Nitrox fills on vacation

I'm currently studying for my nitrox cert. I'm going to Key Largo to dive
and was wondering: when renting tanks (with nitrox), do most dive ops fill
the tanks on site? I'm very concerned with checking the O2 levels myself
(should I be?). Do most people carry their own O2 analyzers?

Thanks,
Charlie...

On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 02:25:57 GMT, "Charles Haber"
<charlie@habergroup.com> wrote:

>I'm currently studying for my nitrox cert. I'm going to Key Largo to dive
>and was wondering: when renting tanks (with nitrox), do most dive ops fill
>the tanks on site? I'm very concerned with checking the O2 levels myself
>(should I be?). Do most people carry their own O2 analyzers?
>
>Thanks,
>Charlie...
>

Shops that have nitrox will have an analyzer.
No a bad idea to get yer own.

Laser

It depends...if the tanks are delived to you on the boat (like in
Cozumel), there probably is no O2 analyzer available so having one would
be good. In a shop pick up, you can use theirs, but what if it is off?

The downside is that the analyzer costs a couple of hundred dollars and
the sensor must be replaced every year or two.

Eric


Charles Haber wrote:
> I'm currently studying for my nitrox cert. I'm going to Key Largo to dive
> and was wondering: when renting tanks (with nitrox), do most dive ops fill
> the tanks on site? I'm very concerned with checking the O2 levels myself
> (should I be?). Do most people carry their own O2 analyzers?
>
> Thanks,
> Charlie...
>
>

Charles Haber wrote

> I'm currently studying for my nitrox cert. I'm going to Key Largo to
dive
> and was wondering: when renting tanks (with nitrox), do most dive ops fill
> the tanks on site? I'm very concerned with checking the O2 levels myself
> (should I be?). Do most people carry their own O2 analyzers?

If you mean "at the shop," the answer is yes. Check that they have nitrox
before you go. Not everybody does. I suggest you advise them in advance if
you're going to use their tanks. The shops can get busy just before the
boats leave and partial pressure blending takes more time than a simply air
fill. If you're using your own tanks, bring them full and give the ship as
much time as possible between trips to refill them. You can dive 32% pretty
much anywhere a day charter will be going. I don't know of any Keys shops
in that bank premixed gas or have continuous blending or membrane systems
(all of which speed the fill process). Jim Wyatt has a continuous blending
system on Cudjoe, but he's a bit of a drive from Key Largo.

All nitrox courses I know of teach checking your own gas. It is my personal
opinion that you should either test it yourself (preferable) or at least
observe somebody test it in your presence. In general, it's important to
know what you're breathing. The more dives you do in a day, the deeper they
are and the closer you get to N2 and O2 limits, the more important knowing
what you are breathing becomes. Since I breathe nitrox for the added no
deco time, I consider knowing what I have very important. I own my own
analyzer because I've been places that don't have one to loan me, because
I've been places that transport tanks from the fill station to the boat,
making it impossible for me to see somebody else test my gas, because I'm
more comfortable using the same analyzer each time than using whatever is
available and, perhaps primarily, because I'm a gadget freak.

I don't think most people have their own O2 analyzers. Way too many trust
the shop to give fill and test their gas accurately, a mistake in my mind.
One of the best known tech shops in S. Florida missed the target PPO2 on one
of my fills by enough to have given me problems if I had not tested it
myself. They only did it once, but once is once to many times. I got a
tank of air on a liveaboard using a membrane system. The system was set for
32 and produced it reliably, or would have if they had not hooked my nitrox
tank to an air whip. That one got by me and I got bent as a result. I was
close enough to my N2 limit at that point for it to matter. Most of those
who religiously test their gas, use the shop's analyzer. Generally, I don't
have a problem with that. Most shop analyzers are as good as mine, but it's
still nice to get an independent test.

Lee

"Laser" <laser.t@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:d8effvscq44b6k1lgredhm09tkjq1ksprs@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 02:25:57 GMT, "Charles Haber"
> <charlie@habergroup.com> wrote:
>
> >I'm currently studying for my nitrox cert. I'm going to Key Largo to
dive
> >and was wondering: when renting tanks (with nitrox), do most dive ops
fill
> >the tanks on site? I'm very concerned with checking the O2 levels myself
> >(should I be?). Do most people carry their own O2 analyzers?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Charlie...

I was on the SS Minnow in West Palm (Under Blue Heron Blvd. bridge) last
Saturday. One dude had his own analyzer. I asked him how much he
paid...$300.


> >
>
> Shops that have nitrox will have an analyzer.
> No a bad idea to get yer own.
>
> Laser

In key largo...

