Question:
I have an old air conditioner pump. I'm planning to use this pump to
build an on-board air compressor.
But the idea got me thinking about a pressure washer high pressure
pump. Ideally, I would like to get a pressure washer pump and use
something like the same 12-volt clutch to connect the belt to the
engine. If I can find a 12-volt clutch, I could connect the pressure
pump direct and it would only engage when I hit the switch to engage
the clutch. Does anyone make some sort of 12-volt clutch pulley that
can be adapted to custom machinery?
I've got lots of space under that hood. The idea of an onboard welder,
onboard air compressor and onboard pressure washer would be extremely
cool. Any ideas?
Answer:
The a/c clutch is going to be cheapest, as they're pretty common at
the junkyard. If I remember correctly, you need a tool to pull the
thing- it catches the inside threads on the hub and you press on the
shaft end to remove the clutch. This sort of clutch is also available
with different bore sizes, they're common on lawn mowers now- that
style uses a keyed shaft and just a bolt and washer in the end of the
shaft to hold it on.
First off virtually all A/C clutches are tapered bore. To remove
without tearing the clutch up you really need a special puller made
for them. The clutch works like this. There's a circular electromagnet
behind the pulley. This magnet is mounted on a plate which is screwed
to the front of the compressor. Next there's a big cup shaped plate on
a hub that slips over the magnet but doesn't touch it. This plate and
hub are what's mounted on the shaft of the compressor. On the hub
there's a bearing (or two) that the pulley rides on. Then there's a
plate held to the pulley with flexible straps. The magnet pulls the
second plate against the first locking the clutch up.
