Puma 12V Compressor
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asutherland
VA7 HDT
Mounted in my storage box in the rear of the truck. However, air gets to it easily through my back seat which folds down. I dunno
I blew up my Puma this weekend. Not sure what went wrong, only assume it got too hot. I'll tear it apart and hopefully repair it, or at least find what happened.
f*&k.
Any idea if there's a warranty on these units?
Very surprised...my Puma has run 4 1/2 hours non stop in the past.
What do you mean by "blew up" , did the motor quit?
asutherland
VA7 HDT
Started making horrible noises. Screeching. Do you know if these things can be opened? I'll open it up and see if I can find what happened.
asutherland
VA7 HDT
Looks like I am lucky... there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the Puma after all. On closer inspection the hose from the compressor to the tank (I have split them up) is ruptured in two places!
Phewf!
Phewf!
Did you use a Princess Auto hose? I did, and had the same result. The air from the compressor is very hot... You can get special hose rated for higher heat from Coast Industrial. That is why they use metal pipe to the tank normally, with heat sink fins.
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Yep, metal is best.
asutherland
VA7 HDT
No, I used hose from Coast Industrial. But this time I asked for hose that's not as susceptible to heat.
Asutherland,
How far in between, did you mount your tank and compressor.
Question for everybody, What's the max. you can split the two. Tank up front and compressor in the back?
How far in between, did you mount your tank and compressor.
Question for everybody, What's the max. you can split the two. Tank up front and compressor in the back?
asutherland
VA7 HDT
Not far, I put my compressor in front of my storage box (behind the rear seats) and my tank inline with the right side of the storage box. So I'd say maybe 4 feet max.
Coolerman
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I have been reading this thread with great interest.
First add me to the list if you get a group buy going on the Puma compressor.
Second is the issues/confusion with what size fuse to use for the compressor.
Everyone gets confused by fusing. The power line fuse has one purpose and it is not to protect the compressor (or whatever device is at the end of a circuit). The sole purpose of a power line fuse in any power circuit is to protect the WIRE from burning and causing a FIRE. Fuses can also protect the device from overheating. See below for an example. Note that overheating fuses are usually PART OF THE DEVICE.
Fusing for power wiring is simple, but requires some thought:
First you must properly size the wire for the device being powered. For motor wiring: Find or measure the STALL rating ie the maximum the motor can pull when the rotor is locked and cannot turn. If you don't see this on a tag then you have to actually measure it under real world conditions or use the maximum draw while running under maximum load.
Once you know the maximum current you then use a typical amp/distance table ( http://www.freesunpower.com/wire_calc.php ) to find what size wire can handle that current FOR THE DISTANCE NEEDED! Also some of those tables are for 120VAC NOT DC so make sure to use the correct table! There is also the % of voltage drop allowed issue. Some tables use 5% allowable drop, some use 2%. For DC motors 5% is OK, but 2% is better.
Wire Example 1: A 5% voltage drop allowance means you can run 8ga wire, with 40 amps pulled through it, for 10 feet and only loose 5% of the voltage at the end. Yes you can run 10ga, and it would still work, but because more voltage is lost the motor will not run at it's maximum power. It would also run a bit hotter. For wire and motors or lights bigger is always better. (up to a point large gauge cooper wire is not cheap or easy to install and terminate.)
Once you have sized the wire THEN you pick a fuse. Fuses come in two basic types. (there are many types) Slow blow and fast blow. A fast blow fuse will blow quickly as soon as it's rated current flow is reached. A slow blow will allow that current to flow (and more) for a much longer period before blowing. Slow blow is what you want for motors. There are many other factors like inrush current to consider also but that is beyond this thread.
Fuse Example 1: In the case of the compressor motor: If the locked rotor rating is 40 amps and you wire it with 20' of #6 ga wire capable of 50 amps, you would normally choose a slow blow 50 amp fuse to protect the wire. However you don't want to fry the compressor motor if the piston seized right? So in this case you will fuse to protect the motor windings so you would fuse at 40 amps. That way soon after locked rotor conditions are met but way before the power wire gets hot enough to cause a fire the fuse blows. Now if a dead short occurs due to say a pinched 8ga wire to ground (which could allow hundreds of amps to flow from the battery), the fuse will pop almost instantly and you won't even see too many sparks.
One other issue: ALL connections and connectors in the power supply line must also handle the currents involved. A cheap undersized connector (or a twisted together undersized wire with flammable vinyl tape on it) that oxidizes can create a high resistance that can overheat and melt long BEFORE the fuse blows! Examples of this are the melted headlight switch connections on old FJ40's. Put in high current headlights and combined with old oxidized connections at the switch, or fuse panel, OEM undersized and oxidized wire, and you get that classic melted connector or fuse block.
