Nitrox

[Dan Gibson]

Who sells a $1500 flow-restricted O2 analyzer? I think you will find one can be had for far less than than $1500. Heck, for $1500, you can have one that measures O2 and Helium and have a significant wad of money left over.

I don't own one. Shops generally have the sniffer variety, which I don't like so much, but I'm not about to spend $1,500 on a flow-restricted analyser.

 

[oxyhacker]

There is at least one test that seemed to show that nitrox DOES improve SAC. RSD's Scubalab did some tests a few years back, comparing gas consumption on air and 36%, proper blind tests where no one knew what was in their tank, and found an average reduction of gas consumption on nitrox of 12% or so when the divers were working fairly hard, best I can recall.

Nice if true, but I've always felt the most underrated and overlooked benefit of nitrox is the reduction in fatigue after the dive. This is one of those things they like to call "anecdotal" since no one seems to have quantified and measured it yet, but is, from my experience, and that of people I dive with, considerable. You got to do a 6+ hour drive after a couple deepish dives to really appreciate it.

 

[Divemark500]

Some older guys say they feel better after a day of diving with Nitrox vs. a day of diving with regular air.

I've never tried Nitrox - anybody have any experience with this concept?

Divemark500

 

[CaptainNemo]

Im new to diving obviously if im in the forum but anyways im thinking of taking nitrox because im a big guy and really suck the tank dry fast will nitrox help with this problem and is it worth the money for the class and tank fill prices

Thanks

No effect on air consumption that I am aware of. I personally feel better and more rested after diving NITROX. Less nitrogen means more oxygen. Don't know if it is mental or physical. The last trip out, all the nitrox divers were awake and feeling good on the boat trip back. As a group the divers diving a standard air mix were passed out. Just my opinion. Any advanced training you take will make you a better diver. Nitrox rocks!

 

[LOG-SPLITTER]

Do you need a different tank when you use nitrox?

Thx newbee here

 

[BarryNL]

Slightly off topic, but I have also been considering getting my NITROX cert. For those of you who dive nitrox, do you all have your own analyzers to check the mix, or do LDS's supply one for you to use? Just trust that the mix thier giving you is right (Don't think I'd do this) Just trying to get a feel for how much switching to nitrox is really going to cost me. Thanks...

Jake

You should never dive a tank unless you've checked the contents yourself (hey, it's your life, right?) Reputable stores and operations will have an analyser available for you to check your tank.

Well, that's the ideal world situation anyway. OTOH, you may not always find analysers available in resort operations...

 

[BarryNL]

Do you need a different tank when you use nitrox?

Thx newbee here

Depends on whether the filling station uses a membrane system or pure oxygen topped up with normal air.

 

[mcclete22]

Divemark500- I have dove with Nitrox and I did feel better. The book said it was more psychological thean physiological, but I personally felt better. Not saying I felt bad after a regualr air dive, I just didn't feel like I had done anything at all after a Nitrox dive.

Log-splitter- Do you mean can you re-fill any tank with Nitrox? Because you should only re-fill Nitrox tanks with Nitrox, and never fill an air tank with NItrox. But you learn about re-fills in the class.

 

[LOG-SPLITTER]

Ah ok thx for the correction mcclete22

 

[Charlie99]

Log-splitter- Do you mean can you re-fill any tank with Nitrox? Because you should only re-fill Nitrox tanks with Nitrox, and never fill an air tank with NItrox. But you learn about re-fills in the class.

Hopefully you would also learn about the different methods of filling a tank in your nitrox class.

Here's a bit more info on what BarryNL was referring to above.

Partial pressure blending is a method in which 100% O2 is put into the tank; then it is topped off with air to get the right mix. This requires an O2 clean tank.

A couple of other methods DON'T require an O2 tank or a tank dedicated to nitrox. Prebanking is a method where the shop has already pumped nitrox into larger tanks and can just refill your tank, whether or not it is a "nitrox" (meaning O2 clean) or a regular air tank. Membrane systems use a semi-permeable membrane to remove some of the nitrogen. Continuous blending is a method of injecting O2 into the compressor intake in the right amount to get the desired nitrox mix out of the compressor. Prebanking, membrane, and continuous flow blending can be used with tanks that aren't O2 cleaned.

Partial pressure blending is easier and cheaper to setup than the other methods, and is what you will find at fill stations that aren't high volume suppliers.