New Nitrox compressor whoo hoo!!!!!!!!

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Pinkpadigal
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New Nitrox compressor whoo hoo!!!!!!!!

Post by Pinkpadigal »

I signed the papers today and I am now the proud owner of a Nuvair enriched air compressor, 4 bank bottles and 8 nitrox AL 80 tanks. It is a VERY nice system and because it is a membrane system, no O2 bottles to worry about.

I should arrive next week and hooked up shortly afterwards. I will have 32 and 36% in banks and I can custom blend too, up to 40%. I will let everyone know when it is hooked up and "pumping the good stuff".

I am having a hard time getting a hold of my electrician. Is anyone out there able to help me with my 220v plug? PM me or let me know if you know someone who can help.
Amy Rhodes
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Tom Nic
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Post by Tom Nic »

Very cool, and congrats! :partyman:

Now, isn't there supposed to be some kind of christening ceremony involving adult beverages, bottle smashing, etc?

Do you have a name picked out for this beastie yet? I know, how about a "Name Amy's Nitrox Compressor" contest with prizes, etc.! First prize could be 6 months of nitrox fills! :supz:
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DiverDown
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Post by DiverDown »

First prize could be 6 months of nitrox fills!
Now that sounds like a great idea!!!!! \:D/
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diver-dad
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Post by diver-dad »

DiverDown wrote:
First prize could be 6 months of nitrox fills!
Now that sounds like a great idea!!!!! \:D/
Heck - ought to throw in a tank with it. ...... Gotta put the gas somewhere! :supz:
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Burntchef
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Post by Burntchef »

being the techy dork that i am you should post some pics of the new beauty too. :partyman:
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Post by Sounder »

6 Months of free nitrox, a free tank, gifts under $50 dollars and a party complete with adult beverages and bottle smashing!?!? :partyman: Amy you're the best!

This is fun; thank you for humoring us. =D>
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Post by Aquanautchuck »

You know Amy, that would look sweetttttttt on a trailer behind Nailers dive shop on wheels. Hmmmmmm mobile Nitrox. There is a idea. :bounce:
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Post by bnboly »

Mobile nitrox..... how interesting..... isn't there an upcomming event where this idea could be tested...... :partyman:
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Post by Dogboy »

Amy, PM sent
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Post by Pinkpadigal »

bnboly wrote:Mobile nitrox..... how interesting..... isn't there an upcomming event where this idea could be tested...... :partyman:
Cool idea! However, there is no way this thing is mobile. The compressor is as big as my air compressor. I am still trying to make sure it will fit into my back room. #-o

With that said, I am 12 minutes from Les Davis and 25 minutes south of Redondo. =D>
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Post by Dogboy »

With that said, I am 12 minutes from Les Davis and 25 minutes south of Redondo. =D>[/quote]

How fast do you drive? :smt119
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Post by Pinkpadigal »

To Les Davis:
6 minutes from the store to 1-5
1 minutes from I-5 to 705
5 minutes from 705 to Les Davis.

To Redondo
6 minutes from the store to I-5
15 minutes from I-5 to 272nd
4-5 minutes from the exit to get to Redondo.

Sometimes it takes me longer if there is traffic.
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Post by Sounder »

Oh yeah, traffic! #-o ](*,)
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Post by Pinkpadigal »

The ship date for my compressor is December 11th. I should have it in the store and ready to pump Nitrox by the 18th. I am going to have Nitrox for Christmas!!! Yeah! \:D/
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Post by Dmitchell »

Which compressor did you get? We have the 9 cfm with the membrane from those guys. I love the membrane it makes filling nitrox a breeze. the downside is that I don't have a second low pressure compressor to feed the membrane and it's a hungry booger. Somewhere in the vicinity of 22CFM at 150 PSI to output 32%. Go above 32% and it's even more! I have 4 cascade bottles that I fill to 2400 PSI to feed the membrane. The downside is that it takes about 1-1/2 hours to fill the 4 cascades to provide about 40 minutes of 32% feed and you're pumping the same gas 2x which puts 2x the wear on the compressor and filters.

