looking at buying a compressor

[KentB]

Hey Guys

Im almost out of air fills at the LDS and my dive buddy is also getting low(he got some extras from a tank purchase) and 3 other friends have seen go pro videos and pictures and want to do their open water as well. so were contemplating buying a compressor instead of more air fills @ the LDS this is mainly due to 3 things
1)20 fills is $175 with tax so after another set of 20 which isn't very many the 2 of us are at 1/4-1/3 the price of a compressor?
2) the closest dive shop is 45 min away without traffic and 1.5 hours during rush hour, they are a super busy shop so on weekends they open @ 10 and first thing they are filling 20-40 tanks for classes. which means Im not in the water until noon at the earliest. I work for myself so I can go during the week but its expensive to not be working.
3) Im a very impulsive buyer so when I walk around there for 30-40 min i spend money........

I want to start doing more night dives and diving after work but its a real hassle with the shop so far away to get tanks filled. typically Wednesday nights and Sundays are dive days Ill get a lot more diving in with air fills not being a pain the ass to get.
currently between the 2 of us we have 3 HP steel tanks and an al80 so Id need a compressor capable of 3500PSI preferably more 4000 psi so I can get the full fill after cool down
I don't even know where to start looking at what would work for my situation.
speed isn't a big deal I don't really care if it takes hours to fill a tank. noise isnt a huge concern although I would like it at home I don't live in the boonies so if its too loud Id have it at my shop.
I would prefer single phase but I do have 3 phase at the shop.

any recommendations or brands to stay away from????
I know compressors are expensive and for the workload its going to get I don't want to have another mortgage payment, this will never see commercial volume its just a personal use work load mainly for the convenience

thanks!

 

[abnfrog]

I wish you luck just don't do business with brian kooistra in Manitoba ..I bought one of his compressors off him paid 7 k and it needs 6-8 k repairs ........steve

 

[luscioman]

I would consider buying more tanks and having them pretty filled as well. This way you are not having to fill every time before diving. You also need to factor in compressor maintenence costs as well.

 

[KentB]

I wish you luck just don't do business with brian kooistra in Manitoba ..I bought one of his compressors off him paid 7 k and it needs 6-8 k repairs ........steve

thanks for the head ups but Im not looking to spend that kind of money cheers

I would consider buying more tanks and having them pretty filled as well. This way you are not having to fill every time before diving. You also need to factor in compressor maintenance costs as well.

this crossed my mind as well but Im a big dude and heavy breather and al 80s dont really give me the bottom time Id like compared to how much work it is driving to sites and gearing up with drysuits. the cost of bigger steel tanks really just make the compressor sound like the better way to go
the costs are not the big concern as it looks like it will probably be 2 possibly 4 splitting the cost. but regardless all 4 of us are self employed so time away from work is rare and if I need to spend it driving in rush hour to a busy shop to wait to fill a dozen tanks while they are trying to fill 20-40 for OW and AOW is painful.
maintenance on a compressor that fills under a dozen tanks a week will be minimal.

 

[49north]

It sounds like your situation is similar to mine. I am 1.5 hrs from the nearest dive shop if traffic is light. The local fire hall is 5 minutes from my house. I give them donations and they fill my tanks. They also have a brand new compressor and they can fill them pretty fast.

As for buying a compressor, you talked to these guys:

Irwin Air Ltd.

They seem to supply most of the dive shops and fire halls.

 

[KentB]

It sounds like your situation is similar to mine. I am 1.5 hrs from the nearest dive shop if traffic is light. The local fire hall is 5 minutes from my house. I give them donations and they fill my tanks. They also have a brand new compressor and they can fill them pretty fast.

As for buying a compressor, you talked to these guys:

Irwin Air Ltd.

They seem to supply most of the dive shops and fire halls.

Thanks I'll fire them an email!
I actually called all the fire dept recently and seems they all out source there air fill and one do in it house. I was pretty bummed.
Surrey is just across the bridge!
Cheers

 

[KentB]

Thanks I'll fire them an email!
I actually called all the fire dept recently and seems they all out source there air fill and one do in it house. I was pretty bummed.
Surrey is just across the bridge!
Cheers

Phone was tripping
I meant to say none do it in house

 

[49north]

I talked to them when I was looking at buying a compressor. They were very helpful.

Too bad your local fire hall doesn't do their own fills. That's hard to beat if you can arrange something with them....

 

[NAM001]

try frogman62,,,,,, I think His name is shelden

Shelden Sporting Goods Inc. - High Pressure Air Compressors

 

[clownfishsydney]

Have a look at my web site page about our purchase of a Bauer Junior II compressor and our experiences over the past 16 years. Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site