how hard is running 2 compressors on my car?

Installation Help & Advice Onboard Air & Air Suspension
1

i already have a viaair 480c and a 5 gallon tank but im looking to upgrade to another compressor and maybe a 8 gallon tank. i was thinking maybe a viaair 350c or 400c but am wondering how hard that will be on my cars charging system running both compressors at once…its a 97 grand am with 206k so i dont wanna be risky…any answers are more than helpfull

2

depending on your alternator size, you should be good. I think if your driving your car wile they are running it should be ok. its mainly when your stopped, the engine is off and the alternator isnt running is when your battery will go bad and die. Honduhh is running duel 480s on her civic. and I cant imagine a civics alt would be more powerful than yours.

3

You should have a 105 amp alternator. You will be fine with 2 of whatever so long as the alternator is good, and the battery is good.

Most likely that is not the original alternator, if it is the brushes are most likely about to go. Best bet before buying anything is get a load test on the alternator and battery. Any weakness in either will be present. O’reillys, autozone, advance auto pepboys will usually do it for free. If you don’t have that cost of replacing either of them then get another compressor. I may suggest a drycell battery or a battery with a minimum of 800 cca, just don’t get an optima.

4

X2!!! I can’t stress that enough. I don’t know if you’re saying it for the reasons I am, but I have had nothing but trouble out of every Optima (Red or Yellow) that I ever had, as well as ALL of my friends that have had them.

5

I hate those batteries with a passion. All I ever use know are kinetik batteries. I have one mini battery for the whole car. Ran a blue on my evo, now I run a red on the srt.

Blue
http://www.kinetikaudio.com/2009/default.asp
Red
http://www.batterycentralmall.com/Batteries/Kinetik_Racing-Battery/KR912.html

6

Any AGM (absorbed glass matt) battery besides Optima seems to work very well.

7

alright just making sure because i know when i had just the one compressor on my truck it would drop the voltage meter quit a bit

8

a Set of 380’s would be perfect with a stock alt,they dont draw as much amps as the 400+

9

what if i ran a 380 with my 480??

10

just curious but whats wrong with optimas? ive had a couple, never any problems…we also put them in all the city trucks we build at work…they never come back

11

My 3 I tried, and a few customers I have delt with have had the same issues. They seem to hold there charge about as good as 3 D Cells in Cloris Leachmens Love toy.

Hopefully someone gets this.

12

I think it depends on the Optima type and your application. Some customers say they work great with stereo systems. Our customers have had trouble with the red & yellow tops. I haven’t heard any complaints about their blue top.

13

Optimas have a hard time deep cycling. Its a known issue that has existed for at least 10-12 years that I know of… I’d never run one again. Only reason I had them in all my rides - was that they were free for magazine articles, and my trucks were always used in tech pieces.

14

Bwahahaha!!!

Funniest thing I’ve heard ALL DAY!

THANKS!

15

HAHA That’s the perfect way to describe EVERY red or yellow optima I’ve come into contact with.

But! as Dan said, I’ve never seen any problems with the blue tops… weird.

16

i had a red in my accord with a big stereo system and had remote start and everything and never had a problem…now i got a red in my toyota (4 wheelin toy) and havnt had any problems…my truck sat for about 4 months and it cranked right over… ive left my lights on for about 45 minutes and it still cranks right over…