Help me again on aux air PLEASE

[Danss]

see my previous post:

When I turn aux air circuit breaker on pressure builds up to 55 lbs, then shuts
off and air starts gushing out right away with a lot of noise and sounds like its coming from inside the compressor. I have checked all connections and cannot see or feel a thing and the noise is 18 inches from me but I cannot see or feel inside of compressor.. IT leaks down to 50 lbs real quick then starts over and does same thing over and over and etc.If I turn circuit breaker off after it leaks down to 50 lbs it will hold that between 45 and 50 for several weeks.

Do compressors have relief valve when pressure gets over 50 or so lbs?

Do they have an adjustment to limit pressure to 45lbs or so?

Any ideas greatly appreciated! Dan & Jo

----------------------------------------------------------------------

attached are 2 pics


You can see the blue AIRTROL pressure electric switch F4900-100. When compressor reaches 45 lbs it cuts off and Air comes out of the top of the pressure switch down to approx 40 lbs and puimp starts over . IT all takes place in about 15 seconds.If electric switch is bad is it normal for air to come out of top of switch which looks like a squarebox?


The pressure guage has a black knob on top which you can turn while pump is running or stopped and change pressure guage to 35, 40, 45,50 or whatever. IDEAS

[dalej]

Dan, I don't know your system but I have to think that the aux air compressor is going to pump up to 120# in the aux tank. then the air comes out and goes to a regulator and you should have that set to 40-50# for the step cover.

Do you have a aux tank gauge? should be right in the compartment close. Start there and drain off the air, start the aux compressor and see if you can get 120# you should have that much air in the aux tank.

Let me know what you find. You can call me, look under POG map.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Dan,

I wish we could get at your coach to nail it down, but from what you describe and the pictures you posted there are some clues.

I suspect your aux air compressor is strictly to maintain the regulated pressure for whatever devices you have in your coach. They could be the floor slide, generator air bags, and anything else the converter thought you might need air for when parked. Remember, that is a conjecture.

That appears to be reinforced by the regulator, its warning sign, and the pressure gauge.

Where this gets confusing and requires investigation is the Airtrol pressure switch and the escaping of air. The Airtrol switch I suspect is related to a maximum pressure that the converter or the compressor manufacturer has as a limit. That can be verified by checking to see if the Airtrol opens the circuit to the compressor once the pressure reaches a specific level. I would go further and look on line to see if the Airtrol not only opens the circuit, but also contains a pressure relief (to explain the air escaping) from the Airtrol.

Can you use a mirror and tape some yarn to it to try to see where air may be escaping from in the area around the compressor. This kind of analysis is tough. What has the folks at Parliament (or Featherlite if it one of their coaches) said to help you on this?

[Danss]

I believe aux air does control floor slide, bed,toilet, belt tensinor, WHy didn't this show 2 weeks ago when you and all the experts were so handy? Oh well, I will be back at bus in the Am for another look like you suggest. I believe the air is coming out of the top of the switch which seems crazy!! I will take out of bus to get better look tomorrow. Jon,thanks again. Dan

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Dan,

Try to find the Airtrol on line and see if it is both a pressure switch and relief valve.

Your problem may be as simple of adjusting the high pressure compressor limit switch to a lower value. Or there may be parts of the system we still are unaware of.

[garyde]

It sounds like what Jon has said, you need to adjust your pressure switch down.

[Danss]

What does pressure switch look like? Thanks

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Dan,

The Airtrol is a pressure switch. The picture below is a pressure switch. There is really no single configuration.

[rfoster]

I have been reading about folks on this board that their Aux air compressor only cycles once a day or something less than that. Mine has cycled much more often than that ever since I have owned the coach and I have been screwing around with pocket doors, bed lift, floor slide, door locks, air bags for gen and belts replacing many small components such as regulators and fittings.

I have also invested a considerable amount of time in the steering bay=

- Well let me tell you I found the damn leak.

