Nitrox ready or o2 valve?

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cythack

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About to buy my first tank (steel hp80). I am not diving nitrox (yet) and am wondering if I should get the "nitrox ready" or "O2" valve, and why. Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
Just about everything you can find these days is Nitrox ready. Usually up to 40%. For a tank valve, that may not be enough. It will be fine for bank fills, but if the shop uses partial pressure blending, they’ll want O2 clean.

From a valve perspective, it’s usually just the seals and lubricants that are changed to make it O2 clean. None of my valves are labeled O2 clean. Just the tanks.
 
Getting O2 clean valves is a problem, because they really can't be approved for O2 service because of the design of the valve--too many turns. Some valves will say in the clearest possible language that they cannot be used for gas percentages higher than 40%, yet those valves are quite popular for cylinders carrying 100% O2. I talked on the telephone with someone from that company about it, and he said very clearly not to use them for more than 40%, but you could almost hear him winking as he said it. When I last renewed my cylinder inspection certification, the course materials talked about it, and they had no solution for the fact that as a cylinder inspector you are expected to certify cylinders for O2 use even though you know the valves are not approved for that.

Some valves are labeled as being for O2 service, and they do that by making it so the valves cannot be opened quickly. IMO, that is not enough to qualify.
 
About to buy my first tank (steel hp80)
A bit off topic, but in the spirit of being helpful... Make sure you've dived with one first. Only a small subset of divers will like their trim characteristics.
 
About to buy my first tank (steel hp80). I am not diving nitrox (yet) and am wondering if I should get the "nitrox ready" or "O2" valve, and why. Thanks in advance for any advice!

How tall are you? HP80s are great single tanks for shorter divers - say 5’7” and under. I’m 5’5”. They look like soup cans on the back of taller divers. :D
 
Just under 5'7" 😊. I rented one a few times and loved it!

Good. And just a hint - if you can swing the cash, buy two. Makes it much more convenient for most people’s diving.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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