Argon--pro and con

[Rainer]

Here's one of the more recent *scientific* studies (sponsored by the US Office of Naval Research) that confirms the effectiveness of argon (up to 32% over air):

Rubicon Research Repository: Item 123456789/7962

As the study describes, you need to ensure you actually have argon in the suit (most easily accomplished via pre-flushing). We keep a spare Al14 for just such pre-flushes. Also, it's worth remembering that the deeper you dive, the more argon you'll have in the suit (so pre-flushing becomes less of an issue on very deep dives).

Personally, I used argon in MA (waters down to the mid-30sF) and noticed a difference. Wasn't that big a deal here in SoCal, so I've gone back to air. My wife, however, uses argon on many local multi-day charters (and I still use it when we head north to Monterey). An Al6 will last us between 2-3 dives (mostly a function of profile, and depth to a lesser extent).

 

[ramasule]

Haha I.have unlimited sf6 and cf4 at work.... now to get into tel diving

 

[DwayneJ]

Where do you get argon from in socal?

Dwayne

 

[Rainer]

Best (dive shop) price I've seen is at IB Divers. Both Hollywood Divers and OA also fill argon, but charge between $1.25-1.50/cf.

 

[DwayneJ]

Best (dive shop) price I've seen is at IB Divers. Both Hollywood Divers and OA also fill argon, but charge between $1.25-1.50/cf.

Thanks again!

 

[LiteHedded]

Here's one of the more recent *scientific* studies (sponsored by the US Office of Naval Research) that confirms the effectiveness of argon (up to 32% over air):

Rubicon Research Repository: Item 123456789/7962

As the study describes, you need to ensure you actually have argon in the suit (most easily accomplished via pre-flushing). We keep a spare Al14 for just such pre-flushes. Also, it's worth remembering that the deeper you dive, the more argon you'll have in the suit (so pre-flushing becomes less of an issue on very deep dives).

Personally, I used argon in MA (waters down to the mid-30sF) and noticed a difference. Wasn't that big a deal here in SoCal, so I've gone back to air. My wife, however, uses argon on many local multi-day charters (and I still use it when we head north to Monterey). An Al6 will last us between 2-3 dives (mostly a function of profile, and depth to a lesser extent).

a SPARE al14?? that must be nice!
if you have any more spares I'll take one!

 

[boulderjohn]

I did a dive a couple of days ago here in Florida with my light underwear in water that was about 62 at depth and about 72 in the deco zone. I had to use air because that was what was available. At the end of an 80 minute run time, I was more than comfortably warm.

When it was time to prepare for today's dive, argon was available to me. The price was $1.00 per cubic foot, as opposed to $0.10 per cubic foot for air. It is a tiny percentage of the total cost of the dive, but every few bucks helps. I'll be using air.

Put me in colder water, and I'll change my mind.

 

[w ripley]

I used it for 5+ years, carrying a bottle to the dive site to purge my drysuit, filling my "argon" bottle with it, etc. I decided that I couldn't tell the difference and gave my argon setup away.

 

[TSandM]

I'm quite convinced it makes a difference. I've done the (poorly controlled) personal trial now several times -- same dives, same conditions, same dive time, different inflation gas -- and I'm sold. As already said, if it's a placebo effect, I don't care. It's cheap and I feel warmer. In 46 degree water, that's important.

 

[Blackwood]

As the study describes, you need to ensure you actually have argon in the suit (most easily accomplished via pre-flushing).

That's something I've never completely wrapped my head around (though I've not given it too much thought).

I always wondered why we thought that filling a suit with argon, purging it, and repeating would necessarily cause any residual air to leave the suit. My off the cuff conclusion was that argon is denser than air, and thus will sink below any air in the legs (for example), pushing that air up to where it can escape.

But that paper suggests getting any gas out of a suit by purging it with any other gas.

the drysuits were repeatedly inflated and then purged with either air or industrial grade argon for a minimum of 6 cycles to insure the purity of the inflation gas inside the drysuit.

So I'm back to wondering why filling the suit with argon and purging a few times will ensure that there's no more air in the suit, if jumping in the water and sinking a few feet until I feel a tight squeeze won't.

Obviously with my method there is still some finite amount of air in the suit, but
1) the same is possibly true with the fill/purge method, and
2) what's the breaking point between argon being functional and argon being thwarted by some air?

(not directed at Rainer, just anyone who may know or have an idea).