Regulators that support Nitrox

[sontek]

I see supporting nitrox as a feature on some regulators... What is special about a regulator for supporting/not supporting nitrox? If its just a different air mix, doesn't' every regulator support it?

 

[Packhorse]

As long as its less than 40% O2 content then any reg should be fine.
Above that the 1st stage ( at least) should be O2 cleaned and O2 compatable components need tp be used in the high pressure areas.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

A titanium reg and O2 are not a good mix and have been know to cause explosions.....

 

[Teller]

I see supporting nitrox as a feature on some regulators... What is special about a regulator for supporting/not supporting nitrox? If its just a different air mix, doesn't' every regulator support it?

As well as what everyone else already stated a reg that is ready for nitrox has viton o-rings. If you just use regular o-rings the enriched air will deteriorate the rings. Atleast this is what I have been told by my instructor that did my nitrox class. If you are getting a new reg get one that is nitrox ready.

 

[DiveGear4Less]

A titanium reg and O2 are not a good mix and have been know to cause explosions.....

This has only happened once and in laboratory conditions. Many people used titanium regulators with recreational nitrox mixes without any issues.

 

[deepstops]

This has only happened once and in laboratory conditions. Many people used titanium regulators with recreational nitrox mixes without any issues.

It happened in San Diego on the beach about 8-10 years ago, pretty far from any "lab conditions".

 

[TechBlue]

As well as what everyone else already stated a reg that is ready for nitrox has viton o-rings. If you just use regular o-rings the enriched air will deteriorate the rings. Atleast this is what I have been told by my instructor that did my nitrox class. If you are getting a new reg get one that is nitrox ready.

Actually the o-rings on most regs are now viton or epdm and the only difference being that air regulators (and the o-rings) are not O2 clean.

 

[Tortuga68]

It happened in San Diego on the beach about 8-10 years ago, pretty far from any "lab conditions".

Link?

 

[vladimir]

http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/issues/y2003/UC0103/Nitrox200301.pdf

Note the mix: 78.4%

Bill High, president of Professional Scuba Inspectors, recounted the case of a San Diego diver whose titanium Atomic regulator caught fire while he was breathing a decompression mix of 78.4 percent oxygen on the beach.

 

[The Chairman]

Well, that's a tad higher than 40%.