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Old 13-03-2021, 11:27   #1
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Diving compressor

Tell me what diving compressor do you carry onboard?
Do you have it fixed somewhere? Or where do you keep it?
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Old 17-03-2021, 18:12   #2
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Re: Diving compressor

I'm interested as well but don't have the experience of using one. I've been researching and thinking of purchasing something similar to a Coltri brand as shown on the web page below. There is another brand that has an all stainless structure that also has my interest.

https://www.coltri.com/en/products/p...ressors/basic/

I would go electric as we have two generators and would be self sufficient off shore. I would also like to hear anyone's feedback and/or recommendations.
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Old 17-03-2021, 19:59   #3
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Re: Diving compressor

I have the experience of having bought a 2.2 cfm Walter Kidde surplus one which I was using in my garage with the intent of moving it to the boat. It was an unreliable money pit and I got rid of it. Light and compact though.


I have been watching for good deals on smaller, used compressors and haven't had much luck. Most on the market are older, or with uncertain parts availability/cost (e.g. Rix). If I do it again I will buy a new Bauer. They're $5k but at least you know what you're getting. They come stock with 2, 3, or 5 HP motors; the 2 and 3 will run on 120v or 240v. There are 24v DC motors, 2HP, available that are a drop-in replacement. In round numbers each HP you have can fill one dive tank per hour.


In this modern age of electricity on boats I would not consider a gasoline or diesel-powered compressor due to the maintenance and CO hazard.
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Old 18-03-2021, 06:44   #4
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Re: Diving compressor

I consider only compressor equipped with electric motor. Bauer is no 1 but there is also COLTRI on the market with quite good opinions. Anybody some experience with Coltri?
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Old 18-03-2021, 17:20   #5
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Re: Diving compressor

There's nothing wrong with Coltri. Good product with good parts availability.
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Old 21-03-2021, 07:11   #6
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Re: Diving compressor

I've got a gas powered Coltri MCH-6 that I picked up used. I've never had any issues with it, and I've put quite a few hours on it. It lives pretty happily in a deck box on the aft deck of my Brewer 12.8 (42' center cockpit monohull).
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Old 31-03-2021, 10:25   #7
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Re: Diving compressor

It's looking like I may purchase an L&W compressor. Anyone use this model or a similar version? Interested in any feedback. It seems a bit expensive ($5,275 usd) but it's available for immediate use.

https://www.lw-compressors.com/en/node/10
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Old 31-03-2021, 13:23   #8
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Re: Diving compressor

They're highly regarded. https://www.scubaboard.com/community.../#post-8479449
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Old 08-04-2021, 08:15   #9
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Re: Diving compressor

We have the Baurer Oceanus. It runs on gasoline. (Our dinghy outboard also uses gasoline.)

https://baytechrentals.com/product/b...essor-oceanus/

It is mounted forward of the mast on the cabin top inside a dock box. The base of the dock box is through-bolted with backing plates and 5200. We chose this location because:
1. We needed clean air to intake into the compressor
2. We needed a way to exhaust the motor when running.
3. It's too damn heavy to lift in and out of the aft lazarette
4. The aft lazarettes are huge and hold extra diesel, fenders, line, dive tanks, scuba gear - and so the old girl is a bit heavy aft. Putting more weight forward helped balance the boat.
5. It's an easy location to fill the tanks and it's close to the washdown hose on the bow, which we use to cool the tanks as their being filled.
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Old 08-04-2021, 08:51   #10
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Re: Diving compressor

I haven't yet learned to dive or gotten into the diving, but I think the new Mantus compressor looks really interesting, mostly because of it's small size. Does anyone have thoughts on that?
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Old 08-04-2021, 20:40   #11
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Re: Diving compressor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Muaddib1116 View Post
I haven't yet learned to dive or gotten into the diving, but I think the new Mantus compressor looks really interesting, mostly because of it's small size. Does anyone have thoughts on that?

New to the market last November, apparently. An intriguing product. I'm trying to find out more.


One thing to ponder is how it fits into the rhythm of diving. Typically people diving from a private boat have two people in the water and two or more aboard, rotating so everyone gets a turn. Dives usually last about an hour. Usually four tanks is enough to support this, two tanks in the water while two are being filled, and you can dive all day as long as the compressor can keep up.


