fppf
Contributor
I keep hearing how dive shops loose money on there air systems. I really really don't see how. I can buy gas from industrial gas suppliers way cheaper than any dive shop. They some how make a whole business out of it.
The last time I calculated the cost of doing fills it was profitable. Taking into account of a whole system install ($30,000) average system life (15,000 hours), power used, filter changes, system maintenance, labor to hook up the tank and turn the knobs. It costs about 1-2 cents per CF of air processed. Seeing that your average size tank is 80 CF and most shops are charging around $5 a fill, there was a $2-$4 profit on each tank filled. The numbers I used where on the high side.
I think the reason the perception is loosing money is from accounting issues. If you look at what tanks are getting filled the most, its for training. You figure your typical class of 10 students to get them through pool classes is 50-60 fills. Those don't get directly charged, so are they accounted for?
The last time I calculated the cost of doing fills it was profitable. Taking into account of a whole system install ($30,000) average system life (15,000 hours), power used, filter changes, system maintenance, labor to hook up the tank and turn the knobs. It costs about 1-2 cents per CF of air processed. Seeing that your average size tank is 80 CF and most shops are charging around $5 a fill, there was a $2-$4 profit on each tank filled. The numbers I used where on the high side.
I think the reason the perception is loosing money is from accounting issues. If you look at what tanks are getting filled the most, its for training. You figure your typical class of 10 students to get them through pool classes is 50-60 fills. Those don't get directly charged, so are they accounted for?
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