How to fill my tank

[2airishuman]

I bought a DAVV SCU30 High Pressure Air Compressor to use to fill my Luxfer 80CF Aluminum Blue BLS-LX80BU, and was wondering if anybody had some advice on what safety procedures I need to use.

Hi Mike.

I am in the middle of assembling my own, small-scale compressor plant and fill station. Using military surplus items and stuff I've bought from a dive shop that has gone out of business, I've been able to put together most of the components I need for around $1000. I'm still missing the filtration piece. I've been watching for deals on used filtration for high-pressure breathing air and have come to the conclusion that I'm just going to have to buy new -- at a cost of $1700 for the components I'm planning to use -- because the available used items aren't safe at the pressures I want to run.

Once this is done I will be able to fill one or two cylinders an hour.

It is a big deal to buy the equipment, and requires knowledge and ongoing vigilance to operate it safely.

If you are prepared to make a commitment of that magnitude, you can find advice and support on these forums. If not, I would highly recommend that you use a local dive shop for fills. If you do not have a local dive shop, I can suggest some other possible sources of fills, and some ways of coping with travel to obtain fills.

The filtration requirements for grade E breathing air suitable for SCUBA diving are stringent and require a filtration stack designed specifically for the purpose. Breathing air fills for industrial and firefighting SCBA systems are similar but not held to standards that are as high.

 

[JamesBon92007]

This is why I like ScubaBoard so much: It gives a chance for those who don't know what they don't know to find out what it is they don't know and possibly saves lives.

 

[Mike Henry]

Hi Mike.

I am in the middle of assembling my own, small-scale compressor plant and fill station. Using military surplus items and stuff I've bought from a dive shop that has gone out of business, I've been able to put together most of the components I need for around $1000. I'm still missing the filtration piece. I've been watching for deals on used filtration for high-pressure breathing air and have come to the conclusion that I'm just going to have to buy new -- at a cost of $1700 for the components I'm planning to use -- because the available used items aren't safe at the pressures I want to run.

Once this is done I will be able to fill one or two cylinders an hour.

It is a big deal to buy the equipment, and requires knowledge and ongoing vigilance to operate it safely.

If you are prepared to make a commitment of that magnitude, you can find advice and support on these forums. If not, I would highly recommend that you use a local dive shop for fills. If you do not have a local dive shop, I can suggest some other possible sources of fills, and some ways of coping with travel to obtain fills.

The filtration requirements for grade E breathing air suitable for SCUBA diving are stringent and require a filtration stack designed specifically for the purpose. Breathing air fills for industrial and firefighting SCBA systems are similar but not held to standards that are as high.

that has been my problem, that i can not find a local dive shop for fills

 

[Marie13]

that has been my problem, that i can not find a local dive shop for fills

Define local. I just sat in stop and go rush hour traffic for 90 minutes to get to my shop for fills this weekend. It was another hour home. My shop makes it worth my while as I pass other shops to get there.

If you don’t have a local (whatever that means) shop, then you better have more than ONE tank. Get more, make the drive however often, and then go diving. Unless you really live in BFE, well, then getting a compressor that will kill you isn’t the solution.

 

[GreggS]

that has been my problem, that i can not find a local dive shop for fills

What I would suggest is to join divebuddy.com. When you enter your location, you can pull up Scubaearth and it will show you dive shops, other divers, and dive instructors in your area.

 

[2airishuman]

that has been my problem, that i can not find a local dive shop for fills

A google search turns up Treasure Cove Scuba in Niles. Is that too far? Otherwise there's B&B Diving in Hillsville, PA.

 

[Marie13]

OP, your profile shows you in Youngstown, OH. When I go to Google Maps and search for dive shops in the Youngstown area, I turn up:

B&B Diving in Hillsville, PA
Treasure Cove Scuba in Niles, OH

Why are these not options?

 

[rddvet]

This is the first time I can reply "you gunna die" and it ain't a joke.

OP you need to learn to do some research BEFORE you make a purchase.

 

[Mike Henry]

OK - I am going to return the compressor.

 

[KevinNM]

(with the exception of that guy who doesn't think O2 is flammable and is going to light himself on fire at some point).

Well, it's not flammable. It just makes EVERYTHING else burn. Like Aluminum. What could possibly go wrong?

And yeah, don't do it. Chemical pneumonitis is nasty and can cripple or kill you.