Analyzing Nitrox..Do You
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PerroneFord:
Sounds like another one that works or owns an LDS. Mr. rich man you can do that for your class.
For some people that dive Nitrox almost every dive that might be a benefit. For the large majority of us that use nitrox when we are midrange diving it wouldn't be cost effective. You would probably drive your nitrox prices up through the roof and make it harder to find for the people that still wanted to use it because you eliminate so much of the diving community that wouldn't be willing to pay for their own meter if only 10-30% of their diving is on nitrox.
PerroneFord
Contributor
LOL! I'm struggling to pay for gear just like the next person. I'm certainly not a rich man. But it seems to me with people spending $1500-3000 to get started in diving, a $250 analyzer shouldn't cause THAT much sticker shock.
Why would requiring an analyzer cause Nitrox prices to go up? I'm not following you there.
Why would requiring an analyzer cause Nitrox prices to go up? I'm not following you there.
Bratface
Contributor
I always analyze my own Nitrox before diving. I have used the dive shop or resort's analyzer. They all have one, and they all have a log for you to record the results in.
douglasville diver
Contributor
always verifiy your mix, or else your dive tables are useless.
Always check your own mix. If you don't have your own analyzer, watching someone else check your mix and verifying with your own eyes the readings will suffice. But never accept a tank without personally verifying the mix.
As to the observed phenomenon of a Nitrox mix changing when traveling to a dive site, the reason for this can be several. First of all the most obvious is that the gas is mixing and when it was first analyzed it was not completely blended in the tank. This is very common and expected with partial pressure fills. The second is that the temperature or humidity has changed and you have not accounted for that when doing your pre-dive analysis. Did you know that as the temperature or humidity rises, the readings off your analyzer will change? Setting your analyzer at 20.9 in all conditions will not give you a proper reading when you hook it up to your tank. For example, at sea level and a relative humidity of 40 percent, your analyzer will need to be set to 20.7 when the temperature is 50f, but will need to be set to 19.8 if you dive to an area where the temperature if around 100f and the humidity has risen to around 80 percent. This change although small, needs to be considered if your readings are out by up to 1 percent. The best way to calibrate your Nitrox sensor is with 100 percent Oxygen, but because that is not always available, we rely on air and as a result have to deal with small inaccuracies.
As to the observed phenomenon of a Nitrox mix changing when traveling to a dive site, the reason for this can be several. First of all the most obvious is that the gas is mixing and when it was first analyzed it was not completely blended in the tank. This is very common and expected with partial pressure fills. The second is that the temperature or humidity has changed and you have not accounted for that when doing your pre-dive analysis. Did you know that as the temperature or humidity rises, the readings off your analyzer will change? Setting your analyzer at 20.9 in all conditions will not give you a proper reading when you hook it up to your tank. For example, at sea level and a relative humidity of 40 percent, your analyzer will need to be set to 20.7 when the temperature is 50f, but will need to be set to 19.8 if you dive to an area where the temperature if around 100f and the humidity has risen to around 80 percent. This change although small, needs to be considered if your readings are out by up to 1 percent. The best way to calibrate your Nitrox sensor is with 100 percent Oxygen, but because that is not always available, we rely on air and as a result have to deal with small inaccuracies.
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Always always always analyze your gas before diving it. You never trust the shop when they say it is 32% -- you always check to be sure.
I know somebody personally in Flordia who has an elbow that bothers him to this day -- because he got an air fill several years ago that was supposed to be nitrox and he didn't check it.
Even if I mixed it personally -- and put a sticker on it -- I analyze it before I dive it.
You just can not be too careful.
Kimber
I know somebody personally in Flordia who has an elbow that bothers him to this day -- because he got an air fill several years ago that was supposed to be nitrox and he didn't check it.
Even if I mixed it personally -- and put a sticker on it -- I analyze it before I dive it.
You just can not be too careful.
Kimber
Tom Yerian
Contributor
In posts 11-19, What depth ranges are we all talking about? Im just curious to know the range you are referencing your mixes to? ... CAPT. TOM
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