what gauge wire is needed for a 12v air compresor that draws 30amps max?

i assume i should place a 30 amp fusable link in the line before my in cab power switch?

any chain stores good to buy this stuff from...autozone etc has limited selections...what types of places will care the fuse block, heavy gauge wire, switches etc?

 

Advance auto usually has OK selection. Napa is a better bet.

I'd personally use 10AWG primary wire-- plenty for 30A, but I like a little overkill built in.

You only need to fuse it in one place, so if you install a fuse block, no need for fusible link.

Try a local car stereo shop for decent fuse blocks (Scoche, Stinger, etc).

Don't wire all the current to your in-cab switch-- wire if off a relay and you're much better off.

JMO

 

if you dont mind ordering stuff, you may be able to get better quality and prices from some of these vendors

Parts Express
www.partsexpress.com

Waytek Wire
www.waytekwire.com

-Trey

 

thanks for that tip...this is the info im looking for, even tho i dont know crap about wiring. what do i need to look for as far as a relay?

i have 8ga running my stereo amp, guy at work suggests a dist block to power amp and compressor.

 

Just my 2 cents here;

I also have an electric compressor, as well as some other electric doo-dads that draw a fair amount of power. What I did, was to install a constant duty solenoid under the hood. This solenoid looks like an old Ford starter solenoid, except it’s designed to be capable of constant power going thru it instead of the intermittent draw a starter requires.

The little activation post that activates the solenoid and makes it transfer power is wired to any wire that comes alive when the key switch is turned on. One big post on the solenoid goes to the battery to supply it with power. The other big post feeds whatever you need to provide power TO, (such as your air compressor). On mine, I have 6 or 8, 10 and 12 gauge wires coming off the big post, feeding various ‘stuff’. By setting things up this way, I can provide big power to a lot of things without drawing it all thru the key switch. And when I shut the key off, everything goes dead, so I don’t have to worry about what I might have left on and coming out to a dead battery.

I also set up another of these solenoids to power my plug-in jumper cables at the rear of the truck. This way, I don’t have large gauge wires that are constantly energized, running all the way to the rear, leaving the possibility of a dead short and possible fire. This solenoid I wired into a rocker switch so it isn’t always alive with the key, but only when I need to use it.

This whole set-up has been on the truck since I bought it new back in ’93, none of the solenoids has failed yet, so I’d say they’re fairly reliable.

Hope this helps!

chaikwa.

 

ohh man this is gonna be harder than i thought

 

Here are a couple of sample diagrams that should work fine and really not complicated. Sort of a picture of what I think Hohn was saying

http://www.extremeoutback.com/index....ingDiagram.htm

http://www.extremeoutback.com/index....ireinstall.htm

 

i've ordered stuff from parts express.. pretty good to deal with. quick shipping to canada from them..

 

12 Gauge rated for 105* C minimum.
larger is better, but I wouldn't go with anything rated less than 105* C

 

got some good heavy 10g, ran the power wire and wire to the switch, got the tank mounted

tomorrow i mount the compressor and hook to the tank, and run the ground wires as well as the power wire to the toggle switch. then hopefully i can get the button and toggle drilled and mounted into the kick panel. i gotta have it done by saturday, thats all that matters.

 

well i got all the lines ran, all the wiring done, the horn button installed, and the toggle...i get all finished and ready to pressurize the system for the first time when i realize i am missing the bushings to go from 1/2" to 1/4" NPT to put the compression fitting on for the plastic airline to the horn. so instead i put a plug in the last hole of the tank and started her up.

flipped the switch and she purrs like a kitten for about 6 minutes from 0-150psi and kicks off. works like a champ.

also my idea to use a cheap generic starter button from advance auto was perfect for the horn solenoid...however long i hold the button is how long the horn will blow

 

Not meaning to beat a dead horse, but I ran across this while researching that hydrogen generator that I posted.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/am...uge-d_730.html

As many of you guys are upfitting your trucks, you might want to bookmark this just as a quick simple reference. No math involved, no guessing, just for 12 Volt circuits.

 

oooops...i ran 10g when i shoulda ran 8, it all works great tho.

the pressure switch i got has a built in relay so its not a full 30 amp running thru my toggle, there are separate power and switch wires. it fills to 150psi quickly and shuts off. the horn is amazingly LOUD...its ridiculous.

im proud, i usually need my old mans help when doing electrical stuff but i got this one all figured out and done 100% on my own with no help...and it works!!!!

 

nice to hear ya got it working, now go for a drive throught he harbour tunnel and roll your windows down and let er rip, prefferabley witha full tank