Question Bauer Capitano - $2750 - good deal?

[rjack321]

Noted - do you mix yours with pure O2 for nitrox? I tend to follow manufacturers recommendations for service especially when it comes to pure O2

Bauer will never bless this unit for nitrox. It can easily continuous blend though

 

[Agro]

They are a workhorse. I've changed the valves on mine, and that's it barring regular oil and filter changes over I don't know how many hours. They are not fast but they keep on keeping on. If mixing nitrox use double or hyper filters and the best synthetic oil you can get.

I do not agree at all. For god sake do not change from mineral oil to synthetic oil. This will result in a desaster. If your capitano runs on mineral oil, keep it.

There is no need at all to use synthetic oil for nitrox blending. No matter what oil you use you must prevent it passing the filter. Synthetic oil or mineral oil plus oxygen: crashboombang.

So an additional personal filter is a very good idea.

 

[bakodiver391]

I work on a lot of compressors and have changed every one over to synthetic with no issues whatsoever. Dinosaur oil is literally that, a dinosaur. We have come a long way in the development of lubricants since mineral oil was the standard.

 

[Tracy]

I do not agree at all. For god sake do not change from mineral oil to synthetic oil. This will result in a desaster. If your capitano runs on mineral oil, keep it.

There is no need at all to use synthetic oil for nitrox blending. No matter what oil you use you must prevent it passing the filter. Synthetic oil or mineral oil plus oxygen: crashboombang.

So an additional personal filter is a very good idea.

Never heard of a compressor that can't be switched to synthetic. I have done it on probably 20 plus machines over the years. Sometimes you have to do it multiple times if the internals are sludgy. The synthetic is a high detergent oil, it will clean the years of residue and sludge from the mineral oil.

 

[Russjstewart]

Never heard of a compressor that can't be switched to synthetic. I have done it on probably 20 plus machines over the years. Sometimes you have to do it multiple times if the internals are sludgy. The synthetic is a high detergent oil, it will clean the years of residue and sludge from the mineral oil.

Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site

He reports similar problems

 

[Tracy]

Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site

He reports similar problems

If you read it, he states exactly what I wrote.

 

[Agro]

Bauer manual: A simple switchover from mineral oil to synthetic oil is only possible during the first 100 operating hours of a new compressor. Beforehand, the compressor has to be cleaned thoroughly. Older units have to be checked by a qualified service technician prior to the oil change. Synthetic oils tend to dissolve carbon deposits inside the compressor. The dissolved residue will clog filters, valves and coolers. A switchover from synthetic to mineral oils is possible anytime.

Of course you can switch but you must clean the compressor in every detail. Cooling coils are very hard to clean. As a Capitano only makes low rpm oil is not subjected to stress at all, mineral oil has been working fine for decades for this application. My Capitano has been running on mineral oil for 45 years now, no issues.

 

[rjack321]

Bauer manual: A simple switchover from mineral oil to synthetic oil is only possible during the first 100 operating hours of a new compressor. Beforehand, the compressor has to be cleaned thoroughly. Older units have to be checked by a qualified service technician prior to the oil change. Synthetic oils tend to dissolve carbon deposits inside the compressor. The dissolved residue will clog filters, valves and coolers. A switchover from synthetic to mineral oils is possible anytime.

Of course you can switch but you must clean the compressor in every detail. Cooling coils are very hard to clean. As a Capitano only makes low rpm oil is not subjected to stress at all, mineral oil has been working fine for decades for this application. My Capitano has been running on mineral oil for 45 years now, no issues.

The OP is in FL. It's *hot* there. Mineral oil works "fine" most of the time until it doesn't and you get CO. There is no need to use 50+yo lubricant technology in 2025. And absolutely not if you're continuous blending in a very hot climate.

 

[Agro]

The OP is in FL. It's *hot* there.

Climate is hot, yes. Capitono is not. Capitano runs very low rpm, cooling is excellent, air temperature is not hot. You can easily measure by a infrared temperature meter.

There is absolutely no need to use synthetic oil on this kind of compressor. If you use a Coltri MCH6 which runs at 3'000 rpm things are different.

Of course you can switch to synthethic oil, if you want to. But you really must clean all Capitano parts which have contact to air after 1st stage. Until now nobody could explain to me how to clean cooling coils. Bauer recommendes to exchange cooling coils which is very expensive.

 

[Agro]

Did you buy the Capitano?