Nitrox - warning for beginner divers

[Earl Grey]

@ Texasguy

You don't really need Nitrox for our local dives. 288, Blue Lagoon, Mammoth and even the offshore rigs are fine on air. I use my Nitrox cert only when I need it - repetitive dives on vacation, deeper dives (ie Texas Clipper in SPI), etc. Use the tank you bought for air. If you need nitrox for a particular local dive at some point, rent a tank for that dive.

 

[Texasguy]

Ok, what are the steps to turn a nitrox tank into a regular air tank?

I'll take off the sticker that goes around and says "nitrox", then I'll take off another sticker that says "oxygen service safe" or something like this...

Is this enough?

 

[nimoh]

Ok, what are the steps to turn a nitrox tank into a regular air tank?

I'll take off the sticker that goes around and says "nitrox", then I'll take off another sticker that says "oxygen service safe" or something like this...

Is this enough?

you will have residual nitrox in the cylinder, you should have the filler empty the tank before filling with air, and then test it with an analyzer to be sure you have an air mix.

 

[boulderjohn]

Ok, what are the steps to turn a nitrox tank into a regular air tank?
I'll take off the sticker that goes around and says "nitrox", then I'll take off another sticker that says "oxygen service safe" or something like this...

You don't have to take that green sticker off.

By the way, all of my tanks are O2 clean and can be used for nitrox, and none of them have a nitrox label on them. You don't need it.

you will have residual nitrox in the cylinder, you should have the filler empty the tank before filling with air, and then test it with an analyzer to be sure you have an air mix.

Or not. You paid for the nitrox, why not use it? In my circle, we call a used nitrox tank topped off with air "slightrox." You don't have to empty it, but you should have it analyzed.

 

[TSandM]

If you are only ever going to request air in your tank, it doesn't matter if you take the Nitrox stickers off -- but it would be a courtesy to shops to do so, so that nobody ever grabs your tank in error and puts pure oxygen in it to start a partial pressure Nitrox fill. Oxygen fires are real, and violent.

 

[theduckguru]

If you are a 2 dip a morning type diver, Nitrox is not that useful. If you want a shorter SI, you can dive the 1st tank nitrox and the second air.

 

[eelnoraa]

You only need to do one thing: request to have hyper filted air (oxygen compatible air). That's it. No need to take off any sticker.

Chances are they will tell you their air is NOT hyper filted. In that case, their air will void your O2 clean status. You will be the judge whether to go ahead or not. However, if your shop does PP, they must use hyper filted air already. If they give you the run around again, just find yourself another shop.

Ok, what are the steps to turn a nitrox tank into a regular air tank?

I'll take off the sticker that goes around and says "nitrox", then I'll take off another sticker that says "oxygen service safe" or something like this...

Is this enough?

 

[Texasguy]

Much easier to turn a nitrox tank to regular unfiltered air.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

By the way, all of my tanks are O2 clean and can be used for nitrox, and none of them have a nitrox label on them. You don't need it.

Amen! The sooner we get away from this stupid nitrox wrap sticker idea the better. A tank is either O2 clean, or it's not. The VIP sticker shows that. It only comes into play with PP blending or filling with >40%.

All tanks should be marked with contents and a MOD. Problem solved. Divers should be trained to NEVER assume a tank is breathable for them. Check the mix and the mod. The nitrox wraps simply don't serve a purpose. A tank with a nitrox wrap tells you NOTHING about what's in it. It's just a pretty green and yellow sticker. It may have nitrox in it, and even if it does, what mix? 32% 35% 24.5% Divers need to be trained to check the mix before diving.

 

[karlimmergut]

A tank with a nitrox wrap tells you NOTHING about what's in it. It's just a pretty green and yellow sticker.

I may be wrong, but I thought the purpose of that label is not to indicate what's inside, but to avoid filling the cylinder from a random source of ordinary air that may introduce a higher concentration of lubricants into the cylinder and increase the risk of combustion in future.