Hookamax

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by drewcathell

What motor is that?

This is the Thomas 1207PK80.

[Looking4Neptune]

If you already have scuba gear and an air compressor for the tanks on-board, can you rig up something to connect the Hooka to this? (either to the tank or the compressor?) Obviously you could just suit-up in your dive gear, but when cleaning the bottom I'd rather not wear the tank and BC.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Looking4Neptune

If you already have scuba gear and an air compressor for the tanks on-board, can you rig up something to connect the Hooka to this?

No. Tank fill compressors have an output pressure of around 3000 psi. Much too high for use in a hookah.

[drcat]

A few items to consider
1) Go with a diaphragm pump not a piston pump. That way it will be quieter , less heat and no metal to metal contact thus no metal filings. California Air is the diaphragm type while most cheap pancake compressors are piston. Diaphragm pumps generally have lower start up current draw.
2) for an example of a cruiser using a California Air compressor see youtube Sailing Emerald Steel from about 1 yr ago. He cleans hull with it and uses generator or inverter. I think his is the alum tank version so less corrosion.
3) If you are going to use beyond hull cleaning, you'll need to go with 12v. The earliest Hookamax 12v units were piston compressors based on the pics. Even the most recent 12v looks like piston based on height of compression part. Diaphragm versions don't need this type of height since the diaphragm can't stretch very far. For 2 people 12v diving you probably need a dual diaphragm unit with tank to give adequate air flow and air accumulation. They are available via Alibaba, I can't vouch for their quality but you should only consider alum tank versions due to salt air issues. Note that most Diaphragm air compressors can be "rebuilt" with new diaphragms. A FLA 12v 100ah battery will last about 1 hr (50% draw) providing air for 2 people at 30'.
4) always make sure there are 5 micron particle filters in line on the hoses
Make sure you get some training, especially on exhaling on the way to the surface as breathing and holding compressed air in lungs while ascending is very dangerous. Good luck

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by drcat

A few items to consider
1) Go with a diaphragm pump not a piston pump. That way it will be quieter , less heat and no metal to metal contact thus no metal filings.

If you think that there is metal-to-metal piston/cylinder wall contact in a piston-driven air compressor, you don't know anything about piston-driven air compressors. Further, you will not find a diaphragm compressor in any high-end commercially available hookah rig.

[Peterbreit]

Please explain the non metal-to-metal piston/cylinder wall contact in the compressor. Are the using O-rings instead of piston rings? I always thought it would be dangerous to use unfiltered air because of the microscopic metal debris from piston driven compressors inhaled.

[a64pilot]

Many piston air compressors are metal pistons with metal rings in metal cylinders.
However they are to my knowledge all oil lubricated.
The oilless ones use I believe plastic pistons and maybe metal, but Teflon or similar coated cylinders, or has been noted diaphragms. I like the diaphragm ones, the “viberator” piston type are way too noisy for me.
I think that is how they do without oil for lubrication.

A filter just can’t be a bad idea as long as it’s made for breathing air.

Of course any oil lubricated compressor ought not be used for a Hooka, unless you find one specifically made for breathing air.
SCUBA compressor for example are oil lubricated, but have special oils and filters etc so that they don’t create carbon monoxide and don’t have any oil mist in the air.

Oil mist in your breathing air is extremely bad, really, really bad.


If you Dive already and have the equipment, it’s dead simple to put a long hose between the first and second stage and leave the tank on the boat, that keeps you from having to carry all that weight while you clean the bottom.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Peterbreit

Please explain the non metal-to-metal piston/cylinder wall contact in the compressor. Are the using O-rings instead of piston rings? I always thought it would be dangerous to use unfiltered air because of the microscopic metal debris from piston driven compressors inhaled.

Oilless piston air compressors use teflon piston rings. The air they supply is safe to breathe.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Of course any oil lubricated compressor ought not be used for a Hooka, unless you find one specifically made for breathing air.

Such a compressor does not exist at the recreational/light industrial level.

[garychurch]

I have read these posts with great interest. In pursing some of the stratgeies proposed my concerns would be to have the air quality, air quanity and training needed to breath underwater safely.

Fortunately I have a Brownie scuba compressor with filters (250 hour service life) and automatic purging of fluids generated by compressing air to provide the highest quality clean air available. This system allows me to charge two scuba tanks to 3300 psi in about 20 minutes.

The 75 foot hookah hose is attached to a primary stage dive regulator on a filled scuba tank that reduces the air pressure to 150 psi that feeds the secondary stage scuba mouthpiece.

While this works extremely well for scuba diving and the use of a hookah, it is by no means inexpensive.

As other have said your life can easily depends on good training, good equipment and good judgment. I would encourage those who want to go “on the cheap” to think carefully about how you value your life. As a racing friend of mine once said, “by a cheap helmet, if you think you have a cheap head.”

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by garychurch

The 75 foot hookah hose is attached to a primary stage dive regulator on a filled scuba tank that reduces the air pressure to 150 psi that feeds the secondary stage scuba mouthpiece.

This type of system is known as "snuba", BTW.

[Capt Jeff]

Cudo’s to Bill O and Kenomac. Started diving in ‘64 before there was even certification in the Midwest. So, yup, I remember 2 hose refs. Later I was in the business for 14 years in Florida back in the days of 200 feet vis in the keys. There are more certifying agencies than PADI. Look around your area for a training facility that will fit your needs. You can never go wrong with a good trainer. It can save your life.

[Fixer]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Fatal barotrauma can occur at 1 meter (or less) of depth. That you don't understand this is reason enough to be worried.

As an assistant instructor for PADI, I would love to show my classes an example of this. Would you please provide a link to a story or the data about such deaths.

Even though SCUBA and hookah diving are easy and super safe, some basic knowledge of how our bodies work under pressure is important. Our bodies are very tolerant of temperature, but not so with pressure. Even even a little pressure difference can have unpleasant consequences.

[jimbunyard]

So, using A64's .64 ft3, at 25C an ascent with a breath taken at 3 feet below the surface will expand to 1.251808 cu ft on the surface, which certainly sounds dangerous.

Is that right or did I figure something wrong?

[Spot]

Figured wrong. Pressure at 3 feet is about 10% more than zero, your number looks more like 30 ft.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Fixer

As an assistant instructor for PADI, I would love to show my classes an example of this. Would you please provide a link to a story or the data about such deaths.

"This injury occurs on ascent when the gas in the lungs doesn’t have a ready exit. And it takes little to cause it — swimming-pool depths and an increase of just 1.5 pounds per square inch. Because the lungs deal with expanding and contracting volumes of gas, they are most at risk for barotrauma. Even a small amount of air trapped in the lungs can expand on ascent, rupturing the lung and causing life-threatening embolisms."

https://www.sportdiver.com/keywords/...ary-barotrauma

"When near the surface, this 10% distension can be produced by an over-pressure of about 80mm Hg. - equivalent to the pressure difference between one metre depth (less than 4 ft.) and the surface, making pulmonary barotrauma a real possibility even for a scuba diver in a swimming pool. Divers have died from pulmonary barotrauma in shallow swimming pools."


PULMONARY BAROTRAUMA - Cyprus Federation of Under Water Activities

Etc., etc., etc.