The Mantus compressor being smaller can't support that, because it takes it about 50 minutes to fill a tank (AL80 500 -> 3000 PSI). To a limited extent you can get around that by having more cylinders and that may make sense since the compressor itself is smaller, saving space. (5 cylinders gives you 3 dive windows for two people before you wait for air, 6 cylinders gives you 4 dive windows, and so on).
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Old 13-04-2021, 19:59   #12
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Re: Diving compressor

For the electric Bauer compressor, what’s the minimum genset size needed to power it? Would something like an Onan 5 kw handle it or would you need a bigger genset?
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Old 13-04-2021, 20:35   #13
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Re: Diving compressor

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Originally Posted by SV Coronado View Post
For the electric Bauer compressor, what’s the minimum genset size needed to power it? Would something like an Onan 5 kw handle it or would you need a bigger genset?
An 1,800 rpm 6kW diesel genset has a good chance, I wouldn’t go lower.

Edit: on the other hand, when you have a big Victron Multiplus inverter/charger, it will do it with it’s power assist feature.
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Old 13-04-2021, 21:00   #14
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Re: Diving compressor

Quote:
Originally Posted by SV Coronado View Post
For the electric Bauer compressor, what’s the minimum genset size needed to power it? Would something like an Onan 5 kw handle it or would you need a bigger genset?
Short answer, it depends and running a scuba compressor is not easy or simple

for electric motors you have the running amperage and you have the starting amperage. starting amperage can be over 3 times the running amperage. specifically for scuba compressors on a boat its the starting amperage you have to worry about.

for the BAUER Jr its 3hp and 3500psi if i remember correctly. the BAUER Oceanus is 5hp at 5000psi, its running amperage at 240v is 25A if i remember correctly, but the starting amperage is 40-60amps. that means you could run it off of a 30amp circuit but cant start it. the Bauer Jr is lower capacity, essentially fill a single aluminum 80 within 30 min. i dont have the start amperage numbers but when i looked all this up long ago i believe it was possible to run off a 30 amp circuit

a 30amp circuit is important because if your running off of shore power, your mostly looking at a 16amp 230v (euro) or using one or two 30a 120v sp cables into a inverter charger or auto transformer to get 230/240v. a victron and some other brands are able to boost power from the battery in addition to the shore power input which would allow you to use a scuba compressor without a generator.

For a generator you have to look at the power output Watts and convert that to amps and compare that to the starting voltage of the compressor. for the bauer oceanus you may be able to run it off a 5kw generator but more likely you need 6kw or 7kw to meet startup amperage. you have to do the math on the specific equipment to verify. you can use an easy start device - essentially capacitors to drop the starting amperage.

smaller compressors can use a DC motor 2-3hp, but i havent seen much bigger than that unless your above 24v. those motors get expensive. there is an issue with dc motors and compressor loads due to the torgue below running load speed. i have less knowledge on this but it depends on the controller and you may have to get a bigger motor to be able to start the compressor.

I was told a RIX is better for a sailboat and is oiless where the Bauer has oil, the oceanus specifically is able to work at an angle for boats that are rocking. the Rix doesnt have an issue with angles, however i dont have experience with the RIX.

I have a Bauer Oceanus, and dive with HP steel tanks 4500psi. so i have been working on this issue for a bit. its a complicated problem and your dealing with higher voltage so you absolutely need to make sure this is done correctly to be safe. original 5hp 240v motor went bad, and i just finished replacing the motor and in the process of installing on the boat for the first time - 42ft sailboat. first i had to swap to 240v from 120v for the AC system. i replaced the 240v motor with a 5hp 3ph 230v/400v motor, and running that with a 10hp Variable frequency drive (VFD), you need double the capacity with a VFD in a compressor application. the VFD is programmable and is able to slow start the motor at full torque at close to the running amperage. 3PH is more efficient than 120v/240v single phase. the motor runs on 14amps but thats with 3 phases and i havent seen what amps it pulls off the 240v circuit into the vfd yet. essentially it will be close to the running 20a if i used the single phase 240v motor. this means in theory with the big battery bank im putting in that i SHOULD be able to run off battery's for a couple tanks, OR run a smaller more efficient generator like a 4kw, combined with an inverter charger off a battery.

i have researched, and looked at almost every possibility and what i listed here is essentially the only ways i can find that you can run a scuba compressor on a boat without a large generator. the 3ph motor with VFD has a lot of advantages for a boat and would also be good with a water maker. keep in mind that to make any of this remotely possible i had to make some major changes to my electrical system and upgrade my electrical equipment to the next sizes up in capacity. S/V Delos uses a similar capacity compressor to the Oceanus but run it off of a generator, they have a 50ft boat too. a larger compressor than the oceanus specs is going to require even more complexity, $, juice and a bigger generator and is probably in the realm of larger power boats
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Old 13-04-2021, 21:02   #15
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Re: Diving compressor

If you have several people diving and making several dives a day, look at the filling time when picking a compressor system. You could end up with one person spending the whole day filling tanks. I don't dive anymore, got old, but a compressor run off your main engine would fill much faster.
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