ARB Dual comp will not run

[tb-av]

I got a dual compressor at one of the group buys and am now just getting to hooking it up.

I can't get it to fire up though.

I can't lift the cover on it without taking it all off the bracket. Just wanted to run a few things across and see if anything I have seems outright wrong.

2011 LE

First off I have dual battery BUT.. the aux Batt is not connected to the charging system. It's just sitting in it's holder and charged up. In fact the only thing connected to it are the compressor two red wires and two black wires. But it's fully charged.

I get 13v across the fuses. They both look good and are good. Negative to far side of fuse has 13v.

I can't get to the connectors without unbolting the comp which I am trying to avoid.

On the inside I have the ARB switch wired up correctly per their instruction.

BLUE/WHITE goes to Gray on dimmer for dash lights. I had it hooked to Green on wiper warmer. Neither worked. I do have 12+V to ground on that switch wire though.

The RED/YELLOW goes over to the CigLighter and that has a Green wire and a Brown/White wire. I am connected to Green. Same again I get 12v on that switch terminal.

That's as far as I have gone as it gets dark to early here now.

If I'm not doing something wrong with the switch wires I'll have to go through that entire ARB trouble shooting checklist.

Other questions I have...

The way I things connected to two batteries with one just sitting there should have no problem right? I was wondering if that small ground wire is the issue as the battery is not grounded so maybe the switch is not grounded? that just popped into my mind.

with no hose connected, there is no way it simply wouldn't turn on is there?

Anything else?

Oh, and the switch does not light up.

It would seem kind of odd that both compressors in the pair would be defective so I was hoping I have a switch wire wrong but can't figure where else to put them.

 

[Dbentley]

I'd be checking your power to the switch. Grounding could be an issue too, I'd highly suggested grounding your secondary battery. From the sound of it though it's a power to the switch issue, if you had power to the switch you'd see it light up when it's in the on position. Also, check the wiring on the back side of your switch. Make sure all the pins are in the correct locations per ARB's wiring diagram.
Hope this helps.

 

[Sleeter]

Definitely check the switch wiring.

 

[FinntheT4R]

Seconded with checking the switch wiring. I had an issue getting mine fired up and it just took me switching two of the pins in the connector going to my Switchpros.

 

[wfo9]

You are missing a ground. The ignition power wire for the switch wiring and the actual compressor wiring (which brings in a ground for the switches) are not on the same circuit.

Ground your secondary battery ground terminal to your primary ground terminal or chassis and it should work if everything else is connected properly.

 

[tb-av]

Thanks all. I have 12V on the switch wires per the ARB install manual and have quintuple checked the terminals to wires.

I did a few minutes of checking for ground with a meter today and am inclined to agree with wfo9. That was my suspicion as I made this original post but wasn't sure.

I think the issue is I just have a floating ground. The switch ground wires go to the aux batt (neg) which basically goes nowhere.

The switch sees all the (pos) side because it's connected to the main batt which is connected properly. When I check it, I'm checking a complete circuit on the main batt.

I realized today I could ground that Aux batt and not interfere with my other plans because it will get the same ground no matter what I do. So hopefully this weekend I can at least make a temp ground for testing.

Couple of days ago I was happily soldering with temps near 60 and a light drizzle. Now it's 20.

 

[TheRuggedGent]

Did you get this figured out?

Mine won't fire up either; I have a slightly different setup than you, but curious to see how yours gets resolved.

 

[tb-av]

I haven't had time yet. Hopefully tomorrow. I'll post back.

List your connections and exactly where they connect. IOW, not 'black wire to ground' but rather 'black wire from comp connected to...'

I can see why my setup would not work because it's basically incomplete. But if you have a legit setup, you should be able to get it fired up.

IF you can still get to your switch, with the wires connected. With ACC on. Put a meter 20Vdc range with red to the RED switch wire... while it is still connected... just slide the connector back a bit. then put the black lead on one of those frame metal pieces. You should see 12-13v.

Then do the same with the RED/YELLOW wire.

If you have that then I would just go to the back of the instructions and they have a step by step checklist which will take you from battery to comp to switch and tie it all together.

But you will need to list where each of your wires connect.

Also how did you connect them?
Solder?
Wire nut?
Those clamp on a wire things?
Other type crimp or whatever?

I knew mine was not a bad connection because I soldered everything, but if you have anything short of good solder joints, something could be wrong there.

 

[TheRuggedGent]

I haven't had time yet. Hopefully tomorrow. I'll post back.

List your connections and exactly where they connect. IOW, not 'black wire to ground' but rather 'black wire from comp connected to...'

