hi everyone,, im new in here and new to diving, i need a few pointers on building a gas powered hookah system...im thinking about shallow dives for awhile,, maybe 15- 20 ft at the deepest but i want the system to handle deeper dives for two divers as my experience progresses. im looking at a oil less motor Twin Piston Air Compressor but its kinda costly,, i would like to use this compressor Replacement Air Compressor Pump - 145 PSI, 3 HP and run it off a 5 hp b&s engine. if it comes without oil then i could fill it up with Monolec .. if its got oil in it then i would disassemble it to clean out any oil then rebuild it and use the Monolec. i know i gotta build the air intake up on a mast (i'll use it for a flag pole as well) i'll have a simple filter up top at the intake,, a 5 micron oil/water separator between the compressor and the air tanks. and two hose ports will each have their own filter for two divers along with their own pressure regulators.the holding tank i might build out of two old fashioned water fire extinguishers (stainless steel) i want to maintain 120 psi in the holding tanks with two individual regulators to each diver dropping it down to 30-40 psi. this is of course only if i use the oil filled compressor as it will handle the high pressures easily without heating up the air as much. my idea is to have a 20 gallon tank at 120 psi so if the compressor or engine dies a pressure switch set to 100 psi will trip a alarm that will alert the divers to a problem and should hold enough air to safely get back to the surface. i want each divers line totally self controlled so in the worst case scenario we could share one line to get back up if something goes wrong with one of the regulators. these are the breathing regulators and hoses i will be using to start out with Hookamax hookah diving add a diver kit w/50 ft. hose | eBay now my first question is the oil,, i looked it up and theirs a lot of different oils with the Monolec name,, witch one do i use and wheres a good supplier? my second question is when the emergency alarm goes off what can i use to signal the divers? i'm thinking of some sort of radio transmitter and a receiver worn by the divers. i'm trying to eliminate the need for another person for surface support in the equipment raft.. any advise would be appreciated,,, thanks
hookah building... beginner diver
- Thread starter tat2tyme
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While I am a big DIY fan, may I suggest you back off and really learn about what you are attempting. Just adding up the cost of compressor, engine and the hose kit (which you will need 2 of) you are alread at $850+ and you still need a platform, some way to transfer the engine power and a storage tank plus all the custom made brackets (you do have a mill, metal band saw,welder and drill press don't you??) and plumbing you need to connect it all up. By the time you add all this up you are almost up to the cost of a new low end Brownie ($1800ish MSRP) that is ready to go and you know it works perfectly. Then there are other issues and cost. If you use an oil lubricated pump, you must add a post compressor filter system. Another big expense and additional weight (larger platform). Typically, these systems use oilless compressors for that reason. IMO, a much better way to go, esp for a new diver/DIYer is to get a used Brownie- maybe a cheap dead one you can restore- to learn all the ins and outs of hooka diving before jumping head long into a major build. Don't mean to be negative but having done a lot of this kind of start from scratch building I have painful and expensive experience. 
Listen to Herman. This is not like building a treehouse, or even a cusomized motorbike or go-kart. Buy a unit designed for this activity from someone who knows what they are doing, and has them. On a further note, is there a reason to go with a surface supplied unit rather than scuba? Scuba is less restrictive, and at the dpths uyou are talking about, you can stay down a loooong time without approaching ndl's. Just a thought.
DivemasterDennis
DivemasterDennis
tat2tyme, you're profile indicates you're not certified and based on your comment about going deeper as you "experience progresses" concerns me. The physiological risks of breathing pressurized air from a traditional scuba tank/regulator and a hooka are virtually the same at any given depth (the risks of mechanical failure obviously vary based on equipment configuration and quality). If you're thinking a DIY hooka is an inexpensive way to see things underwater, I would agree with Herman and suggest otherwise. The cheapest and SAFEST way to go would be an open water certification class from a qualified instructor and off the shelf scuba gear.
What you provided in your first post are questions about a "solution". With more information about your reasons for going DIY and/or surface supplied, that is your "goals and objectives", others can provide more targeted feedback.