Its the bolster valve in the drivers seat. How do you like them apples?" I feel like rather than replacing the valve just tying a knot in the air line!

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Rodger

I have 2 ISRI seats and had that leak.

What I found was not only the button leaking but the black plastic lines get so brittle and dry they litterally were crumbling.

Also had to replace the ride height valve for the seat too.

Elgin had the stuff.

[bill&jody]

dan-
maybe a good puff of ciggy smoke into the compartment would show you where the air is moving. see? smoking CAN be helpful.

no, i don't smoke cigs. :-) don't recommend 'em either.

cheers
wmm

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Roger, Same here and I disconnected the line and plugged it with a small machine screw. I should have mentioned that earlier.

[Kevin Erion]

Roger, We just tracked down an air leak in one of the trucks yesterday to the passenger seat, not the first time a seat valve failed.
Kevin

[rfoster]

Ya know, it is probably the most convenient place an air leak could be, but I have been all over this bus and all up and underneath, replaced regulators, bags, Sprayed soap mixture on all the fittings I could find -- and failed to start with probably the easiest place in the world to check. I guess that is why I am no rocket scientist. I don,t even use the seat bolster so I will be doing like you Jon - Screw it.:cool:

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Roger, how did you finally find it then in the seat? Was there a quiet moment and you heard it or did you think of looking there?:confused:

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jim,

I can tell you how easy it is to miss this leak, and how I stumbled on it.

First, when the aux compressor runs frequently, it is easy to justify turning it off when the bus is in the barn. The system pressure goes to zero and you will never hear a leak. I took on the project of making my system leak free and did exactly what Roger did.

So I started leaving the compressor on when the bus was in the garage so if we wanted to use the bed lift or I wanted to raise or lower the bus I had pressure. The compressor did not run much, but it did run. Then my CB quit working and it is located right next to the seat and the air switches. It turned out the CB problem was a fuse in the rear, but while I was working around the CB I heard the air leak. It was blind luck finding the leak.

I still have leaks somewhere, but it takes more than a week for the system to go down to zero so I'm done worrying about it for now.

[rfoster]

Jim: To answer your question - How did I find the leak? Absolute silence, tryed to eliminate all noises. Doors closed, home alone, no heat pumps, no blowers running, and a huge funnel stuck up to my ear acting like a reverse megaphone This is after I had completely covered the potential leaks on the exterior, (small air bags, fittings at dump valves both sides, water inlet, steering bay etc). Opened the entry door played with air lock then the floor slide, then the seat leak was loud enough for me to pick it up thru the funnel.

Just like Jon said in his post - while the bus is parked I cut the off the compressor so when cleaning or fiddling around the seat there would be no audible leak. So silence and aired up and listening like a good dog.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Now Roger, you might just have hit on something. You know how there are Blood Hounds for tracking people and Fox hounds for tracking Fox and Drug dogs for tracking drugs, Weeelll.
Someone should go and train a dog for AIR LEAKS :D Wa da ya think:confused::eek:
I guess you could try an Airedale:rolleyes:

[win42]

Wal how I found my air leaks in my bus. There was a fresh kilt skunk on the road. I was able to squeeze the contents of his spray mechanism into a plastic container and later transfer them into the intake on my auxilery air compressor on the bus. In no time I found the pesky leak in the air cylinder connection on the bed lift. No more air leak, but the wife is not too impressed.

:eek:

[rfoster]

Harry - Which bus was the smell trail on?

[win42]

Didn't really happen, I just thought I would hep you fellers out with your problem with another suggestion. Jim had a goodin I just thought mine was better.

[Danss]

Finally got my new Airtrol switch F4300-100 (about 1/2 size of a matchbox)
installed it and now my air works OK (Knock on wood)as previously noted, when pressure built up compressor shut off and air was coming out the top of the switch thru a busted diaphram I suppose. 5 phone calls, a lot of discussion with youall and $37 later, I now will be the 1st on the Bus and ready to roll! Thanks , again