Got OBA? - On Board Air

civicjoe

lone wolf mod
Founding Member
Location
Nevada
Naw I'm probably going with a on board compressor. Don't know if there's. Place in my town that could even fill up a co2 tank


Sent from the Nighthog mobile command unit.
 

J Everett

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Houma, LA
Anywhere that has welding supplies, gases for the medical industry, or fills paintball marker tanks should be able to fill Powertanks.
 

Ricel

Wheeling
Founding Member
Location
Rhode Island
Ive got a Welding tank and regulator with 25ft hose sitting in the back of my truck. I'm looking to add a small compressor and tank for backup and lockers in the far future.
 

RATTFINK

XN OG Admin.
Founding Member
Location
Conroe, TX
Got all the parts for the OBA that OZ used except for the brass elbow and braided air-line. And 50ft of recoiled air hose :)
 
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RATTFINK

XN OG Admin.
Founding Member
Location
Conroe, TX
I would like to bolt it in the ARB to the left or right of where a winch would/will go and have the quick disconnect on top of the bumper.
 
I too have the ViAir 350 100% duty cycle compressor hooked to a 5 gallon air tank. I am also disapointed after spending $500 +/- on it with the speed of the compressor.

I can get 2 tires filled before the tank runs dry, then it's better for me to walk away and let the compressor refill the tank before I try to do the other 2.

The pump does not take long to fill the tank, 5 minutes at most I think, so I plan on adding a 2nd 5 gallon tank and see how that goes.

P.S. If anyone's looking for a cheap option for an air tank, I found mine at a 18 wheeler repair part supply store. It's an air tank for airbrakes. They carry many different sizes and shapes depending on what application, so there's lots of variety. They're also pretty cheap, mine was under $50 bucks, brand new.
 

dhyde79

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Amarillo, TX
P.S. If anyone's looking for a cheap option for an air tank, I found mine at a 18 wheeler repair part supply store. It's an air tank for airbrakes. They carry many different sizes and shapes depending on what application, so there's lots of variety. They're also pretty cheap, mine was under $50 bucks, brand new.

THAT sir is a fantastic idea! thanks!
 

Maxterra

Wheeling
Founding Member
Location
West Haven, UTAH
Those air tanks for over the road trucks & trailers are quite light, have mounting tabs at each end, lots of fittings available.
Seems you can get them down to 8" dia too x about 2' lg.

Thinking I want to put one or two under the back where the spare tire used to reside.

Found these, but longer than I remember from when I used to build semi-trailers..
http://www.easternmarine.com/velvac-8-flange-mounted-air-brake-tank-035101-0
 
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Location
MOORPARK
What do you guys think about the Powertanks? I have them on my website because ithought they were a really cool product. I have heard a couple good things but would like a little more feedback. Do any of you guys have any experience with them? I am thinking about getting one for myself and doing a video review on it. Worth it?
 

Ricel

Wheeling
Founding Member
Location
Rhode Island
Id love to get their product, but they're a little pricy. On the cheep i picked up a welding co2 #10 and swap it out every time i need air.
 

dhyde79

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Amarillo, TX
What do you guys think about the Powertanks? I have them on my website because ithought they were a really cool product. I have heard a couple good things but would like a little more feedback. Do any of you guys have any experience with them? I am thinking about getting one for myself and doing a video review on it. Worth it?

a few comments I've seen places prompted me to do some checking before ruling one out....check with anyplace that could fill it for you. My local PB field said no way due to size (24oz PB tanks are as large as they'd fill), and the local "airgas" shop said no because (as someone mentioned on here) they want to be able to swap tanks, so they don't have to worry about whether or not your tank is within hydro, they can just swap out with you and you're good....

if you have someplace local that doesn't mind filling (and not exchanging) then go for it...they're a pretty cool idea, but, if you can't get it filled, it's a great way to waste that money...
 

dhyde79

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Amarillo, TX
I'm seriously considering the semi-style onboard air-brake tanks with a compressor where the spare tire is currently and put a pair of crossmembers in place with a custom skid to bolt the skid to with the air tanks and compressor tucked up in nicely. what I'm wondering is if I need to put an inline condenser/moisture catcher in there too or if it's fine to run without....
 

N.Y.X.

