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bisho1p
Regular
Joined: 20 Aug 2005
Posts: 960
Location: Richmond, VA and Morgantown, WV
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 Posted: Tue 19-Aug-2008 10:05 Post subject: Help Needed: Viair 225C |
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| I need help from you all. How do you take apart a Viair 225C compressor? Reason I ask is the wiring gets very hot to the touch when its on, and I want to replace the wiring with a larger gauge, but the compressor I believe is outside of warranty. |
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Dennis S
Member
Joined: 16 Jun 2008
Posts: 41
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Tue 19-Aug-2008 12:50 Post subject: Viair Issues |
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| Suggest you contact Viair, located I believe, in Irvine, CA. If the wires are getting hot, the compressor is probably working beyond its duty cycle, one of the major problems with using air horns that require an air tank. If used frequently during response, the compressor cannot keep the tank full. Adding larger wires may help, but it also may be that the compressor motor will burn up faster, or even seize. |
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CanonNinja
Regular
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 873
Location: Houston, TX
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| Posted: Wed 20-Aug-2008 11:58 Post subject: |
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| what gauge are you running and how long of a run is it? You're probably in the neighborhood of 18-25amp draw. I have a smaller compressor, and I'm running a 6' run of 14g and haven't had an issue in almost a year of running the current setup. |
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dmitry103
Contributing Member
Joined: 02 Apr 2008
Posts: 66
Location: Bucks County, PA
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| Posted: Wed 20-Aug-2008 21:17 Post subject: |
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The highest your compressor takes is 20 AMP, I'm 99.9999% sure. Definitely need wire upgrade. Take into account the length ! It's one of the factors to determine the right gauge ! Not sure what's inside of the comp. I would just "do it youself"  |
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bisho1p
Regular
Joined: 20 Aug 2005
Posts: 960
Location: Richmond, VA and Morgantown, WV
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| Posted: Thu 21-Aug-2008 07:05 Post subject: Re: |
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| dmitry103 wrote: |
| The highest your compressor takes is 20 AMP, I'm 99.9999% sure. Definitely need wire upgrade. Take into account the length ! It's one of the factors to determine the right gauge ! Not sure what's inside of the comp. I would just "do it youself" |
Its like "maybe 14 AWG" which is why it is so hot, How do you take the thing apart to get to the wire connections? |
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dmitry103
Contributing Member
Joined: 02 Apr 2008
Posts: 66
Location: Bucks County, PA
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| Posted: Thu 21-Aug-2008 08:36 Post subject: Re: |
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| bisho1p wrote: |
| dmitry103 wrote: |
| The highest your compressor takes is 20 AMP, I'm 99.9999% sure. Definitely need wire upgrade. Take into account the length ! It's one of the factors to determine the right gauge ! Not sure what's inside of the comp. I would just "do it youself" |
Its like "maybe 14 AWG" which is why it is so hot, How do you take the thing apart to get to the wire connections? |
Two things I need, close picture of the compressor and what's the length of the current wire ? |
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Lac Man
Contributing Platinum Member
Joined: 19 Mar 2008
Posts: 604
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Fri 22-Aug-2008 02:38 Post subject: |
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| Why don't you upgrade compressors? Is that a 25% Duty? Maybe a 325C would be enough of a boost to help you out? Maybe even go to a 100% Duty...? |
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bisho1p
Regular
Joined: 20 Aug 2005
Posts: 960
Location: Richmond, VA and Morgantown, WV
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| Posted: Fri 22-Aug-2008 03:32 Post subject: |
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Well for any of you interested, Viair was of no help whatsoever. I spent 20 minutes on the phone trying to inquire on a price to replace the wire. First the guy tells me I dont need new wire, I need a new leader hose.
WRONG.
I saw something almost short out.  Second, he tries to tell me that the "wires" cant be replaced, buth the whole back plate has to be replaced, and that will cost 52 dollars.
WRONG AGAIN...
I took the back plate of the compressor off, and lo and behold, wires had melted together, arced, and the insulated covering had burnt off to a crisp. I have no idea how this thing hadnt caught on fire. Anyway the wires are just soldered on there... SO.... a little cutting and resoldering, and save 52 dollars later, my compressor is running like a diesel engine and no more hot wires. Long story short... DONT listen to anything Viair says.  |
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dmitry103
Contributing Member
Joined: 02 Apr 2008
Posts: 66
Location: Bucks County, PA
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| Posted: Fri 22-Aug-2008 08:54 Post subject: Re: |
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| bisho1p wrote: |
Well for any of you interested, Viair was of no help whatsoever. I spent 20 minutes on the phone trying to inquire on a price to replace the wire. First the guy tells me I dont need new wire, I need a new leader hose.
WRONG.
I saw something almost short out. Second, he tries to tell me that the "wires" cant be replaced, buth the whole back plate has to be replaced, and that will cost 52 dollars.
WRONG AGAIN...
I took the back plate of the compressor off, and lo and behold, wires had melted together, arced, and the insulated covering had burnt off to a crisp. I have no idea how this thing hadnt caught on fire. Anyway the wires are just soldered on there... SO.... a little cutting and resoldering, and save 52 dollars later, my compressor is running like a diesel engine and no more hot wires. Long story short... DONT listen to anything Viair says. |
Glad everything is alright now. I always do that kinda stuff myself, unless there's no way it's fixable, then I'd buzz someone up. Also, he needs his paycheck so .............. $52 is a part of that !.......well, not anymore. lol  |
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Dennis S
Member
Joined: 16 Jun 2008
Posts: 41
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Fri 22-Aug-2008 10:56 Post subject: Viair is of no help |
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| Glad to hear your repair worked. Let us know in 6 months if it is still OK. I still think there is a problem beyond the wiring, relating to the Viair working beyond its design limits, and overheating. This is why Grover does not offer the Emergency horn with an air tank and small compressor. You only find the tank set up sold by dealers like Air Horns of Texas. Grover only uses the tank set up for normal applications, like on RVs, not EVs. |
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bisho1p
Regular
Joined: 20 Aug 2005
Posts: 960
Location: Richmond, VA and Morgantown, WV
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| Posted: Fri 22-Aug-2008 21:28 Post subject: Re: Viair is of no help |
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| Dennis S wrote: |
| Glad to hear your repair worked. Let us know in 6 months if it is still OK. I still think there is a problem beyond the wiring, relating to the Viair working beyond its design limits, and overheating. This is why Grover does not offer the Emergency horn with an air tank and small compressor. You only find the tank set up sold by dealers like Air Horns of Texas. Grover only uses the tank set up for normal applications, like on RVs, not EVs. |
The compressor doesnt even run much, but now it runs worry free. The compressor isnt working beyone its limits by any means... |
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Lac Man
Contributing Platinum Member
Joined: 19 Mar 2008
Posts: 604
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Sun 24-Aug-2008 02:55 Post subject: |
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Nice, hopefully it stays in shape! Keep us posted if something else happens, I'm curious; I installed a couple of the 'Standard' kits from AH of Texas...don't want to get a call that something caught fire!
If that is some sort of an issue, with the wires getting hot regularly, where an actual fire could be a possiblity, seems like damages could rise far beyond just the tank/compressor. The majority of the time those tank/compressor kits are mounted under a vehicle, and in some cases where space is tight, people might mount them next to the gas tank. Kaboom. |
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