Newell Gurus

Neither my 1978 or 1993 Newells have low air buzzers.

It sounds like from the responses that a lot of the coaches around the late 90's and early 00's just have the light. I may add one in the future just as an additional safety feature.

Thanks everyone for sharing your information,

The early 1990's Newells that I have driven did not have a low air buzzer, just the light.

I would think it should be there since you could have a loss of air pressure and not even see the light. The last thing anyone needs is to have the maxi brake set up in the middle of traffic. Just a thought on the safety side

I was digging around some more and found two of them taped together behind the panel that is behind the gas and brake pedal. They are round and just hang from the wires. One chimes when you let the air out of the tag axle and the other? I verified that it works but nothing I tried would get that one to chime. I would think that the light and chime on the Low Air warning circuit would be on the same pressure switch but maybe not. It has a Gray w/Green stripe wire on the positive and a brown on the negative.

I'll call Newell in the morning and see what that one is.

I will let you guys know what I find out.

All commercial vehicles with Air brakes built since about the late 50's', that I have been in, have had a buzzer that goes on at any drop below 75 psi. I believe its a federal safety law, not state. By the way, that question is on the CDL tests, at least in CA. Not sure how a Newell doesn't come them.

#784 has a chime that goes off for the step, not the air. I'm not in any hurry to find and activate it.

I had a 97' Air brake coach and I added tape over the buzzer. It made noise after the tape, just not to the annoying level it was designed for. I always had to air up that coach, at startup, and it would drive the dog and kids crazy for a few minutes.

I just spoke to Robert at Newell and he said that year did not have an alarm just the light.

I agree with you Dave, from everything I have read and heard is that all vehicles with air brakes had to have both the light and the alarm. I think it's a very good idea to have the alarm since it can create a serious issue if the light is not noticed right away and the air is dropping fast.

Being that I have to go to a commercial DMV office here in California I better have it on there. Knowing them they will fail it whether it came with it from the factory or not.