The solution of course is to buya 2nd seperate LP compressor but to get 22+CFm at 150PSI and theprefilters to insure that you don't get oil in the membrane (which would ruin it) is $2500 to $3000.

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Post by Jeff Kruse »

With all the expense of a membrane system I wonder if it would be more cost effective to continuous blend 32/34% from either bottled O2 or Liquid O2 from a dewer. Liquid O2 is even cheaper than bottled O2.

I continuous blend for myself and it just seems so easy and cheap. O2 costs me about 10 cents a CF.
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Post by Pinkpadigal »

My system is a Nuvair, very similar to what All-in-One has, but the next generation. According to Ray Contreras, it is the first one in Washington state.

Ray...you can explain the workings of my compressor better than me. I know what it does: pumps Nitrox easily.

I looked at a lot of different options. I went with a membrane system because it is easier for me to handle. I didn't want to have to worry about having O2 bottles in the store. Also, if I werer to run out of O2, then your Nitrox compressor is down until you get more in. If that happens on a busy Saturday, my customers are going to get pissed.
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Post by Dmitchell »

Mine's Nuvair as well. I know there are probably 10 in Alaska between dive shops and research agencies.

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Post by rcontrera »

Amy is getting the newest generation of the LP280 all in one Nitrox generating compressor to match up with her 10 CFM compressor. This is the first of the single phase units with a refrigerated air drier for extended filter life and an almost silent rotary LP compressor. If you saw this at DEMA, it was actually running ... not just sitting there flashing lights. It blew me away wen they turned it off so I could tell the difference in noise. And, it doesn't have to have the big ugly accumulator like the past generations did. It is way cool! In fact, the competition spent almost as much time in our booth as they did in their own trying to figure out how this little gem works.
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Post by Sounder »

Someday I'm hoping you'll be setting one up in my garage too Ray \:D/ ... just not as big or as expensive as Amy's. :pale:
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Post by rcontrera »

I got little guys too! \:D/

The compact portable that consists of compresor and membrane system is only $6895. But as was previously noted, you need to fill supply bottles first then use those bottles to feed the membrane and then fill nitrox. Kind of a round about way, but still works if you have lots of bottles to work with!

http://coltri-usa.com/nitrox/

is where I have some information (at the bottom of the page). The one I am talking about, the Explorer, isn't on there but is the same machine as the Explorer II without the LP compressor. Soon as I get a few minutes to spare, I will update the page with the rest of the Nitrox stuff.
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Post by Sounder »

$7K?! :pale: I'm more interested in the portable compressors (no dive shops on Lopez Island!) and have seen them on your site. I'm torn between gas and electric... I can see arguments for/against both.

For now, I'm sticking to the all-you-can-eat at my LDS. \:D/ It'll be a while before Mrs. Sounder is ready to sign off on a $7k compressor (yeah right, if ever :-({|= )
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Post by rcontrera »

Not to take away or change direction from Amy's thread, but I can give a little insight into the standard little compressors as well. Yes, 155 VAC is nice. However, it is the slowest running motor of all the options available and that makes a 3.5 CFM machine only put out 2.8 CFM. Additionally, it has a motor rating of 29 amps so it must be started with no pressure to be run on it's own 30 amp circuit. Lots of households have 30 amp breakers, but are usually shared. You don't want to keep popping breakers.

Gasoline is truly portable in that it carries it's own engine. However, you need to be someplace where you can hang the intake snorkel to make sure that you don't pump in exhaust. Plus, there is the added maintenance of a gasoline engine to contend with.

My favorite of the little guys is not a good seller at all. Of the couple of dozen that I have sold so far this year, none have been the 220 VAC single phase. It makes more sense than the 115 VAC in that it is a faster machine, draws less power and most households have the power available and only run maybe a forced air system or clothes dryer.

Of course, that is just my take on em.
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