I have a Marauder and a 4500lb SCBA tank. I have a couple of sources to refill the tank but I would like to be more self sufficient and do it at home. When I looked into it a few years ago the Shoebox seemed to be what the cool kids were using, I have several home compressors so there would be no added cost there.
Web searches showed up some videos of home brewed setups using hand pumps hooked up to gear reduction and electric motors. I am not opposed to a home brewed thing with a hand pump but I am skeptical long term about how long the hand pump would last when using it to top off a 4500lb tank and the cost plus maintenance plus effort to build it and the space it might take up when not in use. For me cost of building it would be virtually nill aside from the pump and plumbing itself as I have all the other stuff laying around. I don't want to have to oil it every half hour, I would want to turn it on and walk away until the tank is about full. Fill time is not important.
What compressors are you guys using and why?
Has anyone done the hand pump build?
How about plumbing lines from the compressor to tank?
Web searches showed up some videos of home brewed setups using hand pumps hooked up to gear reduction and electric motors. I am not opposed to a home brewed thing with a hand pump but I am skeptical long term about how long the hand pump would last when using it to top off a 4500lb tank and the cost plus maintenance plus effort to build it and the space it might take up when not in use. For me cost of building it would be virtually nill aside from the pump and plumbing itself as I have all the other stuff laying around. I don't want to have to oil it every half hour, I would want to turn it on and walk away until the tank is about full. Fill time is not important.
What compressors are you guys using and why?
Has anyone done the hand pump build?
How about plumbing lines from the compressor to tank?