My 2009 BlueBird with air brakes keep loosing air pressure, and the valve/regulator on the bottom of the rear air tank is leaking. See photos. Anyone know what this part is called, and where I can get a replacement? Thank you.
That's an automatic moisture ejector purge valve located on the first "Wet" tank immediately after the compressor. The picture is turned upside down. They should be pointing straight down at the ground to eject the water that collects in them from the tank bottom just above them. Compressed air heats up (basic physics) and carries it's moisture into the first tank where it cools and the moisture condenses out and gathers at the bottom of the tank as water, and usually condensed oil vapor gunk too. They operate to spit periodically any accumulated water, if none, fine it makes a noise is all. As already noted the wires are only for heating it to prevent the accumulated water from freezing and defeating the operation of the spitter valve. There's usually a temperature sensitive switch that turns it on when it gets cold enough to freeze the water. Common part and anything equivalent should work, and shouldn't be expensive, common as grass really. Easy and simple to just replace the whole thing with a new one and be done with it.
Normal commercial driving requirements mandate that the Wet tank be drained and purged, by hand in the good old days at least, daily before driving the vehicle out of the yard. The automatic valves have removed that bit of bonding rituals with our beloved vehicles, the result being hardly anyone even knows about that anymore or how important it is that the water is drained before it gets into the rest of the brake system and freezes, for instance, and then causes all sorts of other mayhem. Like frozen brakes that refuse to actuate due to frozen water in their chambers....... Not fun.
Air systems are very typically a totally mechanical system with NO electrical components used in it's basic operations. Sure there are pressure switches and low air buzzers that use electricity, but these are merely monitors and alarms to give indication of the systems status. Everything involved in the actual creating and distribution of the air and how it's used and applied to preform work and functions is all done with old school mechanical valves, pressure regulators (brake pedals for instance), Heavy Springs for parking and emergency stops, all done with pure mechanical and extremely reliable technology known and used for decades. That's all done for a reason. IT WORKS.
Before ANYONE spends any serious time driving your new, air system equipped, whatever, toy around, you really should take the time and get educated on what the system is, how it all works, why it works the way it does, and what can kill you real dead if something goes wrong that you don't have a clue about, or may not even notice until it's too late. I mean it. You've been warned.
They aren't all that difficult to learn about and understand, but I seriously cringe almost daily here, reading about the innocents, jumping into and blithely driving away in vehicles that were previously used in commercial service, yes that includes school bus service, without the first clue about the dangers of not getting some training in the operation of, and how to stay safe in these complex and extremely different vehicles. They are beyond the experience levels of most every driver who has not been trained in, or had previously driven heavy equipment like these. They WILL try to kill you too. So get educated, read the available literature, and online videos, and get trained by someone with the knowledge if you can. You'll thank me later.
Professional Commercial drivers are constantly being trained and tested on their current proficiency in the safe operation of these vehicles. What makes you think you can just jump right in and casually drive it away without knowing the risks inherent in not knowing anything about the vehicle you are trusting your life, and your loved ones with. Especially the air systems. They aren't hard at all, but they sure are different. And different will bite you really hard on the ass if you aren't careful, and can potentially ruin your entire day, or life. Beware.