Bought an X
Location
Denver, CO
My OBA Setup (Pic Heavy)

I'll bump this old thread with my current set up:

2-Viair 380C Compressors (One mounted the other is not installed yet)
1-Viair 2.5 gallon tank
3-Custom Length 1/4" 300psi hoses with swivel fittings (started with barbed fittings and hose clamps, not a good plan)
1-140psi Regulator with water separator
1/4" ID Braided hose to cover the Original ARB Blue line.
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Suggestions: Order custom fit hoses that have permanent, crimped on swivel fittings. Use loctite 545 over teflon tape as that is suggested per viair.
 

mudchet

Got Mud?<br><img src="http://i164.photobucket.com/
Founding Member
Location
Brentwood, TN
Great post N.Y.X. OBA is on my list. Some questions for you:

1. I don't see a check valve between the compressor and the tank. I thought one was needed in this location.
2. How did you settle on a 2.5 gal tank? Judging by the aux air port on the bumper you use your OBA to air up. How big are your tires and much time does it save?
3. Where did you get your custom swivel-head hoses?

Thanks!
 

TJTJ

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
NJ
Great post N.Y.X. OBA is on my list. Some questions for you:

1. I don't see a check valve between the compressor and the tank. I thought one was needed in this location.
2. How did you settle on a 2.5 gal tank? Judging by the aux air port on the bumper you use your OBA to air up. How big are your tires and much time does it save?
3. Where did you get your custom swivel-head hoses?

Thanks!

The long tube off the compressor might have the back flow preventer/check valve in it to prevent compressor damage from tank pressure.

Generally...a small tank can be pressurized more quickly than larger one, but, has less reserve volume, and for 33's, you need about a 4.5 gallon tank at 150 psi to do ONE tire from say 15 psi to 35 psi or so.....so the tank size is mostly for a head start on tire #1.

If the priority is getting back up to a given PSI, the smaller tank is typically preferable (Air tools like ~ 90 psi for example). If the priority is to have a lot of reserve capacity for lower pressure (Filling tires for example), then a larger tank is preferable.

I am assuming that the two compressor solution is a way to speed up the repressurization/compensate for the smaller tank volume, etc.


The Viar 380C is a high duty cycle pump, so it can pretty much run continuously (Within reason...), and using two of them would give a combined total flow of ~ 1.4 CFM at 140 psi, ~ 1.8 CFM at 90 PSI, or ~ 2 CFM at ~ 40 psi, etc.

As most air tools use 3 CFM or more, this means that they really don't have the capacity to keep up, and, the small tank means that they'd need to run constantly and would still fall behind by more than a CFM per minute.

IE: An air wrench to spin off lug nuts with normal rest between nuts/tire changes, etc...would be about the upper limit of extended tool use it would be able to handle.

If intended for tires, a larger tank would help a lot given the slow refill limits.

As the 380C has a 200 PSI limit, if the tank could hold 200 psi, and the pressure switch set to allow it, etc...the added PSI would effectively increase the stored air capacity.
 
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N.Y.X.

Bought an X
Location
Denver, CO
Thank you!! My answers are below.
Great post N.Y.X. OBA is on my list. Some questions for you:

1. I don't see a check valve between the compressor and the tank. I thought one was needed in this location. I have on installed on the bottom side of the tank, you are unable to see it in the pictures I posted. I have the viair plumbed directly into the tank.
2. How did you settle on a 2.5 gal tank? I bought it from a friend as a kit figuring on adding to it after the fact. Judging by the aux air port on the bumper you use your OBA to air up. How big are your tires and much time does it save? Currently I run 285/75/16's but will have 315/75/16's in a couple weeks. I have not added the secondary compressor yet, but can report back fill up figures after my trip to Ouray this week.
3. Where did you get your custom swivel-head hoses? Send these guys an email with your NPT requests (as the swivel fittings were not listed on the site) and they'll send you a paypal invoice with flat shipping. http://www.customairhose.com/

Thanks!

This looks like it might leak? (Split in tube)
That split is actually there intentionally. This braided line serves only as protection and an anti-kink mechanism to the traditional ARB blue air line. The diff-end you pictured I heated so I could slide ARB's anti-kink spring up into the hose, then spliced the end and hose clamped it to the nut. I found if you just throw a line over for protection the added weight can help kink it at the diff.
 
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