how much air do you use?

[nemo06489]

Hey every one. Ive asked a few things on this board and had some great replies. Id like to find out if my air usage is average or below average. My last dive averaged 35' for 59 minutes at a temp of 52. I used 1400 psi. My dive budy used 2300psi. I asked my dive shop how long a tank should last and he said thier are to many factors to even take a guess at how long a tank should last.
So this is my question. If you dove a 35' for an hour how much air do you use.

 

[Boogie711]

Do a search. Figure out how to calculate it. And the guy in the shop was right.

 

[Don Burke]

The same diver at the same depth can have different air consumption rates.

The other day I flattened a 112 at about eight feet in under two hours due to the work I was doing.

If you come up with how much air you use at a given depth and workload, the amount you would use at a different depth with the same workload is fairly easy to figure. Without some reference points, guesses can be pretty wild.

 

[IslandHopper]

The air is used to provide oxygen to power your body ... A person with a big body uses more air than a person with a small body (ALL else being equal) ... also...
A physically fit person uses his muscles more efficiantly than a person who is out of shape and will therefore use less air.
A person who has PRACTICED and developed his breathing controll underwater will be able to reduce his air consumption over time (up to a point).
Someone who does regular heavy aerobic exercise (like a runner) has lungs that take more O2 out of a given volume of air ... more efficient.

Just a few of the many variables that affect air consumption.

The point being someone who uses 2500 psi in an hour is not necessarilly using "too much" air even if somone else uses only 1500 psi in that same hour.

But if you want longer bottom times... be in good physical shape, learn and PRACTICE breathing control (controll boyancy with your lungs WHEN YOU CAN, rather than cycling air in and out of your BC), and dive slowly and calmly to limit the amount of O2 your body requires.

 

[lobstermobster]

I cant speak for any one else but i think your question is a good one. I just quickly look though my dive log and some of my first dives a around the 35 foot range for an hour i would use almost a full tank 2500psi. Now for a shallow dive i use around 1500psi in an hour. The amount of air not use after a dive seems to be a big bragging point for a lot of divers. I say who cares how much air you use. If you need more get a biger tank. Air's cheap. A nother thought even if you use less air than your dive budy your both going to come up at the same time so it dosent realy matter.
Dont worry about your air just have fun and be safe.

 

[CTbottomtime]

Hi Nemo06489, i rent tanks so what ever i bring with me i use. I would say on the dive you asked about id use about a half tank.

 

[Uncle Pug]

nemo06489 once bubbled...
I used 1400 psi. My dive budy used 2300psi.

Without knowing the size of the tank the psi is meaningless for figuring air consumption.

 

[drbill]

I use my air until it drops to about 500 psi regardless of what tank I'm using or depth I dive to. I don't usually dive with a buddy so I have no idea how my air consumption is on a comparative basis.

For example I did two dives today, the first to 90 feet and the second to 80 feet. I guestimated my air consumption so I ended each dive at 60 minutes with 500 psi of air. To me that makes an interesting game out of it- to see if I can accurately judge my air consumption over the course of the dives.

Dr. Bill

 

[Warren_L]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...

Without knowing the size of the tank the psi is meaningless for figuring air consumption.

Probably an AL80 with 3000 psi service pressure.... in all likelihood.

 

[nemo06489]

warren_l once bubbled...


Probably an AL80 with 3000 psi service pressure.... in all likelihood.

Yes the tank i use is a AL80.