How to wire compressors for your Air Bag Suspension 

excellent wiring advice. this is the quality youtube was intended for. thank you for your service.

Thanks for this video, it makes so much sense. I had someone else installed my airbags and the burned out the wires.

And yes, bad ground means blown fuse. I did change a lot of them until I relocated the ground. Thanks for your advice Zack. regards from Mexico.

Dang good explanation for amp draw, this can also be applied to stereo systems, amplifiers, winches, electric turbos (which don't really work well unless you have a 24 to 48 Volt system) in short, this theory/fact will literally work for almost any thing added to the vehicle (after factory) that has +5 amp draw, maybe even less. I was thinking I had to run the same gauge ground wire as the +B on the relay/solenoid ground side, this is so much easier thank you.

Thanks a lot man, the person who wired my airbags went about the entire situation wrong but after watching the video was able to install a relay and actually install new compressors.

Great video, I’ll be referring back to this when I re-commission my airride install. Many thanks

I want to thank you for your help with wiring up the different versions of compressor wirings, I finished up my twin compressor wirings system by using the 100 amp fuse and the 80 relay system and my on board air system works great

Best video for compressor/wire planning. Good stuff right here!

As someone who knows nothing about electricity, this is too much to take in. Is this hard to do if you buy a complete kit? I would assume it comes with everything you need.

I agreed thicker wires, cooler system

Stop Using Junk wire....Step your Game up to Marine tinned wire / cable....It's AWG.....AWG will flow aprox 7% more amps than SAE....It's finner stranded and VERY flexable....But it has superior insulation.

Explanation is too complicated

This is the video I looking for thanks!

Zack will make you an expert on Air Suspension Systems

Awesome video! The best way to check your wiring is to do a voltage drop test. B + to input of compressor motor while running. B- to motor negative. The SAE gives allowances for voltage drops on circuits. If this doesn’t make sense Motor Age made a great video on voltage drop testing with a guy named Joe Glassford. It’s worth watching on RU-vid.

So incredibly helpful. Thank you very much!

Awesome content. Thank you. Subbed.

You should also mention, for those who have classic cars and have an alternator that needs to be excited( turned on), to put a manual switch on the ignition side. If not you will burn out the internal regulator on startup with all that simultaneous current draw from pumps and sarter. I did, so when I start her up, I give her a little shot of gas that excites the alternator(turning it on), then flip the switch to the pressure switch, and you're golden. Trust me..... lol

Excellent explanation for wiring compressor/s. I have an accuair endo ct tank that I've had setup for a couple years now. It recently failed, as they all have, but after unplugging it and opening a couple ports up on it for a week I found that it came back to life. I could hear the compressor kick on then off on start up even when it was failed. Eventually it failed again, as I knew it would, but I noticed it was kicking off at 160 psi instead of 200 before it failed completely for the second time. This lead me to believe that it's the pressure switch that's failing and not the compressor as I can hear the compressor kick on for a moment at start up and it sounds healthy. I plan on opening up the assembly to see if there's a way I can hack/delete the switch. I'm thinking if that's even possible that I can run a manual switch to turn the tank on/off via ground. If I'm unable to hack the ct then I'll just be using as a tank and running an external compressor. Any thoughts or ideas about trying this hack?

Is there a way to test if the pressure switch is bad? Because my compressor won't turn off.

Can I connect my ground wires to the battery if I am using battery only, no car,... externally mounted battery. And the compressors are the only thing connected to battery.

The ground is equally as important as the power simple as that

I blew 2 relays already everything turns on at frist but when the tank or the pressure switch hits 170 psi the relay just fails could it be ground issue? Or can it be that I have the signal wire connected to the relay and I just taped into that wire and put the pressure switch? I used relay and solenoid so I’m kinda stuck

What do you mean by ignition when talking about the pressure switch. Can it be any 12v power. Like could I just splice into my power wire from my wire that goes into my amp

Will a 5 AMp upfitter switch work for a Ignition switch 2022 f350

Is using a jumper cables(4-6ga) physically bolted to the battery posts safe enough to run a Napa dual pump air compressor(90A) about 15-20ft away? Fused, of course.

What voltage should we be around? I did a big 3 upgrade and it did drop my voltage from 14.1 to 12.1 is this good?

