Portable dive tank compressor - which one?

[a64pilot]

I have never understood the "buddy" thing, I fly Solo, and cave dive Solo. I won't cave dive with somone unless I fell pretty sure they are at least as good as me.
What is a buddy supposed to do? If there are sharks around maybe a fat slow buddy would be good I guess

The air share thing is ridiculous, if you can't do a free swimming ascent and your in the water without multiple redundant air sources, you deserve what happens, although I do dive with a 7' hose on my second reg, because, why not?

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Kita

I will be looking for a hookah very soon & this looks very nice.

Kita,

You can find more Hookah DIY info that may answer all your questions.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...iy-177306.html

I do not want to side track this thread, as its all about Dive Tank re-fill compressors
.
.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have never understood the "buddy" thing, I fly Solo, and cave dive Solo. I won't cave dive with somone unless I fell pretty sure they are at least as good as me.
What is a buddy supposed to do? If there are sharks around maybe a fat slow buddy would be good I guess

The air share thing is ridiculous, if you can't do a free swimming ascent and your in the water without multiple redundant air sources, you deserve what happens, although I do dive with a 7' hose on my second reg, because, why not?

I have dove cave and open water solo and agree I would rather dive solo that dive with someone that could cause more problems than they might prevent.

Agree that for 99% of the divers the buddy system is a joke. If you are truly depending on a buddy for air or other life support then you should know exactly where they are and how far at every second of the dive. How many can say they are always within one breath of reaching their dive buddy at any time? Very, very few I suspect.

[robbievardon]

I am 72 yoa and I still dive virtually entirely on my own. Self sufficiency,self rescue know your ability and limits. Buddy diving, no thanks,there are numerous accounts of the rescuer being drowned by the panicking buddy. A week or so ago a well known film maker/ diver drowned in clear water despite being with 2 other divers. Unless you are going to hold hands one of you is always out of sight of the other.The ability to swim is not a guarantee of safety,swimmers drown, being comfortable in your surroundings day or night is what will keep you alive.

[robbievardon]

A64 Pilot and Skipmac I would dive with you but not as a buddy as I only have 1 regulator on my tank though you are welcome to share my 1 as you sound hazard free!!! to me. For the most part now I stay at 30 feet or less as that is where the marine life and colour is so I can take photos.

[a64pilot]

Way back when I first got certified at the YMCA, we buddy shared off a reg and were even taught to breathe off of a tank direct, although I can't see the need for that.
My parents rigs had both stages on the tank and the large dual hose like a rebreather.
That was early 50's I think.
No pressure gauges, we had J valves

Bit of trivia, does anyone know where the names J and K came from for valves?

I love the answer

Today people would think your unsafe for only having one regulator, and most of the training is a joke

[captmikem]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Way back when I first got certified at the YMCA, we buddy shared off a reg and were even taught to breathe off of a tank direct, although I can't see the need for that.
My parents rigs had both stages on the tank and the large dual hose like a rebreather.
That was early 50's I think.
No pressure gauges, we had J valves

Bit of trivia, does anyone know where the names J and K came from for valves?

I love the answer

Today people would think your unsafe for only having one regulator, and most of the training is a joke

Sears Catalog, they were listed alphabetically.

M

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by captmikem

Sears Catalog, they were listed alphabetically.

M

Could be, I was told the J valve came from the shape of the emergency lever to enable the last few gulps of air to be accessed. I had one once complete with a little brass blow out disk which did what it was supposed to do and blew out at 1 am in the night. Cylinder was stored in a locker full of green kit. I woke up surprisingly quickly with the loud bang and hiss only to find the room full of flying socks and shirts frightened the living daylights out of myself. Cylinder valve was replaced for an ordinary A clamp pretty sharpish.

Pete

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Kita

I will be looking for a hookah very soon & this looks very nice.You said 75 ft hose.. but you didn't say how deep? One could assume 60 ft or so safe? Also what changes would really be necessary to setup another line for a buddy? This might still be great for hull maintenance! But that's all I can see using it for if you can't push enough volume for two. How does that go? I remember something about never dive alone! Anyone have any info on a small cheep emergency air tank? Something like you could have on your dive belt if something goes wrong with hookah? I think I remember seeing something but don't remember where...I am not a diver but I wonder if breathing compressed air & say you had to blow & come up because something happens to the hookah at 60ft.I am thinking that's not a good idea....I have free dived 60ft & blow up to surface no problems, but don't have any training on compressed air...Divers,what do you say?