Diver's outlet and World wide water sports... NO NITROX and they will
NOT fill your nitrox tank with air. (Don't bother telling them it is
21% nitrox... they will not understand you... they are a mass-marketer,
not a dive shop-OK, I know you should not put regular air in a nitrox
tank but once in a while will not hurt it)

Ocean divers only has pre-mix (32 and I think 36). They will also give
you grief if you ask for clean air in your nitrox tank but will usually
fill them. (I do this a lot during lobster season.. no need for nitrox
in 25 ft of water)

There are several other shops that use PP method in key largo but the
names slip my mind. All of the shops I have been in key largo have
test meters but I always test my own. (Call me crazy not trusting a
minimum wage tank filler wih my life).

Don't miss the spiegel grove!!!

Ed




Lee Bell wrote:
> Charles Haber wrote
>
>
>>I'm currently studying for my nitrox cert. I'm going to Key Largo to
>
> dive
>
>>and was wondering: when renting tanks (with nitrox), do most dive ops fill
>>the tanks on site? I'm very concerned with checking the O2 levels myself
>>(should I be?). Do most people carry their own O2 analyzers?
>
>
> If you mean "at the shop," the answer is yes. Check that they have nitrox
> before you go. Not everybody does. I suggest you advise them in advance if
> you're going to use their tanks. The shops can get busy just before the
> boats leave and partial pressure blending takes more time than a simply air
> fill. If you're using your own tanks, bring them full and give the ship as
> much time as possible between trips to refill them. You can dive 32% pretty
> much anywhere a day charter will be going. I don't know of any Keys shops
> in that bank premixed gas or have continuous blending or membrane systems
> (all of which speed the fill process). Jim Wyatt has a continuous blending
> system on Cudjoe, but he's a bit of a drive from Key Largo.
>
> All nitrox courses I know of teach checking your own gas. It is my personal
> opinion that you should either test it yourself (preferable) or at least
> observe somebody test it in your presence. In general, it's important to
> know what you're breathing. The more dives you do in a day, the deeper they
> are and the closer you get to N2 and O2 limits, the more important knowing
> what you are breathing becomes. Since I breathe nitrox for the added no
> deco time, I consider knowing what I have very important. I own my own
> analyzer because I've been places that don't have one to loan me, because
> I've been places that transport tanks from the fill station to the boat,
> making it impossible for me to see somebody else test my gas, because I'm
> more comfortable using the same analyzer each time than using whatever is
> available and, perhaps primarily, because I'm a gadget freak.
>
> I don't think most people have their own O2 analyzers. Way too many trust
> the shop to give fill and test their gas accurately, a mistake in my mind.
> One of the best known tech shops in S. Florida missed the target PPO2 on one
> of my fills by enough to have given me problems if I had not tested it
> myself. They only did it once, but once is once to many times. I got a
> tank of air on a liveaboard using a membrane system. The system was set for
> 32 and produced it reliably, or would have if they had not hooked my nitrox
> tank to an air whip. That one got by me and I got bent as a result. I was
> close enough to my N2 limit at that point for it to matter. Most of those
> who religiously test their gas, use the shop's analyzer. Generally, I don't
> have a problem with that. Most shop analyzers are as good as mine, but it's
> still nice to get an independent test.
>
> Lee
>
>

I guess when I get back, I'll buy one of the El Cheapo II from Oxycheq. I'm
diving on Friday with Divers City (the Eagle) and Saturday with Paradise
Charters (Spiegel). I hope to pass the Nitrox test on Thursday and I'll
call the two shops to check out their Nitrox setup.

Thanks for all the advice.

Charlie...

"Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:bd9kb4$h7j$1@slb4.atl.mindspring.net...
> Charles Haber wrote
>
> > I'm currently studying for my nitrox cert. I'm going to Key Largo to
> dive
> > and was wondering: when renting tanks (with nitrox), do most dive ops
fill
> > the tanks on site? I'm very concerned with checking the O2 levels
myself
> > (should I be?). Do most people carry their own O2 analyzers?
>
> If you mean "at the shop," the answer is yes. Check that they have nitrox
> before you go. Not everybody does. I suggest you advise them in advance
if
> you're going to use their tanks. The shops can get busy just before the
> boats leave and partial pressure blending takes more time than a simply
air
> fill. If you're using your own tanks, bring them full and give the ship
as
> much time as possible between trips to refill them. You can dive 32%
pretty
> much anywhere a day charter will be going. I don't know of any Keys shops
> in that bank premixed gas or have continuous blending or membrane systems
> (all of which speed the fill process). Jim Wyatt has a continuous
blending
> system on Cudjoe, but he's a bit of a drive from Key Largo.
>
> All nitrox courses I know of teach checking your own gas. It is my
personal
> opinion that you should either test it yourself (preferable) or at least
> observe somebody test it in your presence. In general, it's important to
> know what you're breathing. The more dives you do in a day, the deeper
they
> are and the closer you get to N2 and O2 limits, the more important knowing
> what you are breathing becomes. Since I breathe nitrox for the added no
> deco time, I consider knowing what I have very important. I own my own
> analyzer because I've been places that don't have one to loan me, because
> I've been places that transport tanks from the fill station to the boat,
> making it impossible for me to see somebody else test my gas, because I'm
> more comfortable using the same analyzer each time than using whatever is
> available and, perhaps primarily, because I'm a gadget freak.
>
> I don't think most people have their own O2 analyzers. Way too many trust
> the shop to give fill and test their gas accurately, a mistake in my mind.
> One of the best known tech shops in S. Florida missed the target PPO2 on
one
> of my fills by enough to have given me problems if I had not tested it
> myself. They only did it once, but once is once to many times. I got a
> tank of air on a liveaboard using a membrane system. The system was set
for
> 32 and produced it reliably, or would have if they had not hooked my
nitrox
> tank to an air whip. That one got by me and I got bent as a result. I
was
> close enough to my N2 limit at that point for it to matter. Most of those
> who religiously test their gas, use the shop's analyzer. Generally, I
don't
> have a problem with that. Most shop analyzers are as good as mine, but
it's
> still nice to get an independent test.
>
> Lee
>
>