Sorry for the long post but this issue comes up a lot... High current wiring should be done correctly.
First add me to the list if you get a group buy going on the Puma compressor.
Second is the issues/confusion with what size fuse to use for the compressor.
Everyone gets confused by fusing. The power line fuse has one purpose and it is not to protect the compressor (or whatever device is at the end of a circuit). The sole purpose of a power line fuse in any power circuit is to protect the WIRE from burning and causing a FIRE. Fuses can also protect the device from overheating. See below for an example. Note that overheating fuses are usually PART OF THE DEVICE.
Fusing for power wiring is simple, but requires some thought:
First you must properly size the wire for the device being powered. For motor wiring: Find or measure the STALL rating ie the maximum the motor can pull when the rotor is locked and cannot turn. If you don't see this on a tag then you have to actually measure it under real world conditions or use the maximum draw while running under maximum load.
Once you know the maximum current you then use a typical amp/distance table ( http://www.freesunpower.com/wire_calc.php ) to find what size wire can handle that current FOR THE DISTANCE NEEDED! Also some of those tables are for 120VAC NOT DC so make sure to use the correct table! There is also the % of voltage drop allowed issue. Some tables use 5% allowable drop, some use 2%. For DC motors 5% is OK, but 2% is better.
Wire Example 1: A 5% voltage drop allowance means you can run 8ga wire, with 40 amps pulled through it, for 10 feet and only loose 5% of the voltage at the end. Yes you can run 10ga, and it would still work, but because more voltage is lost the motor will not run at it's maximum power. It would also run a bit hotter. For wire and motors or lights bigger is always better. (up to a point large gauge cooper wire is not cheap or easy to install and terminate.)
Once you have sized the wire THEN you pick a fuse. Fuses come in two basic types. (there are many types) Slow blow and fast blow. A fast blow fuse will blow quickly as soon as it's rated current flow is reached. A slow blow will allow that current to flow (and more) for a much longer period before blowing. Slow blow is what you want for motors. There are many other factors like inrush current to consider also but that is beyond this thread.
Fuse Example 1: In the case of the compressor motor: If the locked rotor rating is 40 amps and you wire it with 20' of #6 ga wire capable of 50 amps, you would normally choose a slow blow 50 amp fuse to protect the wire. However you don't want to fry the compressor motor if the piston seized right? So in this case you will fuse to protect the motor windings so you would fuse at 40 amps. That way soon after locked rotor conditions are met but way before the power wire gets hot enough to cause a fire the fuse blows. Now if a dead short occurs due to say a pinched 8ga wire to ground (which could allow hundreds of amps to flow from the battery), the fuse will pop almost instantly and you won't even see too many sparks.
One other issue: ALL connections and connectors in the power supply line must also handle the currents involved. A cheap undersized connector (or a twisted together undersized wire with flammable vinyl tape on it) that oxidizes can create a high resistance that can overheat and melt long BEFORE the fuse blows! Examples of this are the melted headlight switch connections on old FJ40's. Put in high current headlights and combined with old oxidized connections at the switch, or fuse panel, OEM undersized and oxidized wire, and you get that classic melted connector or fuse block.
Sorry for the long post but this issue comes up a lot... High current wiring should be done correctly.
Clear as Mud! Really, thanks for that. I'll admit, I get the shakes, thinking about wiring, but that didn't seem too bad. The day is coming, when I'll be wiring my whole 55, visiting day is Sunday, at the Home!
Yesterday was a PUMA day
5 out the 6 guys I wheeled with had Puma's
5 out the 6 guys I wheeled with had Puma's
Tapage
Club 4X4 Panamá
last mud trip down here pal did this .. after some extensive cleaning and deal with his double beadlocks ( he use 16.5 wheels which sucks big time ) my puma did the honors airing up to 35 PSI those 43" swampers ..
Sorry guys, just looking up OBA options and found out about this amazing Puma.
Where is this group buy, i cant find a thread?
Thanks
Anyone know where a fella could find one of these little gems? I heard they weren't making them anymore. Truth or Fiction?
eBay type in puma 12v. $230 for the single and about $260 for the twin tank. Hth.
Cary
Cary
Has anyone been successful separating the unit? If so can u post pics and how it was done. Thanks.
Cary
Cary
asutherland
VA7 HDT
I did, yes... basically just had new hoses that were longer made up at a local shop.
twoturtlesracing
Slowwly but surely...
Anymore word from TrollHole on this? I'm interested in this for my 40, and maybe one for my Cummins, I have a friend that may want one or two also....
