Curious about your home filling setups

[Jimmer]

I'm not going to be in the market for my own compressor anytime in the near future (or not so near future for that matter...stupid tuition), but I'm curious how many of you with compressors at home have banked air, and how many just pump to fill tanks.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Slipstrm]

I do both, I have a 10 tank cascade, and Continuous blender for Mixed gas.

 

[hydro12]

Slipstream, may I purchase admission to your garage, for oh, say $5/mo?

 

[Slipstrm]

Slipstream, may I purchase admission to your garage, for oh, say $5/mo?

If it cost's me anymore, I'll have to charge admission.

 

[rjack321]

I bank ~2000cf of 32%. I don't bank air.

I also fill off the compressor depending on my timing, needs, etc.

 

[omar]

~750 cuft 32% (1x 4500psi & 1x 2640psi)
~750 cuft air (1x 4500psi & 1x 2640psi)
~900 cuft 21/35 (2x 4500psi)
When I fill the banks I top off the tanks that need it as well. I continuous blend for mixed gases.

 

[Isaac-1]

My compressor is a small portable gasoline driven unit therefore I just fill tanks (anyway half the reason for owning it is to have the option of filling tanks on my boat or at a dive site.


Ike

 

[FishDiver]

My compressor is a small portable gasoline driven unit therefore I just fill tanks (anyway half the reason for owning it is to have the option of filling tanks on my boat or at a dive site.


Ike

I have been thinking of buying a small unit for camping and diving mountain lakes far from dive shops. Have you calculated the payback period (purchase price + maintenance cost/air fill price) for a small compressor?

Ignoring the convenience factor, how many air fills will pay back the purchase price?

 

[Isaac-1]

I doubt it is possible for any compressor to pay for itself if you are just looking at cost per air fill. Dive shops really don't make anything on tank fills. I bought my compressor used off ebay about 3 years ago for a very good price it was sold "local pick up only" in the middle of no where a full days drive away and with a couple of potential issues (220 volt 3 phase, 25 years old, etc) base unit $250, I have invested another $300 converting it to gasoline, etc. and would still like to update the filtration. Add to this the cost of filters, compressor oil, and most importantly your time at roughly 2 tanks per hour fill rate and you would be lucky not to loose money. In my case I have not used my compressor as much as I had hoped (mainly lack of free time), still I expect over the years that it will easily be worth every penny to me. In my case the nearest dive shop is located about 60 miles away, and operates limited hours (9-5 mon-fri and a half day saturday) also I have my own 28 foot sailboat, and while not an ideal dive platform, it can work.


Ike

 

[rjack321]

I would question whether shops really lose money on air fills. Personally I think that's an urban myth.

But yes its hard to pay back a compressor diving just air which costs about $1 per fill or so (and what maybe $4-5 at a shop?). $4 savings per fill for $3-3.5K compressor, that's 7-800 fills to break even.

recreational nitrox is much easier to pay back since the markup is so much higher ($2 at home vs. $9-12 typical shop cost). Trimix and deco gases are even easier to pay back since its even more marked up (typically). Factor in fuel costs to drop off and pickup tanks and home compressors are starting to be "worth it".