Scuba Compressors

Expand Your Diving Options With a Portable Scuba Compressor

Whether you're into hunting for underwater artifacts, exploring caves for adventure, or spearfishing on tropical reefs, nothing can expand your range of diving options like owning a portable air compressor. Compressors come in a range of power options and sizes, and a large variety of these handy equipment are available on eBay at reasonable prices.

Like all air compressors, dive compressors come in a variety of options, but all are built to be suitable for breathing air. Care must always be taken that the compressor has a clean supply of air away from any exhaust fumes or other contaminants. Compressors used for filling dive tanks have special filters and oil separators to keep the breathing air clean. Compressors can be powered by gas engines or electric motors. When choosing electric models, be sure to consider the power requirements of the motor since they will require high amperage connections to operate safely.

Diving from a hookah, sometimes called a snuba, is a way of supplying air to the diver from the surface. It is very popular in shallow tropical waters and is a fun alternative to scuba diving. Unlike the compressors that are used for filling scuba cylinders, using a diving hookah does not use high-pressure pumps. The air pump unit sits on the surface on its own float or mounted on a boat and send the air directly to the diver's regulator.

The size of compressor you need to fill scuba tanks will vary depending on a few factors, including:

• The type and number of scuba tanks you want to fill.
• The frequency at which you want to fill you scuba cylinders.
• The place you will be operating and storing the compressor.
• Selecting regular air for scuba or special mixes like NITROX.
• The type of power you have available to run the compressor.

Regular dive tanks have an air pressure of around 3,000 pounds per square inch. Beyond this factor, the size of the tank also plays a role in your choice. If you use small cylinders, a high-pressure compressor could overload it. Alternatively, if you use large scuba tanks, a smaller capacity compressor might not be able to get your dive tank topped off.