On Board Air - Using a box store "caged" system? (1 Viewer)

[Sawyer2001LX]

So I came across a local deal on this Husky "caged" air compressor with tank and I was curious if it could be repurposed to work viably under a rig. I would mount it upside down between the frame where the spare used to be. Has anyone tried this?
What's the main difference between a VIAIR/ARB/Etc. and one of these if I seal the motor/electrics and relocate the air intake to the engine bay just like my diff/crank/trans breathers?
Any obvious downsides that I'm missing besides the drain plug being on top when mounted?
It was just a hare brained idea and I like the thought of the aesthetics and usefulness of the "cage".

 

[e9999]

that looks pretty tall from here. And that would be a long air intake, how big would that be? And is that 120V?

 

[Sawyer2001LX]

that looks pretty tall from here. And that would be a long air intake, how big would that be? And is that 120V?

Believe it or not, it's only 10" high.

Yeah I don't like how long the air line would be, but I couldn't think of a better location. As long as there is no restriction to flow, it shouldn't be a problem, right?

Yes, it's 120V.

 

[e9999]

I'm all for DIY improvisations. Done way too many of those myself, probably. For fun or for the challenge. But sometimes, I have to admit I should just get the right tool for the job. If I asked myself, I would probably have to conclude that I'd be facing an uphill battle with that compressor, sorry.

 

[Sawyer2001LX]

I'm all for DIY improvisations. Done way too many of those myself, probably. For fun or for the challenge. But sometimes, I have to admit I should just get the right tool for the job. If I asked myself, I would probably have to conclude that I'd be facing an uphill battle with that compressor, sorry.

You're probably right, haha. The challenge is just too enticing for a tinkerer and that cage system looked custom made for the application. I'll probably just go with a Viair setup un-enthusiastically mounted to the frame.

 

[ntsqd]

I split a Puma 12VDC compressor from it's receiver tank and put both of them under my 4rnnr. Compressor is on the DS frame rail next to the muffler behind some debris & heat shielding while the tank sits on top of the spare's stabilizer bars. Air intake I moved over to a protected spot outboard of the DS frame rail and used a small shielded compressor intake filter on it. I used 3/4" clear reinforced polymer tubing for that plumbing and 3/8" copper tubing for the run between the compressor and the tank. Pic below shows a cap where the air intake hose was eventually plumbed to. To have run clear up to the engine bay with the intake I'd want at least 1.5" tubing and maybe bigger than that or the "garden hose analogy" would certainly apply.
The Puma's pressure switch has an unloader component to it and I repurposed an ARB solenoid, wired in parallel with the Gigavac compressor contactor, to do that job. The Puma switch is huge and mechanical. I didn't have a lot of faith in it working exposed under the truck and it certainly wouldn't have fit anyway. I used a much smaller switch from McMaster-Carr and put it on the air manifold in the engine bay. Regulator is for the dual ARB's. I also put the safety blow-off valve on the air manifold (though you can't see it in the pic below).

The only complaint that I have about it is that it is loud. Can hear it running when going down a residential street with all of the windows up. It's not obnoxious, but it does occasionally gather some odd looks.

I have, and have not yet installed, a 12VDC compressor from Calif. Air Compressors for my Blanc-Oh! project. More expensive than the Puma and it's tank is smaller. I don't plan to use their tank at all, I'll use a Class 8 truck air brake tank instead. The compressor is so quiet that you can have a civil conversation while standing directly over it. It will be going inside the Blanc-Oh! if I can find the room behind one of the interior panels. An odd thing about it is that it appears that the motor is a 120 VAC motor and it comes with it's own dedicated inverter.