What you provided in your first post are questions about a "solution". With more information about your reasons for going DIY and/or surface supplied, that is your "goals and objectives", others can provide more targeted feedback.
i truly appreciate everyone's concerns,,, getting myself killed,,,,, i wouldn't be that lucky,,lol,,, anyway i looked at several premade units and theirs really nothing to them,, a motor,, a pump, air cleaners and regulators.. im not here asking about witch is better,, home depos pneumatic air hoses or real breathing hoses,,,i wanta make a safer unit then a brownie. i don't think i would be very comfortable with a used brownie,,theirs no safety features at all,, for example,,, say you got two people at depth,, the brownie hasn't enough air in its tanks to keep two people with enough air to go up,, decompress for a few minutes and then surface,, theirs no way to know if theirs a problem with the unit if your underwater,,, and if you had someone up top whats he gonna do if the motor craps out? pull you up by the air hose? you still don't have very much air,, let alone decompressing time.. even a spare air tank only has a few breaths in it.. and people up top can make mistakes,, panic,, machines and controls do not,, as long as you take care of the equipment. and the expense doesn't bother me,, im going next month to get my certification for scuba and my partner in this already has his.. honestly i don't think i really would use something like this deeper than 20 ft,, i would then prefer the scuba.. as for tools,, yeah i have everything from cutting torches, lathes, welders to a Bridgeport milling machine and i have a brand new b&s gas motor sitting on the shelf. pulleys i can make a mold for the proper size out of wood then make a mold,, melt down aluminum and pour my own,, i have a good life raft to put it into and i got all the metal plates, brackets i could need,, i only need a pump,, hoses,, regs,, and air cleaners.. for the cost of a used unit i could easily build a better unit thats actually safer,,, and brand new... now if i can get some advise on the right oil to use or if someone can tell me if that oiless compressor will do what i want and maybe a few ideas on how divers can get a warning from the unit in case of a issue i would greatly appreciate it,,, i honestly think a higher pressure holding tank with seperate pressure regulators to each diver would be safer then a low pressure tank without regulators going to each diver. i just wants build it as safe as possible and maybe improve on whats already out their...
blackvans1234
Contributor
Buy a new hookah then?
They have to be safe, we live in a litigious society where everyone is suing everyone. The company strives for the safest / most reliable design. If you build something yourself, you may not attach a hose correctly, or stongly enough, and that could cause failure. A Hookah company has addressed all of the little things like that which may be unnoticed by a uncert'd DIY'er
Just suggestin'
They have to be safe, we live in a litigious society where everyone is suing everyone. The company strives for the safest / most reliable design. If you build something yourself, you may not attach a hose correctly, or stongly enough, and that could cause failure. A Hookah company has addressed all of the little things like that which may be unnoticed by a uncert'd DIY'er
Just suggestin'
ok,,,,, i get it,,, whats everyones opinion on this hooka? The Hookamax G2005C i looked it up on their web site and read up on it a bit,,, looks like a pretty decent system,,, click here and it should take you rt to their web page....... Hookamax Dive Systems what do you guys think about this one?
I think you should also research a bit on scuba diving physics and procedures.
At the depths you're going at there would be no decompression time until you pass 130 minutes. That's a long time to be UNDER the water. There's no sun to heat up your back. Compressed air is also very dry, if you're not cold by 2 hours you'll at least be very thirsty.
If you want to be safe about this you should not only look up hooka systems but also get informed about diving with compressed air in general.
There's a whole list of safety concerns that a non-diver (both scuba and hooka) don't know about or even think about. There's an even larger list of ways you can get in trouble and kill yourself. One small mistake usually leads to many other mistakes which will snowball very fast if you aren't trained. You may be a very competent and strong swimmer IN the water, but UNDER the water it's completely different. You're comfort level can easily go out the window in a second if you're not ready for it.
At the depths you're going at there would be no decompression time until you pass 130 minutes. That's a long time to be UNDER the water. There's no sun to heat up your back. Compressed air is also very dry, if you're not cold by 2 hours you'll at least be very thirsty.
If you want to be safe about this you should not only look up hooka systems but also get informed about diving with compressed air in general.
There's a whole list of safety concerns that a non-diver (both scuba and hooka) don't know about or even think about. There's an even larger list of ways you can get in trouble and kill yourself. One small mistake usually leads to many other mistakes which will snowball very fast if you aren't trained. You may be a very competent and strong swimmer IN the water, but UNDER the water it's completely different. You're comfort level can easily go out the window in a second if you're not ready for it.
Tropicalwolf
Contributor
It is always amusing that often when people come here with questions they get berated by the "safety police"....How about someone who can help this diver JUST answer their question and keep their opinions out of it. I wish I could help you, OP, but I don't know anything about such systems.
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