Rebreathers - What's the total cost?

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to give the wifes (if you have one) perspective, i can comment on hubbys recent purchase of his MEG
...

ongoing cost -
$20 per 3ltr tank O2 fills,
$100 per o2 sensor sells

cheers

$20 for 19cf O2, $100 per O2 sensor, You need to find a better shop!

O2 is usually 20-30 cents per cf. O2 sensors msrp at $70-$80.
 
$20 for 19cf O2, $100 per O2 sensor, You need to find a better shop!

O2 is usually 20-30 cents per cf. O2 sensors msrp at $70-$80.

yikes... thats cheap o2! he has 3 places that he goes to and they all charge about the same, give or take a few dollars and for the sensors... aussie dollar down to 89c US so we expect to loose in the exchange all the time :wink:

cheers
 
$20 for 19cf O2, $100 per O2 sensor, You need to find a better shop!

O2 is usually 20-30 cents per cf. O2 sensors msrp at $70-$80.

Yeah, but look where she's located at...

To continue with my "cost of a used car analogy" don't forget the requisite floormats, steering wheel covers, new sound system, tires, air freshener, car wax, and the list goes on... :D
 
yikes... thats cheap o2! he has 3 places that he goes to and they all charge about the same, give or take a few dollars and for the sensors... aussie dollar down to 89c US so we expect to loose in the exchange all the time :wink:

cheers

Or maybe he's just telling you that's what the O2 costs and he's really spending his money googling (ogling?) a new KISS? :confused:
 
KISS's are free in our household as long as he doesnt expect the oily KISS chick to be in the picture :wink:

sorry OP for the hijack and your question is a good one.... its good to see those skirting on the fringes asking this stuff, would have helped a year ago when hubby started down that path
 
Almitywife,
For my last trip I purchased a tank of O2 for the trip I think it was about 300 cu ft, it cost me $110 US and that is at an awful exchange rate. I used my own booster to fill my tanks and after a full week of 4 dives a day and going through O2 quickly from doing yo-yo profiles, I barely used a 1/3 of the tank. . If you're paying $20 a fill you might want to look into it. And if hubby ever gets into trimix well it starts getting much more attractive.

Just a thought.


For others, if trimix diving then my cost is about $6 for a day of trimix diving (3 dives) instead of several hundred for OC tanks.
 
I fly a Prism Topaz. I completed training about one month ago.

My rig came with the stock Steam Machines (the manufacturer) recreational configuration. I purchased the Grey Wolf Innovations Tech Frame, because I'm an OC tech diver and I intend to be a CCR tech diver (primarily Northern Atlantic wrecks). This required new hoses and several other accessories.

I trained with a great instructor who was very thorough. This required 6 weekends of training/diving. All of the training and diving took place in New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania, so I needed to stay in hotels each of those weekends.

Finally, I needed a new bailout bottle, some new tools, tool box, silicone compound, electronic conductor conditioner, 70 lbs of Sodasorb and other stuff.

Before I started training, I put 15k in a separate account. That was my RB account.

When I finished, I had about $800.00. That included everything except for the carrying case I want to get.

In other words, about $14,200.00.

My gas costs are minimal. I bank my own ABO and He, so all I need to pay for is a clean air top. I don't use He in the breather yet, so all I pay for is clean air.

Sensors run around $80.00.

I'm putting together a spares kit that I figure will cost me about 1k, with the most expensive item being a spare secondary.

Sodasorb is around $100/tub. I should get around 5 - 6 fills/tub, probably closer to 5.
 
to give the wifes (if you have one) perspective, i can comment on hubbys recent purchase of his MEG

he claims it was only $13K but i do the taxes and by the time you add the flights/training/accomodation/car rental/new bpw/narked @ 90 stand (optional)/sorb/o2 analysier/christo luby stuff/tanks/bailout... well i went numb at $18K

ongoing cost - $20 per 3ltr tank O2 fills, $7 per syring for lube, $100 per 20kgs tub sorb, $100 per o2 sensor sells, hubbys happiness, priceless

i have been told by divers that use thier units for 300ft+ dives that after 2 years they unit becomes cost effective when compared to the cost of mix tank fills

cheers

This is the reason I'll be choosing the 'later' opposed to the 'sooner'. It's easy to get a few hundred dollar 'dive gear cost' discrepancy past the wife, but a few thousand will put me in the dog house for a while. :no
 
Adam,

This is the way I look at it on a per dive basis..

Compared to an Air OC dive, it costs more per dive, compare it to a typical nitrox dive, and the cost per dive is about the same (except the dives can be longer for the same cost), compare it to a typical trimix dive and its alot cheaper per dive..

If your goal is deep trimix dives, the active diver recoups the investment in the rb in usually 1 to 2 years, and after that its a big savings.. Yearly maintenance is not really much more than someone doing the proper maintenance on their OC gear..

As to "extras", you really have to look at the rig.. Some units come "ready to dive" while others need things like harness and wing and sometimes cylinders..



Hi,

I have just been looking at some rebreather articles, etc, and was wondering if anyone can tell me the costs involved (including time) for maintenance. (Not after a purchase price, but the extra's).

It's my understanding, that unlike an open circuit reg (refil the tank, and rinse your regs), rebreathers take substantial more time to maintain (and cost).

I've heard about the need to replace CO2 filters, O2 sensors, and Helium (???). I was wondering if anyone could comment on what they believe it costs them per dive (or over a period of xxx dives, etc) to own a rebreather, both in time, and in cash? (And how often these things need to be changed, etc).

Thanks

Adam.
 
There are definately several ways the costs are evaluated...

As reported to the Finance Manager...
"About $10K and I'll even look for a used one, and won't buy a thing I don't absolutely have to..."


As calculated by the individual purchasing the rebreather...
"Hmmm I'll need latest model fully loaded at about $15K and I'll need A to Z supplies and spares, for training lets get the best and also do it in the Caymans...."


As reported when asked by other divers out of ear shot of the Finance Manager...
"It's a bottomless pit, every time I turn around I'm spending money on the damn thing..."

As reported by the Finance Manager...
"It's a bottomless pit, every time I turn around he's (she's) spending money on the damn thing..."

Costs about the same as a Harley, but there are way fewer CCR chicks than there
are biker chicks and there are not a lot of chome accessories.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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