Portable air compressor mounted as fixed unit

[BiLLz0r Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close BiLLz0r]

I'm just wondering if anyone has done this before and any issues (water, etc)?

I have a portable air compressor that I attach to the battery terminals when I need it. I have thought about installing it as a permanent fixture in the engine bay. Would this be advisable or it's portable for a reason, leave it be.

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

Dan...it's certainly doable and a lot of folks do it. Amts now sells the bracket:
http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...et-for-120-150

The portable one is listed in the tread. ARB sell a conversion kit to turn it into the non portable version. When I phoned the ARB guy he had never sold one in 10 years....order only. From memory @$40. I bought an air comp recently and mounted it to my lifestyle rack. Will post some pics sometime. Heavy duty cable then connected to a cigarette plug for the rear socket. Bought a x2 socket splitter to share with fridge. 6mm cable already run to the socket.

[BiLLz0r Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close BiLLz0r]

Yeah, I saw AMTS's thread but mine's not ARB or TJM, it's Bushman (I think). Much difference?
Would love some pics Charles.

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Hi Billzor, do you have dual batts?

I used to have a portable compressor in the space behind drivers side headlamp.
Grab a cheap battery tray and bolt it to that. I hardwired it and used the inbuilt switch.

[BiLLz0r Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close BiLLz0r]

Michael, that looks awesome. I don't have dual batteries so it would fit the bill nicely. My compressor looks the same as yours.

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

A $20 battery tray, couple of bolts (M6 or 8 i think) and Bob's your uncle!

It doesnt need to be braced as the compressor is quite light (compared to a battery) and I found it stays quite dry driving in the rain which is good as those types of compressors are certainly not water resistant...

[OldGreyFart Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close OldGreyFart]

Why is your engine bay so clean? Disgraceful.

Hi Billzor, do you have dual batts?

I used to have a portable compressor in the space behind drivers side headlamp.
Grab a cheap battery tray and bolt it to that. I hardwired it and used the inbuilt switch.

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[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Yes well that photos is from a long time ago and it certainly doesnt look like that anymore!!

[kevdebbi Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kevdebbi]

Hi BiLLz0r, defiantly do it! I installed a Tigerz11 compressor around two years ago in my engine bay. I have been very happy with the install, its very convenient having the compressor securely mounted in the engine bay instead of bouncing around in the back, and I can't forget it

I mounted my compressor on the passengers side at the back of the engine bay and made some guards out of alloy to help protect it from some of the extremes under the bonnet. There was plenty of room there, I just had to move the charcoal filter a little bit as you can see in the attached pictures.

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

Guys..Just thought I'd post up a few pics of my fitted up portable air compressor (TJM OX) that has been attached to my lifestyle rack.
I was always thinking of putting in a ARB CKMA12 under the bonnet using Amts' brackets but then this came up from another member so adapted it to fit and go under the lifestyle rack, then put on a Heavy Duty 12volt cigarette plug. The compressor came with 30A wire and relays. There is a separate on/off switch which I ziptied to the very front of the rack for easy access.. The main air line (NOT SHOWN IN PICS) attaches to the blue extension line which I conveniently hung up on the 3rd row RHS seatbelt sash holder!! A gauge is linked to the line!

I bought a dual (x2) splitter which unfortunately does not have a separate on/off switch but did come with two USB ports. Splitter is also attached to the rack but on the top. The splitter is also for a 47l ARB fridge (LHS). Splitter plug naturally goes into the one 12V rear cargo socket which has been rewired with 6mm cable.



Great thing is the air compressor is away from the heat and dust and can be removed with the rack in 10 seconds!! Cannot really see the on/off switch but it's there.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

I mounted mine on the side of the drawers out of the way. I plug it into the rear Anderson plug when I need to run it.

[BlakMoth Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close BlakMoth]

Wouldn't that get hot in there D4D? I've got the ARB one behind the right headlight and that gets really hot. I also had another portable one lying around so I installed that in my Hiace on the step in the side door. Never need to go to a servo for air now.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Wouldn't that get hot in there D4D?

It gets warm but appears to be ok

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Guys..Just thought I'd post up a few pics of my fitted up portable air compressor (TJM OX) that has been attached to my lifestyle rack.
I was always thinking of putting in a ARB CKMA12 under the bonnet using Amts' brackets but then this came up from another member so adapted it to fit and go under the lifestyle rack, then put on a Heavy Duty 12volt cigarette plug. The compressor came with 30A wire and relays. There is a separate on/off switch which I ziptied to the very front of the rack for easy access.. The main air line (NOT SHOWN IN PICS) attaches to the blue extension line which I conveniently hung up on the 3rd row RHS seatbelt sash holder!! A gauge is linked to the line!

I bought a dual (x2) splitter which unfortunately does not have a separate on/off switch but did come with two USB ports. Splitter is also attached to the rack but on the top. The splitter is also for a 47l ARB fridge (LHS). Splitter plug naturally goes into the one 12V rear cargo socket which has been rewired with 6mm cable.



Great thing is the air compressor is away from the heat and dust and can be removed with the rack in 10 seconds!! Cannot really see the on/off switch but it's there.

Hi Macaroon,
How highly rated is the dual cig socket?
With the air compressor pulling somewhere around 20+ amps and if you had the ARB fridge compressor start I'd hate to think that the dual socket cant handle it, it might melt.

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

Thanks for your concern, if you seem flames licking from the back of a dune coloured Prado you'll know it's me. Jesting aside this is the one:

http://www.springers.com.au/product/...and-USB-Socket.
This was the ciggie plug:
http://www.springers.com.au/product/...Accessory-Plug
Hardest part of the job was getting the ruddy thick wire into the tight ciggie plug.

I'm happy with the specs of the splitter plug, it should be OK?? I did briefly think about this and thought I could just reach my arm across and turn off the fridge for the 5 mins I'd be using the comp. Truth be told, I don't go out much and sometimes don't even use the fridge. Only adapted this as I always wanted one 'permanently' in the car, I've also got the ARB portable one (CKMP12) which I now backup. Not taking up much space and I should be able to fit what little I have in!! Looks a bit Heath Robinson so I'll look into separate sockets one day?? Like mentioned, the car now has 6mm cable to the socket and the ac wire/relays are all rated to 30A.

Thanks