Current options for moderate duty scuba compressor?

[PBcatfish]

If I do get a scuba compressor, I'll also want to get a CO tester. I'm looking at the Palm CO right now for about $400. Does anyone have an opinion on those things?

After reading the manual for this thing - file:///C:/Users/BOZODE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/AII_Palm%20CO_61107.pdf

I see that you need to calibrate it with "bump gas" every so often. I have no idea where to get the 10ppm CO calibration gas from.

 

[Cio]

After reading the manual for this thing - file:///C:/Users/BOZODE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/AII_Palm%20CO_61107.pdf

I see that you need to calibrate it with "bump gas" every so often. I have no idea where to get the 10ppm CO calibration gas from.

Find a seller of industrial safety products, they should have the gas and/or can do it for you.

Tip[; Look for MSA dealers.

 

[BRT]

Now might be a prudent time to take a quick look at some math, pertaining to operational expenses. These are just ballpark estimates. Specific examples will need to be calculated with actual data pertaining to specific equipment, using specific filtration media, running on power at a specific cost, and a specified maintenance schedule.

For the 3-4cfm machines, the filter system seems to usually be a water separator, followed by a second canister with a cartridge inside. Cartridges look to last about 20 fills of an AL80 tank on average, but that varies with temperature & humidity. Hot & humid kills them more quickly. Cartridge prices vary, but for these little machine, $50 seems to be a common price point. If you refill the cartridges yourself, the cost looks to be more like half of that, perhaps less. If we look at a $50 cartridge every 20 tanks, that comes out to $2.50 per fill.

Next lets look at power. If you run a 13 amp 220 single phase motor for 20 minutes, that’s 13 x 220 / 3 = about 1Kwh. Depending on where you live & what time of day you run the compressor, that might be anywhere from $0.11 - $0.60 at current prices that I am aware of. If you run a 120vac motor for 30 minutes at 30 amps, that’s 120 x 30 / 2 = not a big difference.

Now lets take a glimpse at maintenance. If you figure in a $600 valve kit every 500 hours, along with a quart or two of oil & a little time, that’s about $700/500 = $1.40 per hour or maybe $0.50-0.75 per fill.

If you buy cartridges, that might be -

$2.50 filtration + $0.25 power + $0.75 maintenance = $3.50 cost of fill.

If you load your own cartridges, you might be able to knock about a buck to a buck & a half off of that.

If you compare that to paying $6/fill, you are saving maybe 50%. If I figure in my cost of gas to drive to & from a shop that is 45 minutes away, in my truck that gets poor gas mileage, the advantage improves.

If you use 4 tanks per week, that’s roughly 200 tanks per year. At a savings of 50% on a $6 fill, that’s about $600/year in savings. At that rate, a $3k machine would take 5 years to pay you back, if you assume that the machine is trash at the end of that time. If the compressor still works, then you are further ahead by the resale value of the compressor.

Again, these are just ball park numbers for consideration. Your mileage may vary.

...

 

[tbone1004]

After reading the manual for this thing - file:///C:/Users/BOZODE~1/AppData/Local/Temp/AII_Palm%20CO_61107.pdf

I see that you need to calibrate it with "bump gas" every so often. I have no idea where to get the 10ppm CO calibration gas from.

McMaster Carr carries it, any gas supplier will have it as well. You only need one can of it for years and years of use.

 

[PBcatfish]

McMaster Carr carries it, any gas supplier will have it as well. You only need one can of it for years and years of use.

Do you have a Mcmaster part number for that? I can't find it.

 

[tbone1004]

Do you have a Mcmaster part number for that? I can't find it.

apparently they don't have it anymore, Grainger does though

https://www.grainger.com/product/GASCO-Carbon-Monoxide-Bump-Gas-33V737

Looks like you can also get it here

 

[happy-diver]

For boosting and blending

5 HP Bauer Oceanus Breathing Air Compressor 140L Par Min | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 5 HP Bauer Oceanus Breathing Air Compressor 140L Par Min at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Nothing less or stand around forever

Air Compressors BAUER OCEANUS Breathing Air Compressor With Electric Motor | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Air Compressors BAUER OCEANUS Breathing Air Compressor With Electric Motor at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

And auto drains and off are also compulsory

Bauer Kompressoren OCEANUS E 140 L/min 52 Kg Breathing Air Compressor | eBay

Bauer Kompressoren OCEANUS E 140 L/min 52 Kg Breathing Air Compressor With Electric Motor. The OCEANUS impresses with its excellent performance data: despite being almost identical in size, it can fill a breathing air cylinder up to 40% faster than the JUNIOR II.

www.ebay.com

And never buy anything from India, it's like drinking water from The Ganges


Where are your Utilus pictures man I can fix it!

 

[PBcatfish]

...Where are your Utilus pictures man I can fix it!

Let me clean it up a little before I post pictures. I don't want to give you unnecessarily good reasons to call me a bum.

I do have a few questions for you , since you seem to have some experience in rejuvenating these compressors.
What's involved in changing a set of valves?

I get the obvious stuff, like unbolting the heads, cleaning the old gaskets off after disassembly, etc. But what is the procedure to change the valves themselves? Do you have to heat the heads & get the old ones to drop out, like when you change valve seats in a combustion engine? Do you need to lap in the new valves? Are there special tools involved? Is it a risky proposition?

 

[happy-diver]

Dude you're too smart for your own question

but if you look in here

UTILUS

www.bauer-kompressoren.de

and go in here

Bauer Compressors - Scuba Engineer

Bauer Servicing Information All compressor servicing manuals archived on this page are Copyright of the BAUER COMP Holding AG, Munich, Germany. Click HERE

scubaengineer.com

for: Bauer service manual 2008 blocks

and then put your head bolts in a vice and use a $20.00 tool like this like in the other thread.

You can save your heat for the sausages


An aluminium jawed vice

 

[PBcatfish]

Dude you're too smart for your own question

but if you look in here

UTILUS

www.bauer-kompressoren.de

and go in here

Bauer Compressors - Scuba Engineer

Bauer Servicing Information All compressor servicing manuals archived on this page are Copyright of the BAUER COMP Holding AG, Munich, Germany. Click HERE

scubaengineer.com

for: Bauer service manual 2008 blocks

and then put your head bolts in a vice and use a $20.00 tool like this like in the other thread.

View attachment 696992

You can save your heat for the sausages


An aluminium jawed vice

Thank you for the links.

My general mechanical experience is pretty good, but my high pressure compressor experience is completely lacking.

Where might one find that particular $20 tool?