Hookah-type dive compressor system - run it! - 2014

Beginning of April 2014 - La Cruz Anchorage,Banderas Bay, Mexico
We used the DEWALT DWFP55126 6-Gallon 165 PSI Pancake Compressor with the Honda EU2000i generator and I was down cleaning the boat bottom just over two hours. It was great having unlimited air! Got a real premium job done.


We will run the dock cord to the Honda EU2000i and then put the DeWalt air compressor in the cockpit and run the hose out through the stern steps. That way the compressor will be far away from the genset. We will just leave the dock chord on the life lines. It works for sailing that way.

We are on a single SS income. Remember we are not pro divers. Just want to clean the bottom. This system worked great and cruisers with the Harbor Freight model seem happy enough with them also. I have said that we are looking for a better water trap but it takes time in Mexico to find the stuff and even to get ashore etc. I figure better to have it than not because we see others with them. It is not expensive. We can always remove it. The other water trap in the picture we posted is much sturdier and we can mount it different.

The Honda EU2000i is running and the DeWalt air compressoris running to fill the accumulator tank. This was the first time running for the DeWalt air compressorand the drain for the tank was open at the bottom so the air was hissing out. I realized this just after the video and shut it.

Running the DeWalt air compressor off the inverter may just be a bad idea and we will skip it. The thing is we do not need the Honda EU2000i for any other reason but bottom cleaning. That means we need to leave up on deck for 8 months of the year for just bottom cleaning. The other 4 months we need it for cloudy days etc. Oh well it is what it is I guess.

Here in Mexico all the bottom cleaners I have seen use water traps. Do not know why and maybe they do not either?
We set the PSI to 90 and this worked for air delivery to our 5' 6" draft or more because our water line is under water We have about a 40' hose.
Had to go to a truck-brake hydraulic shop and get a 1\4" fitting crimped on the old Scuba Hookah Systems hose to connect to the water trap or water separator. We also saw single air line fittings there of all types.
Then we attached the water trap and we are good to go diving!
 The water trap is all metal going through and has a plastic outer housing. We are still trying to get a better one. We have never seen any water in this so we decided it was working just fine and no need for a better one.


With the stern steps dropped down into the water.


For us, using the compressor with the accumulator tank works good. We do not use the system but a couple hours every two weeks, if that. We are going down to clean the bottom this coming weekend and the bottom looks like it is staying cleaner because of our good job last time. It should not take as long to clean the bottom this time. It is time to replace the shaft zinc and that will be a first for me.

When we get a bottom job this summer the time will be even less. The accumulator tank saves both the Honda EU2000i from running at a higher speed all the time I am under water or on the surface talking, or getting ready to go in the water or just not breathing through the regulator etc. The compressor also is working less because it just shuts off. The noise is also reduced. 

Once the compressor reaches 150 PSI in the accumulator tank the compressor shuts off, starts again at 120 PSI. This in turn ramps down the Honda EU2000i to echo mode, meaning it is running at it's lowest speed, fairly quiet and not using as much gas. We need to dinghy out everything which also means gas so this helps on the schlepping.

This works out for us and with the drain on the bottom of the accumulator tank the system should last us quite a long time. It was also fitting our budget

We know of a boat for sale in the La Cruz marina (Marina Riviera Nayarit atLa Cruz) that has the 12v hookah system. I was thinking of asking if he would sell it but at even half price it would be too many pesos for us.

It is also very nice to be in control of our boat bottom, zincs, keel cooler for the refer and thru-hole strainers etc..The fun factor is there too, staying down as long as we like.

Now we are going to try to use this system to clean our anchor chain while it is in the ocean. Debbie my wife will operate the windless and pull it up say 6' at a time and I will try cleaning that section in the water on so on. We have been doing this on deck and it is messy and not that easy. I imagine we can not get all the growth off but possibly the heavy stuff.

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