Ed wrote

> Diver's outlet and World wide water sports... NO NITROX and they will
> NOT fill your nitrox tank with air. (Don't bother telling them it is
> 21% nitrox... they will not understand you... they are a mass-marketer,
> not a dive shop-OK, I know you should not put regular air in a nitrox
> tank but once in a while will not hurt it)

There's a place for mass marketers in this world, if only to keep the masses
away from shops that cater to divers with more unique preferences. It's
pretty much an industry standard to avoid putting gas that does not meet
nitrox standards into a tank prepared for O2 service. Air may not be just
21% nitrox. It may be 21% nitrox plus exactly the kind of comtaminants the
tank was cleaned to avoid. You want nitrox, go to a shop that makes it
available. You want regular air in an O2 service tank, peel the O2 service
sticker off and go for it, or learn to fill your own nitrox. I can't blame
anybody for protecting themselves, even if the chance of a problem is very
slim. If a tank goes off, it's the fill tech who is standing closest to it.

> Ocean divers only has pre-mix (32 and I think 36). They will also give
> you grief if you ask for clean air in your nitrox tank but will usually
> fill them. (I do this a lot during lobster season.. no need for nitrox
> in 25 ft of water)

Nitrox grade air is filtered more than normal air. The filters aren't cheap
and they don't last forever. Most shops I frequent fill only clean air, but
their fill prices tend to be a bit higher than average as well. If Ocean
Divers didn't charge you extra for the clean air, thank them. A lot of
shops would have. If you don't need nitrox for lobstering in 25 feet of
water, why are you using an O2 service tank?

It's good to know somebody in the Keys has premix. More often than not, a
standard blend is fine for me and fills from a premix source are quicker
than from a partial pressure blending source. Better yet, some shops with
premix will fill non nitrox tanks, a good thing if that's what I happen to
have empty.

Lee

In article <bdabr4$11n$1@ngspool-d02.news.aol.com>,
CB <CB@prayforme.com> wrote:
>
>"Laser" <laser.t@mindspring.com> wrote in message
>news:d8effvscq44b6k1lgredhm09tkjq1ksprs@4ax.com.. .
>> On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 02:25:57 GMT, "Charles Haber"
>> <charlie@habergroup.com> wrote:
>>
>> >I'm currently studying for my nitrox cert. I'm going to Key Largo to
>dive
>> >and was wondering: when renting tanks (with nitrox), do most dive ops
>fill
>> >the tanks on site? I'm very concerned with checking the O2 levels myself
>> >(should I be?). Do most people carry their own O2 analyzers?
>> >
>> >Thanks,
>> >Charlie...
>
>I was on the SS Minnow in West Palm (Under Blue Heron Blvd. bridge) last
>Saturday. One dude had his own analyzer. I asked him how much he
>paid...$300.

He bought it at a dive shop.

I built a perfectly serviceable one for $110 - including the Pelican
waterproof (and drop proof, and damn-near-bombproof) case.

--
--
Karl Denninger (karl@denninger.net) Internet Consultant & Kids Rights Activist
http://www.denninger.net Tired of spam at your company? LOOK HERE!
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http://diversunion.org LOG IN AND GET YOUR TANK STICKERS TODAY!

leebell@ix.netcom.com stopped playing nethack just long enough to say:
>
>I don't know of any Keys shops in that bank premixed gas or have
>continuous blending or membrane systems

Conch Republic (at MM 90.8) recently purchased a membrane system (from
UBS, I think). When I was there in May, they said they thought they
would have it on-line "soon".

-JimG

--
Jim Greenlee (jkg@cc.gatech.edu) *([0-9])@([02468][48]|[2468][048]|
College of Computing [13579][26])|[048]|@(?([0-9]|1[0-7])|
Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA 30332 *([0-9])@([02468][048]|[13579][26]))00