Beginning of my Tech Diver adventure

[charlieo]

The computer of of your dreams.

Pursuit Dive Computer

On the other hand for those of us who have more reasonable dreams.

http://www.diveriteexpress.com/computers/nitekplus.shtml

 

[battles2a5]

Wow, this thread is all over the place!!

Rick, I think this is getting way too complicated. For the purposes of your class, just focus on getting comfortable with doubles, drysuit, and one bottle. Inflate your ds w/ back gas. You are going to want to be cutting tables and running a BT so you can get used to the process, build a base of knowledge, and rack up some experience.

You asked a question about clips before. This all depends on what type of environment you will be diving in. You will need clips on your b/u lights, your primary reg, your spg, you light head, and your stage bottle. Personally, I dive a variety of environments from cold lakes, to cool seas, to warm caves. I use a small clip on my reg, medium clips on my b/u lights, light head, and spg, and large clips on my bottles. I also use medium clips on everything in my pockets (spools, pig tail, wetnotes, whistle/mirror, etc.). Bottles are larger, you are clipping them blind to the hip and the big clips are just easier to manipulate, especially w/ dry gloves. If I am doing longer dives in cold water, I sometimes put some larger clips on my spg and reg as well so I can work them with cold fingers. For the back-up lights, in addition to the clips I have two strips of inner tube on the webbing. I tuck the head of the b/u light under the bottom strip and that secures it against the harness. If I deploy the light and put it back, the second strip is there in case the first one slides down the harness or breaks when I pull it out. There are many other ways to do this but most people use inner tube or bungee.

As for the other gear, I think it is wise to be forward looking so you aren't constantly re-buying stuff. Computers for instance. Personally, I think one of the best computers on the market is the Nitek Duo (and any one of it's clones). It is a two gas computer, so you can set it up for back gas and 1 deco gas. It will do everything you will ever need it to do for nitrox technical dive at moderate depths. This is still my primary computer when I am doing nitrox technical dives and for cave diving. It also serves very well as a BT should you choose to get a trimix computer in the future. Even with a computer, I still cut the tables and run a BT as my primary control, so the computer will always be a back-up for me.

You should give "Tech Diver Larry" a call and see how he is rigging his gear

 

[nereas]

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.

I have tried trimix in my drysuit -- you freeze!

Argon is a fantastic drysuit gas. So nice, that I use it for all cold water diving, not just trimix diving.

A 6 cu ft argon bottle fastened to the left side of your backplate normally lasts for 4 dives. For a multi-day diving excursion, you may also need an extra argon bottle, or else a large 3000 psi tank filled with argon to replenish your bottle between dives, if you are camped out at a mountain lake. And to refill the argon bottle from the argon tank, you will need a trans-fill hose. This is a H/P hose with 2 male-DIN valves on the ends of it. Argon is about $1 per cu ft, or thereabouts.

Even if you are using nitrox in your main tanks, argon makes sense if you will be decompressing, since when you hang or hover in deco, it gets really cold fast, because you are not moving, and are not supposed to move much.

Thus, five 1st stages, and four 2nd stages, twin tanks, and 2 deco bottles, for basic trimix diving to 200 ft.

 

[nereas]

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.

Once you get an argon bottle and reg for it, using air in this is $6 cheaper than using argon.

You must be really cheap, Tex, if you cannot afford another $6.

What mudhole in TX is deep enough for trimix, anyway? I am guessing none, since it does not sound like you have every paid for any argon.

$6! Incredible.

 

[texdiveguy]

Once you get an argon bottle and reg for it, using air in this is $6 cheaper than using argon.

You must be really cheap, Tex, if you cannot afford another $6.

What mudhole in TX is deep enough for trimix, anyway? I am guessing none, since it does not sound like you have every paid for any argon.

$6! Incredible.

I am never amazed anymore at your insultive comments that like everything else you post is hog-wash!

It's truly sad your only exposure to diving is a keyboard.

I am not sure you will ever mature and do any real scuba diving, so I will reserve any comments of mine in response to real divers whom ask questions in a whole different spirit.

 

[nereas]

I am never amazed anymore at your insultive comments that like everything else you post is hog-wash!

It's truly sad your only exposure to diving is a keyboard.

I am not sure you will ever mature and do any real scuba diving, so I will reserve any comments of mine in response to real divers whom ask questions in a whole different spirit.

