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need help with failing air setup

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Old Aug 21, 2013 | 03:27 AM
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Default need help with failing air setup

I have been running the Phantom air cup kit for about a year now and had some issues come up today. my air tank should have been just about full but when i got in my car at lunch time the compressor kicked in. I thought it was a little strange but whatever. After about 8 mins of it running (usually runs about 3-4 mins) i thought it should have been full by now so i turned off the car. i checked and the 30A fuse was blown and the wiring looked slightly melted about 5 inches away from the fuse it self. not sure if one caused the other but when i got home i put in a new fuse and turned the car back on. the compressor came on again and after it ran for 6 mins this time i turned the car off again. the fuse again was blown.

i am thinking either something in the compressor/tank area that tells the tank its full has failed or somehow the wire overheated and melted some and that is causing it to get stuck in the ON position.

what / where is the thing that tells the compressor to shut off because the tank is full? can this item be replaced when/if it fails? thank you and any help would be much appreciated because i can't just keep putting in new fuses.



~bbr
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Old Aug 21, 2013 | 08:34 AM
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Check your check valve. Fuses pop when the check valve goes bad due to the compressor over working. This would also explain your air leak.

If you use Viair check valves, theyre garbage. Switch to SMC check valves.

The pressure switch to turn your compressor on/off should be mounted on your tank. Theyre replaceable as well if it goes bad. Do you have pressure gauge on it to know if it is full/empty and if the compressor should be on/off?
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Old Aug 21, 2013 | 03:04 PM
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i switched to SMC check valve about 5 months back and that completely sealed my system thus getting rid of the small leak i had.

i don't really think its a leak at this point but more a problem with the electrical signal to turn on/off. thank you for this recommendation though...
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Old Aug 21, 2013 | 08:35 PM
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did you check pressure switch?
The pressure switch job is to tell the compressor to stop pumping when your tank reach the pressure (usually 200psi)
I put circle on pic below.


Last edited by SoCal_450h; Aug 21, 2013 at 08:41 PM.
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Old Aug 21, 2013 | 09:08 PM
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how do i know if its working or not? where can i get a new one, i can still pull it out and it lets out a **** ton of air so the tank has air in it.
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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 05:02 AM
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Originally Posted by sojah
how do i know if its working or not? where can i get a new one, i can still pull it out and it lets out a **** ton of air so the tank has air in it.
If you have a gauge on the tank just watch the pressure and see when it kicks on and when it turns off. If its too high or always random when it cuts on/off, get a new one. Buy them online at places like bagriders.com or anywhere else. Just make sure it fits the port in your tank.
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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 02:55 PM
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There is no gauge that comes with this kit, but soon i will have a new pressure switch anyhowzer.
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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 04:18 PM
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you need to check the relay or pressure sensor
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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by swtjlsy
you need to check the relay or pressure sensor
Mike is right, relay also can be fail too. to check your pressure sensor working or not, you'll need multimeter.
you can buy pressure switch from any air suspension company or shop (my recommendation don't get higher then 200PSI)
heres link from UAS

http://www.universalairsuspension.co...itch-p-41.html

Last edited by SoCal_450h; Aug 22, 2013 at 08:41 PM.
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Old Aug 23, 2013 | 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by SoCal_450h
Mike is right, relay also can be fail too. to check your pressure sensor working or not, you'll need multimeter.
you can buy pressure switch from any air suspension company or shop (my recommendation don't get higher then 200PSI)
heres link from UAS

http://www.universalairsuspension.co...itch-p-41.html
grounds are also key check wiring for you system you said it was starting to melt wires and such I would start there.
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Old Aug 28, 2013 | 04:50 PM
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What type and how many compressors are you running. Perhaps the fuse is not enough amperage and the melting wire sounds like it is not the proper gauge. Have you checked what you compressor is rated for? If you check valves are gone the air would leak back out through the compressors causing them to constantly run.
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Old Aug 29, 2013 | 08:56 PM
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Any Luck or Update??
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Old Aug 31, 2013 | 01:58 AM
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got in a new thicker (lower gauge but forget exactly, maybe 20) power wire and slightly bigger 35A glass fuse to replace the tiny 30A standard push in fuse that came with it, plus a new pressure sensor. had the original shop reinstall it (cuz they are good peoples) and the compressor was still running for a long time.

one of the guys finally found that on the seam on the bottom of the tank there was a split and a good amount of air was gushing out of the tank. the shop owner said he's installed over 100+ air susp setups and had never seen a tank fail like that and just create a hole all of the sudden. it is pretty hot here but no hotter than FL or TX, and my car is white.

i emailed the shop i bought the kit from just now so i will wait for their response. i'm thinking since i've had the kit installed now for 11.5 months that this should fall under some sort of warranty, especially since a tank is usually not a wear and tear item like brake pads or hid ballasts

so yeah my tank has split the seam at the bottom of the tank and has a hole in it,, lucky me huh
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Old Aug 31, 2013 | 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by sojah
got in a new thicker (lower gauge but forget exactly, maybe 20) power wire and slightly bigger 35A glass fuse to replace the tiny 30A standard push in fuse that came with it, plus a new pressure sensor. had the original shop reinstall it (cuz they are good peoples) and the compressor was still running for a long time.

one of the guys finally found that on the seam on the bottom of the tank there was a split and a good amount of air was gushing out of the tank. the shop owner said he's installed over 100+ air susp setups and had never seen a tank fail like that and just create a hole all of the sudden. it is pretty hot here but no hotter than FL or TX, and my car is white.

i emailed the shop i bought the kit from just now so i will wait for their response. i'm thinking since i've had the kit installed now for 11.5 months that this should fall under some sort of warranty, especially since a tank is usually not a wear and tear item like brake pads or hid ballasts

so yeah my tank has split the seam at the bottom of the tank and has a hole in it,, lucky me huh
so what you said, your tank crack?
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Old Aug 31, 2013 | 02:05 PM
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The tank cracking might be caused by the compressor continuously pumping. I would attempt to put a gauge at the tank to monitor it. If it is a relay failure the compressor should not kick on, it should be toggled by your pressure switch. My guess would be a faulty pressure switch that led to your tank issue.
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