Buying a compressor to save money

[rob.mwpropane]

Here's an ex fire department compressor, it's fast it's automatic it's beautiful
Tested and reconditioned, cost me about the same as a second hand Junior
I expect to change the oil repack the filter, never wear this unit out, for life

This rotary phase converter is what cost me, but brought pride and happiness
And cost a lot less than the cigarettes alcohol and tablets had I not been diving
You can see it up there on the floor next to the compressor behind some tanks

Quiet, ha you can conduct a spoken conversation next to it
Think of your tinnitus think of your future industrial deafness
Leave my compressor alone, you can almost leave the house

Buy big

Buy now when you can

And you too like captain can one day be the oldest with the oldest on ScubaBoard

Because you are all worth it!


And compared to all the other crap that people buy, a compressor costs absolutely nothing

If it's so quiet, why hang ear muffs from it...


Awesome looking setup, what's the cfm?

I bought mine with the intentions of being portable, and that might still be an adventure I have one day, but reality so far is that it hasn't moved from withing 50' of the the 1st place I ever ran it. Larger electric might have been the way to go...

 

[AfterDark]

I own a compressor for the same reason I reload my own ammo, freedom and self reliance. If I had bought a compressor 20-30 years ago I may have saved some money, but this past season I only did 6 dives and it's likely I wouldn't do many more next year.

As someone pointed out the real cost is driving to and from the LDS. For me it's a 40 mile round trip that needs to be done twice if I want a good fill. If I wait the tank is too hot post fill and doesn't get topped off so dropping it off was the best way to go. Now I wait till I have 3-4 tanks to fill and have at it. I also do my own VIP and have stickers to apply. If I seen something I don't like I take it to the LDS and let them VIP the tank. Also discovered here on SB that by law I am not required to get hydro tests done on my tanks but I still do.

So there are more ways to save money than just fills. Just the yearly VIP on my tanks cost me $198.00. This is the second year of cost free VIPs. My trips to the LDS are very rare since I purchased the compressor.

 

[rx7diver]

I have very little knowledge about Rix compressors. A friend had one for a couple of years with minimal issues. All of my experience has been with recip compressors.

I looked carefully at the specs for Rix SA-6 compressors a number of years ago. They are (were?) rated for "continuous duty." They are (were?) serious compressors, built to mil specs.

rx7diver

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I looked carefully at the specs for Rix SA-6 compressors a number of years ago. They are (were?) rated for "continuous duty." They are (were?) serious compressors, built to mil specs.

rx7diver

I have been told off record (at least nowhere that it was printed) that they are continuous duty to 3600psi, higher than that take breaks.

 

[tbone1004]

I looked carefully at the specs for Rix SA-6 compressors a number of years ago. They are (were?) rated for "continuous duty." They are (were?) serious compressors, built to mil specs.

rx7diver

I have been told off record (at least nowhere that it was printed) that they are continuous duty to 3600psi, higher than that take breaks.

that has been confirmed by the engineers at Rix. If you slow them down they are continuous rated at higher pressures. @iain/hsm have you done any testing on your own for speed vs. wear on yours for optimum run rates to minimize heat?

 

[TTPaws]

Second what @grf88 said. They use adsorption via zeolites to remove the n2 for most of those systems. Also how they generate O2 in remote islands like Truk. Membranes can’t get to high enough O2 percentages.
I use an invacare oxygen concentrator fed into a stick but the pump has to be slowed to about 1cfm with a 5lpm concentrator. Not a problem with a VFD on a Rix but you can’t slow most oiled compressors down that much since they are splash lubricated. You could get a bigger concentrator or use multiples though.

Is there a way to remove the argon? I read somewhere that is the majority of the leftover 5%.

 

[tbone1004]

Is there a way to remove the argon? I read somewhere that is the majority of the leftover 5%.

not practically speaking. It's possible with very expensive zeolites but it is pointless on OC. 95% doesn't affect deco efficiency since you don't have any buildup of argon in your system so you can leave it at 99% on your computer and even though argon is insanely narcotic it's still at low enough of a ppAr that you don't have to worry about it. On a CCR you just flush it every 10ish minutes so it doesn't build up and you're fine.

 

[TTPaws]

not practically speaking. It's possible with very expensive zeolites but it is pointless on OC. 95% doesn't affect deco efficiency since you don't have any buildup of argon in your system so you can leave it at 99% on your computer and even though argon is insanely narcotic it's still at low enough of a ppAr that you don't have to worry about it. On a CCR you just flush it every 10ish minutes so it doesn't build up and you're fine.

This would be for a rebreather. That could use quite a bit of dill on a longer dive.

 

[TrimixToo]

As an active open circuit trimix diver, I was paying $200 a fill, or $400 per day of diving, just for back gas. Add the cost of deco gases, and it was getting expensive to go deep! I found a older used K14-85 for $1200, upgraded it (4th stage tubing and coalescer) so it could pump higher pressures, added full-size filter towers, got some bank tanks, and bought a Haskel AG-30 and a trimix analyzer. Got Advanced Gas Blender (with O2 clean tech), and never looked back. The average trimix fill cost dropped from $200 to $75, and I dove mix nearly every weekend for several years.

I got the compressor, bank tanks, towers, and coalescer used. I bought the HP tubing and Haskel new. Even after filters, air tests, oil changes, and the odd spare parts, I've saved a bundle. And I'll recoup a significant percentage of what I spent if I can find a buyer when I'm ready to sell.

The technology has advanced now. Were I 10 years younger, I'd get an RB. I'm not at all sure what I have would ever pay for itself were I diving a CCR; probably not. For the nonce, air is the cost of electricity, a yearly air test, yearly filter replacements, and an oil change every two years. Mixing adds the cost of He and O2, and some time.

 

[Tracy]

As an active open circuit trimix diver, I was paying $200 a fill, or $400 per day of diving, just for back gas. Add the cost of deco gases, and it was getting expensive to go deep! I found a older used K14-85 for $1200,

I still have my k14-85 under the bench as a backup compressor. It is a true workhorse of a machine. Running at the original 3200 psi, I don't know that you can wear one out.