iain/hsm asked why limit our choices. The answer is simply that while searching the internet for a supplier here in Canada those were the three brands for which I found Canadian representation.
Our use is not heavy and very low during the winter months, but during our training season we fill 25-30 tanks at a time, hence the 18+cfm requirement. As for what we are currently using, lets give you a summerized history of us. The Dolphin Aquatic Club just celebrated our 50th anniversary this year and have been advised by The Ontario Underwater Council that we are listed as one of, if not the, oldest dive club in Canada, and the largest non retail training club in Canada. We started as a military training club with originating members being involved in the formation of ACUC and The Ontario Underwater Council. As for our starionary compressor, when our local military base closed, it was handed down for the clubs continued use. Originally salvaged off a WWII submarine, our now 75+ year old Worthington 18cfm compressor, and home made, manually repacked, filtration system has served us extreemly well over the last 50 years. As for the number of hours, they can only be guessed at. It is unknown when the hour meter was installed, however we do know it was not at the time of the rebuild, so the numbers (that I do not have in front of me) only have significance for regular maintenance. Air quality tests still come back clean, however, dropping oil and air pressure, an intermittent squeeling noise, and the complicated task of manually repacking the filter unit have prompted us to finally set our goals to something a little more modern. Being a not for profit club we must carefully choose how to spend this type of money. Fundraising when you are not a charity is tough so we don't want to have to try to raise this kind of cash again. The Worthington has been an excellent compressor, and it's replacement is going to need to be a good balance between value and reliability.
I think of all this, when it comes to what brands we should be looking at, the only point I see relevent would be the the 18+ cfm requirement.
Our use is not heavy and very low during the winter months, but during our training season we fill 25-30 tanks at a time, hence the 18+cfm requirement. As for what we are currently using, lets give you a summerized history of us. The Dolphin Aquatic Club just celebrated our 50th anniversary this year and have been advised by The Ontario Underwater Council that we are listed as one of, if not the, oldest dive club in Canada, and the largest non retail training club in Canada. We started as a military training club with originating members being involved in the formation of ACUC and The Ontario Underwater Council. As for our starionary compressor, when our local military base closed, it was handed down for the clubs continued use. Originally salvaged off a WWII submarine, our now 75+ year old Worthington 18cfm compressor, and home made, manually repacked, filtration system has served us extreemly well over the last 50 years. As for the number of hours, they can only be guessed at. It is unknown when the hour meter was installed, however we do know it was not at the time of the rebuild, so the numbers (that I do not have in front of me) only have significance for regular maintenance. Air quality tests still come back clean, however, dropping oil and air pressure, an intermittent squeeling noise, and the complicated task of manually repacking the filter unit have prompted us to finally set our goals to something a little more modern. Being a not for profit club we must carefully choose how to spend this type of money. Fundraising when you are not a charity is tough so we don't want to have to try to raise this kind of cash again. The Worthington has been an excellent compressor, and it's replacement is going to need to be a good balance between value and reliability.
I think of all this, when it comes to what brands we should be looking at, the only point I see relevent would be the the 18+ cfm requirement.
