Larger air tank for a Deuce

[hemichallenger]

A deuce will build 150 psi if you up the air govener. The problem is not storage it is cfm. You pull the trigger and the deuce takes for ever to recover. I it would be faster to do it by hand. Also wears out the compressor a whole lot faster. Just my thinking.

 

[blisters13]

I'm gonna be a **** here and point out that we all have legal responsibilities to keep our vehicles safe for us and the rest of the non-6x6'rs out there on the road.

That said, I point out that increasing the capacity of the braking system will run the compressor longer, building greater heat per cycle, and shortening its life (as was previously noted). If you run out of air because your compressor died, you have a HARD time stopping. Yes, more volume equals more stops before you run out of service air, but especially for those of us with steep grades (Cajon Pass, Beaumont Pass and Lamb's Canyon, the Grapevine, and etc.) running out of air will be bad for all in the vicinity.

Using air tanks not DOT-approved is asking for trouble. If you get into any kind of collision and they find non-DOT equipment (bet your ass there will be an inspection), the victims' insurance companies will own you and you may do jail time (and YOUR insurance company can probably wash its hands of you for non-DOT modifications). SCUBA tanks are not for use as vehicle equipment. You can get decent DOT tanks at any truck salvage yard.

If you ARE going to add a tank(s), they should be connected via correct and standard tubing and fittings. Don't use galvanized water pipe.

The best idea was to pre-charge the system with "shore" air; at least the compressor won't have to work outside of its design to get you going in the morning.

Let's all be careful. I don't need "Bubba" screwing me out of my MV fun; neither does anyone else.

Sorry, not meaning to rant, just one of those uptight "personal responsibility" guys!

-Ken J

 

[Floridianson]

I would think if you were to put on the nuts with a real truck inpact like you should you better by a bad one.

 

[JmanX]

just an idea on the dot thing. i work for a co who deals with dot because we run peterbuilts with all our equipment, and unless you fall under a dot classification you shouldent have to worry to much (i could be wrong im not a cop or dot). HOWEVER!!! Safety First if you do decide to use an extra tank run off your compressor you should use a priority valve. this is a valve used on big trucks and teactors with air brakes that fills the brake tanks first, then opens automaticly to fill the service tanks. its basicly just a preset pressure relief valve. you can use your service tanks with out draning your brake tanks. just a thought

 

[gimpyrobb]

Not sure how you guys think your going to "wear out" the compressor. It is running when the motor is turning. It doesn't always build pressure as the air gov, kicks open a valve to vent off the excess air. But, it is ALWAYS turning.

 

[blisters13]

Yep, the compressor crankshaft is always turning when the engine is, BUT it's not always compressing and building heat. Maybe the military over-engineered it and it's rated to compress air continuously; but if it isn't then it will burn out if it doesn't cycle as designed. Shop air compressors, whether consumer or industrial, are not rated to compress continuously. Neither are modern truck compressors. Maybe M35 units are, but maybe not... Why find out the hard way far from home?

As I learned it in diesel tech school, the compressor governor valve doesn't vent excess air, it opens the compressor exhaust valve(s) so that compression doesn't take place.

Looks like I could do some research and find out.

What's the common make and model compressor on the M35's?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Ok.

 

[hemichallenger]

The compressor always turns but is not working if it is not building air. It only builds air when the govener tells it to. The bottom end of the compressor seldom fails usally the rings and valves do, Trucks that we work on that have air major leaks wear our a compressor about twice as fast as one that does not. The compressor on a deuce is not a very good compressor but works well for what it was made to do. A compressor not building air and one that is could be compared to an engine at idle and one running at 100 percent load.
This is only my thoughts.

 

[Recovry4x4]

DOT, another reason the air pig is such a splendid idea!

 

[blisters13]

Ok.

Not trying to look down on anyone here AT ALL! Sorry if this all came out wrong. I very much appreciate your replies to other posts!!