I know this is a couple years old but a couple things; The reason for grounds ran in a wire harness is you simply need positive and negative cables. The grounds are not all brought to the battery from a manufacture because the body is indeed conductive enough as long as its metal, Unlike Corvettes for instance but different topic. The reason for common ground spots is so you don't have grounds all over as that equates to a very messy and expensive wiring harness. The positive cable is more crucial, They are equally important HOWEVER, It is not the negative that gets so hot it melts then burns your car down! The reason for this is because you are correct that voltage does flow from negative to positive BUT current (Amperes) flows from positive to negative. Wires will take voltage all day long, It's the amperage that will get you. We measure voltage because where there is voltage drop, there is some pissed off choking amperes taking that voltage down and a volt meter is cheaper than a amp meter. Vehicles are spot welded prior to any coating so conductivity should never be a issue. (I personally have never had this issue or seen it) I install systems with thousands of actual watts, I do not run negative cables front to back. I do run a negative to the chassis for every positive, amps never grounded on the battery. I personally have 4 runs of 2/0 from alternatorS back, I am not paying to run 4 2/0 back. Also important to note that a battery is not really the source of power, It stores it, The alternator produces power. Many times people say to ground close to the starter, common sense is the starter only draws for (hopefully) no more than a second, It has a engine and transmission to absorb it's amps it don't use. The alternator albeit does as well however if the car is running the alternator is doing its magic (again hopefully) and it's for a much longer duration (Know what I write here?) None the less, Your explanations will not burn a car down and that gets a 👍

Thanks

❤❤ the aluminum coated copper wire is NO GOOD I bought 4 gauge wire from Amazon 18 feet of it. It actually came in 25 foot long. I did not use it because it was not solid copper because we all know that aluminum will heat up and potentially cause big problems. Everybody knows that you should not have aluminum wire in your house and I feel the same way about aluminum wire in your vehicle. So I bought more wire 25 foot red and 25 foot black solid copper four gauge wire that goes from my battery to the toolbox in the bed of my truck about 8 inches from the battery positive terminal. I have an 80 amp fuse. I’m thinking about lowering that to 60 amp fuse. Make sure people understand to stay away from copper coated aluminum wire. It’s no good. It will not hold the load like solid copper will. I did purchase a digital gauge that has two readings one for the air pressure in the tank and one for the air pressure. That’s being released to the air horns. I’m not sure how sensitive the sensors are so I have not installed it yet. ❤❤❤. You would be impressed with my system. It’s a shame I cannot post pictures. It would blow most people away.❤

Great video! I have my dual 444 wired up but haven't tested it yet. Anyways, don't you think the oem wires coming out from the compressors could be thicker? I think viair could go up a size or two.

THAT WAS CLEAR AND PERFECT EXPLAINING.. IV BEEN ON A LOT YOYTUBES AND YOURS WAS GREAT 8 STARS THANK YOU. LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE INFO ON YOUR FB.

Watch out ofr that style of fuse. The larger glass fuses like those frequently have a bad solder join to one of the caps and will look fine, but only pass a small amount of voltage. Strongly suggest using blade fuses, mini blade fuses or a quality breaker.

Universal; after watching your excellent videos I noticed on the Air Lift Performance brand, that the packaged wiring harness didn’t actually have any grounding specific wires to mount on my car’s frame. Do you think there Any concerns with this brand’s method of wiring and longevity for the compressor? I personally want rip into the harness and adjust to your vid.

Many thanks

My brother, what amperage should I use my fuse for that same installation?

The real work of air install isn't the struts, for sure the wiring of the electronics 😤 I'm a mechanic and am trying to get this done over the weekend, but honesty it's slightly intimidating. Thanks for the help! Going to be buying the items in link, running dual 444 Vlairs so the info helps a lot, and I have a long sedan so I do appreciate this haha. Question, would you reccommend parallel wiring a secondary battery? I realise this is even more work, but don't see the downsides? (Aside from space & work) if my modern car already has a good enough alternator?

this might be silly but would it be possible to run the wire going up to the ignition off the pressure switch to an 12v on/off wire that turns on/off my subwoofer amp? it'd make this install the tiniest bit easier since everything would be in my trunk

I’m setting up an onboard air system on my ‘22 Power Wagon. It is mounted where my spare tired used to be. I’m running dual Viair 485C compressors, Viair website states the combined max amp draw is 46 amps. Would I be ok to run 8 awg wire a distance of about 12’-15’ the distance from the battery back to the spare tire area? Thanks!

This video was a life saver. I'm a novice electrician at best so when I forgot to document the wiring before I disconnected it to clean it up. Thanks! 👏🏻🙏🏻🍻

Thank you for this really insightful video . 🙏✌️

Hi . Thank you for putting out this video! (I am also a newbie). I would like to install a VIAIR pump in a 5th wheel trailer. My rig has 2 12V batteries connected in parallel and, of course, no ignition switch. I plan to mount the pump close to my batteries and I'm entertaining the thought of connecting it directly to the batteries - of course using the fuse and Relay as indicated by the wiring diagram. Because there is no ignition circuit, I don't know how to go about connecting the on/off switch. Can you suggest a safe way to connect the switch? Thanks!

Will these compressors work with lithium battery 80ah bank yinlong and 270 amp H.O. alternator that charges at 15.5 volts ? That's my current electrical with my audio system in my vehicle. The car and everything else seems to work okay with it .

thanks very helpful

Im still confused about the power wire guage.. do we need separate fuse holders if we're running an amplifier? From the battery to the trunk should there be separate power wires with separate fuses for compressor and amplifier? Also im running single pump what gauge wire do i need if my cars 22ft (classic car) and what size fuse?

Thank you great info ! Kinda hard to fallow but I'll get it !

if the ground is not good will the power from the lil post not go over to comp side or no siginal

Can I just leave the compressor under the hood ? Close to the battery

When you refer to 8 gauge are you talking about 8 awg or b&s

This may be a dumb question, does anyone know if it’s safe to ground everything to the negative side of the battery? Awesome video btw every single word of it has been so helpful

What size fuse do you use for the positive side of the battery?

Hey Zach is a 12 gauge neg wire from the bat to 1 compressor good enough, about 10 feet.

How would you wire 2 relays 1 for each compressor to one pressure switch? Just connect both sides to the pressure switch?

Can I run The Pressure Switch Wire to the Switch Pros RCR-Force-12 Command Module? And would it be better to use the 80AMP Solenoid on a Viair 485C Dual Compressor System? Can I run The Carli Air Bags off of my own Dual Compressor with 2.5 Gallon Air Tank? Another feature I would like is to be able to control the pressure in each bag individual so I am not opposed to hard switches and dual Gauges in the dash. Guy at shop is telling me I can't. I want the dual system I am contemplating to run Front/Rear Lockers, One Air Chuck Center Front Bumber & One Center Rear Bumper Mounted Quick Female Disconnects, and Possibly one other accessory, My tank has (6) 1/4" NPT Ports and assume I will need one for air in (maybe two for dual compressors) and one on bottome for Drain/Safety Valve. What Powers/Actuates the Bags? I am running a Switch-Pros RCR-Force-12 Power System On board as well if that helps.

what size wire from the battery to selanoid and do i use the same size wire from battery ground to compressor ground wires?

❤ I am running 4 gauge wire from my battery to my 80 amp fuse when the four gauge wire goes underneath my truck into my toolbox I constructed a ground bus and a positive bus for my power supply. Then I have 15 amp fuses in a mounted fuse box each 15 amp fuse, goes to its own individual designated air compressor. I am using. 4 VIAIR air compressors for my air horns in my pick up truck. I also have two starter solenoids each starter solenoid runs to compressors. I have a pressure switch that activates 2 air compressors. In the quarter inch manifold there are two pressure switches each pressure switch turns on and off 2 VIAIR air compressors. I have a pressure gauge inside of my truck that monitors the air pressure going in the tank gauge also has a second needle that monitors the air pressure that’s been released to the air horns I can increase or decrease the air pressure that’s going to my airhorns, depending on how loud I want my Hons to be. With the system that I put together, I can also inflate a flat tire in the matter of seconds.. I have pumped up the air pressure all the way up to 250 psi and none of my air hoses have blown apart NOT ONE ! When I go to the car show in Glendale, Arizona on Bell Road anybody that sees my system in the toolbox of my pick up truck is actually blown away with the extreme detail of how I put it together. Years ago, I was fortunate enough to work for Wellcraft marine building, offshore racing boats for scarabs I put three of them together for the Miami Vice TV show starring Don Johnson. My air system is controlled by one switch in my pick up truck if I turn it on all 4 air compressors are activated. They will pull it up to 170 psi, and then shut off. This is my insurance policy to wake people up if they come close to hitting my truck. The horns are to protect people from hitting me call it a WAKE UP CALL for the circus clowns ❤❤

does anyone know how to add the solenoid relay to my current system (trying to add in second compressor )

Quick Question i need help long story short i have the accuair e-level with the VU4 manifold running 2 VYAIR 444C. wasn't happy with the previous install. I took the complete system out and watch this video i decided to reinstall using the 80amp solenoid my accuair wire harness has the ignition wire plugged into it so am lost in how i wire the ignition wire also my pressure switch is not on the tank its separate for it am lost here any help would be appreciated thank you.

