Bed Inverter Wiring for ARB Compressor (CKMA12)

Hey all...I'm looking to use the space that the OEM bed inverter takes up for a ARB Compressor (the mid sized

$323 CKMA12 On-Board Air Compressor High Performance 12 Volt for Air Locker Differentials and Tire Inflation

CKMA12). My question isn't around mounting in this area but more focused on the wiring used for the Inverter and if that would work for running the compressor.

The idea here is to keep the existing cab switch and not to have to replace the wiring (or run new) to the bed. Is this something that is feasible? This starts to go over my head from a power requirements perspective and leveraging previous wiring configurations...

Any advice--or should I just ditch this train of thought all together?

 

The inverter wiring will NOT work for the compressor. Too much draw.

If you pull out the plug you will see how flimsy/thin that wiring is VS the heavy 10 GA wiring on the ARB Compressor.

 

Ya, don't do. The dual compressor pulls up to around 75 amps. That inverter is only rated at 400W at idle (about half the amp draw as the compressor), and the wire is actually pretty undersized from the factory. put a 100-amp breaker in the front and run some 4g to the bed and terminate at a fuse block. Then connect whatever you want back there.

 

mount the compressor in the engine compartment on the passenger side and wire it correctly.

 

@Adventure Ready and @ramonortiz55 --thanks for the quick replies and useful advice. Yup--now that I looked closely at the wiring harness there is no way it will handle it. Easy enough to extend the ARB harness.

@eldedo I don't want it in the engine compartment and i certainly don't plan on wiring it incorrectly--but thanks for the valuable feedback.

 

You may be able to use the inverter switch to trigger a relay. You will have to pull some pretty hefty power cables to the relay and compressor. Remember to match the relay and conductor size to the current draw of the compressor and account for the length of cable. Also fuse protection close to the battery would be necessary.

 

Yeah this is for sure the way you will want to do it. This way you wont have to worry about taking large cable into the cab and can just do a straight run to the back of the truck. Basically you would have two wire runs. Wire run #1: Large cable: Battery->In line Fuse-> Normally open contact on a relay -> Air compressor. Wire Run #2 (Existing inverter wiring): Inverter wiring -> coil on relay.