exhaust brake with compressor

[Midnight]

I'm thinking of getting the BD exhaust brake. It uses a compressor not vacuum. Has anybody installed an auxillary air tank in conjuction with the air compressor? Pics of the installed unit showing tank and fittings from compressor would be great. Thanks.

 

[CIverson]

Don't have pics, buy my pacbrake compressor had a 4 way adapter on the outlet. One was the output from the compressor, one had a pressure switch, and the other had the valve on it to send air to the brake.



I took off the valve, and plumbed that opened port to my tank. Then send an outlet from the tank to the valve, which I mounted in my toolbox (compressor and tank are there also).



With a tank you will want to make sure that the compressor runs when the tank is low, not when the brake is actuated, otherwise the compressor will turn on when the brake calls for air, and it will have to fill the tank before the brake will turn on.



I wired a relay under the hood, that sends power to the compressor when the ignition is turned on. I cut the wire that activates the system normally, which goes into a relay on the compressor. I took the relay side of the wire I cut and spliced it into my power wire coming from the relay. Then took the other side (which is hooked into the engine computer on the packbrake) and wired that to my valve.



So now whenever the ignition is on, the compressor will run when the pressure switch calls for air. And then the switch on the dash activates the brake, which is controlled by the engine computer.

 

[YFZBOB]

I'm thinking of getting the BD exhaust brake. It uses a compressor not vacuum. Has anybody installed an auxillary air tank in conjuction with the air compressor? Pics of the installed unit showing tank and fittings from compressor would be great. Thanks.

Have a 2005, 2500 with the 48RE...

I'm in the process in buying a BD unit too. Bummed that I can't upgrade to the 06 system as promissed by my dealership. :-{} Friend has one on his 95. Really like the braking the BD offers.

 

[RankRam]

CIverson great post, very informative!



Two questions though: How high is the pressure in your tank and what size is the tank?



Thanks!!!

 

[CIverson]

CIverson great post, very informative!



Two questions though: How high is the pressure in your tank and what size is the tank?



Thanks!!!

It's a Sun Performance, I think it's 5 gallons. The Pressure switch that comes on the Pacbrake compressor turns it off at 105 PSI.

 

[RankRam]

Thanks for the quick reply!



I love this site! Oo.

 

[Midnight]

Thanks for the reply's. Great idea's.