Beginning of my Tech Diver adventure

[Waterskier1]

They do make SS double enders......example only:TSTC 4 5/8" SS Double Ender Technical Scuba Training Center

Yes, of course SS double enders exist. I was only, and mistakenly at that, stating that the particular web site Frank referenced didn't have them for sale. As it turns out, if one scrolls down past a large blank of white space, more items are listed. I just didn't scroll down far enough.

 

[nereas]

Ultimately you will need FIVE 1st stages and FOUR second stages.

These are needed for your twin tanks and for your two deco bottles.

The fifth is for your argon bottle with your drysuit.

I am surprised that the tech-instructor told you less.

Did he mention about a drysuit? High altitude lake diving gets awfully cold without one.

 

[Waterskier1]

Ultimately you will need FIVE 1st stages and FOUR second stages.

These are needed for your twin tanks and for your two deco bottles.

The fifth is for your argon bottle with your drysuit.

I am surprised that the tech-instructor told you less.

Did he mention about a drysuit? High altitude lake diving gets awfully cold without one.

Yes, he did mention a dry suit, since because if you don't have a dry suit, he requires a double (redundant) bladder in your wing. But, he didn't mention argon as being required. I believe I read how your wing is plumbed off one reg and the dry suit is fed off the other, in case there is a situation requiring isolation of one post, you don't loose all buoyancy control. I don't believe Argon is required for Tech diving. Also, at least at the beginning stages of Tech Diving, only one deco bottle is used. Maybe by the time one gets to Advanced, you are required to have two deco regs.

 

[ScubaAndDreams]

Ultimately you will need FIVE 1st stages and FOUR second stages.

These are needed for your twin tanks and for your two deco bottles.

The fifth is for your argon bottle with your drysuit.

I am surprised that the tech-instructor told you less.

Did he mention about a drysuit? High altitude lake diving gets awfully cold without one.

Or you could just go with what *YOUR* instructor suggests...since nearass isn't teaching you this course. For an intro level course (which this seems to be); you will *likely* not be using 2 deco bottles..and if it is is TDI you won't be using helium to 150' (whether I agree with that is irrelevant), which means you won't be needing argon (yet).

 

[Waterskier1]

I didn't even think about not being able to use Tri Mix in a dry suit. I'm guessing that is a no-no. I thought people used Argon for it's better insulating properties (better than air/NITROX, that is).

No, we will not be using Helium in this class. It's the Advanced NITROX (up to 100% O2) and Decompression Classes. And yes, it is the TDI courses.

 

[amascuba]

I didn't even think about not being able to use Tri Mix in a dry suit. I'm guessing that is a no-no. I thought people used Argon for it's better insulating properties (better than air/NITROX, that is).

No, we will not be using Helium in this class. It's the Advanced NITROX (up to 100% O2) and Decompression Classes. And yes, it is the TDI courses.

No-need for an argon setup yet... The insulating properties of helium are significantly lower than that of air or argon. Using helium for suit inflation can negate even wearing a drysuit in the first place. I don't have the numbers on hand, but I can pull them up if you want.

It will be a fun course.

 

[texdiveguy]

No-need for an argon setup yet... The insulating properties of helium are significantly lower than that of air or argon. Using helium for suit inflation can negate even wearing a drysuit in the first place. I don't have the numbers on hand, but I can pull them up if you want.

It will be a fun course.

The fact as it relates to a dry suit inflation system, (sometimes referred to as an argon system), is that with the use of such system you relief the use a life support gas to inflate your dry suit. Most divers use air in these delivery systems as it is cheaper//more available and provides almost as much thermo value as argon. The use of a breathing gas that in part contains He (TMx) to inflate a dry suit is an expensive venture//wasteful//does have less thermo values, and can in rare cases contribute to ICD DCS--skin bends.

 

[RonFrank]

I know of a couple divers that use Argon for their dry suit inflation. It's suppose to be much warmer. I've never used it.

You don't need a tech diving class to do Argon as it's not part of breathing gas management. You just need a tank with Argon, a first stage, and the inflator hose.

I would think Helium would be part of advanced Nitrox, and Deco, but maybe that is the next class which I believe is trimix.

Once you get to trimix, you may need a new computer, in fact, you will unless you recently purchase one that can handle trimix. Those puppies are expensive.

 

[texdiveguy]

I know of a couple divers that use Argon for their dry suit inflation. It's suppose to be much warmer. I've never used it.

You don't need a tech diving class to do Argon as it's not part of breathing gas management. You just need a tank with Argon, a first stage, and the inflator hose.

I would think Helium would be part of advanced Nitrox, and Deco, but maybe that is the next class which I believe is trimix.

Once you get to trimix, you may need a new computer, in fact, you will unless you recently purchase one that can handle trimix. Those puppies are expensive.

Helium is a passing comment or two in Adv. Nitrox and Deco Procd. as these 2 courses do not involve themselves with He.

Argon for all practical purposes provides almost unmeasurable thermo advantage to air.

Argon is a part of learning curve in Gas Management in advanced technical courses---It can not be Breathed!!!

You in NO way need a 'trimix' dive computer to dive trimix dives. As a matter of fact the prevailing method is to cut custom deco tables and use a bottom timer or dive computer in gauge mode......some divers will back that up with a trimix dive computer, most will have an additional bt and contingency tables. I can see the benefit to some saw tooth cave profiles that require the use of TMx that a trimix computer may offer some advantages.

 

[Waterskier1]

Ron, I haven't studied Trimix computers. But, even in the Advanced NITROX class, an Air/NITROX computer can't be used. WHY? Because most if not all can't handle multiple gases during the same dive. Most NITROX computers allow you to set your O2 percentage anywhere from 21% to 40% or higher, for the whole dive. Many, including both of mine, won't let you change that for 24-hours, or it will only operate in gauge mode. So, there is no way to tell the computer to change from back gas to deco gas, which will be different %O2 (that's what the class is all about) during the same dive. Even if it was just air and one blend of NITROX, most conventional computers can't handle the switch during a dive (and produce valid computations afterward).

So, in my class, it will be Bottom Timers and Depth gauges all the way. And we will learn to create our own tables with custom mixes for the depths we plan to dive. These table will then be copied onto our wrist slates (there are other ways) along with a backup in case we miss a stop or over stay a time slightly. But basically, we will plan the dive using tables, and then dive the plan using the same tables. That is the way this instructor teaches the course.

I suspect there are computers that handle multiple gas switches to include Trimix, but we would still be required to plan the dive using tables and then dive the plan.

We can use our computers, in gauge mode (if they have that mode) as bottom timers and depth guages. Then we only have to buy one additional bottom timer/depth gauge. That additional (backup) could, I think, be as simple as a wrist watch and an analog depth gauge (removed from the console).

To those that explained the Argon/Helium/Air - THANKS! I'd read about it, briefly. I had been told Argon had a better "R-Value", but didn't realize the catch about using it instead of more expensive Trimix. But if it isn't a lot better than air, why not use air (21%) in the dry suit tank, versus argon? It seems that would be easier? I guess I really should wait for the class and ask these questions there.