Announcing the first "Thread of the Month"

[HowardE]

Congrats to Dandy Don, for his composition: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/content/342-carbon-monoxide-tank-risks-protections.html

This thread was selected as thread of the month by ScubaBoard's users by receiving the most nominations.

 

[Belmont]

That's more than 140 characters!!!

 

[scubafool]

The powers that be had me with that April Fool's gag for several minutes.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

It's about time Dandy got an award for this, his determination has gone to a new level every month for letting this be aware.

 

[redacted]

Who said, "All should be thankful for the thread of the month"?

 

[DandyDon]

It's about time Dandy got an award for this, his determination has gone to a new level every month for letting this be aware.

I'm just really happy with the progress. Getting more traveling divers to test tanks pressures the Ops to clean up their air, and with major breakthrus of the last couple of years of Analox developing their easy to use analyzer and OER agreeing to rent units to vacation divers who couldn't justify buying a unit really makes CO testing so very feasible for everyone.

In my early days of field trials, I'm sure that many naively wondered why I bothered - even tho the occasional 5 to 7 ppm readings told me that the air was not as clean as it should have been and who knows what else is making into the tanks - until I got 17 ppm on all tanks an insisted the boat turn back. Now I hope to see trip reports including CO tank testing results more and more, but I guess that'll take more nagging. Until it becomes to see Clear or other CO monitors on compressors all over, we just got to keep pushing on the tank testing in hopes of that goal - but I'd keep testing anyway as tank jockeys can screw those up too.

Who said, "All should be thankful for the thread of the month"?

I'm sure there's a good joke there. I have to have so many explained to me. :blush:

 

[electrix]

Congratulations don't spend the prize money all in one, place spread it around. If it had not been for you I would not have given it a thought or even a second thought. Now I just hope the air on the Belize Aggressor III tests "zero" and that they don't get ticked off about me testing it and the other "guests" don't throw me overboard. Can I test it through the regulator or will I have to test it at the tank, and what would the cutoff be if you were diving in the 60' range?

 

[DandyDon]

Congratulations don't spend the prize money all in one, place spread it around. If it had not been for you I would not have given it a thought or even a second thought. Now I just hope the air on the Belize Aggressor III tests "zero" and that they don't get ticked off about me testing it and the other "guests" don't throw me overboard. Can I test it through the regulator or will I have to test it at the tank, and what would the cutoff be if you were diving in the 60' range?

That boat has an impressive description of their compressor set up, but then in some ways boats are more risky. On arrival, ask to see sleeping area CO monitors? Haha, I take one of those too. No, if they seem bothered about your safety checks, just tell them you wish that they tested. I'd still test even if they had CO monitors tho, as I've known of those being bypassed, etc.

You should get zeroes on every tank, the entire trip, becoming bored with testing but reassured. Don't forget to blow on the sensor every day to ensure it works. As far as when to call a dive because of a CO reading: pick a number between 3 and 15, then stick to it, as those are the limits from various countries that do have limits. If they allowed 3 ppm CO, what else is getting in? I'd danged sure being voicing complaints at 3; a 1 or even a 2 could be a rounding or operator error. Beyond that, a higher reading for a shallow dive is questionable; you shouldn't have to deal with it, but you hate to skip dives. For deeper dives or larger readings, don't be very accepting.

 

[nimoh]

I didn't know there was a thread of the month contest, but this thread would have been my pick, useful topic and a lot of great information.

 

[electrix]

Can I test through the regulator or does it have to be at the tank?