Power, power, power…

This is a high performance, high power device. You cannot get healthy performance out of this compressor without making sure a healthy amount of power gets all the way to the motor. It is not enough to have a battery that is fully charged to run the compressor.

The battery must also be in top condition for proper performance. As a battery weakens, whether due to age or deep cycling, it loses the ability to deliver power to the compressor motor.

Furthermore, even if your battery is good under load, it does not guarantee that full power is making it to the compressor motor. The more connections and cable length between the battery and the motor, the more power is lost. It is vitally important to make sure your vehicle’s electrical system AND your installations are in top notch condition, or you will get nothing but frustration.

Note: If you measure 12.6 volts on your battery without your engine or compressor running, it only tells you the battery is fully charged. It does not tell you how good the battery is, or if power is making it all way to the compressor motor efficiently. The important measurement to make is at the compressor motor terminals while the motor is running. You should measure at least 11 volts at this point.

For optimum efficiency, install a new deep cycle auxiliary battery (we strongly recommend Absorbed Glass Mat batteries) as close to the compressor as possible, and cut our 10 foot power cables down accordingly. Be sure to use new, heavy duty ring terminals and INSTALL THEM CORRECTLY. Wire the compressor power cables straight to the battery terminals. Do not ground through the chassis, or use additional devices such as circuit breakers, terminal blocks or switches between battery and compressor. To add circuit protection to the compressor, use a 250 amp ANN or ANL type fuse and block on the positive power cable to the compressor. Wire auxiliary battery to alternator with heavy gauge wire, preferably through a low loss isolator.

 

The Most Common Causes of Low Power Conditions:

  • A weak battery: Either an old one, or a new battery that is not a deep cycle battery, but has been deep discharged a couple times.
  • Too much cable: It is a bad idea to use longer cables than the 10 feet we provide.
  • Loose connections.
  • Bad ground on either main power cable or control wire.
  • Too many connections: You do not need to control our compressor with an external solenoid. We have the solenoid built in. Use the control wire (see owner’s manual diagram).
  • Circuit breakers: Most circuit breakers are not adequate for this application. Use a 250 amp ANL type fuse instead.
Note: If you need a switch to mount on your dash, please do not disassemble the unit to remove the compressor’s rocker switch for this purpose. Simply wire another switch in series with the pressure switch on the control wire (see owner’s manual wiring diagram) and leave the compressor switch “on”. Disassembly and/or modification voids warranty!

Please contact us with your questions.