Home Compressor .. Yes or No ???

[VooDooGasMan]

Get a compressor that you can afford for now. Use the dive shops when in the area, start buying tanks so you have reserve. when you have time fill. If you get a booster you can fill a cascade storage with a smaller compressor to the higher pressure.

The key for me is to not go below 1000 psi, like mentioned before, and then 1200psi starts happening, less time, more fills per filter, and although oil is a bit change a lot, they do not take much to fill and better for your compressor.

Buy a new one, and in a few years sell and buy another, it keeps you updated without ever repairing.

You will learn once you buy one.

I am changing oil now and filter, then I will fill a dozen tanks, and then after a dozen tanks I do it over again. Filter 40$, oil5$ 3 gallons of gas 12$. 57$ for 24 tanks is a little over 2$ a tank.

You can use filter longer and less oil changes, not sure on electric prices. but one could probably fill for 1.50 a tank.

Takes time. When I spearfish I start filling when I get home and once gear, boat, and fish cleaned, air is done.

When busy I have 14 single tanks, 4 sets of doubles, 4 140 filled with 70%o2, One al 80 100%o2 , I have a helium, o2, and a argon tank from gas supply company.

Now I am Just one diver, It now only cost the gas as I have a stock in filters and oil. so about 200$ in fuel, 200$ in filters and oil. Helium, oxygen, and argon is about 400$. Thats 800$ a year to dive as deep as I want, any time I want. I spearfish most all the time, then go take pictures when season's over.




Happy Diving

 

[Linedog]

Sounds like it might be best to stock up on tanks and maybe cut a deal with an LDS to fill all your tanks.

 

[matt t.]

Sounds like it might be best to stock up on tanks and maybe cut a deal with an LDS to fill all your tanks.

I agree. Any dive shop should be happy to give you a guarantee that your tanks will be filled when you need them (within reason) if you are promising them that much business on a regular basis.

 

[quazy]

pm sent

 

[50Fathom]

There's also the issue of getting the fills you want. If you don't live in N. Florida, good luck getting 3800-4000PSI fills from a shop.

And if you're filling mix, double-fuhgeddaboutit.

I work in a shop now, and have access to a compressor, (that still doesn't go as high as I'd like), but this won't last forever, so I see a compressor in my future.

 

[H2Ocean]

banks are reletively cheap. something like 275.00 each that require 10 yrs hydo testing? look at northshore used equipment High Pressure Air Compressors - North Shore Compressor - Used Equipment

 

[frogman62]

Northshore is a great company. I have known Chuck Potter for 25 years and he is a real straight shooter
Jim Shelden

 

[quazy]

Maybe something like this might work for you?
Dive compressor Bauer

 

[nitroxfox]

I would encourage you to also familiarize yourself with OSHA and DOT regulations if you will be selling air. OSHA 69:7351-7366 is their Final Ruling concerning Recreational Scuba. Read the section on Using a Compressor and also Mixing Nitrox if you will be doing either. If you use an oil-filled compressor, even with synthetic lubricants.
(e) Oil-lubricated compressors. Before the employer produces nitrox breathing-gas mixtures using an oil-lubricated compressor to mix high-pressure air with O2, and regardless of the gas pressure in any system component, this proposed condition would require employers to: (i) Use only uncontaminated air (i.e., air containing no hydrocarbon particulates) for the nitrox breathing-gas mixture; (ii) have the compressor manufacturer certify in writing that the compressor is suitable for mixing the high-pressure air with the highest O2 fraction used in the nitrox breathing-gas mixture; (iii) filter the high-pressure air to produce O2-compatible air; (iv) have the filter-system manufacturer certify in writing that the filter system used for this purpose is suitable for producing O2-compatible air; and (v) continuously monitor the air downstream from the filter for hydrocarbon contamination.

I have not been able to get a letter from the maker of my compressor(Bauer) so I can use a Nitrox Stik and comply with Federal Regulation.

As OSHA noted in the proposal, oil-based lubricants used in compressors contain hydrocarbons that can ignite in the presence of an enriched O2 environment during the mixing process; such ignition may cause an explosion that injures and kills employees. To prevent the injuries and death that could result from such explosions, the proposed requirements were designed to ensure that the high-pressure O2 being pumped through the compressor is free of combustible hydrocarbons. Therefore, paragraph (i) of the proposed condition specified a requirement that employers use hydrocarbon-free air when mixing nitrox breathing gases. By obtaining the manufacturer's written certification that the compressor is suitable for this purpose, as required by paragraph (ii), the employer knows that system components exposed to high O2 will be safe for mixing high- pressure air with the highest O2 fraction used in the nitrox breathing-gas mixture. OSHA revised this provision slightly to indicate that providing documentation of a compressor's suitability is the responsibility of the manufacturer, not the employer.

Therefore, for the purposes of the alternative procedures permitted by this final rule, employers who operate compressors that use synthetic lubricants are to treat these compressors in the same fashion as oil-lubricated compressors.

Also check out DOT regulations:
49CFR173.302(b) specifically.
I attach Luxfer's position for your convenience. Catalina cylinders has the same recommendation as do most other cylinder manufacturers. However, this will conflict with what many in the dive industry will tell you. I am not taking a position on the 40% threshold, but urge you to familiarize yourself with the pertinent regulations and take them into consideration when making your decision.

Can I fill my Luxfer aluminum scuba cylinder with pure oxygen so that I can use it for decompression?
Yes, if you follow the Luxfer requirements listed below, which must be met both for pure oxygen and gas mixtures containing more than 23.5% oxygen:

◦The cylinder must have been properly cleaned, tested for cleanliness and maintained in a proper state of cleanliness for oxygen service in strict accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) CFR49 173.302(b).
◦The cylinder must be equipped with an oxygen-compatible valve and be filled only by oxygen-clean, properly maintained filling equipment dedicated to oxygen service.
◦The cylinder must never be fast-filled or over-pressurized.
◦Proper safety procedures for handling and dispensing oxygen prescribed by the DOT and U.S. Compressed Gas Association (CGA) must be followed at all times. In fact, Luxfer further recommends that anyone in the scuba industry who handles pure oxygen in a Luxfer cylinder become familiar with and follow current guidelines concerning cleanliness, filling, storage, usage and maintenance of oxygen cylinders provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum and composite medical oxygen cylinders, Luxfer has a great deal of experience with cylinders in pure oxygen service and with the FDA guidelines that promote safe oxygen usage. Luxfer’s experience has shown that following FDA guidelines is a practical and effective way of preventing oxygen-related accidents.

Anyway,
I hope this helps and you find the information useful when making your decision.

 

[DNScarboro]

Max Air 90 3.5K Georgia- low hours etc pm to discuss Thanks