Hey guys i currently have 2 viair 480Cs on a 12gallon tank. but one of the compressors is on its last leg, and i was gonna just buy a new one, but i wanna see which compressors yall think i should use…?
now let me say that i would love to get fast fill compressors, but i blow my horns too much, and my compressors are usually on for a good while when i get-to-honkin (lol). but i was thinking of getting 2 more 480s (3 total) because i heard its best to have no more than 5gallons of air per compressor. what do you guys say?
and another question…i’ve been hearing (or reading) that 200 psi isnt really healthy for the tank or horns (K3LA and K5LA) and i was thinking of dropping my pressure switch down to 150 or 175 PSI. At 150 PSI does this mean that i can blow my horns for longer without the tank dropping down? or is my logic incorrect?
no you would need to keep the tank at 200 psi and use a regulator to drop the pressure to the horns… that would give you a little bit more air time but not much…
I have a viair 380c (200psi) on my setup , but my pressure switch shuts it off @ 150… I think its the best of both worlds… Constant duty power , and still fills it somewhat quick…
I’m in need of another compressor right now… But am surprised at how my 1 380c powers 2 5 gal tanks.
I run dual 444C’s on my 12 gal. They’re cheaper and supply the same output as the 480C’s. And of course 3 comps will speed your refill time up considerably.
You could use a 200psi pressure switch and one regulator reducing the output to 150psi. Just T off from the regulator to separate valves for each horn.
Seems there’s a debate on whether 200psi will really hurt the horns or not. Some say it’ll damage them, some say there’s no problem. I personally run mine at 200psi and am not worried about it. Then the other opinion out there is that 200psi to the horns doesn’t sound as good as 150psi. I myself don’t care so much that I have the most “true” train horn sound as much as I care about them being as loud as I can make them. Besides…even at 200psi within a few blasts I’m already down to 150psi - so I just get that much more honking time.
As for the tank I haven’t heard of 200psi damaging the tank. My 12gal tank is rated for 150psi BUT it is also burst rated for at least 300psi. So here again running 200psi into it doesn’t phase me.
using one regulator and a T fitting will reduce the airflow needed for 2 sets of horns in order to keep 200 psi in the tank and keep the air flow to the horns correct u would need one regulator per line you have coming out of the tank only thing id you need to make sure you get a high flow regulator some regulators can restrict airflow even worse than using the single reg and T fitting…
That’s true, the airflow would be reduced for blowing both horns at the same time, but not if he blew them one at a time is what I was thinking. Regulators for that psi aren’t cheap either. If it were me and my money, I’d keep it like you have it or change out the pressure switch. Up to u bro.
PS. Are u entering the Siknic show? I may try it out this year. Don’t know if I’ll enter or not yet but I plan on at least attending.
Use 2 good regulators. Usually 50.00 each. Rated for 130 cfm each will suffice. 5/8 and use reducers for 1/2.
Grainger or mcmaster-carr.
Either run 3 444c’s or go the better route and run 2 AZ OB2. Youll never go back to viair.
I ran 2 480’s on 17 gallons for 1 year. They wore out. Went with 2 444’s. Filled the same but ran cooler. I finally broke down and am using 2 OB2’s now cause I use my horn’s alot. Shows, parade’s, cruises. I will never run viair after having Air Zenith. Im not saying viair sucks. Viair is great for the people on a budget. AZ is better. A oasis is makes viair and AZ look like bicycles pumps. But Im not spending over 1200 for a compressor. Not on this car anyways.
I run 200 unregulated. I could care less about the wear since I rebuild these horn’s. American tuned horns at 200 psi are noise. I run 2 Canadian tuned horns. I like there sound at 200 psi. I didnt like them at 150 psi.
Optimal pressure for horns is 130 psi.
200 psi will wear the disks faster and it will wear the nozzles down too. That will require machine work.
