How often do most shops in your area require Nitrox tanks to be O2 cleaned?

[JessH]

Currently I don't think a lot of people in town are diving nitrox because frankly it is a bit of a hastle when it has to be PP blended. If a shop were to start banking 32 and make the price a little closer to air I bet they could sell a lot more nitrox classes and a whole lot more nitrox.

~Jess

 

[oxyhacker]

I think Phil was acatually being pretty mild. If you are someone who actually "knows things", and takes the time to research your answers when you don't, as Phil is and does, it gets pretty boring here when people post serious misinformation, then beg off that they are "too busy" to back up what they say, so you have to argue the same old issues, over and over, or sit out the discussion and have some poor fool blow him/herself up by believing the erroneous information. And anyhow, "Silly" rates pretty low on the flame scale, in my book.

Re UV inspection, synthetic oil and silicone grease do NOT reliably show up under black light. And they are the two most common contaminants one is likely to find it a tank. But don't believe me, or Phil, or Dick Boyd - you can do an easy experiment and find out conclusively for yourself!

Global is probably the largest supplier of inspection blacklights in the industry, and Dick Boyd certainly one of the most knowledgeable people on the subjet of oxygen cleaning. So if they say UV is not adequate, it's enough for me, and as far as I am concerned its a dead issue.

Some people find support for the claim the UV inspection can be used in place of routine cleaning in CGA pamphlet G-4.1, Cleaning Equipment for Oxygen Service, which does indeed say it can be done, but in this the CGA is just plain wrong. You got to keep in mind that the CGA stuff is written for commercial gas bottlers who are using dedicated tanks and fill systems, so the chance of contamination is much less. not scuba divers who are filling the same tanks they put O2 into with oil-lube compressors. Also, a lot of the CGA stuff is out of date - they don't seem to know about synthetic oil, for one thing!

My request to you as a fellow sb member is to stop the "silly" style of insulting commentary. It's just not really why we are all here.

 

[In10se]

That is my point exactly. The risk of PP blending is not that high in a controlled environment. Therefore not warranting the extra space or cost in a small shop that probably does not sell much Nitrox to begin with but maybe has it as a courtesy to the few customers that want it. It is a matter of priorities. They would rather sell mask, fins, snorkels and classes. They have other things but because they do not sell high volumes of it you pay more. The extra expense in this case is that rather then them investing in more equipment and space they expect you to spend the money to keep your tanks up to their standard. There is nothing malicious involved just business.
If this was cave country that we were talking about a shop could make money off of gas and therefore it is worth the investment in equipment. I think if you were to ask most shop owners around here they would tell you that they do not make much money if any on air and sell little Nitrox. They are a few of us like my self and K-valve who are out diving locally on a regular basis but sadly we are a minority compared to the local scuba population as a whole.
I am curious though if any one that has experience banking Nitrox knows if it is possible to bank Nitrox cost effectively with out a booster. If not then the cost of the booster would be another reason most would not choose to bank.

I'm a new diver with under 40 dives but by the end of this month I'll be on EAN. My class is paid for and I'm chomping at the bit to get er done. After that any shop that doesn't have EAN available isn't going to be worth going into ... for any reason. So, when I buy my next singles rig (19lb wing, ssbp, can light & a back-up light, suunto compass, neoprene shoulder straps, air2, smb, shorty knife and line cutter= about$2k) plus the equipment upgrades I need to dive EAN (dry suit, bottles, a dedicated EAN lp?? tank (that i'll have to get O2 cleaned every month ) and so on=another $2k) later this month I'm not going to the guy who will not even invest enough to meet my gas needs I'm going to the shops where I can get my mixed gas from. Next year will be rebreather year. How much am I going to drop on that little change of gear?

It would only make sense that the shop that has the foresight to bank mixed gases will develop a dedicated customer base that supports some pretty serious gear sales. Unless of course the owner is a butthead ... you know the type that grumbles at you for coming in for fills on a tank with a viz sticker that isn't from his shop? ... in which case he'll be stuck doing the mask and snorkel shuffle for $350 a pop to keep himself fed.

Not trying to argue with you danktex, just offering up my unsolicited Oh2 as the noob on the block

 

[ianr33]

Unless of course the owner is a butthead ... you know the type that grumbles at you for coming in for fills on a tank with a viz sticker that isn't from his shop? ...

Surely no shop in Austin would do such a thing

 

[danktex]

I think Phil was acatually being pretty mild. If you are someone who actually "knows things", and takes the time to research your answers when you don't, as Phil is and does, it gets pretty boring here when people post serious misinformation, then beg off that they are "too busy" to back up what they say, so you have to argue the same old issues, over and over, or sit out the discussion and have some poor fool blow him/herself up by believing the erroneous information. And anyhow, "Silly" rates pretty low on the flame scale, in my book.

