Is nitrox worth it for deeper rec dives?

[Storker]

What's the point in paying for O2 cleaning and the additional cost of nitrox if your buddy has to ascend earlier than you do?

Lower N2 loading than if you, too, are on 21%. I'm old enough that I consider that a benefit. Give me two deep-ish dives in a day, both close to the NDL, and I'll be in my bunk by 8 o'clock. And I don't mean that as in the meme.

 

[admikar]

I must say I love how people are getting annoyed by Marie. I have learned a long time ago that she plays by her own rules.
To be constructive: Marie, you should take a few dives on whatever mix you think is appropriate, then decide if it's worth continuing. Even if you do not continue diving on Nitrox, write it down as learning expenses.

 

[Mike1967]

Just curious, is she's even nitrox certified? Seems to me that the original question would be asked by someone who wasn't.
If she is, maybe she needs a bit of revision

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Instead of picking on her why not offer your own reasoning and let her make her mind?

One major problem with this discussion that we are using the term "Nitrox" without any reference to the mix and how your bottom times increases and shrinks depending on mix. For someone not Nitrox certified, this may help in understanding the true benefits:

At 90 ft dive, you have 10 more minutes to play around on 32 and 20 more minutes on 36! Still not worth your money Marie? As we go deeper the MOD considerations force us to use less and less oxygen in our mix and the benefits of "Nitrox" also shrink with it. So if you are diving to 150' then Nitrox mix can not have more than 25% oxygen. At that depth you may decide if the bottom time you get with 25% over 21% is worth the money.

 

[Doby45]

Instead of picking on her

Who is picking on someone? Just because someone does not agree in lock step with someone else, that does not mean they are being picked on. Once again, per the rules for the section of the forum, you need a bit thicker skin here. There have been ZERO personal attacks, carry on.

 

[tursiops]

For someone not Nitrox certified, this may help in understanding the true benefits:

View attachment 497354

This table is old and dangerous. Newer limits are less aggressive, and use PPO2=1.4 instead of 1.6 like the table.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

This table is old and dangerous. Newer limits are less aggressive, and use PPO2=1.4 instead of 1.6 like the table.

I am looking for the new one but cant find it online. If someone else has it can you please post it? Thanks.

 

[tursiops]

I am looking for the new one but cant find it online. If someone else has it can you please post it? Thanks.

Here is one based on DSAT. It will be a little different depending on which model is used.

 

[hammet]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume Marie meant to go with 28% for the depths she was looking to dive to (+110')

 

[Storker]

I am looking for the new one but cant find it online. If someone else has it can you please post it? Thanks.

If you're able to do an EAD calculation, it's pretty simple to make one yourself. Even for other mixes than EAN32/36.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume Marie meant to go with 28% for the depths she was looking to dive to (+110')

I've standardized on EAN32 since my personal depth limit is 30m/100'. One of my clubmates has standardized on EAN28 since his personal depth limit is 40m/130'. No matter the planned depth, we just grab a filled tank and go diving.

For those of us past the age when changing diapers is something we're done with (been there, done that, got the T-shirt. In fact, several T-shirts), using nitrox seems like a darned good idea, even if our min gas limits (or our buddy's NDL) require us to stay within air NDLs. I happen to think that it may be a good idea for those young whippersnappers as well, even if they don't get as wasted after a couple deep-ish dives as we old-timers do.