Save Money On Tank Refills With A Diving Compressor

If you've been scuba diving for any length of time, you've probably wondered how and if you can refill your own scuba tanks. After all, having to go to your local dive shop and pay a fee to have your tanks refilled is a major aggravation. Wouldn't it be great if you could simply refill your own tanks in your garage or even use a portable unit to refill them at the dive site? Not only is it possible to do this, but it's very easy to implement and not as expensive as you might think.

First, you need to realize that you are only compressing air. Unless you are into deep diving where mixed gasses are used, you will only be breathing air, the same air you breath every day while you are on land. The process of refilling your scuba tanks is simply compressing and filtering the air around you and putting it in your tank.

If you are refilling scuba tanks for personal use, and you're not interested in refilling tanks on a commercial level, a small diving compressor is all you need. You can get one of these units with either a gasoline or electric motor. It really doesn't matter which you decide to go with. It's really just a personal preference. There is always the possibility, however, that if you are using a gasoline powered model, that you could inadvertently end up with some of the engine's exhaust fumes in your tanks, so you will have to be very careful when refilling your tanks with a gasoline engine powered unit.

One example of a portable unit is the Max Air 35 Standard Scuba Compressor. Portable air compressors such as this unit are great for filling up your tanks either at home or at the dive site. This gas powered unit only weights 85 pounds and has large carry handles for easy handling. With the Max Air 35 is reasonably quick. You can fill an 80 cubic foot scuba tank to 3,000 PSI in only 20 minutes. The Max Air 35 is available with either an 5.5 HP Honda gasoline engine or a 3-phase 115v/230v electric motor and retails for $3,415.

If the thought of shelling out $3,415 for a brand new unit doesn't sound enticing, you might want to consider purchasing a used one. You can check with your local dive shop or even online for a used unit and realize a substantial savings.

A good quality diving compressor is very handy to have if you are an avid scuba diver. The ability to refill your own tanks and to know that it was done right is very comforting.