Wanted Rix Compressor SA-3 or SA-6

[JacquesChristo]

Looking for a Rix SA-3 or 6 as a project. Ideally looking for something that needs a little work. I'll pay for shipping or find some way to come and get it.

Thanks

 

[ti325v]

there are 2 on flea bay right now one is a beautiful 6 for like $4000 with a nice fill station
RIX SA-6 SCUBA/ PAINTBALL FILL STATION | eBay
and a 3 for $3000
RIX SA-3E Sweet Air Oil Free Breathing Compressor for SCUBA, Paintball, SCBA | eBay

 

[iain/hsm]

They say beautiful is in the eye of the beholder, but that Rix 6 is over 25 years old
it looks to me simply "tarted up" and well past her prime

What they don't tell you, but are clear in the e Bay photos

1.Single drive belt (Rix went over to twin twin drive 20 years ago) yet the printing on the belt looks brand new, ask yourself why.

2. Copper cooling coils on stages one and two (Rix went stainless on all stages 20 years ago) This may also indicate at best a type A build, with aluminium 2nd and 3rd stage heads cant be seen in the photo but would be for a build of that era.

3. Base plate home made not original

4. Belt guard no finger guard

5. PTFE grease (white) not been used by Rix for the last 20 years

6. The 8 bladed fan is from a type B build yet the fan guard is the older type A
new fan for sure

7. No decals (removed) my guess is this compressor was a scrapped ex government surplus petrol gas driven type A model and would have been supplied on a tubular frame,

The new home made base, new motor and new belt to match the RPM from going gas to electric kind of gives the "clue"
Then its a simple case of remove the labels with tthe military codes , clean up and replace a probably broken fan, and stick it on
E-bay with a bunch of other junk for some sucker to turn up.

But for $4000 US dollars (£2500 GBP) in Europe you can get these fully refurbished all day long, new motor new starter new filter shell fully factory refurbished with a six month guarantee.

Also as for his claiming $2200 for that filter stack again all day long you can get these brand new at half that price
My guess us if you knocked off a zero for every thing he has selling you would be about close on the price he paid.

 

[JacquesChristo]

Thanks very much. I appreciate all the information.

 

[iain/hsm]

Thanks very much. I appreciate all the information.

No problem glad to help. I've been building for Rix Europe the last 22 years so it gets easier LOL so they say.

I noticed that the SA-3 listed on e bay above sold, now that was a "tidy" clean pump fully as works current build spec and it sold for a fair price.

If your looking for something cheap, but with conditions.

RIX SA-3 Sweet Air Oil Free Breathing Compressor for SCUBA | eBay

Currently at $500 USD Again it is old 25 years and was used "upside down"
underslung under the base plate. (no problem with an oil free block) But its a fair price, however.

You just need the block, the Bauer P22 filter and the two small black water separators. Factor in a new base plate, motor, motor starter.

If they will split it down for you or shipping will be expensive the "space" it takes up
The cooling coil will have to be re plumbed but I'm guessing they still have the original coils and just added extra some extra tubing to the frame mounted separators.

Also factor in $800 to $1000 USD for complete SA-3 rebuild spares kit. It may not need it all but for the purpose of costing my experience say's factor it in. And consider a bearing or two. It's off a yacht by the look of it, wet damp salt water. Factor in a tin of "Plus Gas" WD40 and a big bag of new nuts and bolts and take care with any bolt seized into the main aluminium casing.

On the filling hose assembly it's missing a few parts
$50 for a on/off Sherwood line valve $39 for a check non return valve and $20 for a spares kit for that
BPR regulator, Also $60 for a new HP hose,

Another $500 for motor and starter $100 for baseplate, $40 for anti vibration mounts air intake filer and hose, $20 for drive pulley, $15 drive belt and bush and about 20 hours of your time maybe more.

Now thats about $2,300 US Dollars so far.

Kind of made that other SA-3 that went for $2,500 a pretty good deal. Iain Middlebrook

 

[iain/hsm]

Out of interest for the little SA-3 for a given flow against RPM and power required below are the options available for the US market:

Motor 2.0 HP 230v 1ph 12.5 amp. PUMP Needs 1725 RPM for 2.2 scfm flow. Belt AX35 plug Nema 6-15P

Motor 1.0 HP 115v 1ph 16.0 amp. PUMP Needs 865 RPM for 1.1 scfm flow. Belt AX34. plug Nema 5-15P
Motor 1.5 HP 115v 1ph 21.0 amp. PUMP Needs 1265 RPM for 1.6 scfm flow. Belt AX35. plug Nema 5-20P
Motor 2.0 HP 115v 1ph 26.0 amp. PUMP Needs 1725 RPM for 2.2 scfm flow. Belt AX35. plug Nema 5-30P

Motor 3.0 HP 230v 1ph 16.5 amp. PUMP Needs 2300 RPM for 3.0 scfm flow. Belt AX36. plug Nema 6-20P

Motor 3.0 HP 230v 3ph 8.4 amp. PUMP Needs 2300 RPM for 3.0 scfm flow. Belt AX36. direct wire
Motor 3.0 HP 460v 3ph 4.2 amp. PUMP Needs 2300 RPM for 3.0 scfm flow. Belt AX36. direct wire

(Motor RPM is also required to calculate required motor pulley diameter at the driver end)

 

[JacquesChristo]

I'm finding it to be a significant challenge to find a 2300 rpm single phase motor. Does anyone have an online reference?

 

[iain/hsm]

Ah I see, your confusing the compressor shaft RPM (the driven end) required to deliver each of the various
quoted flow rates with that of the primary motor shaft RPM (the driver)

As I dont know your motor of choice, I couldn't list the motor RPM and in addition you need that to calculate the correct driver pulley size.

In the US they run 60 Hz you have 1800 or 3600 rpm motors
In Europe we run 50 Hz and have 1500 or 3000 rpm

I was not sure for Canada But all the listed RPM were measured at the pump compressor shaft (driven end)

You only need to get the correct driven pulley size to fit at the motor end as that in turn will give the correct RPM at the pump end but for that you need to know the motor fixed RPM.

It is a calculation of actual motor RPM divided by the required pump RPM to give a ratio. The fixed driven pulley effective diameter on the compressor is divided by that ratio number and gives you the required size of the
driver pulley you need to fit on the motor end to give the correct RPM of the compressor.

 

[GlennM]

Hey Jacques,
Are you still looking for a Rix SA-3 compressor?

 

[Chris Anthony]

Hi Jacques,
Hope you are well.
I have 2 Rix compressors available if you are still looking for them buddy?