Nitrox tank question

[smas33]

If someone is selling a aluminum 80oz o2 cleaned nitrox tank can that tank and gear still be used with norm. compressed air since im not nitrox certified or should I be weary about it. I would not just be buying the tank it would be everything except the bc. I not sure if there is equipment made for nitrox and compress air or if its all the same gear and can easily be swapped back and forth between the two?

Thanks

 

[MikeS]

I would have any used tank I purchased visually inspected (VIP) before I used it. If you are not Nitrox certified you should remove the Nitrox label at that time. At that point the tank will be a standard air tank. Have who ever does the VIP explain the options and requirements for “O2 cleaned” as they relate to Nitrox..

Mike

 

[scubasean]

What Mike said...

A Nitrox (EANxx) tank is merely a normal air tank that has been cleaned really really well....and it thus certified for partial filling with 100% oxygen (which provides for really quick oxidation and fires, if not treated with kid gloves...). Air filling stations that do Enriched Air (nirtox) may fill nitrox tanks differently....Some provide "E" rated air/EAN that is hyperfiltered dry.

If you put air in a nitrox tank, you peel off the label and you are good to go for using the tank with air only.

However, as Mike said, I'd recommend the Visual inspection, but I'd do it as a condition of sale...That is, if the visual doesn't pass for some reason, fixing any problems is the responsibility of the seller.

If the reg can be used with Nitrox, it can also be used interchangeably with air. However, there are probably air regs that cannot be used with Nitrox. It is my understanding that the O-rings are different in regs that are usable for Nitrox/air, as compared to those that are just usable with air.

I'm sure there are experts here that will point out things I missed....

 

[mcrae]

Small small point, if you put air from a clean source in a Nitrox tank it does not void the Nitrox cleaning.

Virtually all regs can be used on Nitrox up a 40% mixture.

Any regs used on Nitrox above that should be supplied by the manufacturer or modified by a trained Tech to handle the higher mixtures. Not all regs are capable of being O2 cleaned above 40 %.

 

[scubasean]

mcrae once bubbled...
Small small point, if you put air from a clean source in a Nitrox tank it does not void the Nitrox cleaning.

I knew I'd miss something......