Misc. New onboard air setup (OBA)

[TSB8C]

I've had an OBA setup in my truck since the first year I bought it (2015) and always wanted the same in my CJ. I finally got around to it this weekend. I've been pleased with the system I got for the truck, so I bought the same setup again. Now my use for this is airing up tires, small and short term air tool use, and airing up mattresses on camping trips and the tube when boating. I do not have air lockers in the Jeep or an air horn either. The truck has a 3-gallon tank with the air compressor and that seems to meet my needs quite fine. The system I got is a Vixen VXO8330. This includes the compressor rated for a max pressure of 200 lbs, an air inlet filter, a 3-gallon tank, air gauge, 20" hose, drain valve, over pressure relief valve, check valve, and a few brass plugs. There's also an included pressure switch that cuts the compressor off at 200 lbs and cycles back on at 170 lbs. The tank itself has 7 ports on it, plus two mounting brackets already welded on. It also included a 30 amp fuse and holder and some teflon thread tape. Now in the truck I had lots of room under the floorboard on the passenger side front and back to mount the compressor and the tank near each other. Just had to fab up some brackets to attach to the frame rail. For the CJ7, I decided to mount the tank similarly to the frame rail on the passenger side, outside the frame away from the exhaust on the inside. I know what some may say about concern for hitting the tank on rocks and such, but take a look at the pics. The bottom of the tank is still higher than my xfer case skid plate and well out of the way for what my Jeep sees. I don't rock crawl and so forth. I hit the deer woods or quail fields and go camping and boating.

For mounting the tank, I simply used one of the existing brackets that came on the tank. Just drilled two holes in the frame rail that lined up and run some bolts. That's the back end of the tank. For the front end, the tank's other bracket lined up perfectly with one of the body mount flanges. So I welded a small scrap of 1.5" angle to the other bracket on the tank. I then lined that up with the side of the body mount flange, drilled a hole, and ran a 1/4-20 bolt through. Once all snugged up, this think is rock solid. When viewed from underneath, you can see the drain and one of the plugs. When viewed from the side, you can barely see it at all through my step rail.

Now the compressor was another story. I decided to mount it up in the space between the inner fender well and the firewall where the heater motor sticks out beneath the battery tray. It is mounted with rubber isolators to the inner fender. So no water or mud thrown from the tire and away from any heat source. I did have to get a longer air line to connect the compressor to the tank however. For the electrical, it is wired to a 30 amp relay from my secondary battery and then to a switch on the dash next to the other switches for fog lights, dual battery isolator, and spots. To use the air, I attached a standard push-lock air fitting to one of the ports on the end of the tank so that an air hose can be just inserted and used like normal. Here's some pics:

 

[Belizean]

Nice. I have been wanting some air, mainly just for airing up tires. I will probably just get a portable small unit. What is the length and diameter of the tank ?

 

[TSB8C]

The tank is 22.75" long by 6.5" diameter. With the brackets on the tank, it is 7.5" high (the brackets stick out 1"). Of course mine is mounted with the brackets facing sideways rather than down. So it's just the 6.5" diameter in terms of where the bottom is from the floorboard. That's the 3 gallon tank. They have others that use the same compressor but smaller tanks (1.5 or 2.5 gallon). For example, the 1.5 gallon tank is only 15" long and 5.5" diameter (model VXO8315). The compressor is 10.75" long x 4" wide x 6.75" tall.

 

[Belizean]

Thanks for the info. Looks like your compressor is mounted in a good place

 

[Armyvet25]

Does one actually need a tank or is a quality compressor satisfactory? I mean the tank can't hold that much volume and has to deplete fairly quick.

 

[Belizean]

That’s kinda like saying . Do you really need a 6 cylinder or a V8 in a Jeep ? To each there own. Or do you really need a 1/2 dozen Jeeps ?

 

[TSB8C]

Does one actually need a tank or is a quality compressor satisfactory? I mean the tank can't hold that much volume and has to deplete fairly quick.

If you want to run any air tools, even small ones, you really need a tank. I also use an air blower nozzle when working on a lawn mower or other equipment that needs to have small passageways blown out (like in a carb) or just blowing dirt/sand out of the jeep after a trip to the beach. Yea, just a good compressor could air up a tire or an air mattress without a tank. But the tank makes it more efficient.

 

[Armyvet25]

That’s kinda like saying . Do you really need a 6 cylinder or a V8 in a Jeep ? To each there own. Or do you really need a 1/2 dozen Jeeps ?

I think you misunderstood my post, it was a serious query, wasn't meant to bash someones setup, I was considering getting a compressor and was just asking...I know typed word sometimes is hard to read intention/meaning without body language voice inflect etc.
Your metophoric anaolgies didn't really compare to the question either lol.

 

[Armyvet25]

If you want to run any air tools, even small ones, you really need a tank. I also use an air blower nozzle when working on a lawn mower or other equipment that needs to have small passageways blown out (like in a carb) or just blowing dirt/sand out of the jeep after a trip to the beach. Yea, just a good compressor could air up a tire or an air mattress without a tank. But the tank makes it more efficient.

Thanks, the answer I was hoping to get, good idea with the air to blow sand debris etc out.

 

[Belizean]

I didn’t take it as bashing

 

[Patrick]

With that system’s 200PSI capacity, it is possible to effectively run a smaller tank. Dispensing air at this pressure should be done with extra caution, however.

 

[TSB8C]

With that system’s 200PSI capacity, it is possible to effectively run a smaller tank. Dispensing air at this pressure should be done with extra caution, however.

That is a good point. I thought about replacing the pressure switch with a lower rated one. The current one is on at 170 and off at 200, and the tank is rated for the 200 psi. But perhaps one that cycles on at 70 or so and off at 100 is better. I don't need 200 psi for tires or an air mattress. Even blowing sand out doesn't need that high either. And the small air tools I used from time to time when remote (have a regular larger unit at home in the shop) would probably work just fine at 100 psi as well. On the other hand, this is the same setup in my truck and I've had that for 7 years now with no issues. Guess I just don't get wild enough with it for what I do.

 

[Belizean]

Few more thousand psi and you could have jet propulsion.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

I sure wouldn't play in the rocks with that tanks location

 

[TSB8C]

I sure wouldn't play in the rocks with that tanks location

Yea. I don't do any rock crawling. Trails when deer hunting or wet fields when quail hunting. Some camping trips and visits to the beach. That's where my Jeep plays. But the tank is actually slightly higher than my skid plate and side steps too. But I would have found another location if rocks were an issue for my rig. So to your point, design based on use for sure. Don't follow my example if your uses are different than mine.