Nitrox - warning for beginner divers

[cool_hardware52]

I may be wrong, but I thought the purpose of that label is not to indicate what's inside, but to avoid filling the cylinder from a random source of ordinary air that may introduce a higher concentration of lubricants into the cylinder and increase the risk of combustion in future.

O2 Clean VIP sticker does the same thing........

Tobin

 

[ianr33]

Amen! The sooner we get away from this stupid nitrox wrap sticker idea the better. A tank is either O2 clean, or it's not. The VIP sticker shows that. It only comes into play with PP blending or filling with >40%.

All tanks should be marked with contents and a MOD. Problem solved. Divers should be trained to NEVER assume a tank is breathable for them. Check the mix and the mod. The nitrox wraps simply don't serve a purpose. A tank with a nitrox wrap tells you NOTHING about what's in it. It's just a pretty green and yellow sticker. It may have nitrox in it, and even if it does, what mix? 32% 35% 24.5% Divers need to be trained to check the mix before diving.

How dare you bring the voice of reason into this trainwreck?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I may be wrong, but I thought the purpose of that label is not to indicate what's inside, but to avoid filling the cylinder from a random source of ordinary air that may introduce a higher concentration of lubricants into the cylinder and increase the risk of combustion in future.

+1 on what Tobin said ... an O2 Clean VIP sticker does that.

No need for a wrap whatsoever. They're nothing but a green and yellow eyesore that tell you absolutely nothing. They don't tell you:
A. That a tank is O2 clean ... nitrox tanks often aren't
B. That a tank has nitrox in it ... often times tanks with wraps have air in them (or EAN21 as I prefer to call it!)
C. That a tank can or cannot have nitrox in it ... non-O2 clean tanks can easily be filled with banked nitrox or from a membrane system and O2 clean tanks can easily have air in them

So what the heck are they for? Really? What purpose do they serve? When is the industry going to figure this out and move on?!

Learn to check the Mix and the Mod for every tank you dive. I don't fully understand the history behind the nitrox wrap stickers, but they're a dumb idea that serves no purpose. They should go the way of the dodo bird.

 

[nimoh]

+1 on what Tobin said ... O2 Clean VIP sticker does that. No need for a wrap whatsoever. They're nothing but a green and yellow eyesore that tell you absolutely nothing. They don't tell you a tank is O2 clean. They don't tell you a tank has nitrox in it. They don't tell you a tank can or cannot have nitrox. So what the heck are they for?

I'll preface this by saying that I agree that the big yellow nitrox stickers are completely unnecessary.

However, they do tell you something. They tell you that the tank is not plain air and on a dive boat where some divers are using nitrox and some are using air, nitrox users will be sure to find the tanks with their names on them, while the air users are just grabbing tanks, and hopefully will not grab a tank with a big nitrox sticker on it, but if they do, they will be easy to spot.

The reason I say unnecessary, is that the tank analysis sticker should be used to verify the tank contents, and who should be diving the tank.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I'll preface this by saying that I agree that the big yellow nitrox stickers are completely unnecessary.

However, they do tell you something. They tell you that the tank is not plain air and on a dive boat where some divers are using nitrox and some are using air, nitrox users will be sure to find the tanks with their names on them, while the air users are just grabbing tanks, and hopefully will not grab a tank with a big nitrox sticker on it, but if they do, they will be easy to spot.

The reason I say unnecessary, is that the tank analysis sticker should be used to verify the tank contents, and who should be diving the tank.

No they don't tell you that! You can easily put air in a tank with nitrox wraps. Heck, air is just EAN21! I see nitrox wrapped tanks with air in them ALL THE TIME!

I'm also not sure where you're diving, but on every single boat I've ever been on, each diver brings their own tanks on-board or is assigned a rental based upon what they purchased. From that point on, that's your tank to use and you own knowing the mix and mod.

 

[karlimmergut]

(...) hopefully will not grab a tank with a big nitrox sticker on it, but if they do, they will be easy to spot.

I also think this is the reason, it never hurts for a warning sign to be large and conspicuous, and in a standardized manner just to eliminate the risk of a mistake...

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I also think this is the reason, it never hurts for a warning sign to be large and conspicuous, and in a standardized manner just to eliminate the risk of a mistake...

Apart from vacation diver destinations, what's the purpose? On all the boats I regularly use (Great Lakes), everyone brings their own gear. Even if you're renting a tank, you're going to the shop to get it and it's "yours" until you return it. There's nothing to confuse. You're diving the tank you brought on the boat. What's the purpose then?

 

[nimoh]

No they don't tell you that! You can easily put air in a tank with nitrox wraps. Heck, air is just EAN21! I see nitrox wrapped tanks with air in them ALL THE TIME!

sorry, I was referring to the common use of the sticker as meaning enriched air nitrox rather than including air (I have never seen a nitrox sticker on a tank with air). Obviously, you feel very strongly about this, while I do not, so I will graciously bow out of this argument.

 

[Texasguy]

Well, I went to my local shop Maximum Scuba on Richmond in Houston. They told me that they need to let all the nitrox out. When this will happen it will be empty. All empty tanks need a visual. Thus, they will fill with air only if I will shell out for a visual.

BTW: The tank is new, visual was made 2 weeks ago.

 

[gcarter]

Well, I went to my local shop Maximum Scuba on Richmond in Houston. They told me that they need to let all the nitrox out. When this will happen it will be empty. All empty tanks need a visual. Thus, they will fill with air only if I will shell out for a visual.

BTW: The tank is new, visual was made 2 weeks ago.

Find another shop.

Seriously. You are being hosed.