However your red-herring ad-hominem reply did not answer the question:

Have you ever actually dived with argon? Probably not, n'est pas?

The O/P dives in the Rocky Mountains, and he needs good advice, not your advice.

For him, on deco, in a mountain lake, a warm drysuit will be worth another $6.

 

[amascuba]

I have tried trimix in my drysuit -- you freeze!

Argon is a fantastic drysuit gas. So nice, that I use it for all cold water diving, not just trimix diving.

A 6 cu ft argon bottle fastened to the left side of your backplate normally lasts for 4 dives. For a multi-day diving excursion, you may also need an extra argon bottle, or else a large 3000 psi tank filled with argon to replenish your bottle between dives, if you are camped out at a mountain lake. And to refill the argon bottle from the argon tank, you will need a trans-fill hose. This is a H/P hose with 2 male-DIN valves on the ends of it. Argon is about $1 per cu ft, or thereabouts.

Even if you are using nitrox in your main tanks, argon makes sense if you will be decompressing, since when you hang or hover in deco, it gets really cold fast, because you are not moving, and are not supposed to move much.

Thus, five 1st stages, and four 2nd stages, twin tanks, and 2 deco bottles, for basic trimix diving to 200 ft.

TDI Advanced Nitrox / Decompression Procedures does not involve Trimix or dives to 200 ft. We have covered this numerous times already. All he will need are three regs. Two for back gas and one for deco.

 

[nereas]

TDI Advanced Nitrox / Decompression Procedures does not involve Trimix or dives to 200 ft. We have covered this numerous times already. All he will need are three regs. Two for back gas and one for deco.

I sure hope it is done at a warm springs and not at a cold mountain lake then.

 

[battles2a5]

I have tried trimix in my drysuit -- you freeze!

Argon is a fantastic drysuit gas. So nice, that I use it for all cold water diving, not just trimix diving.

A 6 cu ft argon bottle fastened to the left side of your backplate normally lasts for 4 dives. For a multi-day diving excursion, you may also need an extra argon bottle, or else a large 3000 psi tank filled with argon to replenish your bottle between dives, if you are camped out at a mountain lake. And to refill the argon bottle from the argon tank, you will need a trans-fill hose. This is a H/P hose with 2 male-DIN valves on the ends of it. Argon is about $1 per cu ft, or thereabouts.

Even if you are using nitrox in your main tanks, argon makes sense if you will be decompressing, since when you hang or hover in deco, it gets really cold fast, because you are not moving, and are not supposed to move much.

Thus, five 1st stages, and four 2nd stages, twin tanks, and 2 deco bottles, for basic trimix diving to 200 ft.

I think Argon is a waste unless you have a large supply of argon on hand to flush your suit prior to your dive and you are in REALLY cold water diving a stiff mix. And even then, it's not really proven. The only people that tell me it makes a big difference are the ones that have paid the $$ to keep a T bottle in their garage, so take it for what its worth. I tried it and couldn't tell a difference.

It absolutely does NOT make sense to use argon when diving nitrox, IMO. Not only is it unnecessary, but your body will absorb gas through your skin so argon presents a risk for ICD (although it will likely manifest as skin bends). Being "cheap" has nothing to do with it. It's common sense and logistics.

If you are diving to any kind of depth, a 6cf bottle is NOT going to last you 4 dives. Anything that is deep enough to warrant off-board inflation is going to take more gas than you think. Unless you are diving a perfectly square profile and diving with significant squeeze you will get 2 big dives, max. Of course, undergarment loft, profile, and how much squeeze you want to dive will be factors. So either have a whip and a supply bottle on hand to transfill (an 80 of air is fine) on site or go with BG-mounted 13-19cf bottle.

 

[RiverRat]

I sure hope it is done at a warm springs and not at a cold mountain lake then.

C'mon be a man!

I started my adv. nitrox / deco in Dutch Springs in 41 degree water, early April, air in my drysuit. Then I finished up my 4 Ocean deco dives on the U853 in the cold North Atlantic. Twin 100's, nitrox in my drysuit and 1 O2 bottle for my 20 foot hang. 3 regs.

No argon, no 7000 regs, no Trimix

KISS: keep it simple stupid in the beginning.

You can start with argon if you want in the class but no need. Hang times are short.
Bottom times well you're moving so............
And you CAN'T dive trimix so HELIUM IS NOT AN ISSUE! :mooner: