ARB Twin Compressor Wiring Help!!!
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 318
Likes: 12
From: Long Beach
ARB Twin Compressor Wiring Help!!!
I am trying to wire up my ARB twin air compressor and I need to connect a wire with a inline diode in it to something that is 12v and a minimum of 8 amps. Just trying to find something to wire it to so it will have power all the time so I can run the compressor with the truck off to fill my air tank if needed. I have a switch mounted in my bed next to the compressor so didn't really wanna wire it to an upfitter switch so I don't need to turn on two switches when I wanted to run it. Hopefully someone has wired up one of these compressors before that can help me out.
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 365
Likes: 163
From: WI, USA
You might want to consider a relay rather than a diode. You might not even need a relay. Best bet without going to the 7 way connector is to run a line from the battery to the ARB. At the positive terminal of the battery, add a fuse. Use your switch in line of the ARB's connection to the battery. If your switch isn't rated high enough, you can replace it with one that is, or you could put a relay between the battery and the ARB, then use the switch to control the relay. The way vehicles power works, you can usually just run one appropriately sized wire from the battery to the switch, then to the ARB. Then connect the negative to a ground point on the frame.
If you need more specifics, just ask.
If you need more specifics, just ask.
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 318
Likes: 12
From: Long Beach
Ok yeah I have a ARB switch and I tried to wire it from the compressor to the battery and the switch and no luck. I emailed ARB and they said the inline diode needs to be wired up so it doesn't send power back. It has a built in internal switch that that wire with the diode turns on allowing the compressor to turn on. So from what I can see on other installs for this it has to be wired in. Just don't know what to connect it to.
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 365
Likes: 163
From: WI, USA
https://arbusa.com/news/arb-twin-com...allation-guide
This guide has photos and a diagram included. The wire you may be alluding to is the wire in step 3. You could try connecting that to a positive source and I bet the switch would start working, assuming everything else is hooked up correctly. The diode is to prevent back feeding into other circuits if you tap into something else. If you're not doing that, you don't have as much to worry about.
This guide has photos and a diagram included. The wire you may be alluding to is the wire in step 3. You could try connecting that to a positive source and I bet the switch would start working, assuming everything else is hooked up correctly. The diode is to prevent back feeding into other circuits if you tap into something else. If you're not doing that, you don't have as much to worry about.
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 318
Likes: 12
From: Long Beach
yeah i think what you said will work. I just need to find a source that always has power even when the truck is off so I can run the compressor anytime I need it.
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 550
Likes: 262
From: Northwest CT
In this instance I think the relay would add more complexity than necessary.
Wire the 4 wire plug off the compressor as diagram.
The two wire, black to ground, purple to switch. Fused power from battery to switch.
With a relay, you're using the switch to trigger the relay. So, youd have power to switch, ground at switch, power from switch to relay. Relay has power in, signal from switch, signal out to purple wire on 2 wire ARB plug, ground.
The relay offers more protection. You send fused power from battery to relay, then find a hot full time to tap for power into the switch as all the switch is doing is triggering the relay to send the signal to the compressor.
I would just wire it to an upfitter. How often will you need the compressor and not have your keys to stick in the ignition? Makes it much easier and less messy.
EDIT: I have this same compressor wired in the bed of my truck.
Wire the 4 wire plug off the compressor as diagram.
The two wire, black to ground, purple to switch. Fused power from battery to switch.
With a relay, you're using the switch to trigger the relay. So, youd have power to switch, ground at switch, power from switch to relay. Relay has power in, signal from switch, signal out to purple wire on 2 wire ARB plug, ground.
The relay offers more protection. You send fused power from battery to relay, then find a hot full time to tap for power into the switch as all the switch is doing is triggering the relay to send the signal to the compressor.
I would just wire it to an upfitter. How often will you need the compressor and not have your keys to stick in the ignition? Makes it much easier and less messy.
EDIT: I have this same compressor wired in the bed of my truck.
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Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 318
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From: Long Beach
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 550
Likes: 262
From: Northwest CT
OP, so what's the plan for wiring it? I did something very similar with mine, just put in the front of the bed.
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 318
Likes: 12
From: Long Beach
I have the ARB switch wired up to the compressor and an extended wire harness so I can run the wiring along my frame to my engine bay. I want to be able to turn on and off the compressor using the bed mounted switch so I don’t have to go inside my truck to use my upfitter. I ran the harness to the battery and hit the switch and nothing. I was told I need to connect the red/yellow wire so it activates an internal switch inside the compressor to allow my switch to give the compressor power so need to find something to wire this red/yellow wire up to.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 304
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I used all the threads and posts from @Squirrel13 to help with my wiring. That said, he wired it to an upfitter and so did I. I also had a singe ARB. You might have seen these threads, but if not, hopefully they help.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...or-wiring.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...installed.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...s-welcome.html
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 550
Likes: 262
From: Northwest CT
I also agree, this isn’t just for off-road use!!
I have the ARB switch wired up to the compressor and an extended wire harness so I can run the wiring along my frame to my engine bay. I want to be able to turn on and off the compressor using the bed mounted switch so I don’t have to go inside my truck to use my upfitter. I ran the harness to the battery and hit the switch and nothing. I was told I need to connect the red/yellow wire so it activates an internal switch inside the compressor to allow my switch to give the compressor power so need to find something to wire this red/yellow wire up to.
I have the ARB switch wired up to the compressor and an extended wire harness so I can run the wiring along my frame to my engine bay. I want to be able to turn on and off the compressor using the bed mounted switch so I don’t have to go inside my truck to use my upfitter. I ran the harness to the battery and hit the switch and nothing. I was told I need to connect the red/yellow wire so it activates an internal switch inside the compressor to allow my switch to give the compressor power so need to find something to wire this red/yellow wire up to.
This is what you need to do to get it to work how you want (see PDF.)
The ARB switch is meant to be in the cab, which is why you have 5 pins. For your application you only need 3, but I put in the drawing all 5 incase you want to wire it like that. All this diode/resistor/whatever talk is rubbish.
This is where I have mine mounted...
