ARB Conpressor to Aux switches

[JnJraptor]

Hey guys I have a wiring question. Just picked up an ARB CKMTA compressor for my truck. I plan on using it as an air compressor only. The main power harness is easy, but I want to use the stock upfitter switches to turn on/off compressor. Anyone have any history with doing this and how did you splice into arb's harness?

 

[Steve-O]

Easy. Wire Aux 1 or Aux 2 (as those have higher amp ratings to handle the compressor) to a pass through wire behind the glove box. Then splice the main power wire from the compressor to the same pass through wire in the engine bay. Ground as required.

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[downforce137]

depending on the draw of the compressor, you might need a higher amperage circuit, but you could still use the power coming off any of the aux switches to activate the relay. I did this with my 54" RDS light bar, as Rigid wants a 40amp circuit, so I used their harness and relay and activated the relay with my AUX1 switch which is 30amps

 

[Fb73]

When I bought my CKMTA12, it came with a main power wiring harness (60A if I remeber right !), and also came with a relay/switch harness, so I just wired that harness to one of the AUX upfitters...

Wiring the compressor directly to AUX1 or AUX2 might draw too much power and you could possibly blow something (??)

 

[JnJraptor]

When I bought my CKMTA12, it came with a main power wiring harness (60A if I remeber right !), and also came with a relay/switch harness, so I just wired that harness to one of the AUX upfitters...

Wiring the compressor directly to AUX1 or AUX2 might draw too much power and you could possibly blow something (??)

That is exactly what I want to do. Do you remember what wire on the switch harness you put the switch to? I was looking at the harness last night and didn't have a clear view of which wire I needed to run to in that harness. It has that bundle of wires for lockers and separate switches. Just want to make sure I get it right for single switch operation. I'm not using horns or lockers or anything.

 

[Steve-O]

Do you have a picture or a wiring diagram of this harness? I was assuming you just had 2 wires on the compressor. Mine only draws 27.5A, figured yours would be close to that.

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[Fb73]

I can't fully confirm what I'm saying cuz I installed mine a long time ago, but on the compressor you have a big plug in fitting (main power) that run 4 wires and dual fuses...

Then you have a smaller plug in fitting with only two wires (+12V and ground), which is the relay/switch harness. Wire the +12v to your upfitter, and wire the ground to battery or nearest ground point...

It was nothing difficult, I didnt use all that mess of wires provided with the compressor, it's intended for using with a locker, or if you use the ARB switch I guess, but we don't need that since we have upfitters !

 

[JnJraptor]

Thank you. I see where you are talking about. Looks like a black and a purple wire. I would assume purple is power and black would be the ground. Makes it so much more simple than their rats nest of a harness for running all the other crap.

I can't fully confirm what I'm saying cuz I installed mine a long time ago, but on the compressor you have a big plug in fitting (main power) that run 4 wires and dual fuses...

Then you have a smaller plug in fitting with only two wires (+12V and ground), which is the relay/switch harness. Wire the +12v to your upfitter, and wire the ground to battery or nearest ground point...

It was nothing difficult, I didnt use all that mess of wires provided with the compressor, it's intended for using with a locker, or if you use the ARB switch I guess, but we don't need that since we have upfitters !

 

[JnJraptor]

For anyone in the future doing this install, I did confirm wiring with ARB. The switch harness has black, red, purple where it plugs into compressor then splits with other plugs for solenoids. For 12v the red wire is not used. Splice into the harness and run purple to your aux switch and black to a ground. Very simple once you get down to the basics and cut out all of their extra plugs.