Nitrox Tank Marking

[hhmoore]

@scubadiver888
There are 3 shops somewhat local to me. All have filled tanks for me (though, for convenience reasons, I generally split my business between two of them); and all of them know that I do air fills much of the time (maybe the previously mentioned 3/4 of the time was overly generous). None of them have suggested that it's an issue...if they had, I probably would have developed other habits. In fact, I questioned the place that did my nitrox course; and was told that if a place didn't want to do an air fill because of the nitrox sticker, I should go elsewhere. That same conversation included subsequent nitrox fills.
In my case, at least, nothing is hidden...and, if any of the shops involved voice a concern, I will designate tanks for nitrox or air; and remove the stickers, accordingly

 

[RainPilot]

It does happen that some operators have compressors that may be ok for air but are not clean enough for subsequent O2 PP blending.

Our local big LDS won’t PP a tank if it has been air filled at a marginal operation. The industry is small enough here that we know who to avoid.

I can see reluctance on the part of a blender who has to risk life and limb on the maintenance procedures of some unknown random tank monkey.

 

[TrimixToo]

It does happen that some operators have compressors that may be ok for air but are not clean enough for subsequent O2 PP blending.

<snip>

And, that used to be the case locally. (With my own fill station I don't simply know any more.)

The only stickers on my tanks other than the MOD markings are either whimsical (I have a couple tanks with the Oxyhacker stickers on them) or those used for O2. For the latter, an entire roll (500?) of O2 hazmat stickers was something like $7 so I don't care about replacing them from time to time. I like prominent reminders that tanks are full of O2 on several levels, in the water and out.

Oh, and there's tape on every tank that's not an O2 tank, even if it contains just air (in which case it says "air").

 

[flyboy08]

Seems to me a green on/off knob would solve this world problem?

 

[tbone1004]

Seems to me a green on/off knob would solve this world problem?

many use those for pure O2, I wouldn't be a fan of having that on all of my bottles.
Like what I said, and @boulderjohn reiterated, the only benefit of the nitrox stickers is if you have a big rental fleet with the majority air, and some nitrox. It makes it fast/easy to segregate the bottles. Outside of that, there is literally no point.
All bottles should have an analysis sticker on them, you are responsible for confirming that analysis before you breathe that gas. If you confirm the gas, what's the point of a nitrox band?

 

[Ayisha]

All that's required, like everyone else said, are the small VIP and O2 clean stickers.

Does everyone reanalyze to confirm the blend percentage on rentals?

Absolutely. Whether rentals or your own tanks. Every tank should be analyzed by you and have a dated analysis sticker that you've initialed, like tbone said.

 

[TrimixToo]

Seems to me a green on/off knob would solve this world problem?

Green generally means O2. Not really appropriate for a Nitrox fill. Not sufficient in my opinion for rapid ID of O2 cylinders in my garage or in my car by first responders, or by uneducated (or for that matter no matter how well educated and looking for O2 *right now*) people on a boat.

 

[flyboy08]

Green generally means O2. Not really appropriate for a Nitrox fill. Not sufficient in my opinion for rapid ID of O2 cylinders in my garage or in my car by first responders, or by uneducated (or for that matter no matter how well educated and looking for O2 *right now*) people on a boat.

I've been diving for over 30 years and never seen anything other than a BLACK handle...then again, I am slightly color blind

 

[tbone1004]

I've been diving for over 30 years and never seen anything other than a BLACK handle...then again, I am slightly color blind

you see green handles on O2 bottles on occasion, particularly on rebreathers. There is a trend now to start using red for suit inflation bottles that I imagine stems from argon generally being in a red bottle

 

[Rred]

Brian-
In the larger world of commercial gasses and gas bottles?
No one has to worry about salt water but no one uses plastic sleeves either. Your tanks are going to be used for EAN "forever" more or less?
So, you do what commercial gas people do. PAINT the appropriate color code on the tank. The obsolete UK marking would have been black and white "quarters" on the head of the tank. Very distinctive. The modern US standard would be a three inch wide yellow band, with an inch wide green band in the center of it. (Easiest to paint a wide yellow band, then green over the center of it.)
Pretty much says the same thing as "NITROX" without having any plastic or stickers to worry about.
And if you want to add anything like "EAN 32 only" just use a thick black Sharpie.

A little imagine, a glance at commercial standards, you can figure it out.

And it should also make it very unlikely that someone else will confuse your tanks with theirs.