Divers Alert Network donates Analox gas analyzers to Scuba operations in Mexico

[DandyDon]

It would be interesting to know how many scuba deaths are attributed to CO2 toxicity. I am guessing not many, and close to zero in the states. So anyone have numbers for Coz? For the US? Is this much of an issue? When there is CO2 issues what is the cause, dirty filters or ?? I am curious....

This thread is really about CO.

 

[swamp diver]

As Dave said, these are not portable analyzers that will be on the boats, they will only be going to the shops with compressors, which are large shops and very few. Dave or someone else feel free to correct me if I leave anyone off the list:

Shops with their own compressors:
Sand Dollar
Dressel Divers
Del Mar Aquatics
Dive Palancar

If there are a few of these fixed monitors 'left over' how about sending them over to be used on the mainland compressors in Playa del Carmen. Most Cozumel divers end up doing a day of cenote diving and it would be reassuring to know that the compressed air is being monitored for CO over there as well. Is there not one or two main compressor operators in PDC which like Meridiano on Cozumel supply most of the air in town?

 

[DandyDon]

If there are a few of these fixed monitors 'left over' how about sending them over to be used on the mainland compressors in Playa del Carmen. Most Cozumel divers end up doing a day of cenote diving and it would be reassuring to know that the compressed air is being monitored for CO over there as well. Is there not one or two main compressor operators in PDC which like Meridiano on Cozumel supply most of the air in town?

The recipients will be DAN's choosing I think. I know of 2 big fill stations over there from my 2 times to dive cenotes - one in town, another off the road to Tulum. The Coz DM who took me on my first cenote dives said he used to used a home compressor owner over there, but quit him.

Cancun has many dive Ops of course, there are some down south towards Belize, Baja has several, and we can go on an on. I hope that after DAN gives these away, they have a plan for inspiring others to acquire them. Of course, I am not trusting any tanks without my own testing, but improving the sources would be nice.

 

[deborahdelamar]

I ran into our DAN doc, Dario Gomez, yesterday and spoke with him briefly about the award. Inline monitors will be given to fill stations that do not currently have them as well as a number of shops with compressors. The award includes operations in the Costa Maya, the Riveria Maya, and on Cozumel. I don't know if Isla Mujeres and Cancun are included because I forgot to ask about those places...

 

[cruiser]

I ran into our DAN doc, Dario Gomez, yesterday and spoke with him briefly about the award. Inline monitors will be given to fill stations that do not currently have them as well as a number of shops with compressors. The award includes operations in the Costa Maya, the Riveria Maya, and on Cozumel. I don't know if Isla Mujeres and Cancun are included because I forgot to ask about those places...

Okay, now THAT makes sense.

 

[Johnoly]

Just a side note on the Analox CO tester. I learned that if you leave it in a hot car when you turn the unit on, it may already be reading unusually high without even putting up the tank valve. Mine read 18 as soon as I powered it up and even turning the adjustment knob, I could only get it turned down to 4 on the screen.

Seems the unit needs to be "around" room temp, not 140 degrees coming out of a hot car. I let it cool down for 15 minutes and it adjusted fine to zero it out. We also bump tested it to make sure it was reading something (bump gas is not for calibration). So if the unit is hot because you left it out in the sun on a dive boat or a heat soaked dry bag, let it cool down in the shade for a bit for a stable reading.

I've used it 4 different days and times after the heat soak and it seems to be working fine and without damage, but I'm not an expert on the unit, just sharing my experience.