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Slide Bladder Air Compressor Belly Up

June 08, 2023, 10:44:44 pm

My slide bladder air compressor started running continuously yesterday.  It appears the compressor is belly up, putting out very little pressure.  If I put a quick disconnect air connection on the input of the one gallon air tank and connect to the quick connect air line in the fuel bay, will that provide the needed air to the slide bladder manifold to deflate and inflate the bladder?  Then close the outlet valve on the air tank and disconnect from the coach air system? 

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Re: Slide Bladder Air Compressor Belly Up

Reply #1 – June 09, 2023, 06:52:25 am

How do you know compressor is bad and not a large air leak?

Not sure what you are exactly wanting to do.  What air tank are you talking about when you say  "input of the one gallon air tank"

If you use an external air compressor and connect to the air fitting on the coach it will allow you to do the slides and raise up the coach.

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Re: Slide Bladder Air Compressor Belly Up

Reply #2 – June 09, 2023, 07:15:35 am

Yes, that will work until you can troubleshoot the system. In all likelihood you have a leak(s).  Could be in the fittings, bladder, air tank, etc. 

First thing to check is if the N/O solenoid valve on the condensate bowl isn't closing when the pump is running. It's a common failure. 

I very recently had the same issue and with ball valves and gauges I isolated each section pump to tank, tank to line, line to bladder solenoid, solenoid to bladder, replaced the check valves, etc. The only section that wouldn't hold pressure was my aux tank.  A new aluminum tank is on its way. 

After I checked my N/O solenoid, my first step was adding ball valves, pressure gauge and combo gauge at the bladder solenoid as shown. I worked backwards from there. Bladder was good, bladder solenoid was good, line between tank and solenoid was good. Tank...not so good.

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Re: Slide Bladder Air Compressor Belly Up

Reply #3 – June 18, 2023, 11:19:40 am

Thanks for the comments.  I have been operating the slide with the engine compressor for now.  Will check more on the aux compressor when I have more time.  The aux air compressor has a 1/4 in line from compressor to aux air tank.  The output of the aux air tank has a valve on it and when I closed the valve the air compressor would not build pressure.  I have not checked for a leak in the aux tank and that is my next move.  Haven't had much down time to work on it so for now will just run the engine to operate slide.  Like the gauge and valve setup. 

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Re: Slide Bladder Air Compressor Belly Up

Reply #4 – June 26, 2023, 10:39:07 am

Having my morning coffee and heard the satisfying sound of the water evacuate solenoid on the aux air system.  I appears the compressor is ok and also no leaks.  When I realized the air compressor was ok, and didn't think I had a leak, I replaced the pressure switch.  At first it would not shut off as before and so I put a pressure gauge on the output of the aux air tank to see what the pressure actually was.  I found that the compressor would only pump to just below 80 psi.  80 psi was the cut in pressure of the pressure switch so once the cut in pressure was adjusted, all works as it should.  Thanks for the help and comments.

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