles roughly once every 30 minutes, for about 1-2 secs. With the check valve fitted between tank and compressor, and yes, I have checked all the connections for leaks, its obvious that pressure does backflow through the compressor, even in a brand new comp.

You will easily hear the compressor if mounted in the engine bay. My old series one certainly could and I ran with a mate the other day that had the new gen one in his 75 series ute and same you could hear it cycle in about the same time frame with rear locker activated continuously.