Wiring Portable ARB compressor to Aux button??

[Jeepeto]

Matches what you have.

If purple (from Jeepeto's post) works then great...
....but annoying from ARB, in automotive systems 'red' is power and 'purple or blue' are usually for illumination purposes.

It’s annoying ?

What’s more annoying is it came with a giant 1lb harness set up for air lockers and an illuminated switch, but they didn’t think to include instructions to strip down the harness for simple aux switch installs. Once you figure it out it simplifies the whole install but it took me a sec.

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[chevymitchell]

Apply 12v to the purple. That’s all you need. I did the same with my rig, completely stripped the wiring harness and only used the purple wire.

Edit to add photos:
Confirming, as it’s been a couple years. The purple is all you need, this is my aux taps in the passenger footwell.

Purple is the compressor tied into my aux tap for switch #3

Red is my radar detector tied in with the ignition switched tap included in the aux bundle.

Concur ^

 

[Retired Jeeper]

Wired my twin ARB last weekend. Mounted under the passenger seat. Power (black and red) directly to battery. Purple to one of my interior leads for an auxiliary switch. Black to ground. Those were the only wires I used as I am using the factory lockers in my 2023 JLUR. Just ignored the red wire in the switch bundle. Actually a pretty simple wiring hook-up other than accessing the passenger side firewall rubber grommet. If you go that route, be VERY careful to avoid nicking the factory wire bundle as that can be a VERY expensive fix.

 

[Tech Tim]

Apply 12v to the purple. That’s all you need.

Yep, that's all you need. Purple to your aux. wire.

As mentioned before, the red is power coming in.

The black is a ground for illumination of the original ARB switch.

 

[laurx]

Yep, that's all you need. Purple to your aux. wire.

As mentioned before, the red is power coming in.

The black is a ground for illumination of the original ARB switch.

I know this is an old post, and thank you for the precious info. I have a quick question: what if I want to use both the ARB button as well we the aux switch? Like the aux. switch to be the master on/of button, and the ARB button to work only if the master switch (the aux button) is turned on?

Do I need to build an extension of the purple wire so it can be connected to both the ARB button and the aux. wire?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tech Tim]

@laurx run a wire from one of your small Aux wires over to the middle position on your ARB Compressor switch. Then tape the red wire back on itself and leave disconnected.

When you turn on the aux switch, the power feeds to the ARB switch, arming it. Then you use that to toggle on the compressor.

***Edited for clarity.

 

[laurx]

@laurx run the red wire to the aux wire.

When you turn on the aux switch, power feeds to the ARB switch. Then you use that to toggle on the compressor.

Thank you for the answer, but just to clarify: what red wire are you referring to? The thin red wire from the harness included in the Grimm kit and which goes in the ARB button, or the 2 main thicker wires that are normally supposed to go to the battery power ( the ones with the 2 big fuses on them)? And if these thick red wires are the ones you are talking about, what happens to the thick main ground wire? Would it still be needed to be connected to the battery negative?

Appologies if this is a too stupid question, but I'm far from being an electrician.

Many thanks!

 

[Tech Tim]

Thank you for the answer, but just to clarify: what red wire are you referring to? The thin red wire from the harness included in the Grimm kit and which goes in the ARB button, or the 2 main thicker wires that are normally supposed to go to the battery power ( the ones with the 2 big fuses on them)? And if these thick red wires are the ones you are talking about, what happens to the thick main ground wire? Would it still be needed to be connected to the battery negative?

Appologies if this is a too stupid question, but I'm far from being an electrician.

Many thanks!

Not a stupid Q at all and my answer wasn't very clear.

Run a wire from your Aux switch to the middle position on the ARB switch and leave the red wire disconnected. Wrap it with some black tape and tape it back to the harness. I'll edit my original post so no one else makes the wrong assumption.

You could do it, BUT I wouldn't recommend running the two thick red (main power wires) ARB power wires through your Aux system. You'd have to connect one to each of the big Aux wires (40 amps). You'd have to turn them both on each time and you'd be using up two Aux. switches, not just one.

 

[laurx]

Not a stupid Q at all and my answer wasn't very clear.

Run a wire from your Aux switch to the middle position on the ARB switch and leave the red wire disconnected. Wrap it with some black tape and tape it back to the harness. I'll edit my original post so no one else makes the wrong assumption.

You could do it, BUT I wouldn't recommend running the two thick red (main power wires) ARB power wires through your Aux system. You'd have to connect one to each of the big Aux wires (40 amps). You'd have to turn them both on each time and you'd be using up two Aux. switches, not just one.

That's brilliant! Perfectely understood. That was really hepful, thank you! Quick last ones: would the new wire thickness matter? I presume it would be ok if it was the same as the red wire from the Grimm kit harness.

Just for confirmation, I assume that since this wire should go from the ARB button (which is a low amperage), it will have to be connected to either of the wires corresponding to either aux switch 3 or 4, correct?

Also after running this setup, is there any fuse which needs to be changed in the Jeep fuse box?

Thanks again for your time and valuable info provided!

 

[THAW]

Just for confirmation, I assume that since this wire should go from the ARB button (which is a low amperage), it will have to be connected to either of the wires corresponding to either aux switch 3 or 4, correct?

Also after running this setup, is there any fuse which needs to be changed in the Jeep fuse box?

Factory AUX Switches can power any device/wire requiring amperage at or below the switch fuse rating.

If the device/wire is rated below the AUX Switch fuse rating, for safety replace the AUX Switch factory fuse with one matching the device/wire current rating.

 

[laurx]

Factory AUX Switches can power any device/wire requiring amperage at or below the switch fuse rating.

If the device/wire is rated below the AUX Switch fuse rating, for safety replace the AUX Switch factory fuse with one matching the device current rating.

I understand. So after running the new wire from ARB button to factory switch 3 wire, I should change the factory fuse F103 to 2 Amp?

Does the wire thickness matter amperage wise?

Thank you!

 

[THAW]

I understand. So after running the new wire from ARB button to factory switch 3 wire, I should change the factory fuse F103 to 2 Amp?

Does the wire thickness matter amperage wise?

Thank you!

I believe the ARB switch is rated 20A, so the limiting factor is the wire (not sure about the gauge of the small wires on the ARB harness). A 2 amp fuse will provide enough overhead to operate the ARB relay, so if you have one that'll work; a 5 amp fuse would likely also be safe.

 

[hilljumper]

I have spent hours and hours searching and I can't find any info. here on the Forum or online about how to tie the "red" ARB switch wire to the Aux wires. Everything only talks about the black and purple wires.

Why tie it to an AUX switch? Go directly to the battery. I did. The compressor already has a switch.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Why tie it to an AUX switch? Go directly to the battery. I did. The compressor already has a switch.

"That" red wire you are talking about did go to the battery. Back then I was referring to the smaller red wire that was attached to the toggle switch of my portable ARB system.

 

[laurx]

I believe the ARB switch is rated 20A, so the limiting factor is the wire (not sure about the gauge of the small wires on the ARB harness). A 2 amp fuse will provide enough overhead to operate the ARB relay, so if you have one that'll work; a 5 amp fuse would likely also be safe.

Great, thank you for all the info, that was very helpful!

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