okay so got some questions im hoping some people can help me with. A few months ago i broke down and bought some nathan airchimes p3 and spent a bunch of money on them well now im ready to put together the rest of the system and get them working.
Im trying to find out what kind of psi i need to run, i herd around 150
What size tank, im thinking atleast 5-10gal and what kinda compressor as far oven like what cc and/or anything i need to know about the comp. before hand.
What kind of electric valve do i need to trigger it or what not.
and then what i really want to do is buy a used compressor say a house hold one and use it, id have plenty of air and being i spent so much on the horns i was hoping i could save a little money and buy a compressor off Craigslist or something so i dont have to much more in my system.
For a set of P3’s, you can run them at 120 psi with a regulator and it’ll help make them not so hungry for air.
You’ll need at least 5 gallons minimum, and for every 5 gallons you’ll need at least one compressor. This means than even if you pick up an 8.5 gallon tank you’ll still need 2 compressors or you’ll void warranties.
Viair makes great compressors, and Air Zenith’s OB2 is also a fantastic compressor. See if HB has any specials running to pick up a couple on a deal, or look at the refurbished ones.
Household compressors won’t have the duty cycle to keep up with honking, so they’re generally not recommended.
If you can’t afford an Oasis air compressor then go with Extreme Air, Viair or Air Zenith. A few of my customer testimonies say Extreme Air compressors are more durable and longer lasting than Viair or AZ.
I believe Extreme Air is also Extreme Outback, which is where I got my serpentine driven compressor. Good people to deal with, ask for George if you call them.
okay so just so i know, whats the difference in a house hold compressor vs one specifically for a train horn? i was thinking of also having air to air up tires and stuff which is why i was looking into a regular compressor and big tank that you’d find around the house.
If the duty cycle (how long it can run at a certain temp over a certain period of time) isn’t high enough, you risk damaging or destroying the compressor. Most household compressors are rated at 33% duty cycle (can run for 20 mins, then need a 40 minute rest) and won’t put out much more than 120 psi.
Getting a Viair, Air Zenith, etc., with a higher duty cycle and higher pressure output/higher volume so they usually don’t work as hard as, say, a Harbor Freight compressor. These are great for tires, but not so much for filling a 5 gallon tank to blast horns.
Duty cycle will depend on your intended use. If you’re just going to honk for emergencies or a quick honk here & there, a 33% duty cycle would be fine. If you want to drive around and honk honk honk - drain your tank 10 times in a row, you’ll want more of a constant duty cycle. They are generally beefier. Constant duty means that it can run for about an hour before you have to let it cool.
Also, the house compressors are for 120volts AC - the car/mobile compressors run on 12volts DC.
Ideally, you would have 6 ports. Air in, air out, drain, pressure switch, gauge, and safety valve. You can combine some of these with tee fittings or cross fittings if you don’t have enough ports.
Mine has been great. I give it a few shots of synthetic gear every 3 months and that’s it.
It’s a modified Sanden SD series (think AC pump) and it runs like a champ. RPM is 1800 to 2200 and pumps out from 0 to 175 in about 72 seconds to my 5 gallon tank. I’m finishing up my K5’s so I can get them powder coated and mounted on a headache rack on my truck, then I’ll add the 8 gallon tank.