Aux. Air compressor

[HighTechRedneck]

Viar compressors are good for their purposes.  The top model I have seen listed is rated for 100% duty cycle and is available in 150 or 200 psi models.  BUT, it is only rated at 1.66 cf/min.  In one listing, I even saw something that puts the 100% duty cycle rating into a suspect light, in my opinion.  That listing stated that it was only warranted for connection to tanks up to a maximum of 5 gallons. 

[rv_safetyman]

Chaz.  I think I beat you to it.  I put air suspension in my '56 Chevy in the early '90s or late '80s  At work we were developing air springs and they had some spare units out of a Lincoln.  I installed them on both axles.  I took them off the rear a few years ago (wanted to change the design a bit), but the fronts are still on and working great.

To keep the thread on subject, I tried a few 12V compressors (not the giant ones that they sell today), but the volume was way too low for what I wanted.  I now use a air conditioning compressor and it works great. I can kick it in with the clutch when I need air.

I have thought about attaching an AC compressor to the generator belt drive.  Would not be a huge job.  You could put an extra tank with a pressure shut off switch to control the clutch and have a pretty neat system. 

Jim

[Sojourner]

Jim.....have a question...who make A/C compressor without oil saturated with air?

For those are unfamiliar:
A/C (air conditioning) compressor and air compressor are two difference types of compressors.
1)   A/C compressor is equips with inlet at crankcase and outlet at the cylinder head.
2)   Air compressor is equips with inlet and outlet only at cylinder head.

Yes...you can use A/C compressor to pump air but need to add crank oil a lot more often then straight air compressor with oil in cranckcase. And the air pressure storage tank will accumulates more oil sooner.
However you can add oil separator at outlet and have air inlet go thorough oil bath before A/C inlet to keep bearing & reciprocating parts from wearing out.

Older style belt driven A/C compressor that run much slower RPM with vertical piston use less oil than high speed & horizontal or vertical version. I use them (older belt type) on my dad farm...it was home-made in the 40's.

Not get the term of a/c and ac mix up
1)   A/C or a/c is air condition
2)   ac is alternate current

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

[rv_safetyman]

Jerry, I use a York compressor.  When I first installed it, I put a paper type air filter (like a paint gun would use) to trap the oil.  Never really got much.  Have never added oil since I installed it several years ago.  Have not used it much in the past couple of years, but before that, I used it a lot.

Jeep type folks have used these compressors for years.  As you know, they air their tires down for the off road activities and they have to air them up for the trip home.  They also carry some air tools to fix all the stuff they break.

A great site with lots of good information is:  http://jeep.off-road.com/jeep/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=261434

A commercial site is:  http://www.onboardair.com/kits.htm

I still think that putting one on quiet generator would be the way to go.  Reasonably high CFM (a York 210 is rated at 4 CFM at 90 PSI at 1200 rpm and can put out more at higher rpm), quiet (assuming the generator is quiet), and built to run for long periods of time under some pretty high temperature conditions.  I don't think it would need to be run through the air dryer, if it had its own "wet" tank and the owner was careful to open the drain valve at reasonable intervals.

Jim

[Sojourner]

Thanks for your responding Jim.
Big box York pump is OK as long it in vertical position for air pump. It has inlet & outlet on top like regular air compressor pump.
I was not aware that oil doesn't mix in air using York (box style) compressor. All other version such as rotary, horizontal via wobble cam shaft that being uses in all GM and some of others brands of auto.
Thanks Jim for update....even it been made for several years but never realize that it build like a regular air pump with no check valve in piston.

Jim ...Then this would be ideal with electric clutch to connect to pressure switch or turn off completely.

Just be sure if any one want to use this version for air pump is to mount it in vertical position or you will have oil in air. Otherwise for A/C compressing 134a or 22...it can be in horizontal position or vertical.

I suggest others bus nut to read Jim's link and this link:
http://coloradok5.com/york.shtml

It will explain that only York box type is good for air compressor.

There you go fellow bus nuts....air compressor to your generator engine with pressure switch to air up bus before start big engine.

If you look for used one from wreck auto or truck...be sure to look for gray color oil deposit around inside tubing and fitting....few drop of that oil onto clean white tissue paper to see if any particle of shiny metal power. If not then it may be a good unit.

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

[JohnEd]

I have had the "old" York type compressor on many vehicles for many years each and all were trouble free.  I have friends that installed them as air compressors and they held up for years.  I guess that all is pretty well proven.  Bye the bye those compressors last every bit of 4 days when they are hard mounted to a BIG cat earth mover according to a friend that was in the A/C bus. Could only get the 'wobble plate" version to live in that environment of harsh vibration and shock.  Made a ton of cash changing out the Yorks out in the desert east of San Diego during the freeway construction boom and got so sick of the heat and dirt that he started putting in the wobble and then he worked himself out of a job..

The cylinder/wobble plate is really much more complicated and costly to mfr. but I think it is way more efficient and can be had in really large displacements in a small space.  I think Sojourners advice to add an oil injector and separator might bear serious consideration.  Harbor Freight has the injector for really cheap and if their quality (suspected) bothers you, buy three on sale.  I still have two injector ($19 each) spares after two years of use on the first one.  The reduced spatial requirements and lower start/run torque drain is a serious concern, at least to me.  I am in the process of converting to a wobble in my old S&S just for the better mileage caus nothing will pause that 440, gotta love that gas engine, Dodge.  I take it that the wobble and the York have the same compression ratios for 22.

Just some thoughts and reflections,

John