I found CO in tanks

[DandyDon]

Are you saying that it won't work or that it can analyze and display the correct CO% in much less than 20 seconds?

Neither. It should work fine if you actually time the test for 20 seconds watching your watch and don't mind listening to that much hissing. I'd rather fill the bag, then lay it down while I do other things for a minute or so.

I just repeated my closed garage test and got 372ppm. I guess that's why it's important to not run engines inside garages, even with the doors open - worse closed, and why we see so many deaths from cars left idling and lawn mowers.

And anyone who has a Ford Explorer really needs to wear a Sensorcon Inspector on his key chain!

 

[BoltSnap]

Neither. It should work fine if you actually time the test for 20 seconds watching your watch and don't mind listening to that much hissing. I'd rather fill the bag, then lay it down while I do other things for a minute or so.

Still not sure of what you mean but if it requires the bag and laying it down, this isn't particle for somebody who has to test several tanks (more than one). I must be not understanding you. What is the best way to use it other than requiring a bag and laying it down?

 

[dead dog]

I am going to give the dive op the benefit of the doubt here and hope that they will do the right thing and look into this as they said. They said they service their compressor and get the air tested. I have no reason to believe that they don’t. If they are following accepted industry standards and if this is a one time occurrence, then I don’t really think they have done anything wrong.

When I bought the CO analyzer a few months ago, I was really only concerned about finding CO in countries other than Canada or the US where the standards may be low or nonexistent. This incident goes to show that you never can tell and underscores the importance of knowing the contents of your tank.

Why didn't you test when you picked up these rental tanks?

 

[pasley]

Never a bad decision to call a dive. While a CO (carbon Monoxide) number may be within acceptable limits on dry land, we have to also consider the effects of PP at depth. Personally, I would not dive that level CO.

Alert Diver | Carbon Monoxide: The Silent Killer

 

[DandyDon]

Still not sure of what you mean but if it requires the bag and laying it down, this isn't particle for somebody who has to test several tanks (more than one). I must be not understanding you. What is the best way to use it other than requiring a bag and laying it down?

Particle? Well, yeah - if you just want to test your own tank, it takes 20 seconds, so I lay the bag down while I do other things. Apathy still rules so much that most people on the boats I take don't seem interested. If you want to test several tanks, you can build an assembly to route gas from the valve thru a hose to the Sensorcon, but it's still 20 seconds/tank. Either way, everyone learn and pass the kit around.

Or buy a CooTwo.

Personally, I would not dive that level CO.

Long thread and you didn't reference the post you meant to address. What level?

 

[Kimela]

I ordered it and am hoping it was a huge waste of money - meaning I hope to never have to call a dive for contaminated tanks. I will, of course, if necessary. But gosh, the peer pressure!!!!!!

 

[grf88]

It is really boring to find 0ppm tank after tank until the one day your son's tank reads 80ppm. At first I thought he had used the Analox unit incorrectly but after testing the tank 3 times and all the other tanks that had been put out for other divers reading 0ppm we confirmed his tank was 80ppm. Could of been a very bad day if I didn't have the unit.

 

[DandyDon]

I ordered it and am hoping it was a huge waste of money - meaning I hope to never have to call a dive for contaminated tanks. I will, of course, if necessary. But gosh, the peer pressure!!!!!!

Peer pressure? You hold the bag up with the unit inside, show the reading, and ask bluntly about why they are furnishing toxic air? Be sure to get photos and report.

It is really boring to find 0ppm tank after tank until the one day your son's tank reads 80ppm. At first I thought he had used the Analox unit incorrectly but after testing the tank 3 times and all the other tanks that had been put out for other divers reading 0ppm we confirmed his tank was 80ppm. Could of been a very bad day if I didn't have the unit.

The first time is a shocker, huh - but 80ppm! Wow! What did the Op say? It's even scarier when it happens to your kid.

So many think that if my tanks are clean, theirs must be - and then there is the "reputable dealer" fallacy. It's so much like Russian Roulette, but a 3% chance of losing - and the cause never being discovered.

 

[Kimela]

@DandyDon, what is your magic number - when you say "nope - this is too high"?

Is this number a flexible number, based on planned depth and dive time? Would other considerations like age and relative health also factor into this?

FWIW, I suspect my max depth will be 90 ft (and suspect closer to <70 - just fun recreational dives to see the fish & coral) on the first dive of each day, followed by a shallower dive. We'll be in Cozumel - no cenotes or intentionally 'deep' dives planned.

 

[DandyDon]

@DandyDon, what is your magic number - when you say "nope - this is too high"?

Is this number a flexible number, based on planned depth and dive time? Would other considerations like age and relative health also factor into this?

FWIW, I suspect my max depth will be 90 ft (and suspect closer to <70 - just fun recreational dives to see the fish & coral) on the first dive of each day, followed by a shallower dive. We'll be in Cozumel - no cenotes or intentionally 'deep' dives planned.

That's a personal call. It's good to think it over before the time may come so you will have a tentative decision at least. US standards call for a 10ppm max, but some developed countries only allow 5 or even 3ppm. My recommendations would be on the conservative side - refuse any tank over 3 or 5, but in my personal life - I am more flexible, up to 10. Keep in mind that any fill station that lets in readable CO may be allowing other risks unknown.

Cozumel has one of the better records since we busted a few tanks there a few years ago, but that's no guarantee that something can't go wrong. The main fill shack has Analox CO inline monitors because DAN gave them some, but alarms can be disabled if they get behind and an hombre wants off on time - so continues to use overheated machines. And there are more new compressors being install on the island with operators that may well not be as careful as we'd like. IMHO, every dive boat should furnish CooTwo dual testers and keep them up to date, but that's not the reality at all.