Author Topic: On board air compressor  (Read 2856 times)

Roy Boles

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On board air compressor
« on: May 20, 2020, 01:45:09 AM »
   It sounds like my air compressor for air leveling has died. What have people used to replace there old one?
'98 Marquis Diamante
C-12/Allison 4000

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2020, 03:28:02 AM »
Roy,
I replaced mine last year with a 200 PSI Viair 444. Best prices and availability are on eBay. Be sure to also get a vibration mounting unit to quiet it down. I got an AirMaxx for about $35. I routed power thru a relay to the pressure switch and then to the compressor.
Steve.
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp
The following users thanked this post: Keith Moffett

Roy Boles

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2020, 07:27:09 AM »
Thank Steve.
'98 Marquis Diamante
C-12/Allison 4000

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2020, 03:12:39 PM »
Roy,
Just to be clear, I routed 12v supply for the compressor to a relay. I ran 12V through a fuse (5A) to pin 30 of the relay. I then wired pin 87 to the compressor. The pressure switch signal was run to pin 86 of the relay so it would activate the relay and the compressor when the pressure dropped to the prescribed point.
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Keith Moffett

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2020, 09:51:47 PM »
Roy and Steve
We are discussing the aux. Compressor right as opposed to the one on the engine?  That being the case, where are yours mounted in your coaches?
For some reason our original compressor 'Valid' went south a couple years ago.  We had it replaced and they installed a 'Thomas'.  A year later that was bad and it was replaced with one for an ambulance.  Now that seems bad as well.  I am trying to figure what may be causing this and only exposure to elements comes to mind.  Thing is it was working fine when we parked the coach last fall.  I did take the first two apart and found the drive gear rusted up.  Any ideas?
Sorry Roy if I hijacked this.
2007 Patriot Thunder
45' C-13
2006 Explorer Ltd.
DW is Carol
Safe travels and
May God bless!

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2020, 12:34:11 AM »
Keith,
Mine is located in front of the steps. It can be easily accessed with the geni slide extended. I had a Thomas and it slowly lost the ability to generate enough PSI to trip the  pressure switch so it so would run all night. A Thomas replacement was $400, while the Viair was about $200. It is physically a larger unit so I had to add a mounting plate on top of the original plate.
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp
The following users thanked this post: Keith Moffett

Keith Moffett

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2020, 11:31:18 AM »
thanks Steve. 
Why they felt it a good idea to put ours on a plate just ahead of the drive axle I dont know.
2007 Patriot Thunder
45' C-13
2006 Explorer Ltd.
DW is Carol
Safe travels and
May God bless!

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2020, 03:10:57 PM »
Keith,
Not very good engineering if you can call it that, IMHO. The Viair units also call for protection against getting wet, so you probably need to figure out a way of shielding it or changing locations.
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Jeff Watt

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2020, 04:23:17 PM »
thanks Steve. 
Why they felt it a good idea to put ours on a plate just ahead of the drive axle I dont know.

Keith, apparently no two coaches are the same - mine is on a tray just ahead of the driver front tire. I posted this update to another thread back in March:

“My compressor needed replacement as it was basically dead. The compressor was located on a tray, with angled sides, mounted on the driver side just ahead of the front axle - very near the electrical compartment. With the genset out it wasn’t too bad for access, however because the unit was attached by corroded Phillips head bolts, removal was a bit longer than the 1/2 hour Gerald managed.

No room to put anything like a screwdriver so I had to improvise with a Phillips end held by vice grips. Eventually three bolts were removed. Used a template for the 4 screw holes for the new Viair 450C (room for it and just ~ $200) because of the angled sides on the mounting plate, a bit tricky to get the bolts in and tightened, but did prevail.

I used a 40amp Viair relay ($5), 10g wire with a 40amp fuse and because it was near the electrical bay, pretty easy to find power and ground. Also, the unit has a remote air intake attachment so I ran the line up to the front cap and mounted the remote air intake above the headlight assembly - should be reasonably dry spot.”

Jeff

Keith Moffett

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2020, 11:15:50 PM »
Steve
I see your point.  I had considered a ABS shield but that will only trap dirt and moisture.  Still thinking on it.
Jeff
How often  do you drain your aux. Compressor tank?
2007 Patriot Thunder
45' C-13
2006 Explorer Ltd.
DW is Carol
Safe travels and
May God bless!

Jeff Watt

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Re: On board air compressor
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2020, 04:49:09 PM »
Jeff
How often  do you drain your aux. Compressor tank?

Keith

I haven’t as it is ~ 1 gallon and I don’t think there is a drain, certainly not an easy one to reach being up in between the frame rails. The other main tanks I drain once in a while - probably should be more often, but the coach doesn’t get a lot of use so I don’t think it’s too much of an issue.

Jeff