Air fill cost/price

[Rick Murchison]

In another thread someone was whining about the cost of air-fills. I just wonder how many divers really know what it costs the shop to fill tanks over the average life of an average compressor.
As a jumping-off point, in 1969 I was paying anywhere from $1 to $2.50 for a fill. Allowing for inflation that'd be about $12 to $30 today.
Rick

 

[Lost Yooper]

The local shops that I've been to up here charge $5 for regular or "clean" air (if they have it). Considering their time and maintenance, they're takin' a beating. LDS's are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Mike

 

[large_diver]

I'd be interested to hear the economics behind a typical LDS compressor.

- What's the fixed cost of putting it in?
- What are the variable costs for each fill?
- How much is annual maintenance on a typical compressor?

 

[MNScuba]

First of all, I mean no offense to anyone with the following comments. I just want to point some things out.

For now, air doesn't cost much at all (around $5 a tank). Now... you take all these people who are buying all their gear on the internet causing the LDS's to lose money and all of a sudden we'll be charged $40-$50 a tank. That might be a slight overstatement, but who could blame them? Sometimes the best price isn't always the best deal.

Anyway, I got a little off topic but I hope this changes some people's mind about ordering online vs their dive shop. I'd really hate to be spending tons of money on AIR, which by the way is pretty tough to get over the internet.

With that said, have a good one!

 

[Ferrara]

You guys are correct. Unless volumes are very large providing air just represeents a cost. I just did some quick calculations. Considering the number of tanks I fill, the cost of filters, the cost of the compressor, air testing and routine maintenance but ignoring any major repairs or rebuilds and ignoring the time it takes to fill the tanks. In order to BREAK EVEN after two years I would need to charge about $20 per fill. This does not even consider what it costs me to provide hyper filtered air for nitrox. Any one want a $30.00 bottle of nitrox?

 

[Lost Yooper]

I can buy a compressor for that much per fill. They're going to have to figure something out. Perhaps they'll have to put more pressure on those manufacturers that require fixed priced, high retail on their equipment.

It's a tough situation for them, for sure.

Mike

 

[MNScuba]

Now... if we could just come up with a way to breathe water!

If you COULD invent a way, the goverment would have some agency on shore and you would have to drain all used water and have it weighed in order to pay taxes on it I suppose... and then some sort of environmental fee and...

 

[Rick L]

the average here is 5$ a tank!
I remember When I paid 50$ for unlimited fills on the first tank!
and 30$ for a second tank for a year Boy did I spend a lot of time at that shop!!! He only did it for 2 years.
Rick L

 

[Swamp Rat]

If a dive shop in FL can charge $2.50 a fill now. There must be a more econimical way. If it cost me 12-20 dollars for air I do believe I would get out of scuba. Or at least any local diving here. That would hurt the shops more because I would be bad mouthing diving as being to blame expensive to do and probably turn a potenial diver away. Not only that I would buy less gear just rent down in FL when I go. Then I would not have to worry about carring all that stuff. I think the dive shops are going to go through a ruff period here in the next 5 year finding where their nitch to get things out of the red and into the black.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Originally posted by Lost Yooper
I can buy a compressor for that much per fill.
Mike

Do it.
Log your time you spend filling at what it's worth.
I'm sure you'll rebuild your own filters, but don't forget your time.
On my little compressor (which I got for a very good price, by the way) direct costs *without* counting my time or depreciating the value of the compressor (IOW fuel, oil, compressor oil, filters, routine maintenance and repairs - I don't do that work myself as my time is better spent elsewhere) run between $20 and $25 per fill. If I used it a lot more I could probably drive that down some, but due to the expense and the fill rate I only use it at remote sites. Bottom line - it is far, far cheaper for me to buy air than to pump my own. And I think that if you actually *do it* you'll find your theoretical calculations are a bit shy of reality.
Rick