Battery question

[daveinaz]

Okay, don’t laugh. I’m looking to get a Viair compressor. My stupid question relates to hooking it to the batteries. I have two 12 volt batteries in parallel. Do I need to hook the compressor up to the negative on one battery and the positive on the other battery? Or both terminals on one battery?

[rohrmann]

It probably will not make any difference how you connect. If I were going to set things up for one of those compressors, I would connect a couple of good sized wires to the batteries with a fuse big enough to handle the load of the compressor and run them to a suitable receptacle maybe over to the pass through compartment and wire a plug to the wires of the compressor motor so you aren’t depending on the alligator clips to handle the current.

[ICT LPX]

Dave, I own a Viair 400p-rv compressor and love it. I would highly recommend the purchase. Reference hooking it up, in the Viair manual it says:

IMPORTANT: Engine must be running while using this compressor.
Before attaching air compressor power clamps to your vehicle’s battery terminals, check to make sure that the ON\/OFF switch of your compressor is in the OFF position. Attach the Positive (+) battery clamp (Red) to the Positive terminal of the battery and the Negative (-) battery clamp (Black) to the Negative terminal of the battery. Always keep your vehicle’s engine running while operating compressor to avoid draining your vehicle’s battery.

When I read your post I couldn't tell whether you were talking about your RV or tow vehicle. Just wanted to let you know what Viair says about engine running.
Thanks, Tom

[scottz]

Originally Posted by daveinaz

Okay, don’t laugh. I’m looking to get a Viair compressor. My stupid question relates to hooking it to the batteries. I have two 12 volt batteries in parallel. Do I need to hook the compressor up to the negative on one battery and the positive on the other battery? Or both terminals on one battery?

It does not matter, your batteries are in parallel, both connections you describe provide 12VDC. Bob's plan is a good one.

[Leftie Canuk]

Hi,
I received a Viair400P for Christmas, tried it today, and after a 20 second test run with no load, I connected an air line to my front tire stem, and went to start the compressor. It would not run. In both tests, I had the Duramax running, and the compressor leads to the common posts (that are in a parallel circuit with two chassis batteries). I have checked the 40 amp in-line fuse on the compressor power cord, it's fine. I'm baffled.
Any ideas ?

[kowbra]

Originally Posted by Leftie Canuk

Hi,
I received a Viair400P for Christmas, tried it today, and after a 20 second test run with no load, I connected an air line to my front tire stem, and went to start the compressor. It would not run. In both tests, I had the Duramax running, and the compressor leads to the common posts (that are in a parallel circuit with two chassis batteries). I have checked the 40 amp in-line fuse on the compressor power cord, it's fine. I'm baffled.
Any ideas ?

The 400P has an auto shutoff so it will not start unless it can have air flowing.
I had similar situation a couple of times and it ended up being that the air hose connections were not seated all the way in (I know seemed weird to me that they could seem to lock but not be all the way in).
So, see if there is anything that might prevent the air from flowing; reseat the hose connections, try a different chuck, etc.
And, again at the risk of sounding silly, if you are using the trigger chuck, the pump will only turn on if you are pressing the trigger so that air will flow.

Might not be it, but that's what fooled me a couple of times.

hth
Brad

[Leftie Canuk]

Brad,
Thank you so much for that advice ! I will get outside and try all of those aspects to fix it.
Are you in SK ?
Best of the New Year to you.
Eric on the Left Coast

[kowbra]

Originally Posted by Leftie Canuk

Brad,
Thank you so much for that advice ! I will get outside and try all of those aspects to fix it.
Are you in SK ?
Best of the New Year to you.
Eric on the Left Coast

Yup, in the winter right now, LOL.
Usually would be in AZ by now; not this year!

Brad

[Lenny K]

Originally Posted by kowbra

Yup, in the winter right now, LOL.
Usually would be in AZ by now; not this year!

Brad

Where do you go in Arizona?

[kowbra]

Originally Posted by Lenny K

Where do you go in Arizona?

Lake Havasu, and Maricopa, AZ.
Do you guys head that way also?

Brad

[Lenny K]

We go to Quartzsite and stay in La Posa South for the winter. Usually do a couple of day trips to Havasu.