A Question for Nitrox Mavens

[Thalassamania]

When I dive tables I dive what is most appropriate, that usually means the most current NOAA Nitrox or US Navy Tables, but I have no hesitation using the older versions that I used for years.

 

[RTee]

To answer the original question: PADI does not teach that you are safer using EAN within air NDLs. In fact, question 2 in Section 1's Knowledge Review from the Nitrox class reads as follows:

How does using enriched air well within air no decompression limits affect safety? The book answer is:

Using enriched air within air no decompression limits has no significant effect on safety, provided enriched air procedures are followed.

TSandM... Page 14 of the PADI EAN Manual also states under Primary Benefit of EAN:
You can make use of this benefit in two ways: either by extending your dive times beyond those you could have with air, or by staying within the limits of an air-based computer or dive table and viewing the subsequent reduction in your exposure to nitrogen as an additional personal safety margin.

...however it also states later on that it is probably safest to assume the narcosis potential is the same (between nitrogen and oxygen)

 

[Colliam7]

the question related to whether the various dive cert agencies were now teaching that EAN could be used for additional safety when diving by using air settings on one's dive computer?

The PADI material does not directly encourage this practice. In fact, the current PADI material encourages the use of an Enriched Air computer (or the tables). The closest it comes to suggesting the use of nitrox with air limits is in a) the very first section of the current 2010 Enriched Air Diver manual (v 1.01), 'Why Use It?', where one of the given reasons is that, 'It reduces the need to 'push' [near] the air no decompression limits', and b) a later section, 'Guidelines for Diving with Enriched Air Dive Coimputers', which includes a subsection, 'Using an Air-Only Computer' in which the manual states that, 'when you use enriched air within air no stop limits, you can get closer to the limits without 'pushing' them.'

But, the unambiguous tone of the latter message is that you lose part of the benefit of using enriched air when you (have to) use an air computer.

Individual instructors may tell nitrox students that nitrox can be used with air tables or air computers for additional safety (I do not), but it is not an agency focus, at least not with PADI.

So, I was wondering if there were a change in what was being taught and, if so, when such a change in "philosophy" came about?

I am not certain that there has been a change in agency philosophy at PADI.

 

[Thalassamania]

Lets keep in mind that you are looking for an authority from the very folks who branded NITROX as deadly dangerous and encouraged Skin Diver Magazine's editorials, backed the Cayman Watersportsman's Association when they banned NITROX on Cayman and agreed with the Cayman Chamber that it would impossible to treat a bend EAN diver.

 

[Sat Diver]

Perhaps Sat Diver (and joewr) have me on ignore :shocked2:

Perhaps someone could quote my post (with quotes included)

Went back and read it (was a little long, so I skipped it the 1st time round).

And thats exactly my point, Halemano. How would PADI have had info and recommendations for nitrox when they did not approve its use back then ?

 

[boulderjohn]

Went back and read it (was a little long, so I skipped it the 1st time round).

And thats exactly my point, Halemano. How would PADI have had info and recommendations for nitrox when they did not approve its use back then ?

I believe Halemano's point is that he never said anywhere that PADI had this information back when it did not approve its use. His account of the history of Nitrox was quoted from Wikipedia, and it said PADI officially approved of and provided instructional support for nitrox in 1996. His quote from PADI was from that original support material.

He asked for a direct quotation from his post that indicates he did. You said you read his post finally (after commenting on it the first time), so you must have found such a quote. Why not provide it?

 

[Sat Diver]

I believe Halemano's point is that he never said anywhere that PADI had this information back when it did not approve its use. His account of the history of Nitrox was quoted from Wikipedia, and it said PADI officially approved of and provided instructional support for nitrox in 1996. His quote from PADI was from that original support material.

He asked for a direct quotation from his post that indicates he did. You said you read his post finally (after commenting on it the first time), so you must have found such a quote. Why not provide it?

Yes Boulder,
I am agreeing with Halemano.
My post was with reference to the OP and his time frame reference.
I have no quotes or any kind of reference material.

Just memory from a time when we were called "Guinea Pigs" by the recreational dive community because we dived Heliox and used concentrated O2 deco gasses for deco coming out of saturation. Heliox was called voodoo gas and EAN or any oxygen enriched gas was also not met with approval from the holiday divers ....

Hence my original question.

For what its worth, Halemano posted exactly what I was refering to ... I had neglected to read it.

 

[charlesml3]

EAN or any oxygen enriched gas was also not met with approval from the holiday divers

Yea, no kidding. I remember just mentioning Nitrox to my LDS back in the mid/late 80's and I'll never forget the owner's response. "What? No way. This dive shop will NEVER supply that Devil Gas." Yes, he actually called it "Devil Gas."

Of course a few years later and that same owner is filling more Nitrox tanks than air. I find that to be rather humorous.

-Charles

 

[mddolson]

Dito for NAUI Nitrox diver course.

Mike D

If you go through PADI EAN reference material, it does cover both aspects ...extended bottom time and additional conservatism if diving air NDL.