24v ARB compressor on 12v system? Yes you can!

[Trigger T4R]

This is for those I see all over the internet asking if it is possible to use the ARB CKMA24 COMPRESSOR (24v version for those with dual battery set up) on a 12v system (single battery system). Yes I know that if you only have one battery (12v system) you can simply purchase the ARB CKMA12 (12v version). However, though I don’t yet have a dual battery set up, I wanted to purchase a compressor that would accommodate the 24v system that I plan on adding in the future.

...Ok, I’ll be honest here, like most things I upgrade on my rig, I hate paying full retail price, so my rig is pretty much sponsored by OfferUp. That being said, I bought a new (out of box) CKMA24 for $120 bucks before I knew the difference in the models. That left me with a dilemma, buy the 12v version for $289 and try to sell this one, OR live with my mistake and make it work!

Every post online said “No you can’t use the 24v on a 12v system, no way, no how!”

But the actual answer is YES YOU CAN!
Quite simply in fact, here’s how I did it...

On the ARB website, they list the power consumption of all compressor models, I referenced that and I purchased a waterproof 12v to 24v 20Amp step up converter rated at 480W from eBay for $20 bucks. Connected it in line from battery, mounted it in the engine bay, and voila(French for, and then I found out)!

Works like a charm!

So.. in conclusion, If you find a deal on an ARB Compressor (CKMA12 or CKMA24) get it! It can work with this simple mod & save you some $$!

here’s some pics...
Please excuse the dirty state of my engine bay.

Sorry for the long description of a simple thing but hope this helps someone out there.

 

[BenTheJeepGuy]

Man you just saved me so much time! How is this solution holding up? I just picked up a 24v compressor second hand and didn't realize it was a 24v until I got home smh

 

[Trigger T4R]

Man you just saved me so much time! How is this solution holding up? I just picked up a 24v compressor second hand and didn't realize it was a 24v until I got home smh

It’s holding up great! No problems so far. I used rubber barrel nuts to secure the converter and keep it insulated and to give it a bit of shock absorption, and used heat shrink on all the wires to protect them. Super simple install even though I was a little apprehensive given the stories I read about working with 24v. But I’ve used it many times now with no hiccups. If using it for long period, I’ll put my hand on the converter to see if it’s getting hot ( just as a precaution) but so far it’s been running very cool.

It Was a little difficult to find the converter with the correct output but make sure you get the right one and you’ll be fine.

Glad my article helped! Certainly saved me a bunch of $! I ended up spending about $145 for this set up, compressor and all.

 

[Agir]

Thank you! I picked the wrong things up and an installer said it will never work. Bought a small one, then traded cars and realized I still have the 24V. So it'll go into my 4Runner.