Dive shops around the world are reeling from the COVID – one of my local contacts called me about relieving them of a 2010 electric motor-driven Bauer PE 250 they pulled from an offsite resort operation. The offsite worked about 6 weeks a year for 8 years and had 20 tanks so the compressor was probably used to fill about 1000-3000 tanks, but mostly it just sat around in a humid environment. There is no hour count and it’s been sitting in a warehouse for the last two years.
After looking at it I have some apprehensions, but I know the reputation of Bauer is good and I know I can probably get spare parts. I’m not worried about the economy of the situation of having a compressor in general – I know that these things seldom are a money-saving venture, but I have a remote home near the sea with great shore diving and being able to fill my own tanks would be a huge convivence in a few years when I move back there.
1. If I’m filling just my own and friends’ tanks - say about 4-6 a week, is the PE 250 too big for my needs?
2. I’m trying to calculate how much I might have to put into it in terms of time and $$ to get it working properly. I got the shop to drop the price from $4500 to $1150 because they just want to get it out if the building before they close and turn the space back over to the landlord.
3. Does this seem like a reasonable price given it looks like there may some serious work to do and certainly some parts to buy? Is this price such a no-brainer that I would be an idiot not to at least give it a shot? Or will this thing be a money pit and I’m better off getting a PE100 and forget about the headache?
I have some mechanical abilities - I repair my car and rebuild regs, but I’ve never tackled a dive compressor so your unfiltered advice is eagerly solicited. I don’t have a full shop of tools here, but can generally get what I need, when necessary.
Some photos are attached.