Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

I put a Derale on my Honda 750 and another one on my Yammerhammer 1100. And that price hardly makes it worth going to the salvage. But, it is fairly big.

On the desiccant, my experience with those is poor. That's why I've gone to a refrigerated dryer in the shop. But, if the air is cooled enough, like through an air/air cooler, the moisture will drop out when it hits the cooler air in the tank - assuming again that you aren't running the thing for hours on end. And, since the air outlet is from the top of the tank the moisture stays in.

So I'm liking the idea of a P/S cooler. Just need to figure out which one. Thanks, guys!

You say it's big, but I updated to the actual dimensions.

1 7/8 x 2 3/4 x 8 1/4.

I think of a 9" chunk of 2x3 and feel that it offers a good comprise of size and effectiveness.

But hey, again that's just me...

[grumpin]

I put a Derale on my Honda 750 and another one on my Yammerhammer 1100. And that price hardly makes it worth going to the salvage. But, it is fairly big.

On the desiccant, my experience with those is poor. That's why I've gone to a refrigerated dryer in the shop. But, if the air is cooled enough, like through an air/air cooler, the moisture will drop out when it hits the cooler air in the tank - assuming again that you aren't running the thing for hours on end. And, since the air outlet is from the top of the tank the moisture stays in.

So I'm liking the idea of a P/S cooler. Just need to figure out which one. Thanks, guys!

Just to be clear, that a KISS statement wasn’t meant in a derogatory way.

Well thought out, well planned and interesting. Great info for anyone thinking of doing this.

I would probably throw it in there and see what happens! Which is completely the opposite of how I worked on airplanes.

Which could be why I would, no pressure.

[Gary Lewis]

You say it's big, but I updated to the actual dimensions.

1 7/8 x 2 3/4 x 8 1/4.

I think of a 9" chunk of 2x3 and feel that it offers a good comprise of size and effectiveness.

But hey, again that's just me...

Jim - The "big" statement was in comparison to the space I was envisioning having. As said, with the compressor fore/aft there's just 4" between the ends of the compressor's housing and the inside walls of the box. Take out 2" and now you are left with 1" on either end for the air to turn and go up/down/sideways. Not much.

However, if the sides of the box were louvered/perforated and a lid put on it the fan would draw from under the "wing" of the box and exhaust there as well.

Or, if the outlet from the pump were to be pipe and go through the right wall of the box and then the cooler put on that would save room in the box. But, it wouldn't draw air over the cooler.

I'll have to play with it when the time comes and figure out the best way to mount it.

Dane - No problemo. Not taken the wrong way in any way shape or form.

[old55pete]

Jim - The "big" statement was in comparison to the space I was envisioning having. As said, with the compressor fore/aft there's just 4" between the ends of the compressor's housing and the inside walls of the box. Take out 2" and now you are left with 1" on either end for the air to turn and go up/down/sideways. Not much.

However, if the sides of the box were louvered/perforated and a lid put on it the fan would draw from under the "wing" of the box and exhaust there as well.

Or, if the outlet from the pump were to be pipe and go through the right wall of the box and then the cooler put on that would save room in the box. But, it wouldn't draw air over the cooler.

I'll have to play with it when the time comes and figure out the best way to mount it.

Dane - No problemo. Not taken the wrong way in any way shape or form.

☒Thoroughly check frame for cracks and loose rivets and repair. Remove and replace the steering gear. There are no cracks in the frame and none of the rivets are loose. But the huck bolt was loose, so it has been removed and the hole reamed to .625” for a 5/8” G5 bolt.

That is from page four of your" things to do list ". Sorry it took me so long to respond.

To answer your question about "What is a frame bolt?" It is a bolt made of spring steel also. They already have a flanged head that is serated underneath. They are normaly fine thread and the nut is whats called a crown lock nut. One side will also be already " flanged " and have the serrations on it also to keep it from moving out of place when the frame flexes.

Interesting that the TSB says to use a grade 8 bolt as they don't normaly flex enough to be in a heavy duty frame and tend to be to rigid. Then again, I am used to working on over the road trucks not pickups

[Gary Lewis]

☒Thoroughly check frame for cracks and loose rivets and repair. Remove and replace the steering gear. There are no cracks in the frame and none of the rivets are loose. But the huck bolt was loose, so it has been removed and the hole reamed to .625” for a 5/8” G5 bolt.That is from page four of your" things to do list ". Sorry it took me so long to respond.To answer your question about "What is a frame bolt?" It is a bolt made of spring steel also. They already have a flanged head that is serated underneath. They are normaly fine thread and the nut is whats called a crown lock nut. One side will also be already " flanged " and have the serrations on it also to keep it from moving out of place when the frame flexes.Interesting that the TSB says to use a grade 8 bolt as they don't normaly flex enough to be in a heavy duty frame and tend to be to rigid. Then again, I am used to working on over the road trucks not pickups

Steve - Thanks! I would never have found that. But, it has been changed.

 

And, while a "frame bolt" would probably be even better, I'm confident that the larger 5/8" G8 bolt will be all that is needed.

 

Now, about the compressor and the inverter. They work together! But, they didn't on the first try.

 

Initially I tried a heavy duty set of jumper cables to power the inverter off of Big Blue's main battery, which is an Odyssey battery with 1150 CCA. It has been on a Battery Tender so was fully charged. But when I turned the compressor on it would try to start and then the inverter would beep and shut down. I played with the jumpers several times and got differing results, so finally decided the problem was in the wiring and made new wires out of #2 cable and Magnalugs. After that the compressor fired up nicely and worked perfectly.

