I need an air compressor for small dive operation.

[Allois Malfitani]

I need some tips here. I am not an expert in dive compressors. I need an electric one (110/220).
I have a small operation in Pohnpei, Micronesia (easy shipping from the USA) and fill between 10 and 30 tanks a day.
Any suggestions in brands, sizes, used or new?
Thanks. Allois

 

[Johnoly]

.....not an expert in dive compressors. I need an electric one (110/220)..... fill between 10 and 30 tanks a day.

A " small 110 volt " compressor may be 4-5 CFM. 30 tanks is ALOT of tanks to fill in one day on that small voltage size compressor!! It can be done but that small of a compressor won't last but a couple of months, especially without a tank bank system. It's a balance of storage and CFM not just a compressor. If you don't have the electrical power maybe consider fuel power instead.

 

[Billy Northrup]

What kind of electrical power is available to you? I have zero clue to any of the manufacturer support structure in that part of the world or if your on your own as far maintenance / consumable parts. What do the other shops in your area run and why?

Thats a good amount of tanks, certainly need something with 100 percent duty cycle with auto drains.

Good luck!

 

[rddvet]

No matter what size you choose, I would stick with a Bauer. Mariner, K14, something like that. Bauer's are uiquitous and you can get parts all over the place. They're also easy to work on and tons of people have experience working on them. You're much more likely to find help on a forum for a Bauer than most other compressors. Also, don't go too small. A K14 is a big compressor, but it can be run single phase and even have a pulley change to slow it down, resulting in longevity. My k14 is a 1985 and runs like a beast.

 

[BoltSnap]

100 percent duty cycle

What does this mean?

 

[Wookie]

What does this mean?

Something that is rated for 100 percent duty cycle means it's good for running 100% of the time except when down for routine maintenance.

Sewage lift pumps are often 100% duty cycle.

Air compressors are not.

What Mindset was getting at was that the compressor should run unattended (auto-drains) without someone restarting it often. My compressors ran about 12 hours a day in stop start and required no supervision.

 

[broncobowsher]

How many hours a day do you want to spend with the compressor? A 10 CFM compressor will fill an AL80 in 8 minutes or so. Yes you generally won't be starting from empty, but you have to add some time to swapping tanks around. So 10 tanks will take an hour an a half out of your day. 30 tanks will be four and a half hours.

Duty cycle is how often and how long it has to be shut off to cool. A 100% duty cycle can run hour after hour and doesn't need to shut down. A 50% duty cycle needs to be turned off half the time. Run for 5 minutes and off for 5 minutes. You need to find the manufacturer's definition of a cycle. It might be a 6 minute window, or it might be a 60 minute window.

Something that will help is to get multiple fill whips and fill several tanks at once. It won't change how long it will take to fill, but will change how often you have to attend to the compressor. And slow filling tanks makes for cooler tanks that get a better fill. Fill 4 tanks at once and that 10CFM compressor will run half an hour before needing the tanks swapped. Gives you more time to attend to other aspects of the business.

I don't see any way you will be able to run a business with what a little 110V compressor can do. You should be shopping for a decent 220V compressor. And you will need a filter stack, whips, drains, and a few other odds and ends.

 

[BoltSnap]

I don't see any way you will be able to run a business with what a little 110V compressor can do. You should be shopping for a decent 220V compressor. And you will need a filter stack, whips, drains, and a few other odds and ends.

If everything else being equal, how and why would the voltage (and I presume single phase vs. 3 phase) matter for the compressor?

 

[Wookie]

If everything else being equal, how and why would the voltage (and I presume single phase vs. 3 phase) matter for the compressor?

You really can't push much more than 20 amps of 110 through an outlet. That's why most "real compressors" are 220 at minimum. single and 3 phase is the difference really of less than 10 HP or more than 10 HP. Yes, you can get 15 HP single phase motors, but you couldn't afford to run one, and it won't really last. You'll blow capacitors.

 

[BoltSnap]

You really can't push much more than 20 amps of 110 through an outlet. That's why most "real compressors" are 220 at minimum. single and 3 phase is the difference really of less than 10 HP or more than 10 HP. Yes, you can get 15 HP single phase motors, but you couldn't afford to run one, and it won't really last. You'll blow capacitors.

For us in the "outside the US " world, it is 220V single phase or 380V 3-Phase (50 Hz). Is 220V/50Hz 1-Phase has the same issue as the 110V 1-phase?