small compressor installed on a boat?

[bradlw]

One of my never-gonna-happen pipedreams is to
retire
sell it all
buy a liveaboard boat
and explore

a random thought pops into my head this morning about my pipedream on a liveaboard
I would ideally need a small compressor onboard. It wouldn't need to be a fast fill.

A long time ago I was certified as a nitrox and trimix blender, but I never really got into the weeds of maintaining and operating the compressor. I just remember it being a rather high-maintenance thing.... service intervals, filters, etc... but I never got into the weeds of it

so crude ballpark cost for a small compressor for that sort of application?
and what sort of ongoing maintenance/service is required for such a thing?

 

[grantmac]

Bauer Mariner, around 10k.

An issue is having the power overhead.

 

[bradlw]

how practical are they for an occasional fill? A lot of maintenance or consubables needed?

 

[grantmac]

<$2 per fill if you dive 100 tanks a year. Service is rare but parts are costly.
Or you can buy a unit which is cheap with cheap parts and be constantly replacing the parts or entire unit.

 

[rjack321]

Bauer Mariner, around 10k.

An issue is having the power overhead.

A gas powered Junior would be 30+% less and work fine for a few tanks a month.

 

[clownfishsydney]

A gas powered Junior would be 30+% less and work fine for a few tanks a month.

A Junior II is good for a few tanks a day. I have had one for 25 years and also used it on my sailing catamaran for two lots of six months when sailing the Great Barrier Reef.

 

[grantmac]

A gas powered Junior would be 30+% less and work fine for a few tanks a month.

For me I struggle with wanting a gas compressor since it really needs to be outdoors for safety but then you're dealing with a lot of corrosion issues.
But that's just me.

 

[rjack321]

For me I struggle with wanting a gas compressor since it really needs to be outdoors for safety but then you're dealing with a lot of corrosion issues.
But that's just me.

Below decks with an off-engine PTO is great on a larger vessel. But HOT on a personal sized boat.

Bolting as Junior to the back deck with a removable waterproof cover then run a detachable snorkel up to roughly amidships. Then you either run the compressor while underway or at anchor so the intake is always upwind of the exhaust

 

[nadwidny]

A long time ago I was certified as a nitrox and trimix blender, but I never really got into the weeds of maintaining and operating the compressor. I just remember it being a rather high-maintenance thing.... service intervals, filters, etc... but I never got into the weeds of it

Get a decent compressor and maintenance is minimal. Filters. Maybe oil once in a while, depending on how conservative you want to be regarding hours between oil changes. I've heard anywhere from 50 hours to 500 hours (from a compressor tech I worked with).

 

[bakodiver391]

I've known a lot of yacht cruisers and most of them have a gas powered Bauer junior or Coltri-Sub, store it in a lazarette locker, and hoist it out and run on deck when needed.