Extension and customization of my onboard-air system

[El-Dracho]

Compressed air is always a topic and interesting for many. Therefore, I would like to show my setup and how I extended and customized it.

Since some years, I am using a permanent installed ARB compressor and am very satisfied with it. It feeds the front and rear lockers and two compressed air quick couplers for to fill tires, etc.

But such an onboard compressed air system is somehow never finished. So, I extended it with an air tank and a pressure gauge. For this I got the following items. Everything in good quality, because I want to rely on it and after all about 7 bar pressure on the system are, it would be too dangerous for me to install cheap components.

1x pressure tank approx. 7.5 liters/ 2 gallons
1x overpressure valve NPT 1/4"
1x drain plug NPT 1/4"
2x blind plug NPT 1/4" (to close the remaining connections)
1x plug connection non-return valve 1/4"-8mm
2x stainless steel angle plug-in connection, adjustable NPT 1/4"-8mm
1x stainless steel angle plug-in connection, rotatable and adjustable, NPT 1/4"-6mm
1x mechanical pressure gauge with connection fitting for the pressure gauge on polyamide hose 6x4mm
A few meters polyamide pneumatic hose black 8x6mm and 6x4mm



Let's go!

First of all, I mounted the core piece of this little project: the air tank. For this I decided to use a relatively well protected place on the underbody, where the tank does not affect the ground clearance too much. On the passenger side directly next to the frame and somewhat protected behind the front frame outrigger. This way it was also possible to get to existing hose ways without making them much longer.



The fittings were quickly mounted and I continued with installation of the hoses and connections of these.



Then I installed a non-return valve in the supply line of the compressor, so that the compressor does not always have to pump against the pressure.

After that I installed the pressure gauge. Is that really necessary? No, but it is cool.



So, I looked for a suitable place in the already quite fully equipped cockpit which not much space left. Aha, there it fits wonderfully and I can read it well. Besides, it is placed "close to the subject" at the on/off switch for the compressor.

So once again I had to drill a big hole in the Landy:



Then I connected the pressure gauge. By the way, it is a purely mechanical pressure gauge!

And TEST RUN:



I am very satisfied with the result! Maybe this little description will help some of you to build your on-board air system. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Bjoern

 

[MazeVX]

Does the arb have some kind of pressure switch so it turns on and off depending on the pressure in the tank or do you have to pressurize the tank manually?

 

[El-Dracho]

Hi Mathias,

Yes, the ARB compressor is fitted with a pressure switch which shuts the compressor on and off thus keeping the pressure at a certain level near 7 bar/ 100psi in the whole system.

I addition I fitted a shut-off valve in the air supply line running from the compressor to fill the air tank. Because of that it is not necessary to fill the air tank before I am able to operate the lockers. So, I could just disconnect the air tank and operate the lockers right away.

Bjoern

 

[speedkills]

I have a similar setup and love it. The only small change I would recommend is if you run into trouble with air leaks in the future consider switching your push-to-connect valves to DOT style air brake push-to-connect fittings. They look the same but the hose inserts about twice as far as your run of the mill PTC fittings, and there is a small sleeve that goes inside the hose as well, so it sort of seals on both sides of the air hose.

 

[El-Dracho]

I have a similar setup and love it. The only small change I would recommend is if you run into trouble with air leaks in the future consider switching your push-to-connect valves to DOT style air brake push-to-connect fittings. They look the same but the hose inserts about twice as far as your run of the mill PTC fittings, and there is a small sleeve that goes inside the hose as well, so it sort of seals on both sides of the air hose.

Hi Shane,

Thanks for the good advice. I'll take a look at it.

Bjoern

 

[Jim SoG]

Excellent write up!

 

[El-Dracho]

Excellent write up!

Thank you.

 

[speedkills]

I just realized US Department of Transportation style fittings probably doesn't mean much to the rest of the world. Not sure what these style fittings are called in other places but here is a picture in case it helps. They seal really well, and don't leak when the host is at a slight angle like the standard type can.

It's a little dark but if you look carefully you can see an inner tube that goes inside the airline, as well as the tube that goes outside of the airline.

 

[MazeVX]

Maybe you can use fittings that are approved for "schutzgas" or co2 in Europe. They are made to higher safety standards.

 

[Ouroverlandtrips]

Compressed air is always a topic and interesting for many. Therefore, I would like to show my setup and how I extended and customized it.

Since some years, I am using a permanent installed ARB compressor and am very satisfied with it. It feeds the front and rear lockers and two compressed air quick couplers for to fill tires, etc.

But such an onboard compressed air system is somehow never finished. So, I extended it with an air tank and a pressure gauge. For this I got the following items. Everything in good quality, because I want to rely on it and after all about 7 bar pressure on the system are, it would be too dangerous for me to install cheap components.

1x pressure tank approx. 7.5 liters/ 2 gallons
1x overpressure valve NPT 1/4"
1x drain plug NPT 1/4"
2x blind plug NPT 1/4" (to close the remaining connections)
1x plug connection non-return valve 1/4"-8mm
2x stainless steel angle plug-in connection, adjustable NPT 1/4"-8mm
1x stainless steel angle plug-in connection, rotatable and adjustable, NPT 1/4"-6mm
1x mechanical pressure gauge with connection fitting for the pressure gauge on polyamide hose 6x4mm
A few meters polyamide pneumatic hose black 8x6mm and 6x4mm

View attachment 222391

Let's go!

First of all, I mounted the core piece of this little project: the air tank. For this I decided to use a relatively well protected place on the underbody, where the tank does not affect the ground clearance too much. On the passenger side directly next to the frame and somewhat protected behind the front frame outrigger. This way it was also possible to get to existing hose ways without making them much longer.

View attachment 222387

The fittings were quickly mounted and I continued with installation of the hoses and connections of these.

View attachment 222386

Then I installed a non-return valve in the supply line of the compressor, so that the compressor does not always have to pump against the pressure.

After that I installed the pressure gauge. Is that really necessary? No, but it is cool.

View attachment 222388

So, I looked for a suitable place in the already quite fully equipped cockpit which not much space left. Aha, there it fits wonderfully and I can read it well. Besides, it is placed "close to the subject" at the on/off switch for the compressor.

So once again I had to drill a big hole in the Landy:

View attachment 222389

Then I connected the pressure gauge. By the way, it is a purely mechanical pressure gauge!

And TEST RUN:

View attachment 222390

I am very satisfied with the result! Maybe this little description will help some of you to build your on-board air system. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Bjoern

None return valve , smart , great description. I appreciate the detail.

 

[North American Sojourner]

My compressor has a head pressure cut=off valve but I also wanted to have a pressure valve on the tank. It will shut off the compressor at 110psi which is fine for most air tanks. Really never happened as you're pumping in air and the pressure would hardly get to the max psi. Mine was a standard harbor fright 2.5gal and I drilled another hole in it and welded in the bung for the fittings.
Zim