Bad breathing gas on liveaboard trip

[iain/hsm]

Pity you don't have a photo of the "plant room" compressor data plate and equipment used.

All divers were breathing EAN at 31-32%.

If all divers were breathing EAN 31-32%. In which case the "compressor" will have been certified for EAN at 31-32% and have a data plate attached to the compressor that clearly states it is suitable for that elevated oxygen (or higher) concentration and pressure.

Failing that you have simply a 21% limit if you decide to use an air compressor only.
Pity you don't have a photo of the set up or plant as we could have discussed the inadequate filtration

Two things to consider

1. Filters by their very nature fail

2. Any gas (ANY GAS) with a percentage greater than 23% shall be classed as Oxygen
And oxygen is USE NO OIL

Clearly your holiday provider knows better.

 

[BRT]

Pity you don't have a photo of the "plant room" compressor data plate and equipment used.

If all divers were breathing EAN 31-32%. In which case the "compressor" will have been certified for EAN at 31-32% and have a data plate attached to the compressor that clearly states it is suitable for that elevated oxygen (or higher) concentration and pressure.

Failing that you have simply a 21% limit if you decide to use an air compressor only.
Pity you don't have a photo of the set up or plant as we could have discussed the inadequate filtration

Two things to consider

1. Filters by their very nature fail

2. Any gas (ANY GAS) with a percentage greater than 23% shall be classed as Oxygen

Nobody should ever run 32% through an oil lubed compressor?

Clearly your holiday provider knows better.

 

[rjack321]

Nobody should ever run 32% through an oil lubed compressor?

Rix dealer's and proponents would never recommend an oil lubed compressor for any breathing gas

 

[dberry]

Unless I missed it, the OP didn't name the dive op or location. At the very least it would be nice to know where this liveaboard was operating. Personally, I think naming the liveaboard company would be appropriate, too. Let people who are bothered by stinky gas and indifference from the operators vote with their wallets and choose a different company.

 

[tursiops]

Unless I missed it, the OP didn't name the dive op or location.

Post #14 suggested who the operator was, which the OP has not refuted.

 

[rongoodman]

Post #14 suggested who the operator was, which the OP has not refuted.

Even if the company named is correct, most of their boats are franchises, so knowing the operator/location is important. I've been on a number of trips with them, but never one with three tenders, so I couldn't hazard a guess.

 

[living4experiences]

The company owes you a 100% refund, not prorated, not a credit. This situation was due to their negligence, not an act of god or weather, so they can't wriggle out of responsibility. I would demand the refund without negotiation. If they don't give you a full refund, you can make a claim on your travel insurance for trip interruption. If you paid with a credit card, oftentimes, credit cards have travel protection. If you have DAN insurance, there's coverage there too. You may also file a dispute for a full refund with the credit card company because the liveaboard didn't fulfill their contract with you for the goods and services you paid for. In fact, they served you poison in their goods via the contaminated tanks.

I know you haven't named the company, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Master Liveaboards, Aggressor, or Blue-O-Two. As divers, we put our money into these companies for trips and they consistently let us down. They've been ripping off divers since the pandemic started, and even though some of us (including me) have horror stories to tell, they're all still in business and taking our money because we don't think it'll happen to us.

I don't know if you booked directly or through a dive trip broker, but I find it shameful that the dive brokers continue to market for these companies knowing how they treat their customers.

I'm glad to hear that no one died. This could have been a catastrophic event if people didn't speak up. It makes me wonder....where do those post-dive headaches come from? Did I have bad gas? Was I dehydrated and didn't know it?

 

[happy-diver]

https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/577093/cif-thwaites-aj-20180724.pdf

CATCHWORDS:
CORONERS: Dive death investigation, recreational diving, carbon monoxide toxicity, drowning, contamination of breathing air from within electric air compressor, ignition of lubricating oil within over heated compressor, maintenance, filtration, ASA breathing air standards, testing for contamination

 

[DrWilliam]

I really appreciate everyone's comments in this thread. It has helped me process the event and think more deeply about it. I have avoided naming the operator primarily because I wanted to first give them a chance to make it right, and because I wanted to discuss more broadly the health and safety concerns and concerns with charters in general. I suspect shortly that I will name the operator in this thread, but feel free to message me privately if you would like to discuss it further. Hope that is reasonable to everyone.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Random small molecules responsible for a bad smell are a problem, but it’s odourless monoxide that will actually kill you. Did the capability to test for it exist on the boat? That’s the sort of thing a commercial fill station (like this totally is!) should be able to do… As for fixing the problem changing all the filters is probably as deep as they should have gone, rebuilding the compressor itself would be awkward to do at sea. Bummer your vacation was canceled, engineering problems can never be entirely prevented, is your operator making it right financially?

That should read, “carbon monoxide,” not “monoxide,” which is chemically and toxicologically different.

SeaRat