Max-Air 35 Compressor - Any Comments?

[realdiver7]

I may be purchasing a small home compressor to do about 125-150 fills per year. Would like to add Nitrox capabilities as soon as possible as well. One fill every 30 minutes is acceptable, and I will be able to constantly monitor the process. Will be filling 100 cf steel tanks to 3500 psi.

Does anyone have any experience with the Max-Air 35 electric (not gas) compressor? Would 240 hours be considered a lot of hours or not? I can get this one for around $1,500.

Any pros and cons provided would be greatly appreciated. My heart is not set on this particular compressor, so feel free to fire away!

Thanks!

 

[rcontrera]

They are one of over 20 different distributors that purchase ColtriSub compressors and slap their sticker on the side.

That model is a very popular compressor and is also known as the MCH6. They are built well, are light in weight and will last a long time with proper care. There is one problem that comes up in them though. For people that don't change their oil regularly (about a $13 investment), water can build up in the sump and that leads directly to the 4th stage piston and valve. This is such a small piston that any amount of corrosion or wear products will cause leakage and valve failure.

As for Nitrox, the entire line of ColtriSub compressors is rated for up to 40% at 3000 psi.

As for your specific compressor, 240 hours is not a long time ... about 700 air fills. If it has been running only synthetic oil, then it should be in good condition if changed regularly (about every 60 fills). Hopefully, the previous owner has a service log you can look at to see that he changed the oil and filters regularly. If he does, and he has, then $1500 is a good price since this model runs $2899 right now.

Hope that helps!

 

[116fire]

Get a Rix...

 

[ppo2_diver]

I did.

 

[PinkPADIgal]

I would not encourage anyone to buy Max-Air. I have a lot of customer service issues with the company. They also state that you will "void" any warranty if you use Nitrox with their systems.

 

[oxyhacker]

I don't know what MaxAir says, but Coltri, the manufacturer, is on record as saying <40% is fine in Coltri compressors, and will not void the warranty. They even sell separators systems to go with the compressors that work (as far as the compressor is concerned) very much like a continuous mixer.

I would not encourage anyone to buy Max-Air. I have a lot of customer service issues with the company. They also state that you will "void" any warranty if you use Nitrox with their systems.

 

[rcontrera]

I don't know what MaxAir says, but Coltri, the manufacturer, is on record as saying <40% is fine in Coltri compressors, and will not void the warranty. They even sell separators systems to go with the compressors that work (as far as the compressor is concerned) very much like a continuous mixer.

Absolutely right! Coltrisub is the exclusive distributor of the Nuvair Nitrox generators everywhere in the world except the US. And enriched air will not damage the compressors unless using natural oil in which case, you will oxidize it much faster and that will require a much more frequent oil change.

I know Amy's compressor and she has had a pretty bad time of it with her original supplier. Her "brand new" compressor has now been fully overhauled by her local compressor guy and should be good to go.

 

[Om3ga*wolf_1362...]

rcontrera, sorry to drag up an old thread, but you say amy's compressor has had a full
overhaul,
is this normal for this line of compressor or was this a bad machine out of a good batch...
i ask has every one i've looked at (other than bauer) seems to lead back to coltri,
and there's some people who say they wouldn't have one...
so the bottom line i guess is, are coltri sub compressors any good ?...

thanks in advance...
wolfy...

 

[rcontrera]

ColtriSub makes an excellent compressor. If they didn't, then there would be 22 less distributors in the US selling them under their own name. It is only recently that they began bringing them into the US under their own name. I previously sold them under the Holugt-USA name but it was the same machine. I chuckle sometimes when I read that somebody loves the XYZ brand compressor but wouldn't take a Coltri if it were given to them ... and of course the XYZ is a Coltri.

There is one weakness in the small machine. It is a 4 stage machine and the 4th stage cylinder is on the bottom. The owner's manual states that you don't change the oil for 250 hours. For one of these little guys, that can be a couple of years!! In that time, moisture and wear products can settle into the sump and contaminate the 4th stage valve.

Anyone that didn't change their oil regularly (I recommend 25 hours) had valve problems. Bad design??? Not really. Bad instruction manual?? DEFINITELY!

I have customers that have gotten over a thousand hours out of their MCH6 compressors without even having to replace the valves once (recommended at 100 hours) and you can chalk that up to using high grade synthetic oil and doing changes regularly.

Hope that helps.

 

[PinkPADIgal]

I would not hesitate buying from Ray or a Coltri Sub. A compressor is a machine and there is likely going to be problems with it at some point, just like a car. However, I have had horrible customer service from Max Air and they will not stand behide their products.

I have had 2 issues with my less than 2 year old compressor. The first cost me about $2800, the second, $2500. The first was with a broken piston, the second was the main bearing. In both cases, Ray, not Max Air came and helped us with our initial diagnosis. Max Air blamed us for running the machine with out oil and because we used nitrox with the machine. Neither problem was our fault. They were defects by the manufacturer. Because we puchased our machines from Max Air, and we were outside the 12 month warrenty (the first breakdown was at 15 months), they refused to help me.

Now that my machine has been completely rebuilt, it works wonderful, with no thanks to Max Air. Ray has helped us with our nitrox system we bought from him and additional filter towers. If we have a problem, he is our first call.

If you are interested in a compressor, Ray is awesome and will work with you. He will assist with set up and wonderful at trouble shooting. If you buy a Max Air and have a problem with it, expect not to get any cooperation from them.