Hookah Breathing Systems

[Simi 60]

After a little bit of research I built my own.

Used a 240v oil free compressor with 24 litre tank for $130
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-24...essor_p6290553

A new stage 2 regulator on eBay for $20

A new water trap/filter on eBay for $15

50 metres of Australian made breathing hose on ebay for $100

[Sojourner]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

No way. Mine does OK with one diver going down to 50ft using a 100ft hose when I need to go down briefly to pick up a dropped tool, or for exploring the bottom when it's only 15-25ft down off the dinghy. But... I'd never trust a little compressor like this for being more than a single breath from the surface.

I'm sure there are lots of reasons you don't want to overwork a little hookah system by going to that depth, but as a diver I can say the one breath thing isn't really an issue as long as you get that one breath on the bottom... you can (and actually must, so you don't pop a lung) exhale all the way to the surface on an emergency ascent. The air expands in your lungs pretty much infinitely as you go up...it's a pretty cool thing the first time you try it. If you stayed at depth for any serious time, however, the bends would be the thing that gets ya going up too fast.

[JC Reefer]

I don’t mean to raise up an old thread, but does anyone have or know where one could find a used hookah system for sale? I’m looking for a gas powered one and am fairly flexible on the other details. Seems like the kind of item that some only use once and then forget about.

[fstbttms]

I see used hookahs most frequently on ebay. Craigslist is of course, another option. You could try searching in Florida or Southern California. Probably the two most likely regions to have used hookahs for sale. Another option would be looking at a few of the scuba diver forums.

[Simi 60]

Easier and often cheaper to build new - see my post above.

[Markhunter1097]

Scuba bottle with a long regulator hose is how I do underwater boat jobs. Bottle stays on deck and as you are only 2 meters under water the bottle lasts for over an hour. One less bit of kit to maintain.

[nhschneider]

I installed an AirLine 12vdc hookah compressor in my boat, permanently mounting the compressor in an out-of-the-way place. I connected the hookah's compressor to a Perko 0504 hose bib fitting which I mounted on the outside of the cockpit coaming. When I need to use the hookah, I thread the hookah hose onto the hose bib, flip on the breaker and jump overboard. It's a very simple, clean installation and works great for underwater chores. I don't think I've ever used it for recreation.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Markhunter1097

Scuba bottle with a long regulator hose is how I do underwater boat jobs. Bottle stays on deck and as you are only 2 meters under water the bottle lasts for over an hour. One less bit of kit to maintain.

And how do you fill the bottle without a compressor?

[Captain Bill]

The kind of Hookah system you buy depends on how one intends to use it. Battery powered, AC powered, or scuba bottle to the big boat is great for boat maintenance, but not very appropriate for recreational use. During the summer in tropical waters we have spent up to three tanks of fuel or about 7.5 hours under water though truth be told we seldom do more than two tanks of fuel a day. This all less than 30 ft though occasionally 2 tanks to 40 feet with a little time to breath off some nitrogen between tanks. Obviously I'm a bit late answering sea1ljs' question, but I don't believe I've ever actually used it in the presence of other divers using conventional scuba equipment. It would be impossible for me to carry enough tanks on my boat to keep two or three divers underwater for 7.5 hours even at shallow depths.

It would take between 14 and 22 tanks. Three divers at 1 hour per tank rounding to 7 hours requires 21 tanks. At Bahamas airfill rates this would be $210 just to fill the tanks not to mention the initial purchase of about $3000 (about the same cost as an airline hookah system). The cost for fuel about $7.50 at Bahamas gasoline prices. There are of course limitations on the use of hookah systems as mentioned in my previous post. If I was just buying it for occasional boat maintenance I would probably buy an electric system or a surface bottle. If one is able to accept the limitations of a hookah for recreational diving I would highly recommend a gasoline powered one.

[Diesel Bill]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Hookah ,DIY

1) California Air Tools 2010ALFC Ultra Quiet, Oil-Free & Lightweight.
1.0 hp Industrial Air Compressor, 2.0 gallon, 35 lbs $255
4.00 CFM at 40 PSI & 3.00 CFM at 90 PSI; Max 125 PSI. Ultra Quiet 60 decibels
4000 hour motor life. MP100LF motor/pump. 110V 60 Hz - 7.6 Amps. 1400 RPM
2.0 Gallon Aluminum (Rust-Free) Air Tank.
L (17.3") x W (14.2") x H (14.6")

2) Campbell Hausfeld MP513803av filter / water separator $16.29

3) 75 foot certified air breathing hose scuba/ hookah with Cressi regulator with Walmec quick connects.
Cressi Octopus XS2 is a 2nd stage with adjustable air flow. From GatorGillunit.com $289

I get 2 minutes of breathing just from what’s in the 2 gal. tank before the compressor starts to fill again.

This compressor is so amazingly quiet.

Note: You could save another $100 if you purchased the California Air Tools 2010A instead of the 2010ALFC Industrial Series

Total cost of this Hookah ,DIY was $560
.
.

