Question Oxygen fill whip

[Alekseolsen]

I'm considering getting a fill whip to transfill O2 to my 3 liter rebreather Oxy bottles when on dive trips.

The prices seems to range from very reasonable to "get more 3L cylinders".


I was wondering if there are any good reasons to not go for something as cheap as below?

Blending whip for O2

Blending whip for O2

jonasdive.com

If the 800€ ones are the "minimum" I'll just get more bottles instead.

 

[DanBMW]

I can't answer your question, but just wanted to add to be extremely careful when either filling or balancing Oxygen bottles. Fill as slow as possible. I have been where one exploded because it was balanced too fast and it was very ugly. No one got hurt, but it was very close.

 

[Alekseolsen]

Thanks for above. I do have a blender-course and will for sure get a whip with a needle control valve - thanks a lot for you message

 

[Wibble]

It's useful to get a decent gauge on the whip so you can partial pressure blend diluent and bailout mixes from your banks (old twinsets?)

I've recently bought a cheap eBay digital gauge for this. Doesn't matter so much about the absolute accuracy, just that it'll measure pressure changes accurately.

For fine control you could use a whip with a needle valve, but these are expensive. Make sure you put caps back on the end of the whip when finished.

 

[Johnoly]

..... when on dive trips.

Will there be a compressor or multiple 'air' tanks that can drive a small booster on your 'dive trips'?
Instead of 2 tanks that are 'not full' because of transfill,,,why not get a portable used Haskel mini sport booster?

 

[jale]

Hi
The one on your link is perfect. You can even get a cheaper one but the gauge may be too minimalist.
As mentioned before, just go slowly (look at the needle of the gauge) and everything would be fine

 

[Alekseolsen]

Will there be a compressor or multiple 'air' tanks that can drive a small booster on your 'dive trips'?
Instead of 2 tanks that are 'not full' because of transfill,,,why not get a portable used Haskel mini sport booster?

Compressor available yeah, but a booster is putting me back in "better get more 3l bottles land" so just trying to figure out what makes sense
At home I have O2 (10 minute drive) very easily available and HE (30 minute drive) quite easily available, thus the motivation for a booster would only be a trip (or three) a year.

 

[broncobowsher]

Trade your spare bottle of O2 for more 3L cylinders?
Not sure what Norway has for bulk O2, but here you get about 2400 PSI. So even a new bottle of O2 isn't going to transfill into a full 3L bottle at 3000 PSI (207 bar).
Traveling, guessing you are thinking a regular scuba tank filled to 3000 PSI and transfill to a rebreather bottle. Now you are carrying a big bottle of O2 to transfill into the little bottle. And the pressure drop will quickly limit fills.

Will the transfer whip work? Yes. But you have to expect the limitations.

I have a Haskel mini, use it at home mostly. I have done a parking lot fill once, it will work. In the end I just got a spare set of 3L bottles and called it good. Been there, tried stuff, came to the same solution you are going toward kicking and screaming. Just get another set of bottles.

 

[Wibble]

Will there be a compressor or multiple 'air' tanks that can drive a small booster on your 'dive trips'?
Instead of 2 tanks that are 'not full' because of transfill,,,why not get a portable used Haskel mini sport booster?

Costing how much $$$$? Also needs a decent compressor to run it at more $$$$

For those of us without loads of money, old twinsets make good banks for oxygen, air and rich trimix. Just need a gas dealer who'll fill them. Then a $100 whip is all you need (and a $80 digital gauge if partial pressure blending).

Also, keep your eyes open for "rebreather" 3 litre diluent and oxygen cylinders. It's good to have at least a couple; one with trimix and one with air for shallow and training dives. Actually a couple of trimix cylinders, deep and mid depth.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

For fine control you could use a whip with a needle valve, but these are expensive. Make sure you put caps back on the end of the whip when finished.

I haven't bought it yet (I think about it every time I mix!), but here's an inexpensive needle valve specifically designed for O2 that can be added to any whip.

Needle Valve - O2 - Male to Male

john@northeastscubasupply.com

northeastscubasupply.com