Analyzing Nitrox Situation

[CDNScubaMoose]

About a month ago I was going out on a charter for a wreck dive that sits in about 50-80 ffw. With a set of LP95 doubles I figured this would be a great opportunity for two nitrox dives. My LDS dosen't supply Nitrox fills so I headed to the nearest dive store that does - about an hour away. The charter was set for Sunday am and after checking the store hours I found out that they closed at 6 pm on Friday night and then open Saturday afternoon. I was planning on visitng some friends close to the dive store (and spending the night) so I left work early with the intention of dropping off my tanks to get filled on the Friday night (or Saturday morning) and then picking them up on the Saturday. I was told by my instructor that nitrox fills can take some time so not to expect quick fills (hence why I was figuring the extra day). When I got to the dive store it was about 5 mins before close and I explained that I wanted a 32% mix and would be back the next day to pick them up - no problem they said. Fast forward to the next day and on Saturday there was only one staff member in the store and at first she wasn't even aware of the log sheet that needed to be filled out for nitrox fills and then when I asked to analyze the mix she proceeded to show me the pressure the tanks had been filled to. She had no idea where the 02 analyzer was or more importantly why it was important. I wasn't about to take those tanks without knowing what was in them (guess maybe a should invest in an 02 analyzer). The store was finally able to track down another employee who was certified to mix nitrox and they came in and we checked the O2 (it was 34% instead of the 32% so no big difference for the dive that I had planned). I felt bad that someone had to come into the store when they weren't scheduled to work but IMHO if an LDS is going to sell nitrox then shouldn't the staff be trained as well? The dive was great and the nitrox was definitely the way to go - but fastforward to last weekend and I bumped into the owner of the store at a local dive site (the store owner was my original OW instructor) and she gave me the 3rd degree for coming in at the last minute to get my tanks filled and being a difficult customer - what would you do? I kept my mouth shut although I now suspect that the staff at the store didn't give the owner the whole version of events.

 

[HowardE]

I'd find a different shop.

 

[loosebits]

Well, I wouldn't go to that shop again but it seems you don't have a lot of choice as that may be the nearest source of nitrox (btw, being off by 2% is inexcusable) and the shop probably knows it. So, you can try to talk to the owner and explain the problem or you can just keep your mouth shut, I don't think either would be catastrophic. Regardless, sounds like you should get yourself an analyzer (search Google for El Cheapo II).

 

[HowardE]

Really - being off by 2% isn't a big deal in this situation. if the dive is only to 80 feet... Any mix - up to 40% (recreational nitrox) is perfectly acceptable for the dive. Why such a lean mix for such a shallow dive?

Should a shop have someone on staff that could have easily remedied the situation? Yes abosolutely... Bleed off some gas, and top with air... Get the mix down to 32% - probably would have taken 5 minutes... It is more inexcusable that the person working didn't know what the O2 analyzer was, and how to deal with it...

 

[jbd]

The shop owner was out of line. I agree, if they are going to sell nitrox then there should be someone there during normal business hours competent to mix nitrox etc, etc. I would find another place to get nitrox. If you bump into the shop owner at another dive site and she asks why you haven't been in lately, simply tell her you didn't appreciate the unprofessional way you were treated and are doing business elsewhere--end the conversation.

 

[Dive-aholic]

As already pointed out by loosebits, 2% is inexcusable. Mixes shouldn't be off by more than 1%, and IMO that's even too much. I want it to be within 0.5%. I would get a new LDS if you can, and definitely get an analyzer.

 

[loosebits]

Really - being off by 2% isn't a big deal in this situation. if the dive is only to 80 feet... Any mix - up to 40% (recreational nitrox) is perfectly acceptable for the dive.

It's not that the mix isn't acceptable for the dive, it's that it isn't what he asked for, not even close. When I first started home brewing with a cheap analog gauge (which you would be lucky to read to 50 psi), my mixes were closer than 2%. A mix that far off was done by someone that is either completely incompetent or simply didn't care about taking the time to do it right.

 

[redacted]

Really - being off by 2% isn't a big deal in this situation. if the dive is only to 80 feet... Any mix - up to 40% (recreational nitrox) is perfectly acceptable for the dive. Why such a lean mix for such a shallow dive?

It may not be a big deal from a dive planning standpoint. But it is a big error from a filling technique standpoint.

 

[jpcpat]

IMHO the owner is out of line here. You were NOT being a difficult customer. Analyzing the tank before you dive it is a very real safety issue. 2% off may not have been a problem for your profiles, but it is a very big deal.

I understand why you kept your mouth closed, and I probably would, too. OTOH, it seems like the staff is at least potentially endangering divers, and any owner would want to know.

 

[HowardE]

Sure it's a big error from a filling technique standpoint... OR the person who was using the analyzer (when analyzed to 34%) didn't know how to use the analyzer either, and didn't calibrate it.

IF the other person who came to analyze the tanks, was actually "certified to mix nitrox" then he should have offered to correct the mix. Right?

I'm certainly NOT saying the shop is right... I would go to another shop, since the owner was not sorry, but rather aggressive about the whole thing... From a customer service standpoint, THIS is inexcusable.