How to fill my tank

[Mike Henry]

I use air from the fire hall. The nearest dive shop is an hour and a half away if traffic is light. The fire hall is five minutes. They have a brand new compressor and all of the service records are in the SCBA room. I am comfortable with it...

Are you telling me that if I take my tank down the street to the fire station that they will fill it up for me?

 

[JamesBon92007]

Are you telling me that if I take my tank down the street to the fire station that they will fill it up for me?

I'm guessing that if you take your tank to a dive shop and you are covered with paint splotches they will fill it. Actually, I have no idea how paint ballers get around having a C-card to get fills but they must, somehow. But don't hold your breath (double meaning )

I'm also wondering: what kind of regulator do you have? Have you tested it in any way to make sure it works?

 

[MichaelMc]

thanks for saving my life
problem is i do not have Padi certification so i don't think i can get my tank filled - i just wanted to swim around in the back yard pool -

Are you telling me that if I take my tank down the street to the fire station that they will fill it up for me?

I think we need to turn this conversation from 'how to fill a tank' to 'you need to get certified'.

That tank of yours likely cost at least around $100, a reg set something similar or more, and also a BC. As low estimates, save maybe the tank. Certification is certainly several hundred more. But you really need to get certified!

 

[Mike Henry]

There is a reason compressors for scuba air are many times more expensive.

I wouldn't expect it to last long nor would I breath the unfiltered, oil rich air it produces. It just isn't the right tool for the job.

And, I don't get their math. I think based on the specs that filling an 80 would take you hours.

how about this guy?
110E160 Electric Powered Unit by Air Line

 

[MichaelMc]

Excellent question.

That is $1,200. Certification is less.

Ahh. Seems clear. Certification is cheaper. You should get certified. Is that not clear??

Once certified, you then join the group of certified divers, with dive boats, shore dives, community, etc. Instead of guessing at what you are doing.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

You might have more luck with this.

 

[MichaelMc]

Ahh.

THE OP IS NOT CERTIFIED. And is working to fill tanks. Does not seem like something we want to encourage.

 

[JamesBon92007]

how about this guy?
110E160 Electric Powered Unit by Air Line

Like MichaelMc mentioned, that's a lot of money for futzing around in your swimming pool. If you like the idea of breathing underwater then you'd probably like scuba diving. Most of us here love scuba diving. I dove for about 45 years before I ever spent $1200 for gear, but prices have gone up Now that I'm old and retired and don't have very many bills I can spend more money on gear and trips etc so sure, I'm spending more money now. If you search Groupon you might find a certification course in your area for for $200 or less (at least they have such offers here) but make sure they are giving you full OW (Open Water) certification. There is a lot of good, used gear for sale on eBay etc so you don't need to spend tons of money to get started and you can ask on here if someone thinks it's any good or not before you buy it. Or you can rent gear for a while. After diving for a while and talking to people you might find a regulator that you just gotta have but by then you'll have a better idea of what is what. Another option, if you are not sure you want to become a scuba diver, is to take a Discover Scuba class. They teach you the basic physics and put you in a swimming pool and have you do some exercises so you know how to use everything, then they take you into the ocean (or lake) on a dive or two. I have no idea where you are located but my girlfriend did it in Playa del Carmen, Mexico for about $135 and she got two very nice reef dives. She is now a certified diver and no longer has to sit on the boat having a good time while I'm in the water having a great time

Here's an example of a Groupon scuba course (not a recommendation):

https://www.groupon.com/deals/extreme-adventures-llc-1

I also wanted to mention, just for your own information, that when the compressor people told you to stop filling and let the compressor cool for a while they might have been trying to prevent overheating of the oil. Regular motor oil releases carbon monoxide when it gets hot and since piston rings are not a 100% seal then some of that CO will get into your tank. Very deadly, very quickly. In scuba compressors we use very specialized crankcase oil that does not release much CO when it gets hot plus we use filters to remove any trace CO and test our air afterward and they have a more advanced cooling system. It's also important to have a good, working water trap because you don't want moisture in your tank which can cause corrosion and, in extreme situations, tank eruption. Our filters also remove trace amounts of moisture that make it past the water trap. On that particular compressor I (and obviously everyone) believe that no matter what you do you will get oil, carbon monoxide, and moisture in your tank. Even a compressor with an electric motor can heat the oil hot enough to produce CO and some motor oil will get past the piston rings.

 

[mmerriman]

I said I am going to return the compressor - just a bad idea from the start - thanks for saving my life
problem is i do not have Padi certification so i don't think i can get my tank filled - i just wanted to swim around in the back yard pool -

go get certified. doesn't matter what agency. Learn the risks about diving.

 

[northernone]

Echoing what's been said above:

Buying, maintaining and operating a compressor which will pump safely breathable gas is expensive.

Here's an example of a popular inexpensive compressor and the necessary accessories:

JUNIOR II high-pressure compressor, diving, ship compressor, paintball

Most new divers find buying fills from a professional source works out to be much cheaper as well as with less risk.

If you're looking to enjoy your pool, perhaps a hooka system would be suitable... I imagine you'll quickly want to be diving elsewhere too though. Used gear (and training how to not die while using it) can be had quite cheaply.

Enjoy the water!
Cameron