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Re: Another Bauer Question – your unfiltered advice please

Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 4:37 pm
by couv
This is a question, not a suggestion.

Considering the cost of a 15hp VFD would it make more sense to use a gas engine to drive your compressor? Personally, I would prefer an electric motor driven compressor, but as you'll be moving a gasoline (petrol) engine might be more versatile.

Re: Another Bauer Question – your unfiltered advice please

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 12:10 am
by TeamDoug2015
Thanks, Couv - I had considered converting, but luckily the power where I live now is the same as where I'll be moving and both installations will be indoors.

And describing the unit as portable is a liberal interpretation of that word - a truck and a ramp would normally be required to move this thing - so once hooked to electrical it's not going anywhere unless I move again.

Re: Another Bauer Question – your unfiltered advice please

Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 8:30 pm
by tbone1004
you're looking at around $800-$1000 for a 15hp VFD as an FYI.
As far as versatility, I wouldn't think that you'd be toting a pump that big around very often, but for under a grand you can get a 10kw generator that is big enough to run the pump as well as a slew of other things.

Re: Another Bauer Question – your unfiltered advice please

Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:01 pm
by TeamDoug2015
I contacted the local Bauer distributor to price a service kit - seals and filters. Out of curiosity, I checked to see what they wanted for a 1000 hour maintenance - $3180 USD. If I had any hesitation about doing the maintenance on my own, I think this firmed up my resolve to use the well-written Bauer references and get started.

Re: Another Bauer Question – your unfiltered advice please

Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:46 pm
by TeamDoug2015
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good source for Bauer parts in the US? With the Euro sky high right now, European suppliers are significantly more expensive than North American. After some searching the interwebs, I came up with a few - August Industries in Dallas and Breathing Air Systems on the East Coast. I can continue to search the web but personal contacts are preferred.

Re: Another Bauer Question – your unfiltered advice please

Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:01 pm
by luis
I have used August Industries and always had good service.


BTW, Breathing Air Systems is in Ohio, which is not near the coast.

Re: Another Bauer Question – your unfiltered advice please

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:27 am
by antique diver
TeamDoug2015 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:04 am
Some more reference pictures.

And there is fluid halfway up the glass of the pressure gauge and some oily residue on the blue filter in the filter tower.

Thanks again for any input.
Don't be concerned about the oily water residue on your replaceable filter cartridge. What might be of concern in many filter systems is actually normal in that filter tower since it also is doing double duty as the final moisture separator. Your filter system is actually pretty efficient.

Over the past 20 years I have serviced many of the Bauer systems at fire departments and dive businesses with the same filter array. My 32 year old Bauer is much older but has basically the same filter arrangement, and it works quite well.