About Coltri.....

To be honest unless you're running a busy fill station, which you won't be with the mch6, I wouldn't bother with any of them. If you want to spend money on something useful maybe get the 300 bar model and buy a 232 bar pressure reducer with a safety valve.

 

I'm looking at the Coltri MCH6 EM6 (single phase) (EM 6) for the purpose of learning to maintain/fix my own air compressor before I open a dive center in Greece (there I'll be using a Paramina - PARAMINA, as i can get parts overnight from Athens).

I'm not looking to save money on air fills (as I won't save any money). But I just want some general experience before I have a business that depends on it (though I'd have two).

 

Wouldn't you be better taking a compressor maintenance course? ASSET Advanced Compressor Strip Down & Rebuild Course - Dive Tech Training
I've done courses with their partner organization in the UK and they are brilliant. Buying and running a small compressor won't really teach you much about troubleshooting or running a commercial compressor beyond filling a tank and changing oil. Also if you are buying with the hope of selling again when you're done you will lose a LOT of value on the resale. Maybe taking the course and buying some old piece of crap compressor second hand, something physical to look at and mess about with while doing the course would serve you better...

 

Absolutely. Now Paramina provides training but I’d rather have different educational sources so that I can deal with any failures quickly as my business will depend on it. Thanks for the link.

 

Bauer is more expensive but it will also retain its value for reselling. I think what counts is the supply of spare parts and service, which ever brand is more present in your region, that is the one to go for. I personally fancy Bauer a little more than Coltri. If I was to open a dive centre in Greece, I would look into Alkın Compressors. Their factory is located in Izmir, very close to Greece. I had visited their factory over 20 years ago and was really impressed.

 

I've been mulling it over. Taking the class after buying a used one makes a lot of sense. I would just like it to be portable so I can take it to my parent's beach house along the Hood Canal and also do fills there. So a used Coltri EM6 would be ideal. A new Coltri is only $2K, so I'm not concerned about resell value. But you are right, doing a complete rebuild is much more educational and will help. I may get one used Paramina and one new one, do the rebuild on the Paramina before I open shop.

 

First off define this "Training" they offer. One thing to "train" end users in a class room how to drain the oil refill the cartridge, and do a bit of belt tension now and again.

Quite another to offer a complete training course to strip down entirely, including heads valves pistons and conrods down to the removing the entire crank shaft out of the crankcase add to which a total rebuild retest of the compressor block and configure of the entire compressor assembly, in the field with the minimum of tools. That is an entrirely different definition of compressor training.

In order to make an informed choice you need first to define the training offered.

 

And if I were to open a dive centre in Greece, I would first look at the electrical power availability (in 3 phase 380-400 volt 50Hz and the amps available on the breaker) at the building premise location and second the numbers of cylinders I am required to fill in a day (especially if I had the notion of even the hope of using a Coltri for this application) .
Third I would consider the location of the compressor air intake in relation to any other buildings works or roads nearby and finally any consideration if say its got a hotel next door and I'm up till three in the morning jamming tanks all night for the next days diving on a Coltri MCH 6 or alternativly looking for the parts I dropped on the floor off the Paramina or Alkin as it shakes itself to death after 400 hours running from new. Hope dies last. Just sayin LOL

 

Why not both? That is my plan at this point.

 

Oh, there's no way I'd have something like the Coltri MCH6 at my dive op. That's just for my garage. I like the idea of getting a used one, taking the course of the earlier link, tearing it down completely, rebuilding it. Maybe sell it, buy another one, tear it down, rebuild it. Rinse and repeat until I get sick of it. Move to Greece (of the 5 dive centers I have spoken to, all use the Greek compressor), buy one new one, one used one (2 is 1, 1 is none). Tear down the used one, build back up. The season in Greece is basically May to October, just half the year, so I wouldn't be scrambling.

I am looking at buying property on Naxos, as it is growing. Even if I were to not open a dive center in the end (which would be a real shame for me), I'd definitely turn a profit on reselling, especially if land around is all developed. Though there is a hassle of taxes and all.... But at least I know a real estate agent on that island.

Parts from Paramina are available next day, unless you are on a really remote island. Paramina would just put it on a boat, and I'd pick up at the ferry docks. The ferry traffic in Greece during the months of good weather (and therefore tourists) is considerable. I'm not worried about parts at all. And I'm hoping to foster a good enough relationship with other dive centers is that when one dive center's compressor(s) are down, we help fill each other's cylinders. We are not each other's competition. We are in the hospitality business, just like hotels and restaurants. Do hotel owners say "oh the Zeus Hotel has bedbugs"? Or restaurant owners "Zorba's Gyros adds cockroaches to their meat!" I'll definitely offer assistance. I do know my place as an outsider.