Condenser stack on Mako

[rcontrera]

Annual oil change ... CRIPES!!

I will never understand why dive shops don't take better care of their compressors. It is the biggest investment they have and spending a little money now will prevent loss of big money later in breakdowns. I guess I have always been a bit anal about my stuff in that even back in the old days when I was using natural oil, I still changed it about every 50 hours. Now I am even more anal and I use the 455 FDA approved synthetic stuff! I have 50 hours as an absolute maximum but usually go at 25-30 ... depending on work load.

It is sad, but many shops hate giving me $50 to $100 a year for oil, but don't think twice about going $15-20,000 for a new compressor!

 

[Couv]

Hello Hydro12,

I'll leave it to the compressor gurus to advise you on the air quality issue, but if it's 120 miles to the next LDS, you might check with the fire department and see if they can fill your tanks.

Good luck,

couv

 

[rcontrera]

Worst case, you can get a personal filter for your air fills. That way, pretty much ANY air ... no matter how crappy, will be safe, dry and clean. They ain't cheap ... about $300 ... But no insurance is.

​

 

[hydro12]

That's interesting. How often and what are the costs associated with changing the filters in those portable units?

 

[rcontrera]

That's interesting. How often and what are the costs associated with changing the filters in those portable units?

Well, that ain't cheap either. Basically it uses a modified compressor filter so you are looking at about $30 per filter change. And the filter life is between 100 and 200 fills unless you get into some really bad air. That adds around $ .15-.30 per fill to your cost for air.

 

[hydro12]

It could be worse, but I think these various costs that keep creeping up are an invite to my own compressor system.

 

[pescador775]

The third or fourth stage valves in Bauer pumps will click-click sometimes. The valves corrode or gum up and operation will become "sticky".

Yeah, and they had to hire a guy to come out and do some sort of maintenance on it recently because the last "clicking" episode wasn't remedied by the prescribed annual oil change.

 

[hydro12]

What causes the valves to corrode? Is this a problem that a disassembly/cleaning of the valve would fix? I suppose there's also a routine maintenance with which to perform that would prevent this sorta thing.

 

[rcontrera]

What causes the valves to corrode? Is this a problem that a disassembly/cleaning of the valve would fix? I suppose there's also a routine maintenance with which to perform that would prevent this sorta thing.

Cheap oil is the biggest culprit. while it doesn't actually cause corrosion, it cooks off at low temperatures and forms carbon which can cause sticky, leaking or broken valves.

Most of the corrosion comes from the compression process. Compressing the air makes it more dense and since water is not compressible, it becomes wetter too. Some of that water sits on pistons and the top ring causing a bit of corrosion between cycles. One of the worst things that you can do to a compressor is to not run it for a month or so. That allows corrosion to really get hold.

 

[The Curly One]

I would be extremely concerned about the air quality of that shop. In my experience the Fire deparments run their compressors much less and they change the oil and filters, perforn an air test EVERY 50 hours running time or 90 days which ever comes first. I definatly would trust the air from a fire department any day over that dive shop.
All compressors have to be properly maintained to put out good air and it does not sound like they are taking good care of your life support system. Bruce