air compressor

[Gina Marie]

Has any one added a compressor (small) to their vessel. I would like to add a small 3 or 4 gallon compressor any experience with this application. Thanks Tom

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I currently have a compressor and tank on my port engine, but our previous boat had a 12v unit with tank for the air horns mounted inside the flybridge. I just plumbed a line off of it are auxillary use. Worked just fine for blowing up the kids rafts or fenders or bike tires, etc. I have also used the one on this boat to run an air nailer while I was fixing some woodwork in the guest stateroom closet. It does come in handy.

 

[Dustoff44]

Most engines can run an air compressor. York makes a unit in which one side is an air compressor and the other is the air conditioning compressor Fairly commonly used on 4 X 4 crowd FWIW

 

[Genesis]

Detroits can bolt one on to one of the PTO locations on the rear of the engine, if you have any open. The usual intention for these is to power airbrakes on a truck, but they'll work for other purposes, of course......

 

[Liquid Asset]

Genesis, I have tried to look into this, but do you have any Idea who produces that compressor? is it a Detroit Part?

 

[Genesis]

Yep. Its a Detroit piece..... its in the Detroit service manual.

 

[Liquid Asset]

I guess I will break out the service Manual and find it. Thanks

 

[SKYCHENEY]

You should be able to get a rebuilt Bendix compressor at any heavy truck shop. Rebuilt will be as good as new at half the price. Just be aware that those compressors on Detroits are another oil leak point. They are notorious for that.

 

[StratPlan61]

I bought a small compressor at Sears ($50) and mounted it on the inboard bulhead in the engine room (on a small shelf) and plumbed it to a small air resovoir tank (approx 6 gal) which is supplied by both engine and ancillary compressors. I use a small 3-way valve to select engine, off or ancillary compressor. Great for a small air hose to share between the engine rooms, etc. Same air tank feeds the air horns (1 triple, 1 dual).

 

[Genesis]

Sears has a pretty nice small 120V oil-lubricated compressor with a small tank included.

I've got one at home. Its not a large-output device, but I bet it would do the job for airhorn service and other onboard air needs, if your needs are reasonably modest.

I vastly prefer oil lubricated compressors for this sort of application - they last longer and run cooler. The oil-free ones are only good if you intend to breathe the output (e.g. use it for a hookah outfit)

 

[captwoodyb]

I just lost pressure after a loud woosh coming from the port engine room. I have a compressor there mounted high on the inside bulkhead. Lost air to horns and windschield wipers. Time preculuded me from little more than a cursory inspection , no obvious fluid leaks, definately no pressure on the guage. Can anybody alert me as to what I am getting into. First venture into the air compressor bailawick. Noticed one enterprising owner installed outlet so that he could avail himself to an auxilary air hose

While here thought I would also ask if anyone is aware of an outlet for electrical circuit breakers, standard panel 53 motoryacht, to left of helm. Lost main 50amp for stabroard shore connector. I have replaced one in the past smaller panel outside bulkhead port side but paid almost 75.00. Thought that was expensive, would like to start replacing most of them . Any ideas >

Can be reached at burritts@verizon or woody@charteryacht.com Thanks...........

You should be able to get a rebuilt Bendix compressor at any heavy truck shop. Rebuilt will be as good as new at half the price. Just be aware that those compressors on Detroits are another oil leak point. They are notorious for that.

 

[luckydave215]

Check the pressure blow off valve, it's probably on the top of the air storage tank. They stick open, especially with a little crud and corrosion in them. Fire up the compressor, and pull the manual operating handle a few times to let air pressure flush the crap out. This usually fixes them, for a while.
I removed my engine driven compressor (air horns and shop air) and replaced it with a 110v 1/2hp compresssor from Sears. Now I have air without running the port engine. It makes no sense to have shop air in the engine room, but not be able to use it on one of the engines unless it's running.
My boat already had the air plumbed to several regulated outlets in the engine room. Very handy.
I plumbed the compressor's output (after the regulator) to the existing boat air tank. That way I have twice the storage capacity, with the compressor's tank, and the boat's tank. The compressor fit easily outboard the port engine, under the exuast hose, in a place it was hard to walk through anyway.
The compressor cost $139, the custom made braided ss hose to hook it to the boat cost $100! Oh well, at least it's done right.
I ran a dedicated circuit from a spare breaker in one of the ac panels to power it, as the circuit nearby already had a cockpit freezer and a bait tank pump hooked up to it.

 

[Genesis]

Yeah, Sears has a nice little oil-lubricated air compressor that I picked up a while back. Its reasonably quiet, not real high volume (3.5cfm@90psi if I recall correctly) nor real high pressure (max is 125) but it works and the price is definitely right.

For shop air and airhorn use (with an appropriate storage tank) it ought to be just what the doctor ordered, and its way cheaper than fixing the engine-driven ones.....

 

[Liquid Asset]

I went over to Lowes and purchased a bosch pancake compressor for a little over $100. Works well, and even though I dont use it much, it is nice to have when I need to add air to the inflatable or a fender. I also use it to run an air drill and a few other things when necisary. It does not compare to my 60gal bosch at the house, but it does what I need.

 

[Will]

I installed a Bendix air break compressor on an in line Detroit 6-71 years ago. In addition to the compressor, I had to get a drive plate to bolt on to the cam/balance shaft drive gear. The fear was dropping one of the bolts or washers down the drive gear train while bolting in the adapter plate. That would have meant tearing into the back of the engine. Then there were the water cooling lines and the air pressure regulator to switch the compressor in and out of compress mode. Lastly, an air tank was installed. The compressor ran well for years and years without any trouble and was great for air horns, blow-up toys, small air tools etc. It was well worth the effort and expense but as you can see, it involved more than just buying the air compressor.

Will

 

[luckydave215]

I installed a 110v compressor to get rid of the (leaking like a sieve) engine driven compressor, not just to be able to have air without running one of the mains. Junking all of the extra spaggetti was a plus. Less is more.
Btw I have the whole thing, with all the lines, if anyone's looking for one. I pulled it off a 12V71ti (port side)

 

[SKYCHENEY]

If I ever have to remove my Bendix for any reason, it will not go back on. It works great now, but if it starts to leak oil or I have it off for some other repair, I'll just cover the hole and put in a stand-alone compressor. It really does make more sense.