Routine Gas/Electri swaps

[Waterskier1]

Hi all, I have another question to help me narrow down a compressor. If you have followed my previous questions, you know the main reason I’m looking for a compressor is to use on my houseboat a week or two a year. It’s on Lake Powell, at Bullfrog, and there are no air fill facilities within several hundred miles. So, it must be portable; liftable by 2 people into and out of my ski boat, when it’s both on the trailer and in the water along side the houseboat. And we don’t have 110 vac, much less 220 vac on the houseboat so gas engine is also a must for there.

Ok, I am seeing several used compressors advertised with low hours lately, but all are electric. I’m looking at Alkin, Coltri, and Bauer Jr, along with Rix. I’ve also read the advantages of electric, but had previously discounted them because of my need on the houseboat. Then I saw an old ad for a portable compressor, maybe the original Bauer Jr (not “II”) and it was available with both an electric motor and a gas engine. It appeared fairly easy (less than 30 to 60 minutes) to swap them out depending on what you needed.

So, my question today is have any of you experience with regularly swapping gas engines and electric motors on portable compressors. I know many of you have permanently swapped from one power source (gas or 3-phase) to electric, but I'm considering doing this swap a few times a year, every year. Is it as easily done as it appears? I looked at the Bauer Jr II parts breakdown, and it appears that IF you had the engine they sold, it would bolt up easily with no modifications to the frame or anything. Is this viable? Does any one manufacturer lend itself to an easier swap than another? I have never seen a Rix with gas power.

I know this would increase my cost a bit, but for some of the prices I’m seeing on used electric compressors, it seems I could buy an engine and still be under the prices for used gas compressors. I guess it’s the old supply and demand game. Just a lot more used electric compressors out there.

I’m not in a great hurry….the water will be getting hard here in a short time, but I have also read that winter is the best time (cost-wise) to buy a used compressor.

 

[nadwidny]

I have the similar needs as you (electric at home but need gas whilie in the boonies). So when I bought my compressor I told the guy that sold it to me my needs and he built a suitable frame and mounting system. Takes me about 15 minutes to switch from one to the other. My compressor is a rebuilt Bauer K120. I run it with a 7HP 220V single phase electric or a 9HP Honda.

 

[pescador775]

Skier, the Utilus 10 and Junior are easily convertible. Takes five minutes to swap.

 

[Isaac-1]

I was just going to make the comment about the Bauer Utilus 10, the hard part is finding one for sale with both the electric and gas drive units. It was designed to be VERY portable and easily broken apart into two section for carrying. Most of the ones I have seen show up online are the gasoline powered units. I don't know if electric drive sections are still available or not. There are a lot of these units out there with little use, they were introduced in the mid 1980's around the height of the popularity of scuba diving.

Ike

p.s. I am also one of those people that bought a 240 Volt AC powered compressor and converted to gasoline for portable use, in my case it coud be swapped back out with the simple removal of 4 bolts, getting belt alignment and tension would still be an issue though.

Ike

 

[The Curly One]

On the ALKIN you can easily put the elctric motor on the gas frame. The gas frames are beefier and have additional braces on cooling coils and rubber dampeners to account for the added vibration of the gas motor. So I would recommend if you are going to be swapping the motors (10 minute job) that you get the gas model and add the electric motor later.
I do always reccommend the elctric motors when ever possible but in some cases gas power is your only option.

 

[fyr-guy]

Hi Ski.
Being able to swap out motors is very handy indeed and not at all complicated. My Bauer Purus came with a 5.5 hp Honda which is a great engine. Unfortunetly my neighbours didn't think so. Being the good neighbour that I am I decided to add a 3hp 3450 rpm compressor duty motor to the unit. I found that I was doing 75% of my filling at home . It's queiter and there is a lot less vibration to the compressor block and filters. It takes 10 min. to change it over to gas for those road trips to the more remote sites. Just remember to match the pulley size on the elec. motor to the compressor block so that everything is more or less turning at the required rpm to maintain proper comp. output and lubrication. Also when replacing filters ,make sure you are using the ones that are compatible with gas engines with the CO absorbing chemicals for those times that you are using gas power. Total cost for me to adapt to elec. was approx. $175.00 for parts. Well worth the expense.