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Hello Team,
So ever since I got the Gren I identified the area behind the aux battery as the perfect place for an air compressor. I think the engineers were thinking the same since the extra wiring was also present there.
Now this is one way to do it. This is the painful, weird and masochistic Tinki way of doing it.
I bet more clever people will find a better way.
Disclaimer I am not a sparky, machinist or engineer, I know that I know nothing and the little I know makes me dangerous, I have no issue breaking my own stuff because that is how I learn.
If you replicate the below you do so at your own risk. Any professionals reading please free to chime in. Any advice, comments and observations welcomed.
This project was done over the last month in between work and waiting for parts. A lot of failed porotypes and changes of plans because I simply try things and see how they fit until I find a problem then adapt and rinse and repeat.
I will try and mention the failed attempts so hopefully I can save you some time.
Compressor installed is an ARB CKMA 12 .
This will be divided into 3 parts: Compressor install, electrics, air coupler install
So here it goes:
What I wanted:
1)Minimal to no modification to the existing fabric of the Gren (I wanted to be able to go back to square one with no need for repairs)
2)Clean install + Tidy wiring
3) Access to the air without lifting the rear seat.
Compressor install:
First issue was the mounting of the compressor in the Gren . After looking at the area there are 4 M8 studs welded to the floor . First issue was that they are of different length and the floor Is not flat.
Second issue there is no way I found that I could directly bolt the compressor to the studs , because the bolt pattern was different . So a bracket had to be made to make a level platform to start from .
Material of choice is aluminium (Soft + light + easy to drill and finish with hand tools )
In order to transfer the studs to the plate I used CAD ( Cardboard Aided Design ) and M8 coupling nuts with M8 set screws .
The coupling nuts were screwed onto the studs, then the set screws on top and then the cardboard pressed on top to transfer the indentation of the set screws .
Then the holes were transferred to the aluminium.
Because I had no idea where the mounting bracket of the compressor itself would line up I had to make sure the whole platform was flat with no protrusions . So no hex head bolts could be used. Options were cap head screws (too thin material to countersink them, plate is 6mm ) or countersunk Allen heads which was my choice .
Before mounting the plate thought I wanted to isolate the vibration of the compressor form the Gren so I bought some rubber spacers from amazon, I glued a thick washer on the side that would mate to the coupling nuts and installed the plate.
After that it was time to identify where the compressor would actually sit. I took the mounting plate off the compressor to be able to quickly decide where it would go. I decided in the vertical orientation.
Outline was marked and holes were drilled and tapped for M6 flanged button head screws. (Tried to use rivnuts but even with the biggest ones I had due to the thickness of the plate they would pull out on exertion of force.)
Once the base is screwed to the palatform , to get the compressor mounted the aux battery needs to come out . ( You might be able to do it if you have delicate hands or extra joints but would not recommend it )
This task was only possible with the following 2 tools: My trusty Victorinox small ratchet and my ¼ Facom ratchet that works by twisting the handle instead of moving it up and down ..
This sorts the compressor mounting. On to the next bit .
Electrics :
Now you do not need to do as I did. The wiring harness that comes with the compressor is perfectly adequate. But by OCD would not allow me to use it. So I simplified it and made a new one from scratch . If you are doing the same I would suggest you get all quality parts from industrial suppliers I used Mouser they have everything you need but their search function is useless. If someone wants exactly what I bought I can share my order list. I found this to be the cheapest way of doing it.
Wiring used is all 10 AWG silicone .
So first thing I needed to do was terminate the Gren wiring. I used a hooked Stanley style blade to remove the heat shrink.
I was looking for 40amp rated connectors but could not find anything reasonable to use (I know DT has some but hey are for a single wire and way too bulky). So currently on the hunt.
Because I hate project creep and drag I decided to go with Anderson power pole connectors with future plans to change them down the line.
Can only attach 10 files . SO part 2 coming .
So ever since I got the Gren I identified the area behind the aux battery as the perfect place for an air compressor. I think the engineers were thinking the same since the extra wiring was also present there.
Now this is one way to do it. This is the painful, weird and masochistic Tinki way of doing it.
I bet more clever people will find a better way.
Disclaimer I am not a sparky, machinist or engineer, I know that I know nothing and the little I know makes me dangerous, I have no issue breaking my own stuff because that is how I learn.
If you replicate the below you do so at your own risk. Any professionals reading please free to chime in. Any advice, comments and observations welcomed.
This project was done over the last month in between work and waiting for parts. A lot of failed porotypes and changes of plans because I simply try things and see how they fit until I find a problem then adapt and rinse and repeat.
I will try and mention the failed attempts so hopefully I can save you some time.
Compressor installed is an ARB CKMA 12 .
This will be divided into 3 parts: Compressor install, electrics, air coupler install
So here it goes:
What I wanted:
1)Minimal to no modification to the existing fabric of the Gren (I wanted to be able to go back to square one with no need for repairs)
2)Clean install + Tidy wiring
3) Access to the air without lifting the rear seat.
Compressor install:
First issue was the mounting of the compressor in the Gren . After looking at the area there are 4 M8 studs welded to the floor . First issue was that they are of different length and the floor Is not flat.
Second issue there is no way I found that I could directly bolt the compressor to the studs , because the bolt pattern was different . So a bracket had to be made to make a level platform to start from .
Material of choice is aluminium (Soft + light + easy to drill and finish with hand tools )
In order to transfer the studs to the plate I used CAD ( Cardboard Aided Design ) and M8 coupling nuts with M8 set screws .
The coupling nuts were screwed onto the studs, then the set screws on top and then the cardboard pressed on top to transfer the indentation of the set screws .
Then the holes were transferred to the aluminium.
Because I had no idea where the mounting bracket of the compressor itself would line up I had to make sure the whole platform was flat with no protrusions . So no hex head bolts could be used. Options were cap head screws (too thin material to countersink them, plate is 6mm ) or countersunk Allen heads which was my choice .
Before mounting the plate thought I wanted to isolate the vibration of the compressor form the Gren so I bought some rubber spacers from amazon, I glued a thick washer on the side that would mate to the coupling nuts and installed the plate.
After that it was time to identify where the compressor would actually sit. I took the mounting plate off the compressor to be able to quickly decide where it would go. I decided in the vertical orientation.
Outline was marked and holes were drilled and tapped for M6 flanged button head screws. (Tried to use rivnuts but even with the biggest ones I had due to the thickness of the plate they would pull out on exertion of force.)
Once the base is screwed to the palatform , to get the compressor mounted the aux battery needs to come out . ( You might be able to do it if you have delicate hands or extra joints but would not recommend it )
This task was only possible with the following 2 tools: My trusty Victorinox small ratchet and my ¼ Facom ratchet that works by twisting the handle instead of moving it up and down ..
This sorts the compressor mounting. On to the next bit .
Electrics :
Now you do not need to do as I did. The wiring harness that comes with the compressor is perfectly adequate. But by OCD would not allow me to use it. So I simplified it and made a new one from scratch . If you are doing the same I would suggest you get all quality parts from industrial suppliers I used Mouser they have everything you need but their search function is useless. If someone wants exactly what I bought I can share my order list. I found this to be the cheapest way of doing it.
Wiring used is all 10 AWG silicone .
So first thing I needed to do was terminate the Gren wiring. I used a hooked Stanley style blade to remove the heat shrink.
I was looking for 40amp rated connectors but could not find anything reasonable to use (I know DT has some but hey are for a single wire and way too bulky). So currently on the hunt.
Because I hate project creep and drag I decided to go with Anderson power pole connectors with future plans to change them down the line.
Can only attach 10 files . SO part 2 coming .