As Skipmac cautioned, you should get dive certified before you get and use a hookah. Many, if not all of the same cautions and procedures apply to diving with a hookah as with tanks, and if you don't know what you're doing you could get very badly hurt, or die, doing something you don't know is an issue.

I recall hearing a few years ago that the number of injuries/deaths in Florida from people grabbing a hookah kit and going diving for lobster were near astronomical. Just because you don't need to be dive certified to buy one doesn't mean you don't need to be dive certified to use one safely.

[Ip485]

I have a Coltri. It is electric 240V and has worked perfectly off the 7.5Kw Genny. It has proved totally reliable, easy to service and fills a tank in about 30 minutes.

With the Genset I prefer electric because it means less petrol to carry and less worry about any fumes. The Genset is permanently mounted in the lazarette on rails for ease of service. Inevitably it is pretty noisy but go and sit on the front deck and you dont really notice it.

I dive a lot solo. Personally I limit myself to non decompression dives without another diver and carry a spare pony bottle. Otherwise I am very happy solo with or without a buddy. I think for non compression diving and with a limit of around 70 feet really the risk of diving solo is no more than with a buddy (each have some pros and cons so I am balancing the two).

I always have one spare full tank on board and a cylinder of oxygen.

I reckon before a lot of solo diving you should be dive fit. In other words dont set off cruising and think at the first anchorage you should start diving every day (unless of course you have been diving regularly before). Settle into it and there is no point pushing yourself - after all cruising is meant to be relaxing isnt it?

I carry a full compliment of spares - enough oil for lots of changes, spare filters, and a spare belt. Keep strictly to the service intervals and of course make sure you change the oil to the time scale recommended.

[a64pilot]

J valve was item J in the Sears and Roebuck catalog, where the K valve was next

[Bulawayo]

After years of abuse with a stacked Poseidon compressor driven with a Briggs and Stratton petrol engine we upgraded to a brand new Bauer Junior with a Honda petrol engine. It is vastly better than our old unit. I have heaps of info collected over the years on this unit and running/maintaining it if anyone wants?

Originally Posted by paccrest

We live aboard cruising throughout Mexico and south. We have 2 tanks on board but no compressor. Next season we will go to the Socorro Islands to dive and there are no services for refill. So we are looking to add a portable dive compressor. We could go gas or 110v AC, either way. I have looked online and am finding they are fairly expensive, around $3k. I would love to hear some suggestions about which ones are recommended and why. We are a 1988 Hunter Legend 45. The lazarette could handle a portable unit. Thoughts?

[LLizzard]

"Anyone have any info on a small cheep emergency air tank? Something like you could have on your dive belt if something goes wrong with hookah?"

Sure, Spare Air has been around for a long time.
Spare Air - the smallest redundant SCUBA system available with enough air to get you to the surface in an out-of-air emergency.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Kita

I am not a diver but I wonder if breathing compressed air & say you had to blow & come up because something happens to the hookah at 60ft.I am thinking that's not a good idea....I have free dived 60ft & blow up to surface no problems, but don't have any training on compressed air...Divers,what do you say?

You should obtain training before you dive with either a hookah or a cylinder, regardless of depth, even if you have freediving experience.

I dive with cylinders and have never dived with a hookah. I understand that redundant air is ordinarily carried on deeper hookah dives, usually in the form of a small high-pressure cylinder.

[Dougtiff]

The last time i was in Mexico [Baha], a couple was diving every day and would fill up there tanks in the evening, using a SCUBA compressor, powered with a gas motor [Honda] placed on there aft deck, being anchored close by, i finally had to move,as the noise was so bad. I have a Bower compressor, powered by a 110 volt motor [belt driven],using my inverter, works well and i don't disturbed my fellow cruisers, another tip, have the charging hose long enough, so that the tank can be lowered into the water, keeps the tank cool, especially in the Tropics.