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Brake light switch

rustystud

Well-known member
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Woodinville, Washington
031.jpg028.jpg029.jpgView attachment Scan0062.pdf A number of people have contacted me about the brake light switch I used on my system. So I decided to post it here. The first picture is the drivers side air-pac and switch. The second picture is the passenger side air-pac and switch. The reason I went to this switch and didn't reuse the military switch is because the military switch is a high pressure switch. It is meant to operate at pressures up to 3,000 psi. The problem is when you remount it to the trucks air system which only reaches 120 psi max. A lot of times it will fail to turn on causing no brake lights. This switch I used is a standard civilian truck air brake switch which turns on at 4 psi. (3-5 psi). I just wired it into my system and it works great. The cheapest price I found was at "anythingtruck.com" .
 

rustystud

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Location
Woodinville, Washington
I thought about using the plastic one (it is cheaper) but I wanted the reliability of the steel unit. I didn't want the plastic breaking off and then have an air leak.
 

rosco

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Delta Junction, Alaska
Rusty - I wasn't aware that the Deuces air system was supposed to reach 120 PSI. The gauge is only rated to 120#, and I have never seen a gauge installed to Max out with normal operating pressure. Of course the OTR truck gauges read out @ 150#. My truck cuts out @ about 100#. I have always imagined that replacement governors are factory preset to cut out @ 120#, as that is the "normal" for modern air systems. I don't believe my governor to have been replaced, & further, believe that replacement governors, refitted to a Deuce, should be reset to a lower cut out pressure, as 120# is too close to the pop-off pressure.
 

rustystud

Well-known member
9,280
2,988
113
Location
Woodinville, Washington
Rusty - I wasn't aware that the Deuces air system was supposed to reach 120 PSI. The gauge is only rated to 120#, and I have never seen a gauge installed to Max out with normal operating pressure. Of course the OTR truck gauges read out @ 150#. My truck cuts out @ about 100#. I have always imagined that replacement governors are factory preset to cut out @ 120#, as that is the "normal" for modern air systems. I don't believe my governor to have been replaced, & further, believe that replacement governors, refitted to a Deuce, should be reset to a lower cut out pressure, as 120# is too close to the pop-off pressure.
All truck air systems on the road today must meet the federal guidelines. One of those is that all air systems must be able to maintain a 120psi max pressure. This specific guideline has been around since the 1960's I believe. So our deuces either came with or where retrofitted with the ability to reach 120 psi. I have personally never seen a truck air system that did not reach 120 psi. The low end is 40 psi as that is the pressure where emergency park brakes apply. The warning buzzer must come on at 60 psi. The air system must be able to build air to 100 psi in 3 to 5 minutes ( I cannot remember the exact number) .These have been standards for over 50 years now. As far as the safety pop-off pressure on the air tanks that should be 150 psi.
These numbers stand out in my mind as I was a safety inspector for the transit dept. for over 5 years.
 

rosco

Active member
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Location
Delta Junction, Alaska
I don't doubt what Federal Guidelines are, but were all well aware that many of our older MV's never met them, in often, many ways. With the air gauge that max's out @ 120, with its pointer buried in the top end, its only speculation, what one's top pressure is. A reliable gauge fitted with a glad hand, yields only 105# @ the "emergency" trailer port on the rear of mine. I'm not trying to pick a fight....
 

rustystud

Well-known member
9,280
2,988
113
Location
Woodinville, Washington
I don't doubt what Federal Guidelines are, but were all well aware that many of our older MV's never met them, in often, many ways. With the air gauge that max's out @ 120, with its pointer buried in the top end, its only speculation, what one's top pressure is. A reliable gauge fitted with a glad hand, yields only 105# @ the "emergency" trailer port on the rear of mine. I'm not trying to pick a fight....
I didn't think you where picking a fight. I was just stating that all of our trucks should have been retrofitted long ago to meet the federal standards. I would pick up a new air pressure gauge if I where you.
A member is selling new air gauges for a great price ( I already bought one) . Contact "wsucougarx" . He also has a add in the classifieds.
 
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