When you say ignition is that Key on BEFORE starting or with Starting? Probably a dumb question but I just don’t know… hope to hear from ya soon… great video. Better than the instruction that came with my kit.

I have my relay wired up exactly as you say, and have 14.3v at the power wire coming in, but nothing will show power...

❤❤❤ I have four air compressors in my system to operate my air horns in my pick up truck. I have two starter relays heat starter relay operates to air compressors. I’ve got four gauge wire going from the battery ground and negative to my Terminal blocks in my toolbox, talk all 4 air compressors, get the proper ground and proper positive electricity going to them. ❤❤❤

This is how i have my system wired with the solenoid and when I turn my battery on my compressors go on with nothing else on. Meaning ignition is off so the ecu is not on. Even if I turn ignition on the compressors still run and the ecu turns on. Do you think it is a bad solenoid? I have a 2nd solenoid and it did the same thing. I am going to test ground and the solenoid. I am running accuair.

Very very helpful, ordering the 80amp solenoid from Amazon 👍🏿

Sir please tell me: my relay is melting whats the reason wiring or anything else

excellent tutorial, do you have one on how to run dual compressors with relays?

If you're running an 80 amp solenoid to 2 compressors is it okay to use the 8 gauge wire if you're going less than 20 ft?

But you need to run a ground to the 80 amp relay or you won't have power to the relay at all, right? Cause my relay won't give power unless I connect a ground to one of the little posts

Just run a auxiliary battery by the compressors and you will always have good power and ground but make sure the battery gets charged minimum 13v that's what I am doing

how i connect 2 compressors?

wow, but for a rv'er. I use my air pump briefly to level rv, and direct connect to air pump to house battery safe? all that on a manifold?

Also have 2 444c compressors, wired it up originally and one compressor wire got too hot, yet the other one is perfectly fine.. disconnected the hot wired one and now I get no power through the relay

Hi nicely explained, just wondering if I’m using an 8 awg wire for the power how do you connect it to the relay ? What size female spade connector do I need for the wire ?

The relay attached to my air bagged is broken, and the shape is the same. If the relay in the video is 500a/12v/4pin?

I wired mine but I had two compressors burnout which now I know why and my air bag suspension still works with the car completely off

Everything was good till he pinch the cable with the tester led. Not acceptable by any automotive electronics/cables. But in general great video

Looks like a fuse between the 80 amp solenoid and the compressor would have saved the wires on that compressor.

Great video

what size fuse should i use for standard 1/2 valve?

hm, so for the high amp solenoid, both ground cables should be routed direclty back to the battery's ground?

Good information

Power to power test /ground to ground test. under load an check for voltage drop.....

Great video. My question is can I also run my e plus level wires ECU on the same relay or do I have to to use a separate relay for that

Great video but why no instructions on the last part of the wiring to the rocker switch up down. Thats where im lost

Excellent video! I've got my compressor and tank mounted and was concerned on how to wire it, correctly. You've definitely answered those questions. Thank you, so much!!!

Grounding on frame when possible is best

Cant most of this be avoided using like a 30 management?

Awesome subscribed and notified. What State is this guy located in?

Are you able to make a video of wiring up two relays with two commpressors ?

What if you have a pressure switch with a built-in relay

Excellent video and wiring info. It's practically a crash course in wiring anything aftermarket to your vehicle.

I have viewed your vid countless of times lately. In my charger setup. I have 2 viair 444 on individual 40amp but ONE always goes out after a year or so. I fouhd a leak in one head and using your test on the filter. and put a new valve on the line. Would you recommend me going to the 80amp, that way wont keep blowing a fuses after a spike in usage.

Where exactly do you put the ignition wire to ? Is the fuse box good ?

my airbags go down on my driver front bag what can i do to fix it

Are you using an 80amp or 100amp fuse for the PAC 80amp single relay? In the video, you are using a 100amp, but is the correct size to use for dual 444c? I assume the 100 amp is being used because of voltage spikes.

This video was AMAZING helpful, very thorough. Super!

On the smaller ground you showed on the relay can you upgrade that ground wire to a thicker gauge and still use that to ground the relay and compressors at the same time.. thanks for your response. Great video by the way

Where did you find spade connectors in a size 8 awg

Thanks this is one of the most helpful wiring videos Ive watched!

I went out side and my car flat to the ground I started my car and I don’t hear anything my Compressor is not making any sounds to pump up the car I bought this car with This air ride suspension so I have no idea so I need to check the ground wire because it’s making no noise right I appreciate your videos so much you’re a real help thank the Lord for you

I have the dual 485 with a 100 amp alternator> am I going to have problems? 10:58