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Got a question, quandry, problem, or are your VIAIR compressors just not acting right?
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I have a leader hose and with check valve that rattles. It sounds like a tin can with rocks…after about 5 mins it goes away. Any ideas? The leader hose is only 1 week old.
You have checked all grounds, power, fuses, pressure switch, relays, etc. - correct? If everything checks out, then you might have an issue with your compressors. I’d lean towards looking at the relays & pressure switch first however.
If its the compressors:
The only way to know for sure would be to tear the compressors down and inspect them. Without putting hands on, troubleshooting is a step by step process at best.
Is there any chance that one went down before you noticed it? Its very rare/strange to have two go down at the same time. The chances are extremely improbable. The humming you mention - is it an electrical hum? Is the motor turning at all? I would not continue to run the units if the humming is coming from the carbon brushes. You may burn out the motor, and as long as the motor is electrically sound, the compressor can be rebuilt. Then again, you may have already damaged the motor, and this may be why you aren’t getting proper rotation of the motor. A simple test of the commutator with a volt meter for continuity will tell you if the motor is electrically sound.
Keep in mind that is very cold all over the United States right now. Water that may be in the leader hose when you shut the unit down will likely freeze in place when you start the vehicle. Depending on where the moisture froze, the only thing that will clear the line is warmth - typically generated by running the compressor. All check valves make noise, due to the way they are constructed. You may be hearing air turbulence inside the leader hose, exacerbated by a possible chunk of ice. When the ice melts and shoots down the line towards your water separator (if you have one) on its way to the air tank, the sound is likely to dissipate. It usually won’t go away completely, but does get quieter.
Hope this helps you understand what may be going on.
yeah that makes sense. thanks for your help
-Glad to help!
How often should I changed my air filters in my compressor?
This is a question without a specific answer, since it depends on the environment you drive in. If you operate your compressors when it rains, or drive on dusty roads, inspect more often. A good rule of thumb is to open the housings every other month to inspect. - Replace as needed.
If you just went mudding, and your compressors kicked on - check immediately!
Well my compressor is located inside my toolbox away from the elements.
I was thinking about getting the K3 kit and was wondering if I could an extra air tank and what size compressor I need for it? I’m thinking like another 5 gallon. I would also like to use this kit for pumping up ATV tires, firestone airbags for leveling out the truck and maybe even using it to pump up my tires from time to time.
Each compressor from the 300 series and 400 series units are intended to fill up to 5 gallons. This means that if you are going to add another 5 gallons, you need a second compressor.
This pertains to all of the following units:
325C (150 PSI)
350C (150 PSI)
380C (200 PSI)
400C (150 PSI)
420C (150 PSI)
450C (150 PSI)
460C (150 PSI)
480C (200 PSI)
hurry up with 490 series
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My compressor recently started running but is not pumping any air…bought in august. Its the viair 280. Everything was fine untill yesterday when i unhooked the air line and power wire to move my toolbox which it is where it is installed. Any ideas?
Could the check valve have malfunctioned when you moved the air line? Have you checked continuity to the battery on the power wire?
The tank was full. I removed the airline to the horns after draining via the drain valve then disconnected power and slid the entire toolbox approx 1 foot. Havent checked voltage to power wire but do have a constant 13.8v to other accessories. Dont know how or why the checkvalve would be bad? Will report w voltage later
The Check valve will only let the air go one way. What has happened to me on a couple of occasions is the valve has jammed shut and does not allow the air to go either way. Try removing the leader hose off the compressor (be warned, this can be quite tight! then try the compressor to see if it is now pumpimg air again?
I have a 12 gallon tank with dual viair 480c compressors. Ive had them for just over a year now and a few days ago i turned them on and one of them was loud i mean really loud and just clanging around so i turned them off and am afraid to run them. Is this a common problem with these or do i just have a bad compressor. The other one also sounds like it might be starting to go bad too. Neither compressor has ever been out in the weather and they have plenty of ventilation. What do i do i dont want to buy new compressors every year that would be way too expensive.
Shiguy, If they are more then a yr old then they do not have the factory warranty anymore. You may want to go ahead and disassemble the top of the compressor look down into the cylinder wall and check out the condition of the it and the piston itself. If you find damage in either location you may want to replace both. We stock all repair parts let us know if we can help you out at all. 1-877-209-8179
I doubt we’ll see Lance on here very much, if at all, so tech support will have to be with Hornblasters or Viair directly.