Arb compressor wont turn on

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kampoyj

New member
Hi guys i ve just installed a brand new arb compressor- wired everything put the wires in nice positions and went on to test turning on the compressor before drilling to install the switch on the dash

And no luck- wont come on

It s a brand new compressor so all wiring was new from the box

I have checked battery connectivity and the two ground wires i have connected to the battery negative terminal- with my multimeter i get 12.6 volts there so power is good there at the terminals

Then i check with the mulitmeter on the relay plate red and black slots (cables) - i get 12.6 volts there too- then when i take the fuse out for the time being i get 0 volts - the fuse looks good it does not look blown

I get 0 volts at the socket that s meant to connect to the compressor itself-so it does not seem like i m getting power to the compressor itself this happens with both the switch on and off- when i put the switch to off i still get 12..6 volts at the relay--

i have not connected the red and yellow wire yet of the switch to a source that comes up with the ignition- this was gonna be my next step after i ensured everything connected works; is that a must if i need to get this going cause i was thinking of having the compressor being able to work with out the engine turning also.

Any ideas that can help me? i ve already passed the red and two blacks thru my firewall and crimped them to the terminal so trying not to start with no reason taking away all the harness again to break into it to see where the fault is

On the switch itself i have connected only the black and the red to the socket and then the switch itself i have connected the red cable to port 3 and the two blacks on ports 7 and 8 - this should be enough to give power to the switch for on and off operation- when i check with the multimeter i get 0 voltage at the red and black connections to the connector going to the switch loom either

Thanks

2door JK 3.8L 2008

Thanks
Marios
 
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Not sure what you have hooked up there but you should have a hot wire going into the relay that will be switched on to run the compressor. The pole that is turned on by the relay should run to the compressor.

Then you should have a power and ground run to the relay that is activated by the switch. The switch will either be wired into a power or a ground between the source and the relay. The other will go from the relay directly to the source. When you flip the switch it should close the relay circuit and activate the compressor. Hope this helps.

It may be beneficial to draw up what you have so we can see if something is not right.



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Can you hear the relay click when you throw the switch?

You can jump the compressor straight to the battery to see if it kicks on

I had an ARB single that wouldn't even run when hooked directly to the battery. One of the brushes wasn't contacting the armature inside the motor, it was a simple fix.
 
CalSgt said:
Can you hear the relay click when you throw the switch?

You can jump the compressor straight to the battery to see if it kicks on

I had an ARB single that wouldn't even run when hooked directly to the battery. One of the brushes wasn't contacting the armature inside the motor, it was a simple fix.
Click to expand...


That s a good note- i do not hear any clicking from the relay when i hit the switch which i thought about last night too- i was thinking of taking the horn relay and swapping it to see if that makes a change- the other thing i can do is jump the black and red of the relay base and see if that kick the compressor?

I am using the standard wiring loom that arb supplies so to answer some of the early questions it is how it s come from factory- i have not modified the loom at all- the bizzare thing is i get no motor voltage when i try the multimeter with the fuse out when i put the multimeter bits into either slot of the fuse box and ground the other one to a screw on the chassis - should i be getting voltage there if the relay was working correctly? is it in in line in that order i.e. power goes to relay- relay clicks and jumps the rest of the circuit to then supply power onto the fuse where power should be coming into and then from the fuse onto the power socket ending into the compressor ? is that logical order correct? then that can explain a potential issue with relay fuse itself no?
 
Bierpower said:
Not sure what you have hooked up there but you should have a hot wire going into the relay that will be switched on to run the compressor. The pole that is turned on by the relay should run to the compressor.

Then you should have a power and ground run to the relay that is activated by the switch. The switch will either be wired into a power or a ground between the source and the relay. The other will go from the relay directly to the source. When you flip the switch it should close the relay circuit and activate the compressor. Hope this helps.

It may be beneficial to draw up what you have so we can see if something is not right.



Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

Thank you i use the standard arb supplied wiring loom- so yes you are correct the hot power from battery goes to the relay box- i want to now check my understanding with you- on the relay box (i.e. with the relay fuse out) i check with the multimeter between the red and the black wiring slot on the relay box and i get motor voltage i.e. 12.6 or 12.7 volts- so power goes all the way to there from the battery confirmed
I do not hear the relay click when i hit the switch - so my question is the relay itself should allow the power to go through once switch is hit straight into the fuse box correct?- at the fuse box with the fuse removed when i check with my either of the fuse slots with my multimeter i get 0 volts when i ground either slot with a chassis bolt- if my understanding is correct if the relay was closing the circuit correctly it would allow power through that point and onto the fuse box where i should then be seeing voltage in either of the fuse box slots correct? what i m trying to say is that if power was coming through from the relay i should then be getting power to these slots? the other only thing here is if the switch is not correctly mounted i.e. i connect the two black cables on the switch ports 7 and 8 (top of the switch) and the one red on the port 3 bottom left hand side of switch as you look at it from the rear of the switch- i intentionally leave out the red and yellow wire from the switch and blue white for illumination- i ll do that later once i know this works.
 
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Bierpower said:
Not sure what you have hooked up there but you should have a hot wire going into the relay that will be switched on to run the compressor. The pole that is turned on by the relay should run to the compressor.

Then you should have a power and ground run to the relay that is activated by the switch. The switch will either be wired into a power or a ground between the source and the relay. The other will go from the relay directly to the source. When you flip the switch it should close the relay circuit and activate the compressor. Hope this helps.

It may be beneficial to draw up what you have so we can see if something is not right.



Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

Hey Bierpower- so an update from today's testing i confirm that i have power 12.6volts coming out of the fuse box that the 40amp connects to (standard arb wiring loom)- on my multimeter i get 12.6 volts on one of the slots connecting to a bolt on my seat - CHECK
I also have 12.6 volts coming out from the fuse relay box when i use my multimeter between the RED and the BLACK wires- it shows 12.6 volts- the same happens when i put my multimeter cable on the RED wire slot and the black on the bolt of my seat -CHECK
Up to the relay box therefore i get good voltage 12.6volts- so no issue till there

The issue now lies according to your earlier post on the actual isolator switch (air compressor) - i believe this is what you re referring to by switch correct ? based on my understanding therefore unless the air compressor switch is on the ON position the relay should not be closing the circuit to supply voltage to the socket thats meant to connect to the compressor (he one with the WHITE-RED and BLACK WHITE cable) - right now i get 0 voltage there which as per my understanding of your post is absolutely normal if the switch does not go on the ON position

Now having connected the switch however and playing with the ON and OFF positions i get no difference to the power output of the socket coming to the compressor- this to me means the problem lies there on air compressor switch therefore; when i measure the black and red voltage from the socket connecting to the wire loom of the switch i get 0 volt there too- but i suspect this is normal on this case as they are not meant to supply voltage to the switch itself but rather the opposite take voltage from the switch to close the relay circuit on the ON position- is my understanding correct here?

That means therefore that there s an issue with the air compressor wiring loom switch or the switch itself- before experimenting more on that side do you know if it is an absolute MUST to connect the RED-YEL wire to an ignition on power source like a lighter or something similar? i am not currently connecting this cable as theoretically this should not be required if i say wanted to run my compressor with the engine on- is this correct or is it a MUST to connect the RED-YEL wire to on of the ignition ON power sources?

Thanks again
 
kampoyj said:
Hey Bierpower- so an update from today's testing i confirm that i have power 12.6volts coming out of the fuse box that the 40amp connects to (standard arb wiring loom)- on my multimeter i get 12.6 volts on one of the slots connecting to a bolt on my seat - CHECK
I also have 12.6 volts coming out from the fuse relay box when i use my multimeter between the RED and the BLACK wires- it shows 12.6 volts- the same happens when i put my multimeter cable on the RED wire slot and the black on the bolt of my seat -CHECK
Up to the relay box therefore i get good voltage 12.6volts- so no issue till there

