Nitrox Fill Question?

[HarveyO]

Much thanks to all of you who got right on this. My suspicions have been confirmed by your answers. (By the way I'm talking about a 32% O2 fill) I'll be ordering my own analyzer later today. It's morning in Hawaii. As for the fact that the LDS said what they did to me is equally as important to me. Since it gives me a further yardstick to use when judging the value of advice they give me on other things (a topic for another thread I think).

At the risk of straying a bit off topic, I have to say that at least my PADI training was good enough to make me question this, So for all the "PADI bashers" out there the system seems to work on some level.
Again much thanks for your good advice.

 

[Walter]

What PADI bashers? I don't believe anyone has said PADI doesn't teach those who dive nitrox to check their mix.

 

[HarveyO]

I wasn't speciic to this thread with that comment. I was talking about some of the general comments I read from time to time.

 

[howard4113]

I did a PADI nitrox course too. They taught me to test the mix for each tank and verify that the mix was correct on the sticker on the tank. They also taught me to fill out and initial the store log for each tank. I though this was SOP. Personally I would use only tanks that are marked -- and that I've verified; regardless of whether of not the store keeps a log (that's for their protection). The store should have an O2 gage for you to test with. You can check the base calibration using an air tank.

M

 

[NorthernShrinkage]

About a year ago I went in for a 32 mix At my LDS came back an hour later to grab my tanks which I was told were ready to go upon analyzing them I found one was a 55% mix and the other was a 60% the guy filling them had not shut off the o2 and while the annex machine was doing the air load it was basicly pulling extra oxygen from the bank . So yes not checking your tanks ranks wright up there with not servicing your gear . JUST PLAIN STUPID

 

[pir8]

The shop I teach for is anal about having customers analyze their tanks before leaving with them. Even after checking at the shop I have my own analyzer for use at the dive site.

 

[wilkie]

I think that I would have a problem with any dive shop that did'nt require a diver to analyze & log (with MOD), I just can't think of any reason, or excuse for not doing it.

Mabe I'm just not a trusting kind of guy, but 2 min. to analyse, log and mark the tank is not asking a lot - as compared to the possable consequences of diving a tankfull of "Trust Me Gass".

 

[mrjimboalaska]

Harvey,
Which LDS on Oahu was this, so I can stay away........lax on 1 thing, lax on many

Jim

 

[KrisB]

I agree -- testing is critical.

I don't much care about the log at the shop, but every Nitrox tank I get will have a sticker on it with the blender's "proposed" mix. I analyse the content, then initial and (if necessary) correct the MOD and mix that are marked on the sticker.

If the tank doesn't have my initials on its sticker, it's not my tank, and I won't dive it without analysing it.

If I was pushing the depth limits of EAN 36, I'd be verifying the contents, too, if the shop was a little lax on keeping Nitrox tanks separate from air tanks...

 

[BabyDuck]

i'll certainly analyze my tanks, but i've never been asked to sign a log except at one place. maybe that shop is used to people owning analyzers and doing it somewhere else? that doesn't excuse them calling you names, though.