Refilling your OXSEA tank: pump, compressor or transfer station?

The OXSEA mini tank was designed to be refilled by you, without depending on a dive centre. Whether you are freeing a fouled anchor or checking a propeller, the logistics come down to one question: where and how do you fill your air?

There are three methods: the manual pump, the 12 V / 220 V mini compressor and the DIN or yoke transfer station. Times range from one minute to about twenty, depending on the method and the tank. Better to choose knowing what you are getting into.

A fill of air without a dive club

• Manual pump: OX500 and OX500Plus in about 20 minutes. Not compatible with the OX1000.
• 12 V / 220 V mini compressor: OX500 and OX500Plus in about 12 minutes, OX1000 in 20 minutes.
• DIN or yoke transfer station: about 1 minute, from a scuba tank.

The manual pump: depends on nothing

The principle is simple. You connect the pump to the tank and pump up to working pressure, 200 bar. Allow about 20 minutes for an OX500 or OX500Plus (0.5 L). It is an effort, but a reasonable one for that volume.

Its big advantage: it works anywhere. At anchor or on a beach. No battery, no socket. It is also the cheapest way into the range: the OX500 + Manual pump pack and the OX500Plus + Manual pump pack bundle the tank and its refill.

Its limit: volume. It is not compatible with the OX1000 (1 L). For that tank, go for the compressor or the station.

The 12 V / 220 V mini compressor: comfort on board

Plugged into the boat's 12 V or into 220 V on the dock, the mini compressor fills an OX500 in about 12 minutes and an OX1000 in 20. No effort. You start the refill, you get ready for the job, the tank is ready when you are.

It is the logical method for the OX1000 and for anyone who dives often. Availability of the compressor and the packs that include it is shown live on each product page: check it before building your kit around it.

The transfer station: one minute flat

If you have access to a standard scuba tank, the DIN or yoke transfer station is unbeatable: about 1 minute to fill the mini tank. Connect, open, done.

The constraint is obvious: you need a filled scuba tank nearby. It is the solution for divers who already have gear and for people who regularly pass a club or a filling station. For everyone else, the pump or the compressor stay more realistic day to day.

Mistakes to avoid

A few traps catch new users again and again. They are easy to sidestep once you know them.

• Trying to refill the OX1000 with the manual pump: it is not compatible. Compressor (about 20 minutes) or station (about 1 minute) for that tank.
• Going past 200 bar. The gauge tells you when to stop: working pressure is not a target to beat.
• Refilling near an exhaust or in a closed room. The air you compress is the air you will breathe underwater: refill outdoors, with filters in good condition.
• Flying with a full tank. The tank must be completely empty, head open or removed, and declared at check-in.
• Neglecting the safety disc and the filters. Replacing them is shown step by step in the OXSEA School videos.
• Improvising the assembly. A rough assembly costs you underwater. Watch the videos before the first refill.

The video tutorials to go further

The OXSEA School videos cover every step: assembly, flow adjustment, replacing the safety disc, filter care. Ten minutes of watching before your first refill will spare you most of the mistakes listed above.

Still have a doubt? The team answers by email at contact@oxsea.com, and after-sales at sav@oxsea.com. Every tank is checked before it ships from Taverny, France. The refill is in your hands. For running costs over a season and air quality, read our full guide on refilling a mini scuba tank.