MV-50 Tsunami Air Compressor - Troubleshooting

[jsmarine]

I searched but could not find anything, and I hope I an posting in the right place, if not feel free to move it Mods.

After reading about the MV-50 Tsunami air compressors on here, and all the good reviews I went out and bought one. I still have a cigarette lighter compressor that works just fine, but was hoping this MV-50 would be a little faster. I was wrong, not only is it not faster it doesn't seem to work at all. I dropped my pressure to 25 psi just to try this thing out, after 5 min its still at 25, I kept messing with it thinking there might be a leak, but everything is tight. I messed with it for about 30 min and ending up using my old compressor to fill up my tire again.

Did I just get a bad unit? Or does did I miss something? Any help or suggestions are welcome.

 

[dustboy]

Probably ought to return it under warranty. Sounds like it's running but no air pressure?

If you take the hose off the quick disconnect, and no air comes out, most likely the reed valve is bad. There is a thin piece of spring steel that opens and closes to keep the air moving in one direction. It's underneath the finned head cover. I have seen one guy fix it with a piece of a feeler gauge.

 

[jsmarine]

Probably ought to return it under warranty. Sounds like it's running but no air pressure?

If you take the hose off the quick disconnect, and no air comes out, most likely the reed valve is bad. There is a thin piece of spring steel that opens and closes to keep the air moving in one direction. It's underneath the finned head cover. I have seen one guy fix it with a piece of a feeler gauge.

yep you got it, its running, just no air pressure. Thanks, Ill check that valve. Id rather not return it quite yet since I got it online. But, if it cant get this thing to work I will.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Are you sure that the airhose valve fitting, is actually depressing the valve on the stem ??

Maybe not pressing hard enough ??

Checkitout

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[jsmarine]

:sombrero: Are you sure that the airhose valve fitting, is actually depressing the valve on the stem ??

Maybe not pressing hard enough ??

Checkitout

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

yeah, its depressing the valve.

 

[YJake]

Sounds like a return is in order.

I bought mine just a year ago and have used it a few dozen times. It works great and airs up a 30" tire very quickly. I air down every time I go off the black top now just because I can.

I would advise one to carry an extra fuse or two just incase though. I had one blow but the compressor came with an extra so I was fine. I keep 3 extras in the bag with it now just incase.

I believe that I paid $40 at Harbor Freight with a coupon for the MV-50.

-Jake

 

[peekay]

yeah, you must have a bad one. None of the cigarette lighter setups will come even close to how fast the Tsunami is. I've had an Extremeair and the Tsunami is only a shade slower.

 

[craig]

I think you'll find in your long-term tests that the MV-50s don't hold up. I've had 2 of them and have actively promoted them as being a good compressor. I loved them at first. Even after the first year. Then they started going bad.

In contrast, ARB compressors are known to last for decades.

 

[go4aryd]

hmmm. I'm still on the first of two MV-50s. It has now been 3+ years on the first one and still running just fine.

 

[craig]

Mine both developed a leak inside the compressor. They both continued to run, and worked well for airing up tires, but allowed the pressure to drop inside my air tank.

The compressor was wired up to a pressure switch on my air tank (for air lockers). Slowly but surely, the pump would cycle on/off again more and more frequently as the leak got worse. At first I put in a one-way valve between the pump and the air tank, but eventually the compressor gave out completely. I replaced it with my second one, which only lasted a couple of months before it started leaking. I replaced it with a CO2 tank.

The compressor was mounted securely and had plenty of fresh air for cooling. If it was one, I'd write it off to a manufacturing defect. But, when the second one was also leaky, I think it is more of an indicator of build quality.

I understand where you are coming from though. I used to champion these things too. The most popular page on my website was the blog entry I had written up showing my install and comparing this compressor to others on the market. I hope you continue to have good luck with yours.

Craig

 

[go4aryd]

I do carry the spare with with me these days - you never know. My next one will likely be an ExtremeAire.
(sorry for the hijackS!)

Good luck on replacing your unit.

 

[jsmarine]

Probably ought to return it under warranty. Sounds like it's running but no air pressure?

If you take the hose off the quick disconnect, and no air comes out, most likely the reed valve is bad. There is a thin piece of spring steel that opens and closes to keep the air moving in one direction. It's underneath the finned head cover. I have seen one guy fix it with a piece of a feeler gauge.

Yep, you were right, the reed valve was bad. Spent about a half day on Sunday trying to fix it, but couldn't get it to work properly, so I went ahead and returned it for a replacement, which should be here in the next couple of days or so.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I have the Masterflow, and have praised it in the past as well. But now that it is approaching 3 years old, I find it had issues. Sometimes I crank up my air bags to 100 psi to lift the rear end 4 inches so I can get a look around under there, and about 85 psi, it changes tone, and the pressure stops increasing, 15 seconds later and it is working again.

I notice it does this with my tires(max 50 psi) as well on occasion.

I will blame this strange performance on the fact that I lent it out without the air filter installed, and found the lendee using it when it was on it's side, in the dirt.

Man I get irritated when people show no respect for other's possessions.

One thing I will recommend is not only making sure to use the air filter, but to remove all the plastic flashing from the molded Plastic air filter housing to increase the flow. Mine was more than 50% obscured out of the box.

 

[Momrocks]

One thing I will recommend is not only making sure to use the air filter, but to remove all the plastic flashing from the molded Plastic air filter housing to increase the flow. Mine was more than 50% obscured out of the box.

Great idea, I didn't even think of doing this. This seems like a simple way to ensure max performance.

I have had mine for three years of trouble free service. I've had a VIAR 450 sitting in my garage for a year now and haven't mounted it. As long as the 1050 keeps chugging along, the effort of an OBA install isn't a priority. I must say my expectations for this compressor have been far exceeded.

`

 

[Borrego60]

I use the Extream outback compressor,6yrs old and no problems yet.I has even been submersed and comes back to life as long as you squeeze the air filter dry.