Nitrox vs. advanced Nitrox

[paolov]

real life scenario :

at times we get our Nitrox tanks(from the city) a few days before the dive (to a province) .

at the shop the tanks are checked and signed off for their Nitrox %

it takes a few days before they are used. though they are on AL tanks. theoretically the tanks would have been in perfect condition. at the dive site(province) there are no more Oxygen analyser. just the label on the tank

and anyone nitrox certified may get to choose any tank for them to use.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I bought my own analyzer. As with a lot of members who will not let someone else set up their tank, let alone trust them to turn on the air and not check it themselves, I am just more comfortable checking my own. Whenever I may encounter tanks with no labels, I'll make sure I mark mine so there will be no mixups. I subscribe to the theory that we are responsible for our own safety and that dive masters on a dive boat are guides, not babysiters. I've met some dive masters, as I'm sure most of you have, that are not as responsible as they should be. That is why I set up my own tank unless I know them and trust them. Some might be offended but too bad. I'll be the one checking and marking any Nitrox tanks I use.

 

[paolov]

that should be the case, to check your own tanks, even the 21% tanks each diver should be checking their own tanks .

 

[Spoon]

I subscribe to the theory that we are responsible for our own safety and that dive masters on a dive boat are guides, not babysiters. I've met some dive masters, as I'm sure most of you have, that are not as responsible as they should be.

i totally agree. met a lot of dms that acted irresponsibly! most divers are dissillusioned with the fact that just because you dive with a dm everything will be fine. in a real world you and your buddy are defintely responsible for eachother, not the dm.

 

[Kim]

Recently on a liveaboard where tanks were getting filled very quickly in between dives, I had two occasions where my supposed 32% was in fact 21% (doing three tanks at once - forgot to turn my valve open for the O2) - and one tank that was supposed to be 28% that was in fact 31%.
Of course the guy responsible got rather embarrassed when I told him in front of everyone my tank was wrong! (liveaboards are quite small!!)
If you don't check things yourself you really only have yourself to blame if things go wrong.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Recently on a liveaboard where tanks were getting filled very quickly in between dives, I had two occasions where my supposed 32% was in fact 21% (doing three tanks at once - forgot to turn my valve open for the O2) - and one tank that was supposed to be 28% that was in fact 31%.
Of course the guy responsible got rather embarrassed when I told him in front of everyone my tank was wrong! (liveaboards are quite small!!)
If you don't check things yourself you really only have yourself to blame if things go wrong.

Thanks for the info Kim. As I said I have gotten all my Nitrox from the same place but even experienced people make mistakes. You obviously check all your own tanks too which in my opinion is always the prudent thing to do. I'll bet that guy didn't make any more mistakes with your tanks and anyone not checking their tanks would have realised you're the kind of responsible diver that makes a great dive buddy.

 

[Walter]

Would you dive a Nitrox tank you have not checked yourself?

No. What's your point?

 

[StSomewhere]

that should be the case, to check your own tanks, even the 21% tanks each diver should be checking their own tanks .

EXACTLY! Anyone who assumes their tank has air because they haven't been EAN certified is taking their life in their own hands. Every tank should be analyzed, IMO, every time. Every OW diver should learn how to analyze their tanks at the time they take possession of them. It shouldn't be just a Nitrox thing.

FWIW, I use a high-tech sticker for marking my single analyzed tanks, its called masking tape. O2%, MOD, date, initials. FWIW, its only useful for the dive in question, I remove it after the dive.

 

[Diver Dennis]

No. What's your point?

No real point Walter, just that if it is rarely followed then most Nitrox divers are not following proper procedure and that seems to me like an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I should qualify that by saying even though you might test your own tank on board and set it up immediately you are not signing off for the dive shop or whoever filled the tank. Dosen't that leave them wide open as far as liability? If you test more than one tank at a time, how would you tell them apart?