 

I'm backing the battery up with my "big" battery charger, which says it'll supply 30 amps. So this isn't quite the same as having the engine running and the 3G belting out everything the inverter is drawing, which is probably about 140 amps. But it does prove that even with the battery voltage running around 11.5 volts the inverter is happy.

 

On the starts 9 of the 10 LED's will light, but it'll then drop down to 7 and stay there through the rest of the cycle. That seems to say to me that the inverter is sized just about right for the compressor. And, by the way, the fan on the inverter doesn't come on, even after I ran the compressor from 150 to 200 psi three times.

 

 

[Gary Lewis]

Steve - Thanks! I would never have found that. But, it has been changed.

 

And, while a "frame bolt" would probably be even better, I'm confident that the larger 5/8" G8 bolt will be all that is needed.

 

Now, about the compressor and the inverter. They work together! But, they didn't on the first try.

 

Initially I tried a heavy duty set of jumper cables to power the inverter off of Big Blue's main battery, which is an Odyssey battery with 1150 CCA. It has been on a Battery Tender so was fully charged. But when I turned the compressor on it would try to start and then the inverter would beep and shut down. I played with the jumpers several times and got differing results, so finally decided the problem was in the wiring and made new wires out of #2 cable and Magnalugs. After that the compressor fired up nicely and worked perfectly.

 

I'm backing the battery up with my "big" battery charger, which says it'll supply 30 amps. So this isn't quite the same as having the engine running and the 3G belting out everything the inverter is drawing, which is probably about 140 amps. But it does prove that even with the battery voltage running around 11.5 volts the inverter is happy.

 

On the starts 9 of the 10 LED's will light, but it'll then drop down to 7 and stay there through the rest of the cycle. That seems to say to me that the inverter is sized just about right for the compressor. And, by the way, the fan on the inverter doesn't come on, even after I ran the compressor from 150 to 200 psi three times.

 

 

Actually, as I look more closely at the video it looks like all ten LED's are coming on during start up of the compressor, with #9 being yellow and #10 being red. So the compressor is about all the inverter ought to have. But it starts nicely.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Actually, as I look more closely at the video it looks like all ten LED's are coming on during start up of the compressor, with #9 being yellow and #10 being red. So the compressor is about all the inverter ought to have. But it starts nicely.

That is rated power level...

So, the inrush isn't even beginning to touch the 'surge' rating of 6,000 watts.

If the running watts are up there at 8-9-10 you will get the fan to come on, eventually, and it will stay on until the heatsink cools down.

You do need good cables though!

I see you've figured that one out.

 

[Gary Lewis]

That is rated power level...

So, the inrush isn't even beginning to touch the 'surge' rating of 6,000 watts.

If the running watts are up there at 8-9-10 you will get the fan to come on, eventually, and it will stay on until the heatsink cools down.

You do need good cables though!

I see you've figured that one out.

Good point, Jim. So it is just about using up the rated power level of 3000 watts in getting the compressor started, but essentially not getting into the surge rating. Or, if it is it's doing it so quickly I can't detect it via the LED's. Anyway, it seems like it is going to work well.

But good cables, including good connections to the battery and the inverter, are essential. My jumper cables have started many a vehicle, but they were a no-go on the inverter. Probably because of the hardness of the cable's alligator clips and the inverter's input studs, which gave a very small contact area. But new cables with good terminals fixed that.

It was magical when it all worked! Given the lack of anyone I know having run that compressor with that inverter, the problems with my DVM giving wonky readings due to a low battery, and then the problems starting up with the jumper cables, I was ecstatic when it finally worked perfectly.

So, when I install the inverter I'm going to run dedicated power and ground as I don't want anything in the cab going crazy due to pulling the cab's ground up. And a large megafuse at the battery.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Good point, Jim. So it is just about using up the rated power level of 3000 watts in getting the compressor started, but essentially not getting into the surge rating. Or, if it is it's doing it so quickly I can't detect it via the LED's. Anyway, it seems like it is going to work well.

But good cables, including good connections to the battery and the inverter, are essential. My jumper cables have started many a vehicle, but they were a no-go on the inverter. Probably because of the hardness of the cable's alligator clips and the inverter's input studs, which gave a very small contact area. But new cables with good terminals fixed that.

It was magical when it all worked! Given the lack of anyone I know having run that compressor with that inverter, the problems with my DVM giving wonky readings due to a low battery, and then the problems starting up with the jumper cables, I was ecstatic when it finally worked perfectly.

So, when I install the inverter I'm going to run dedicated power and ground as I don't want anything in the cab going crazy due to pulling the cab's ground up. And a large megafuse at the battery.

FYI:. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F392620913399

I just saw this on my eBay feed.

IDK how much the Bostitch hose is, but $37.50 delivered for 300 psi 1/2" hose seems really good to me.

Volume of flow can be king, IDK how your airbags are going to be hooked up.

[Gary Lewis]

FYI:. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F392620913399

I just saw this on my eBay feed.

IDK how much the Bostitch hose is, but $37.50 delivered for 300 psi 1/2" hose seems really good to me.

Volume of flow can be king, IDK how your airbags are going to be hooked up.

The Bostitch hose is $27.69 shipped from Amazon, so is ~2/3 the price. And, it has the replaceable ends, which I was planning to use to allow it to be cut down to maybe 25'.

But, it is also 1/4" vs the 1/2" size of Speedaire hose. So certainly more volume with the larger hose, although as you've pointed out before, the schrader valve may be the limiting factor. And, the 1/2" ID hose has to have a significantly bigger OD. Dunno. I'm torn but leaning to the 1/4" hose.

As for the air bags, I've assumed that I'd put their valves on the back bumper, although that means the lines have to flex with the suspension. Perhaps bringing the lines up to the tool box would be good?