So, I ordered a 12 gallon Firestone air tank from 4WheelParts for $108.89. They called and said that it had arrived at the local store, so I went to 4WheelParts to pick it up. When I got there, I noticed that the tank seemed really large, but didn’t say anything about it. When I got home, I measured the tank, and instead of being 7" in diameter, it was 12" in diameter and 44" long. Doing a little quick math in my head, it was obvious that what they had given me was the Firestone 20 gallon tank. I called them to verify my order, and the guy at 4WheelParts confirmed that what I bought was a 20 gallon tank. When I asked him to go to the web site and look at what I was looking at, he agreed that the website was incorrect. He even went to the Ride-Rite website and confirmed that Firestone doesn’t even make a 12 gallon tank. So, here’s my question. I will be using dual Viair 480c’s to fill this tank. Is this going to be too much tank for these compressors? Should I press the point for 4WheelParts to allow me to return the tank? I know I got a great deal on a 20 gallon tank, but I am not sure I will be able to use it. Here is a link to the tank:
That will be too big of a tank for the dual 480cs. We recommend 5 gallons of air per compressor (at the most). So that would mean the compressors will work twice as hard…and your warranty will be voided in the process. Get back with them and let them know you aren’t satisfied…try to get a 10 gallon tank or less. If they don’t carry the tanks we do have 8.5 gallon tanks you can purchase for $84.99. PM me if you need anything else or have any questions.
The compressors are rated to fill up to a 5 gallon tank each.
With two compressors, you’re halfway there… I can see pushing them a bit, but 50% is too much.
A 12 gallon tank should be fine for air horns with two 480Cs… even though its pushing it a bit.
What’s this Lord schtuff? Geez…
I can’t walk on water, I sink…
OK, unless you constantly operate the compressor over its rated duty cycle, this may or may not be a problem. If you’re constantly cycling the compressors to fill 12 gallons from an empty tank - this will be a problem and you’ll kill the working life of the pump from over duty cycle operation.
If you’re just topping it off occasionally from 165 to 200 PSI, the pumps can do it with no problems.
Whether someone is going to operate their pumps over duty cycle doesn’t really much matter on the size of air tank. They’ll do it just as fast with a 5 gallon as they will with a 20 gallon tank. Either way, if you abuse the pumps, they will not retain their warranty.
Yeah, I think I knew all this, which was why I ordered the 12 gallon tank to begin with. Now I am probably stuck with a 20 gallon tank that I can’t use. I had heard a bunch of bad things about 4WheelParts. I guess they were all true. At least it was only a $108 tank and not a $3000 lift! Thanks guys.
[b]You hit the jackpot dude! I presently have to 400c and the same tank.have had no probs.I fill the tank and switch the pumps off . will refill or top off a few times a day. so far so good.
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pay no attention to the rust marks,as that was from when I removed the 5 gal tanks to install the big boy!
Well, what I was wondering was this. of course, I don’t need such a large tank just for a horn…but…as long as I don’t drain the tank much when I honk the horn, wouldn’t it be pretty much the same as having a smaller tank? Of course, I would never knowingly buy such a large tank, but since I have it, what harm could it really do? I mean, as long as I treat it like it was a smaller tank and never use more than a few quick blasts of air, shouldn’t it be the same as having a smaller tank. The only thing I am out is the space taken up by the inordinately large tank, right?
Yeah, that’s what I was planning on doing. I have the four upfitter switches in my dash, two with 30 amp relays and one with a 15 amp relay and one with a 10 amp relay. I was planning on running the 10 amp relay to the pressure switch to turn on the compressor relays. I figured I would leave them turned off most of the time, as long as I don’t have any leaks.
with your superduty bed that tank is like taking up the space of a case of beer.my tank is in the bed of a toyota tacoma Xrunner.I don’t recall your horn be it a k3 or k5 but whatever it’s always a GOOD thing to have more air than you need!more blasts per tank full.
I have a K5LA, dual 480c’s, and a 20 gallon tank. I am going to mount all of it inside my Weatherguard 116-5-01 steel toolbox. Here’s a link to my toolbox model:
I will mount the tank and compressors in the bottom of the box, toward the front of the truck, then I am going to cut a hole in the bottom of the box and point the horn straight down through the hole. I may even take a piece of sheet metal and angle it from the bottom of the box down to the bed under the horn to “reflect” the sound out from under the toolbox.
To help everyone visualize this, I have made a crude diagram in Paint…
This is looking down into the toolbox from above. There is 7" of space from the bottom of the toolbox to the bedliner. I think this will be plenty of room for the sound to escape.
By the way 06BSPXR, where did you get the aluminum that you used to build your frame? I will need something like that to hold my horn in a vertical position. I could bolt it to the bottom of the toolbox and brace it against the side of the box for strength.
To some degree you’re right. You have to take the differential (dead band) of your pressure switch into account. The larger the tank, the longer it takes for your compressor to top off.
Also remember that electric compressors have a finite lifespan. This is shortened when you turn the compressor on for longer periods of time. Shorter fill times will help a compressor last longer.
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