I copied this system last year and keep it on the boat. Very happy with it. I also use the air to run small air powered tools for other jobs on the boat. Take up very little space and so nice to have for bottom cleaning.

[btompkins]

Quick question about everyone doing this. I've read that compressed air can contain unsafe levels of CO, not just from engine fumes, but also other ways (oil heating which I guess is why oil-free is good)

But, I've also heard that Aluminum itself (in the piston) can create harmful gasses.

I ordered an oil-free 12 V compressor from Puma, and written all over it are warnings about breathing the air (it's oil-free w/ aluminum tank) . I called and they specifically warned me about breathing the air.


So, now I'm all worried about doing this at all. Have you all assessed the risks? How did you conclude this was safe?

Thanks in advance!

[SVHarmonie]

There are two reasons for having a hookah system onboard. One is for boat maintenance, and the other is as a replacement for scuba for underwater exploration, fishing, photography, or just fun.

For maintenance, any of the tiny little 12V home brew systems will work fine. It's an easy application. For actual underwater exploration, being confined to at most 100 feet from your anchored boat is a bit, well... confining.

We have a Brownie gas powered system on a float, and just love it. It has a Honda engine, and has a lot of use over the past few years, and just keeps trucking along. It take a good bit of preventative maintenance, but that's to be expected. It will support two divers to 80 feet, but I never take it that deep. It's an excellent idea to never come close to decompression limits with any surface supplied air.

We can drop it in the dinghy and run off to where ever we want to go into the water. Great for spearfishing and lobstering.

For stationary use on a boat the electric ones make a lot of sense, for actual diving fun, they aren't worth the trouble.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

There are two reasons for having a hookah system onboard. One is for boat maintenance, and the other is as a replacement for scuba for underwater exploration, fishing, photography, or just fun.



For maintenance, any of the tiny little 12V home brew systems will work fine. It's an easy application. For actual underwater exploration, being confined to at most 100 feet from your anchored boat is a bit, well... confining.



We have a Brownie gas powered system on a float, and just love it. It has a Honda engine, and has a lot of use over the past few years, and just keeps trucking along. It take a good bit of preventative maintenance, but that's to be expected. It will support two divers to 80 feet, but I never take it that deep. It's an excellent idea to never come close to decompression limits with any surface supplied air.



We can drop it in the dinghy and run off to where ever we want to go into the water. Great for spearfishing and lobstering.



For stationary use on a boat the electric ones make a lot of sense, for actual diving fun, they aren't worth the trouble.

What country are you in that legally and morally allows spear fishing with scuba or surface supply air?

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by btompkins

So, now I'm all worried about doing this at all. Have you all assessed the risks? How did you conclude this was safe?

It might be informative to head over to scubaboard.com and ask around about this.


I like traditional open-circuit scuba diving with high-pressure cylinders. I've had a compressor for filling scuba cylinders in the past and will get one again when I have a big enough boat for it to stay on the boat. The safety record of modern compressor and filtration systems, combined with proper maintenance and frequent air samples sent to a reputable lab, is very good. Some divers test every cylinder for CO and some bad air is caught that way. It matters most when diving deep.



The hookah systems occupy a grey area. Contaminant toxicity increases with depth and so for the shallow dives these systems where these systems are most often used the risks are lower. No compressor manufacturer will approve use of their products for breathing air unless they charge extra to cover the liability incurred. It is impossible for most people to determine whether the disclaimers compressor makers issue are due to actual risk or due to legal/insurance issues. Brownie makes systems intended for breathing air and prices them accordingly. Many people believe they are no different than the cheap Chinese compressors and hoses. I don't dive either one; you decide for yourself.

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Hookah ,DIY

1) California Air Tools 2010ALFC Ultra Quiet, Oil-Free & Lightweight.
1.0 hp Industrial Air Compressor, 2.0 gallon, 35 lbs $255
4.00 CFM at 40 PSI & 3.00 CFM at 90 PSI; Max 125 PSI. Ultra Quiet 60 decibels
4000 hour motor life. MP100LF motor/pump. 110V 60 Hz - 7.6 Amps. 1400 RPM
2.0 Gallon Aluminum (Rust-Free) Air Tank.
L (17.3") x W (14.2") x H (14.6")

2) Campbell Hausfeld MP513803av filter / water separator $16.29

3) 75 foot certified air breathing hose scuba/ hookah with Cressi regulator with Walmec quick connects.
Cressi Octopus XS2 is a 2nd stage with adjustable air flow. From GatorGillunit.com $289

I get 2 minutes of breathing just from what’s in the 2 gal. tank before the compressor starts to fill again.

This compressor is so amazingly quiet.

Note: You could save another $100 if you purchased the California Air Tools 2010A instead of the 2010ALFC Industrial Series

Total cost of this Hookah ,DIY was $560
.
.

Sorry to bring up an old thread Cotemar - but do you know - or does anyone - if there is a gas powered version of a compressor similar to this one?

Thanks,
Smokeys Kitchen