The issue now lies according to your earlier post on the actual isolator switch (air compressor) - i believe this is what you re referring to by switch correct ? based on my understanding therefore unless the air compressor switch is on the ON position the relay should not be closing the circuit to supply voltage to the socket thats meant to connect to the compressor (he one with the WHITE-RED and BLACK WHITE cable) - right now i get 0 voltage there which as per my understanding of your post is absolutely normal if the switch does not go on the ON position

Now having connected the switch however and playing with the ON and OFF positions i get no difference to the power output of the socket coming to the compressor- this to me means the problem lies there on air compressor switch therefore; when i measure the black and red voltage from the socket connecting to the wire loom of the switch i get 0 volt there too- but i suspect this is normal on this case as they are not meant to supply voltage to the switch itself but rather the opposite take voltage from the switch to close the relay circuit on the ON position- is my understanding correct here?

That means therefore that there s an issue with the air compressor wiring loom switch or the switch itself- before experimenting more on that side do you know if it is an absolute MUST to connect the RED-YEL wire to an ignition on power source like a lighter or something similar? i am not currently connecting this cable as theoretically this should not be required if i say wanted to run my compressor with the engine on- is this correct or is it a MUST to connect the RED-YEL wire to on of the ignition ON power sources?

Thanks again
Click to expand...


ok mystery has now been solved- it is necessary to connect the RED YELLOW wire either to the battery or to the lighter- the whole thing i snow working; i m now trying to find a way to connect it permanently to the lighter source and tidy up cables- thanks to all
 
kampoyj said:
Hey Bierpower- so an update from today's testing i confirm that i have power 12.6volts coming out of the fuse box that the 40amp connects to (standard arb wiring loom)- on my multimeter i get 12.6 volts on one of the slots connecting to a bolt on my seat - CHECK
I also have 12.6 volts coming out from the fuse relay box when i use my multimeter between the RED and the BLACK wires- it shows 12.6 volts- the same happens when i put my multimeter cable on the RED wire slot and the black on the bolt of my seat -CHECK
Up to the relay box therefore i get good voltage 12.6volts- so no issue till there

The issue now lies according to your earlier post on the actual isolator switch (air compressor) - i believe this is what you re referring to by switch correct ? based on my understanding therefore unless the air compressor switch is on the ON position the relay should not be closing the circuit to supply voltage to the socket thats meant to connect to the compressor (he one with the WHITE-RED and BLACK WHITE cable) - right now i get 0 voltage there which as per my understanding of your post is absolutely normal if the switch does not go on the ON position

Now having connected the switch however and playing with the ON and OFF positions i get no difference to the power output of the socket coming to the compressor- this to me means the problem lies there on air compressor switch therefore; when i measure the black and red voltage from the socket connecting to the wire loom of the switch i get 0 volt there too- but i suspect this is normal on this case as they are not meant to supply voltage to the switch itself but rather the opposite take voltage from the switch to close the relay circuit on the ON position- is my understanding correct here?

That means therefore that there s an issue with the air compressor wiring loom switch or the switch itself- before experimenting more on that side do you know if it is an absolute MUST to connect the RED-YEL wire to an ignition on power source like a lighter or something similar? i am not currently connecting this cable as theoretically this should not be required if i say wanted to run my compressor with the engine on- is this correct or is it a MUST to connect the RED-YEL wire to on of the ignition ON power sources?

Thanks again
Click to expand...


ok mystery has now been solved- it is necessary to connect the RED YELLOW wire either to the battery or to the lighter- the whole thing i snow working; i m now trying to find a way to connect it permanently to the lighter source and tidy up cables- thanks to all
 
Connect ALL of the wires per the instructions and try it. You keep trying to leave out things and short cut to test. Hook everything up and then see what happens. Please.


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kampoyj said:
ok mystery has now been solved- it is necessary to connect the RED YELLOW wire either to the battery or to the lighter- the whole thing i snow working; i m now trying to find a way to connect it permanently to the lighter source and tidy up cables- thanks to all
Click to expand...

Yes the red-yellow wire should be hooked to a an ignition switched 12v power source.
 
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