Is it worth owning your own trimix analyser ?

[Superlyte27]

Well, why not consider the problem the other way around :

- if you dive trimix on a regular basis, using the service of a dive centre, if they don't provide an analyser for you to check your mix, change your dive centre. That's what I do.

- if you dive and mix on your own : get an analyser.

Because with CCR, the bailout bottles might be filled for 5 years before the gas actually gets used. A lot can happen in 5 years. So I check them right before a dive to verify that what I think is in them, is actually in them.

 

[JMBL]

Because with CCR, the bailout bottles might be filled for 5 years before the gas actually gets used. A lot can happen in 5 years. So I check them right before a dive to verify that what I think is in them, is actually in them.

Ok, in your case it does make perfect sense, but I assumed the original poster was diving OC, like myself (not for long I hope ).

Just a question : are you not compelled to check your tanks visually inside at least once a year ? Here, it's the rule. (Just a question, not trying to open a can of worms).

 

[broncobowsher]

When you want to dive and your partner shows up with a smeared tank labels from riding in the back of the truck. You want to dive and the only way is to check what is in the tanks to really know. With an analyzer you can save the day, go dive, and make them buy the drinks that evening. Or go home with full tanks and home next time it doesn't happen again.

Or another really good reason is when you make that epic dive trip and the equipment to test the gas is about as trustworthy as taking a deep breath and gauging how squeaky your voice is. You really don't have the option of going to the other dive shop, because there is no other dive shop.

By the time you are playing with helium, the amount of gear and training you have invested in, a good trimix analyzer costs what a few fills of trimix will cost. Really it isn't that much in that scheme of things. With that logic it is cheaper than a straight nitrox analyzer because that will cost 20 fills(?) of nitrox. So with that math, trimix analyzer is the better deal.

 

[broncobowsher]

...

Just a question : are you not compelled to check your tanks visually inside at least once a year ? Here, it's the rule. (Just a question, not trying to open a can of worms).

They get inspected the next time they get filled. If anyone asks, was just diving with them to empty them, so they can be inspected
Can't inspect them until they are emptied.

 

[Ouvea]

Been doing 3 point calibrations every spring and fall since I bought the Divesoft Blender Max 5+ years ago, also every time I change the O2 sensor.
Before that I had 2 Oxychek He/O2 analysers and got pretty good adjusting gain and span on their He sensors to properly calibrate them. Didn't take long to swap the O2 calibration pot on the C-squared/Oxychek O2 analyser for a precision 10 turn pot either.
O2 sensors, even if their temp compensation works properly, will become inaccurate over time and 5-6 months is as long as I'm willing to trust the validity of the last calibration.

Michael

Michael:

I'm off the OP's original topic but wanted to know if you saw any differences in the readings from your Oxycheq analyzer and the Divesoft Analyzer? My HE/O2 always reads a higher HE content than my LDS' Oxycheq analyzers, about 3% usually. I sent my HE/O2 analyzer back to Divesoft and it was given a clean bill of health. Heck, I don't mind if I'm getting bonsus HE, even if only a small amount, but I'm just curious.

Thanks,
O.

 

[michael-fisch]

The C-squared/Oxycheq analysers that I had would heat the gas in a sealed chamber (not the constant flow model) and over time would vary (usually up to 3-5% down over a year or 2). Since I'm one of those pedantic a***oles that likes to know everything exactly I'd check my analysers with fresh air from a tank that had never seen anything else inside it, and my He cascade tanks that are guarantied to be 99.999% pure. Thats when I'd open up the analyser cases and using a tiny screwdriver adjust the 2 pots inside until I could show 0 on air and 99-100 on pure He. Usually took around 30 minutes of fumbling on the first analyser and with that experience fresh in my mind only 15-20 minutes on the 2nd analyser to get them exactly right.
The Divesoft is a lot easier but since I can't adjust the helium sensor I have to live with it's reporting that my helium is 100.4% pure.

I'm pretty sure that your diveshop's Oxycheq He analysers haven't been calibrated in years and are a couple of % off. Published instructions regarding calibration don't exist, although I'm pretty sure C-squared has them. With only 2 pots to screw around with inside the case, it isn't all that difficult.

Michael

 

[michael-fisch]

Because with CCR, the bailout bottles might be filled for 5 years before the gas actually gets used. A lot can happen in 5 years. So I check them right before a dive to verify that what I think is in them, is actually in them.

Man, George would go through the roof if he heard about someone thinking that just the helium would leak out of a mix over time.
That damn Aluminum not being gastight

Gotta agree though, after a couple of years or even months I'd check it, if only for peace of mind.

Michael

 

[Superlyte27]

Ok, in your case it does make perfect sense, but I assumed the original poster was diving OC, like myself (not for long I hope ).

Just a question : are you not compelled to check your tanks visually inside at least once a year ? Here, it's the rule. (Just a question, not trying to open a can of worms).

No, I'm not. In fact, DOT regs say you don't need to hydro them while they're filled, just before they get filled. I have tanks that haven't been opened in about 4 years. I will not open them until they are empty, which might be a while.

 

[Superlyte27]

Man, George would go through the roof if he heard about someone thinking that just the helium would leak out of a mix over time.
That damn Aluminum not being gastight

Gotta agree though, after a couple of years or even months I'd check it, if only for peace of mind.

Michael

Funny story, about 6 years ago I went to make a helium dive and every single one of my tanks was empty. I knew they were all full when I put them in the rack. Apparently the seats in the valves will expand and contract with the temperature changes in my garage. I lost all the gas.

Now, I have every single tank plugged. Cost me a small fortune for 50+ DIN plugs, but at least I don't have gas leaking out.

 

[tridacna]

Funny story, about 6 years ago I went to make a helium dive and every single one of my tanks was empty. I knew they were all full when I put them in the rack. Apparently the seats in the valves will expand and contract with the temperature changes in my garage. I lost all the gas.

Now, I have every single tank plugged. Cost me a small fortune for 50+ DIN plugs, but at least I don't have gas leaking out.

I bet that the He cost more than the plugs. I had a faulty Nuvair a few years ago and I ended up losing $$$ when trying to do a Tri fill on two sets of double 120s. It took five attempts and two full dumps before I got wise and used a friend's analyzer.