Blender class

[Tracy]

How do you recommend blending the 32 if not PPB for the bank

PPB in a bank is a nightmare. It is nearly a week before you know what you made. Too many restrictions to allow quick mixing. The only thing I PPB is 50% as it is just faster and easier. 800 psi of oxygen and top with 32. Or if you have air, 1100 psi of o2.
I have 25,000 cf of nitrox banked and 2700 cf of air. It isn't something I use often.
Stick design and use is something I cover in a blending class. Advanced blender covers trimix sticks as well.

 

[GF99/99]

Is it actually worthwhile to to take the blender class or is it just a waste of money?

Depends on what your goal is and who your going to learn from. If your working in the industry selling mixes then yes. If it is for personal use/friends, probably not.

Blending is not rocket and with all the blending apps out there its pretty straight forward. But that being said as I mentioned above it depends on who you learn from. You can pick up little tips and trick of the trade from someone that has done a lot of blending especially if your constantly diving different Trimix's you can end up blowing off $$ if you don't think things through logically and plan your mixes accordingly.

 

[formernuke]

If I bank I would need to set up a separate bank, 32 works for most but not all my dives.

 

[Tracy]

If I bank I would need to set up a separate bank, 32 works for most but not all my dives.

I can't think of a dive I couldn't do on 32 where air would be a better option.
Sorry, off topic and doesn't have anything to do with this thread.

 

[formernuke]

Technical issues. 28 is popular here as well for 130.

 

[tbone1004]

Technical issues. 28 is popular here as well for 130.

then bank 28, but the point is you shouldn't be partial pressure blending when you have a cascade system, it's a complete waste of time, money, and effort. Pick a mix that you want and commit to it then pump the banks full of it. NOAA Nitrox 1 is EAN32, and Nitrox 2 is EAN36. Being a cave diver I tend to stick with EAN32, but at the coast of NC you'll pretty regularly see 28 or 30 to deal with the 100-130ft wrecks, and if that's your "local" standard gas then fine, just don't partial pressure blend nitrox unless you absolutely have to. If you have your own compressor you should spend the $300 and build a stick, it's infinitely better than partial pressure.

 

[formernuke]

Hey mod thanks for the delete, my phone was acting up.

 

[macado]

Technical issues. 28 is popular here as well for 130.

It's hard to speak in absolutes but 32% works for the vast majority of dive sites in New England including EVERY single shore dive we have available. The ones where it doesn't work you can easily top off with air and dilute to get whatever desired mix you want. Beyond that you're in trimix territory.

Pretty much every dive site commonly dove here is perfect for 32%. Big Fantastic Wall, Halfway Rock, Egg Rock, Salt Rock, Paddock Rock, Dry Salvages, Kettle Island, Thatcher, Pickett's Ledge, Newcomb's Ledge, Middle Breakers, Herbert, Romance, City of Salisbury, Chester Poling, Nina T, Patriot, Heroic, North Star, Mars, Pinthis, Paul Palmer. This is obviously not a complete list but you get the point.

Having said that, 28% is a perfectly fine mix and will work with everything above but it really has a limited range of usefulness for New England dive sites. It is good for the New York Central 14-II (Pug), Saturday Night Ledge, Burnham Rock (parts of it), and U-382.

 

[tbone1004]

How do you recommend blending the 32 if not PPB for the bank

better question, why were you planning on partial pressure blending in the first place? The exact mix discussion is largely irrelevant whether it's 28, 30, 32, 36, whatever doesn't matter, but why were you choosing to PP blend?

 

[Cert1967]

better question, why were you planning on partial pressure blending in the first place? The exact mix discussion is largely irrelevant whether it's 28, 30, 32, 36, whatever doesn't matter, but why were you choosing to PP blend?

Why would you produce with PP?