Just trying to push lightly toward well-thought-out mods in relation to air brakes.

 

[Farmun]

That is done at fire departments! Since you have a glad hand it is already plumbed up for a remote compressor.

Just have to remember to disconnect before taking off.

Ain't that right ! We've had guys pull compressors out of the fire hall, and down the road before. Now all shore lines are at the driver's side, and not connected until the truck is started and disconnected before they pull out.

 

[Farmun]

We kept all our rigs hooked up, they had auto disconnect plugs that popped out when your turned on the ignition. The ONLY fire department I have worked for that we didnt have that was in Iraq, but we didnt have a modern station either. NFPA is a minimum guide line. Waiting 60 seconds for your air tank to fill is 60 seconds added to your run time. And when every second counts that 60 seconds to many. I also just remember that I have driven engines with onboard electric air to keep the air tanks topped off. no shore air needed only shore power. I remember we knew we had a leak cause the truck would cycle on just about every 15 minutes until it was fixed. It was annoying as the truck was parked right next to the day room and we could hear it all day.

The same stations that dont use shore power and air are probably the same stations that DONT follow OSHA guideline for vehicle exhaust while running in the bay before pulling out of the station.

Also here in Florida most new rigs have A/C that will run off of shore power so you dont get in the rescue and its 110 degrees.

All of our trucks are connected to electric shore lines to keep the batteries topped off. These rigs use a lot of juice when rolling, and not always charge the batteries back fully. Since we started this about 15 years ago with a Wal-mart on-board trickle charger, our battery replacements went to about 1 truck every 5 years, from all trucks about every 4 years. Best investment we ever made. We don't keep the air lines hooked up all the time, only when we need to leave the station in a hurry.

 

[FireFighterHill]

Ain't that right ! We've had guys pull compressors out of the fire hall, and down the road before. Now all shore lines are at the driver's side, and not connected until the truck is started and disconnected before they pull out.

Check out some auto disconnect plugs. The plugs pop out when you turn on the ignition. That way nothing to forget. I really love the trucks that the Air conditioning runs off shore power and keeps the trucks from getting blistering hot in the unconditioned bays.

 

[FireFighterHill]

Kussmaul Electronics Co., Inc. Auto & Air Ejects

http://www.kussmaul.com/091-18wp.pdf

 

[Kohburn]

checking pricing on those auto eject shore lines.

 

[jesusgatos]

Jeez, this thread is all over the place. I posted part numbers for a bolt-in replacement air compressor that puts out double the CFM of the stock unit somewhere in another thread when I was doing research for my project.

 

[Kohburn]

i vaguely remember that, gatos.

I seem to remember a thread also related to the different compressors that came in the trucks, single piston, dual piston, etc. might be the same thread.

 

[Kohburn]

that auto eject 30 amp power plug from kussmaul is 576.58 + shipping and the cord end to go with it is 144.16 plus shipping.

oftly expensive for a servo actuated pusher to just the plug out.

 

[Farmun]

Check out some auto disconnect plugs. The plugs pop out when you turn on the ignition. That way nothing to forget. I really love the trucks that the Air conditioning runs off shore power and keeps the trucks from getting blistering hot in the unconditioned bays.

Our new trucks have the Kussmaul connections, but we opted to not go with the auto disconnection feature, since all trucks don't have it. That way you have to actually disconnect each and every truck before leaving the station. We haven't yanked out a compressor in quite a while. All the shore lines are at the driver's side of each apparatus, and we loop the cords through the door handles. This way the engineers have to undo/disconnect the lines before entering the cab.

 

[juddspaintballs]

That's how we run our shore electrical. Auto disconnects are too expensive to be worth it, and that one time they quit working, you won't unplug it manually and end up pulling it out anyways. Run a short section of easily broken DOT air brake tubing with push fittings right at the connection to the truck and if you forget to unhook, that tubing will break and not your nice air line or worse.