Re UV inspection, synthetic oil and silicone grease do NOT reliably show up under black light. And they are the two most common contaminants one is likely to find it a tank. But don't believe me, or Phil, or Dick Boyd - you can do an easy experiment and find out conclusively for yourself!

Global is probably the largest supplier of inspection blacklights in the industry, and Dick Boyd certainly one of the most knowledgeable people on the subjet of oxygen cleaning. So if they say UV is not adequate, it's enough for me, and as far as I am concerned its a dead issue.

Some people find support for the claim the UV inspection can be used in place of routine cleaning in CGA pamphlet G-4.1, Cleaning Equipment for Oxygen Service, which does indeed say it can be done, but in this the CGA is just plain wrong. You got to keep in mind that the CGA stuff is written for commercial gas bottlers who are using dedicated tanks and fill systems, so the chance of contamination is much less. not scuba divers who are filling the same tanks they put O2 into with oil-lube compressors. Also, a lot of the CGA stuff is out of date - they don't seem to know about synthetic oil, for one thing!

And this from the guy that literally wrote the book on the subject. Always nice to hear from you Vance.

 

[danktex]

I'm a new diver with under 40 dives but by the end of this month I'll be on EAN. My class is paid for and I'm chomping at the bit to get er done. After that any shop that doesn't have EAN available isn't going to be worth going into ... for any reason. So, when I buy my next singles rig (19lb wing, ssbp, can light & a back-up light, suunto compass, neoprene shoulder straps, air2, smb, shorty knife and line cutter= about$2k) plus the equipment upgrades I need to dive EAN (dry suit, bottles, a dedicated EAN lp?? tank (that i'll have to get O2 cleaned every month ) and so on=another $2k) later this month I'm not going to the guy who will not even invest enough to meet my gas needs I'm going to the shops where I can get my mixed gas from. Next year will be rebreather year. How much am I going to drop on that little change of gear?

It would only make sense that the shop that has the foresight to bank mixed gases will develop a dedicated customer base that supports some pretty serious gear sales. Unless of course the owner is a butthead ... you know the type that grumbles at you for coming in for fills on a tank with a viz sticker that isn't from his shop? ... in which case he'll be stuck doing the mask and snorkel shuffle for $350 a pop to keep himself fed.

Not trying to argue with you danktex, just offering up my unsolicited Oh2 as the noob on the block

Glad to see how excited you are about diving. I hope you remain so. After all if we are not having fun why are we doing it.

I would love to have all the shops in town cater to tech divers but there is just not enough money in it. Frankly there is just not enough dive dollars to support the nine dive shops we have. $45 a year is not such a high amount to spend if you have one tank. Unfortunately I have twelve. I would love for someone to bank Nitrox at a reasonable price but not one of the nine does.

Here is hoping things change locally but experience tells me they probably will not.

 

[richerso]

Alright,
I have been trying to remain silent on this thread. I am not qualified to debate with any of you. Still, here are my two cents:

1) What was the original question? Something about frequency of O2 cleaning a tank? I still don't know the answer. I apologize to anyone who actually answered this question. I haven't read the first 8 pages of this thread. Sorry.

2) It sounds like Austin doesn't have a "tech" shop in the area. I am not going to bad mouth anyone here or promote anyone here (trying to remain, at least somewhat, neutral) but Arlington does have a tech shop that banks 32 and 36 EAN. Welcome to SI Scuba.

See. That was just two cents.

 

[danktex]

Alright,
I have been trying to remain silent on this thread. I am not qualified to debate with any of you. Still, here are my two cents:

1) What was the original question? Something about frequency of O2 cleaning a tank? I still don't know the answer. I apologize to anyone who actually answered this question. I haven't read the first 8 pages of this thread. Sorry.

2) It sounds like Austin doesn't have a "tech" shop in the area. I am not going to bad mouth anyone here or promote anyone here (trying to remain, at least somewhat, neutral) but Arlington does have a tech shop that banks 32 and 36 EAN. Welcome to SI Scuba.

See. That was just two cents.

From what I understand Mack at Oak Hill Scuba has filled some of the need but I have not been in there since he took over the shop and it is rather far away for me. I do not believe he banks though. Not that banking Ean makes a tech shop. I believe he can mix anything you want. Mack?

 

[ianr33]

I believe he can mix anything you want. Mack?

Correct.

 

[richerso]

I am still puzzled as to why no one dives 28EANx. Odd curiosity to me. If one believes that the PADI OW/AOW depth limit is 130ft, then there should be no reason why most shops should be delivering 28EANx. It would allow all OW/AOW divers dive to a depth of 130 ft. without exceeding the 1.4atm PPO2 limit. I still don't know why 28EANx isn't more popular.
Cent #3.

Edit: Just saw some typos in there. But I will leave as posted.