Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I'm setting up an air compressor (converted A/C compressor) and need a parts list. Have I forgotten anything below???

1. Cut off valve (105 PSI) - running lockers
2. one way valve from compressor
3. manifold - 4 connection points (one for each locker, one in, one out)
4. "Tee" joiner (going to retain the ARB pump as a backup)
5. "A" - "B" switch to select between compressors
6. 1/2" air hose
7. connectors for air hose
8. air guage (like to keep tabs on things)
9. fan belt (compressor is already mounted)

Anyone??? Was hoping for a reply as I'm going "shopping" this morning. Oh well

probly should look at some sort of air tank

what about a presure relive valve type thingy that lets air out of yah tank or shuts down compressor when at the right presure!

I would recommend you getting a steel braided air line from the compressor to the tank or about 1 metre long, for the heat build up.
not cheap but will do the job.

rick

Rangie Thing wrote:I would recommend you getting a steel braided air line from the compressor to the tank or about 1 metre long, for the heat build up.
not cheap but will do the job.

rick

Shouldn't the stock air compressor hose be good enough for this?

familybus wrote:what about a presure relive valve type thingy that lets air out of yah tank or shuts down compressor when at the right presure!

isn't that item #1.

use either braid or copper piping, braid would be easier to route and it looks bling.

also have you got the clutch sorted with the ac compressor?

Add a 150 psi safety relief valve incase something goes wrong and the comp keeps pumping.

Wally

standard aircon hose handles the job fine

GRINCH wrote:probly should look at some sort of air tank

Have a tank from a truck wreckers

ausoops wrote:

familybus wrote:what about a presure relive valve type thingy that lets air out of yah tank or shuts down compressor when at the right presure!

isn't that item #1.

use either braid or copper piping, braid would be easier to route and it looks bling.

also have you got the clutch sorted with the ac compressor?

Thanks guys, overlooked the relief valve, Brought the compressor recon and set up for air from local a/c guy. Going to use two way switch (on-off-on) to select between electric or a/c compressor pump and my existing switch for electric pump (either pump will be able to feed the airtank). 1/2" line from compressor to tank and valve to pump tyres, 3/8 for the rest).

Does anyone know of a cheap place for 1/2" hose in Liverpool/Campbelltown area? I need 7 1/2m (give around 1m of fat) but it is turning out to be the most expensive part of it. Prices are ranging from $15 to $30 a meter

What about the air con hose that came with the compressor? I would just use that.

Or do you mean for after the tank, for tools etc?

GRINCH wrote:standard aircon hose handles the job fine

I have blowen two of these, i was running 120 psi they last for sometime but allways give out when you need it.
by the third 4x4 the heat seems to get to much.

Just install another airconditioning system to cool the hose on the 1st.

Hi

we used the existing AC line from the AC car installation as the outlet for at least 300mm before connecting this hose to normal workshop compressor type hose. This avoids problems with heat destruction of normal pressure hose as the outlet gets very hot. The outlet hose is then connected to a compressor type regulator which serves to shut off the AC unit (just wired it in series) when the selected pressure is reached. We also installed an oil trap on the outlet side of the AC unit before the regulator and modified the bowl valve (located at the bottom of the bowl) and inserted/glued in a thin copper pipe (same as used in refrigeration plant to connect to the regulator - has a bore of about .5mm) and ran this back into the inlet side of the AC unit. This traps the oil from the AC unit and recycles it keeping the unit lubricated.

A guage in the system is also very handy, either in cab or under the hood.

chimpboy wrote:What about the air con hose that came with the compressor? I would just use that.

Or do you mean for after the tank, for tools etc?

I need at least 6.5m of it and normal car aircon hose is $30 a meter. There was no hose when I got the unit as I brought it from a local a/c place already setup as a air compressor (bearing/bushes etc changed).

Was thinking of using 1/2" 500 psi hydraulic line for the engine bay and then dropping down to 1/2" 300 psi for the rest. This will be my main line running from air cleaner to compressor, compressor to tank and tank to outlet at the rear of the 4b. I will be branching off in the engine bay with 3/8 hose to a manifold that will supply the lockers, guage and horn. I'm hoping the 1/2 hose will help keep things a little cooler when I'm pumping tyres or running rattle gun.

Just a short run of air con hose or other hose/pipe that can handle heat from the AC unit is all that is required before then going into normal air line hose. Trust me, have 2 of these unit working for past 1-2 years on 2 vehicles, and have had no probs whatsoever.

So, copper with a coiled section (to cool and allow flex) and a bit of air con hose at each end for more flexiness?

I would have thought you could make this yourself with a cheap copper pipe bender...

If you need 6.5 metres I assume there's a long section that you could keep rigid, ie it wouldn't need to flex... heck, even a piece of steel tube would do.

Nev62 wrote:Does anyone know of a cheap place for 1/2" hose in Liverpool/Campbelltown area? I need 7 1/2m (give around 1m of fat) but it is turning out to be the most expensive part of it. Prices are ranging from $15 to $30 a meter

15m air hose (i think it's 1/2") from supercheap is about $50, even comes with fittings

chimpboy wrote:If you need 6.5 metres I assume there's a long section that you could keep rigid, ie it wouldn't need to flex... heck, even a piece of steel tube would do.

Had thought of this but by the time I brought the tube, got someone to bend it (don't have a pipe bender) and figured out a way to mount it (welding brackets and so on), I don't think there would be much saving on the cost. Compressor is at the front left, air tank under the right centre pillar and outlet fitting at the rear. By the time you run the line from compressor, cut across to the other side of the 4b and back to the rear, it is around 6.5m.

id install a pressure switch to control when the compresser cuts in and out to fill the tank, then get a small regulator to drop the pressure down to the required 100psi for the lockers,that way you can have a higher pressure in the tank for pumping tyres and general use.
Also a check valve will need to be installed between the airlocker compresser and the manifold u use for the airlockers unless you plan on also having the arb compresser as a backup to fill the main tank etc and then you will still need a check valve between it and the tank.

spazbot wrote:id install a pressure switch to control when the compresser cuts in and out to fill the tank, then get a small regulator to drop the pressure down to the required 100psi for the lockers,that way you can have a higher pressure in the tank for pumping tyres and general use.
Also a check valve will need to be installed between the airlocker compresser and the manifold u use for the airlockers unless you plan on also having the arb compresser as a backup to fill the main tank etc and then you will still need a check valve between it and the tank.

How does this look? The there will be a two way switch to swap between the arb and ac compressors

Nev62 wrote:

spazbot wrote:id install a pressure switch to control when the compresser cuts in and out to fill the tank, then get a small regulator to drop the pressure down to the required 100psi for the lockers,that way you can have a higher pressure in the tank for pumping tyres and general use.
Also a check valve will need to be installed between the airlocker compresser and the manifold u use for the airlockers unless you plan on also having the arb compresser as a backup to fill the main tank etc and then you will still need a check valve between it and the tank.

How does this look? The there will be a two way switch to swap between the arb and ac compressors

When you start the motor you are going to get the full A/C pressure going to the airlockers...not good. There is no pressure regulation going to the airlocker other than a pressure cutout switch for the power to the ARB compressor at 100 psi (note that it does not actually relieve the overpressure situation), even that is "hidden" to the A/C compressor by the adjacent check valve to the ARB.

If you already have seperate ARB and A/C compressors, why not keep them that way?? Nothing really to be gained from trying to get the ARB to pump up the tank at ~35 lpm to a max of 100psi, when you can have the A/C pump do it at ~6 cu ft (170lpm) in a couple of seconds to 150 psi.

Like this then?

Nev62 wrote:Like this then?

A/C group:

Check valve afer the compressor as drawn.

Air pressure guage is measuring what??? Should be directly attatched to tank. As it is presently drawn, the only way of measuring the air pressure is to release the "cutoff valve" (true form).

Define "cutoff valve". If you mean an electrical switch to control the on/off of the A/C ("pressure switch") then be aware that it will not in itself stop the flow of air past it. This will lead to your horn working continuously, but OK if there are air solenoids to operate the airhorns downstream. If you mean a valve that is capable of cutting the airflow off to a particular area (true "cutoff valve") then it will not switch the A/C, it needs power to activate The cutoff valve, and a seperate pressure switch to control the on/off of the A/C.

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What you need....

4 port tank (ideal minimum), port 1 to inlet, port 2 to t-piece, port 3 t-piece, port 4 outlet.

With,
port 2a pressure guage, port 2b safety valve.
port 3a pressure switch (for A/C clutch, via relay if needed), 3b to cutoff valve and then airhorn (triggered from horn relay, needed as fault in the airhorn will lead to 100% duty cycle on the A/C compressor as it tries to maintain the pressure in the tank -> overheating???).

If you can find/fit a 5 port tank then split the port 2. (seperate air guage and safety valve). Some tanks come with an integral safety valve. 24-30 litre (US 7 gal) tank @ 150 psi is good for reseating a large tyre. (120-150 litres of air at 30 psi)

Consider a variable pressure regulator t-pieced to the outlet port so you can run airtools, or the air lockers via a link tube to the ARB outlet. Under normal circumstances keep them as seperate as you can.

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ARB group:

If it is the standard compressor with small tank piggybacked with integral pressure switch then simply hook up to standard ARB valves. ARB had it pretty much sorted in their original design (if it works, don't "fix" it...with a bit of the KISS principle thrown in). Cutoff valve not needed, however you could add a standard outlet valve similar to the one on the big tank in case the A/C system goes down and you need to pump up tyres.

Yep, by cutoff valve I mean pressure switch and solenoid to switch the A/C clutch solenoid on/off. This will run through an on/off switch in the dash so I can turn it off reguardless of the pressure switch. It does not need to cut the airflow, just switch the A/C clutch solenoid on/off.

The horn will be controlled by it's own solenoid/valve further down stream which will need power to open so normally it is closed.

As the system is open, I thought it would not make any difference where the air guage feed came from as it will be the same pressure in the 1/2" lines as it is in the tank.

The ARB setup will remain how it is for now (manifold on the pump with three outlets - 2 to lockers and the third for the pressure switch to cut it in and out.

As the system is open, I thought it would not make any difference where the air guage feed came from as it will be the same pressure in the 1/2" lines as it is in the tank.

To a degree, but it will not read correctly inline if there is any airflow (pressure gradient along hose), should be as close to the tank as possible if that is what you want to keep an eye on. Seperate low pressure guage for tyres anyway for accuracy.

Still a bit iffy about not having a true cutoff valve in the air horn line, due to the length of he run (rear to front, subject to damage) and the "non-critical" nature of the manufacture of the airhorn actuators (ie. not good quality)