I can see why my setup would not work because it's basically incomplete. But if you have a legit setup, you should be able to get it fired up.

IF you can still get to your switch, with the wires connected. With ACC on. Put a meter 20Vdc range with red to the RED switch wire... while it is still connected... just slide the connector back a bit. then put the black lead on one of those frame metal pieces. You should see 12-13v.

Then do the same with the RED/YELLOW wire.

If you have that then I would just go to the back of the instructions and they have a step by step checklist which will take you from battery to comp to switch and tie it all together.

But you will need to list where each of your wires connect.

Also how did you connect them?
Solder?
Wire nut?
Those clamp on a wire things?
Other type crimp or whatever?

I knew mine was not a bad connection because I soldered everything, but if you have anything short of good solder joints, something could be wrong there.

I've been traveling and haven't had a chance to hit it with the multi, but here's my setup. I'm actually planning to run it through the AOB switch, but during my troubleshooting I plugged everything into the factory-supplied (ARB) switch, reflected below:

Connection--Compressor to power
1. Each red independently crimped to ring terminal; both stacked onto positive terminal of battery
2. Thick and thin black wires crimped together and mounted to the negative terminal of the battery, as per instructions

Connection--Compressor to switch (inside vehicle)
1. All wires hooked up to ARB switch according to factory instructions
2. Blue/white spliced into wiper de-icer (green) for illumination, per other threads I saw
3. Red crimped to an add-a-fuse (10A) and placed into the P/OUT slot of the internal fuse box (by parking brake). I've also tried this in a vacant fuse slot, but the P/OUT functions normally when the switch is not wired in, so I don't think it's the outlet
4. The switch DOES illuminate when the headlights are turned on

I test the compressor with nothing plugged into the air exhaust port. Doubt that has anything to do with it, though.

Any ideas?

 

[tb-av]

Same here, teh weather has been all screwed up.

I'm going to get back to mine tomorrow. From 10deg and snow to 70deg.

Your comp connections look right to me. RED to POS -- BLK to NEG.

Following that back would simply be to make sure you plugged the connector together.

===

Your item 3... I simply connected to either the CIG Lighter or seat heater. I can't remember which.

Next question for you would be the inline 10A fuse. Is the fuse in the holder and functioning? If it's a waterproof holder and you forgot the fuse.

Also ohm out that ADD a FUSE holder. I was making an alternator diode dropper and I was having a hard time getting good readings on one of those things. My leads might have have just been a bit too big but it seemed like the more I inserted fuse and removed the easier things read. Maybe had some protective coating, I've seen that with some electronics. Long shot but...

I'm not familiar with the P/OUT.

At least you have power.

I don;t have my docs in front of me but as I recall 7-8 are ground. The other thing I recall was the drawing, if you don;t look closely, it looks like the RED goes to where the RED/Yellow goes. Be sure you have those .

Blue/White to Green - yep... that's where I had mine.

Get a second opinion but if I were you I would A)be absolutely your harness connectors are plugged in tightly. Then B) jumper from your CiG Lighter to the Red.

You have your low side but you don't have the comp side. Yet you know the comp is hooked up correctly so it's either the harness plug or the wires at the switch.

I would look at the switch terminal connections again. Be sure something didn't get knocked off. Your battery is grounded right? No sort of switch that's lifting the ground? The one the comp is connected to.

 

[tb-av]

@wfo9

You were exactly correct. I was leaning that way but couldn't get the entire image in my mind. Thanks, that saved me a lot of un-necessary puling things apart and doing them over.... which I thought I had done correctly in the first place.

[MENTION=174619]TheRuggedGent[/MENTION]

As you can see I got mine rolling.... before you do anything, plug something into your air connector and bleed your comp.

I have the locker manifold on mine which is quite small and it's not really used now but it's there.

When I fired up mine I pressed the engine start button and heard this unusual noise for about 1.5 seconds tops. So it is very possible that yours may have run to pressure without you noticing it. It only takes a second and if you had your radio on or around loud noise.

I had my radio on not so loud, my door open, no outside noise and I had to think for a second what the noise was. I didn't realize my Comp switch was in the ON position when I started the truck.

So put something in there to bleed it off, you'll want it for testing anyway.

If you have no pressure, I feel certain you are mis-wired at the switch or your cables are not connected..... or more remotely.. you have a bad cable.

I would have someone else double check your switch. I've don't that with computers, amps, you run your wires and you keep 'not seeing' the obvious.

Also check your big fuses in your Comp RED lines. You could have accidentally shorted them during install and not noticed it. Again Long shot... but possible.

I think yours is 95% there, we are just overlooking a small detail.