Anyone experienced in air-powered train horns?

[Trucklet]

No. Not for the Maverick. No no no... Please God no!

I am looking for a very quiet air compressor for a completely unrelated application and those "air pump" 12V compressors with little pistons are way too loud for what I'm trying to do. I noticed those train horns are powered by a compressor that looks more like a vertical can and might even be turbine driven, which if true should theoretically be much quieter. They tend to max out around 13PSI which would make me believe it's not a piston. I've attached one here as an example.

Every YouTube video I find about these things assumes you're trying to install the air horn kit in your SuperDuty and so I can't hear the compressor running (because the horn is drowning out the compressor while powered.) Can anyone tell me if they're quiet or even better yet, shoot me a video if you have an air horn (with the trumpet disengaged so I can just hear the compressor?)

Long shot I know, but Google and YouTube have failed me for the first time that I can remember...

For anyone interested: I'm designing a camper for my never-to-be-delivered Maverick and I need water pressure. Doesn't have to be much pressure and it doesn't have to inflate the air tank fast, but I can't have a "typical" tire-inflating compressor yammering away while trying to camp every time the pressure gets low. (I'm going with pressurized water lines instead of an on-demand water pump because it's more like home plumbing and because it's more fun this way...)

I better get my truck soon before I start even dumber projects.

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[Maverickman74]

So air pumps are fairly loud for anything on any sort of budget price. Water pumps are quieter and part of that reason is the water itself insulates the sound at its source. I live in a off grid cabin in hawaii and am on a 1000 gallon catchment water diet. Our water system is rediculously simple. It PVC pipe running from the tank to a prefilter screen, then to a simple 12v 3.2gmp on demand pump. Then back to PVC. If you want it can go to copper if thats what you mean by pressurized lines. It is on demand however if you add a pressure tank like my sister in laws cabin it will not kick on nearly as often unless you are showering or washing alot of dishes. But not likely on a hand wash. It is very quiet, basically like a low murmer(it under our plywood floor), and under $100 all in. It will support an instant propane tankless heater. It really is the simplest way to have water. If you have a smaller(storage) system and cant support that flow rate. Then you could look into electric chemical sprayer pumps and adapt their internal pump to your needs. I believe they operate on air pressure just like a hand pump chemical sprayer. That would conserve water much better. But not give you much overall flow.

All in all systems really have to be designed within their limitations such as water capacity, power, sound, and will only provide you results withing those limitations. Unless you have an unlimited budget, then just hire Iron Man to design your system for you.

 

[FakeCowboy]

I have a Denali Soundbomb on both of my motorcycles and I did a test run when I installed the first and the cylindrical compressor seemed relatively quiet, it's essentially a small electric motor. Might be an option to consider. Motor is on the left.

 

[Trucklet]

if you add a pressure tank like my sister in laws cabin it will not kick on nearly as often

I hadn't considered an air tank to give it a buffer - this is probably the best approach. Wouldn't the water inside the pump cause issues with bacteria for drinking? In my air-pressure-based approach the water tank can be emptied and cleaned easily enough, so I assume there's a way to sterilize these water pumps between uses? (I talk like I've cleaned my Keurig in the last half-decade...)

 

[Trucklet]

Denali Soundbomb

Thanks! I see they have a Soundbomb mini for only $35, but it's all one contained unit so I wonder what would happen if I purposely rip out the diaphragm to prevent the horn sound.

 

[FakeCowboy]

Thanks! I see they have a Soundbomb mini for only $35, but it's all one contained unit so I wonder what would happen if I purposely rip out the diaphragm to prevent the horn sound.

I don't remember which model specifically I installed on both bikes but it has the dual tone horn separate and mounted remotely due to space constraints. On a side note, it's hilarious when I blast a cager trying to do something stupid, they look around and think that noise couldn't possibly come from a motorcycle.

 

[Maverickman74]

I would clean any water system with a sterilizing flow of water/cleaner/bleach. I also am not sure how large this water tank is that you can easily remove and clean is? I personally would have drinking water separate and non pressurized possible in a portable fridge/freezer(there are many budget friendly ones). Then use a on demand pump with pressure tank system for dishes/showering/etc. How much storage are you looking at? Here is some links of things I have used or am talking about.

Water heater and pump on amazon

pressure tank

chemical sprayer-electric battery

hand pump chemical sprayer
no pic sorry
but these hand pump ones make excellent conservative beach showers.

 

[Trucklet]

How much storage are you looking at?

I'm talking 5 gallons maybe 10, this is for just weekend camping trips certainly not cabin living. They make food-grade BPA free 5 gallon jugs that can be cleaned out when not in use. I honestly like your water pump idea better the more I think about it, but I did have plans for the pressurized air in the system for other things and so if I'm going to have pressurized air anyway, may as well drive water with it also. A YouTuber online called The Everlanders had a good idea of using stainless soda kegs b/c you can fully open the top for cleaning and they're already meant to be pressurized, and you can daisy chain them together for added capacity.

 

[Maverickman74]

I'm talking 5 gallons maybe 10, this is for just weekend camping trips certainly not cabin living. They make food-grade BPA free 5 gallon jugs that can be cleaned out when not in use. I honestly like your water pump idea better the more I think about it, but I did have plans for the pressurized air in the system for other things and so if I'm going to have pressurized air anyway, may as well drive water with it also. A YouTuber online called The Everlanders had a good idea of using stainless soda kegs b/c you can fully open the top for cleaning and they're already meant to be pressurized, and you can daisy chain them together for added capacity.

Yeah for that little water you are going to need something very low flow or you will be out of water fast. Im not sure you want much pressure at all really. Gravity feed would run you out of 10 gallons in 10 minutes even. If you can find a handpump garden chemical sprayer cheap somewhere maybe take one home and play with it and see how long it can make a few gallons last for the things you need the water for.

I have also used these beach camping they have a built in spout in the cap and are easy to fill and carry. $20 at walmart.

 

[TooManyVehicles]

I'm talking 5 gallons maybe 10, this is for just weekend camping trips certainly not cabin living. They make food-grade BPA free 5 gallon jugs that can be cleaned out when not in use. I honestly like your water pump idea better the more I think about it, but I did have plans for the pressurized air in the system for other things and so if I'm going to have pressurized air anyway, may as well drive water with it also. A YouTuber online called The Everlanders had a good idea of using stainless soda kegs b/c you can fully open the top for cleaning and they're already meant to be pressurized, and you can daisy chain them together for added capacity.

Brewer here with about 16 or so Corny kegs in my basement. This seems like a good idea as it is stainless and used for beverages like soda that would be prone to infection. Research Starsan as a no rinse sanitizer.

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