Question Is Eagle Air breathing compressor any good?

[Ty Hamby]

What parts do you need for a 5406? I probably have a few parts machines around.

Nothing yet! It is functioning fine at the moment. But it is getting long in the tooth. I worry that it may just give up the ghost one day and leave me without a plan. Would love to update it with a more modern compressor. I just need a reliable 13-20 cfm block that I will still be able to get parts for the next 20 years. I would love to sell my 5406 while it still works well. That is what has me looking around. I think Bauer is where I need to be, but have not yet found the right deal on a block only deal.

 

[Tracy]

Nothing yet! It is functioning fine at the moment. But it is getting long in the tooth. I worry that it may just give up the ghost one day and leave me without a plan. Would love to update it with a more modern compressor. I just need a reliable 13-20 cfm block that I will still be able to get parts for the next 20 years. I would love to sell my 5406 while it still works well. That is what has me looking around. I think Bauer is where I need to be, but have not yet found the right deal on a block only deal.

13-20 cfm? What are you filling?

 

[Ty Hamby]

13-20 cfm? What are you filling?

Haha! Personal breathing air cascade plus friends and family cylinders. Seen here are my cylinders. I have an odd obsession.

 

[Tracy]

I thought you had a bank system. The whole point of the bank is to not need a massive compressor. Also it allows you to run the compressor in opportune times, such as when it is cooler in the evenings or when your power costs are lower.
My bank system at home is a touch over 27,000 cubic feet and I keep up with an 8cfm machine. It turns on around 7pm and runs all night pretty much every day during the summer season.
My portable setup for the charter boat is a 15cfm. It needs to be fairly large as I can't reasonably carry a bank and I have to sit there until everything is filled.

 

[TravisD]

Haha! Personal breathing air cascade plus friends and family cylinders. Seen here are my cylinders. I have an odd obsession.

I feel strongly that compressor/fill-station ownership is/can-be a hobby in and unto itself, separate from the whole diving things...

 

[Tracy]

I feel strongly that compressor/fill-station ownership is/can-be a hobby in and unto itself, separate from the whole diving things...

very much so. Especially if you are a perfectionist.

 

[oldairdude]

Ty,
We all have obsessions! Mine just happens to be Bauer Compressor Blocks.
When the day comes that you need a replacement block...I will have it! (See the photos) As one of the largest distributors for Bauer in the USA, we have amassed a large inventory of both new and rebuilt blocks, as well as systems. I don't want to come off as shamelessly plugging in a sale here.
As the former owner of August Industries Inc. I recently sold and retired last month (hence my sign name)
I now obsess over giving Bauer advice and information to anyone who needs it.
Inventory is fluid, but we always carry stock of blocks. Give them a call one day...

 

[Ty Hamby]

Well, I couldn't resist. Since @oldairdude says that when the day comes that I need a Bauer block he has me covered, I bit the bullet and purchased this mobile unit. As @TravisD said, "compressor/fill-station ownership is/can-be a hobby in and unto itself" I completely agree. I blame all of you for my horrible decisions. Years ago when I began shooting firearms as a hobby. I didn't take long until I had a bench full of blue reloading presses. The moment I began scuba diving I began diving deep into the operations end of the sport. What does it take to continue doing this with minimal outside support? Yes, I have an illness. Lucky for me my wife tolerates it.
Here are some more photos of my recent auction purchase. I will update you all more when I have it in my possession.
This will become my next project. It will most definitely be a project.

 

[Ty Hamby]

Update:
Well i got the trailer home. As with auctions, you never know what you are getting and this one is no different. Upon getting the compressor home i quickly discovered that the shore power cord was removed. This is the same cord that plugs into the 35kva generator when away from a power source. So i picked up some 4/5 SOOW with a PS560Pw9 plug to power up the 3ph contactor. With batteries charged up the generator fired right up. It has 740 hours on it with the last service being 20hrs ago acording to the air monitor. Once warm I pressed power and......nothing. Hours later I discover the contactor wont manually depress. Odd. I pull it apart and find the coil melted down and bulging prohibiting the engagement travel. I replace the coil and now the CA7-85 contactor works. Mechanically it works and fires up the compressor. However there are faults preventing the control relay from energizing. I suspect the CO monitor being one of the faults as the test gas (0ppm and 20ppm) is empty and wont calibrate as a result. Manually energizing the control relay fires the contactor and compressor runs.
Until my stage 3rd and possibly the second stsge over pressures and pops off the over pressure valve on the 3rd stage located next to the temperature sensor on the 4th stage. I assume it is the 3rd stage opv. Man i thought i was going to get lucky. Ill tinker with it tomarrow. If anyone knows of any tips to look at first on this new to me compressor let me know. I am a sponge for knowledge of those much smarter than me. Photos below to help anyone steer me along. I assume everything was working when the contactor coil melted down. Maybe manually energizing the control coil which in turn energizes the 3ph contactor is not energizing something causing the high 3rd stage pressure? I do not know what factory spec is for each stsge. This is a 2005 Hamworthy 4S25/V34H-AL compressor. Again any advice is welcomed.

 

[Tracy]

I can't read the numbers on the gauges, but if those are factory gauges, your third stage intake valve isn't sealing.