Reminder to check your tanks for CO !

[DandyDon]

Ever heard of, or used, a Co-Pro detector? CO-PRO - Personal Carbon Monoxide Protection

Oh, yeah - it gives a vague idea. Even their site admits "CO-PRO is intended only as a detector of carbon monoxide and is not a substitute for proper testing or inspection of breathing air," so I wouldn't trust it.

Then there's the 5-10 minutes test time per tank. My first tester had a 3 minute test time that I hated, so more would be worse.

 

[Angry Turtle]

I hope you understand that dive ops in Cozumel do not run compressors and fill tanks. Almost all of them get their gas from a central filling operation called Meridiano. It is irresponsible to name and blame an operator for a tank of bad gas you supposedly found. On top of that, the chance that some tanks of banked gas (air or banked nitrox rather than a custom blend) had one reading while others had a different reading would lead me to suspect your analyzer of inaccuracy. You did the right thing by analyzing, choosing a tank that satisfied you, and reporting your findings. But you might want to double check the accuracy. CO in a tank from Meridiano did cause the death of an American cave diver a couple of years ago. Since then they have put in more monitoring and safeguards, and more people are carrying CO monitors to test their gas. The odds that you found contaminated tanks and no one else has are probably lower than the odds that your analyzer gave your false positive readings. But you still did the right thing.

Back in March 2013 (this was post the additional changes in CO monitoring at Meridiano) my group found several tanks in the 7-10 ppm range. All Nitrox from Meridiano, marked as filled on the same date. I actually posted about it here that afternoon to alert anyone else on island that might see the message.

We had two different Analox handhelds, and both confirmed the same readings. Meridiano did not have additional tanks for us, so we skipped the dives that afternoon. We never learned of anyone else testing or finding CO in their tanks.

 

[DandyDon]

Back in March 2013 (this was post the additional changes in CO monitoring at Meridiano) my group found several tanks in the 7-10 ppm range. All Nitrox from Meridiano, marked as filled on the same date. I actually posted about it here that afternoon to alert anyone else on island that might see the message.

We had two different Analox handhelds, and both confirmed the same readings. Meridiano did not have additional tanks for us, so we skipped the dives that afternoon. We never learned of anyone else testing or finding CO in their tanks.

There have been other reports of tainted Medidiano tanks even after they added the free CO monitors to their compressor. It seems the monitors can be ignored.

 

[Christi]

I use an Analox Portable and have been satisfied with it.

Analox no longer makes the portable CO testing unit. I was looking to purchase one and to have some in stock for sale along with the OEII nitrox analyzers. I was told directly by an Analox rep just a few weeks ago that they were having too many accuracy issues so the unit has been discontinued. I am looking into other options now.

---------- Post added July 22nd, 2015 at 03:29 PM ----------

There have been other reports of tainted Medidiano tanks even after they added the free CO monitors to their compressor. It seems the monitors can be ignored.

Really? News to me - can you please cite your references/sources for these reports? I receive an inspection and air report from Meridiano regularly and have seen proper vigilance and maintenance on their part. The operator who got his own compressor did not do so because of bad air from Meridiano. The volume of tanks they are filling everyday warranted and justified having their own compressor and the right opportunity presented itself.

---------- Post added July 22nd, 2015 at 03:31 PM ----------

The Analox O2EII Pro from Leisure Pro.

This is the unit for O2 testing, not CO

 

[DandyDon]

Analox no longer makes the portable CO testing unit. I was looking to purchase one and to have some in stock for sale along with the OEII nitrox analyzers. I was told directly by an Analox rep just a few weeks ago that they were having too many accuracy issues so the unit has been discontinued. I am looking into other options now.

I think it was lack of sales volume with most divers still not buying.

Really? News to me - can you please cite your references/sources for these reports? I receive an inspection and air report from Meridiano regularly and have seen proper vigilance and maintenance on their part. The operator who got his own compressor did not do so because of bad air from Meridiano. The volume of tanks they are filling everyday warranted and justified having their own compressor and the right opportunity presented itself.

Nope, y'all keep negative news quiet there. Bad for business.

 

[billt4sf]

I use a one gallon ziplock, the kind with the slider handle for quick closing. A quart bag does not allow enough inflation room. And I use a new bag every day as they tend to leak after a day.

What do you use the bag for?- Bill

 

[DandyDon]

What do you use the bag for?- Bill

A previous poster had mentioned...

When playing with the Sensorcon, I found it hard to get consistent readings, and my plan was to use a little plastic baggie to avoid problems with the flow rate

Sensorcon does not sell a scuba adapter kit anymore, but one could make on easily enough. Or, just drop the unit into a gallon ziplock, fill the ziplock from a tank, and wait a few seconds to see what it reads from that sample. Two additional suggestions...

1. Crack the tank valve first to start a slow flow, then move the empty bag to collect a direct sample.
2. If you do apply the bag to the valve before turning it on, be sure that an rapidly filled bag will fly into your body and not overboard if you lose control of it.

Guess how I know about the risks of one going overboard...!! :blush:

 

[BertStevens]

I realize I'm commenting on an older thread. This made me wonder, what is an acceptable level of CO? In searching DAN's website I found this:

Alert Diver | When Gas Goes Bad

 

[DandyDon]

I realize I'm commenting on an older thread. This made me wonder, what is an acceptable level of CO? In searching DAN's website I found this:

Alert Diver | When Gas Goes Bad

As illustrated in the chart at the bottom, 10 ppm is the maximum allowed in the US - see below. That's rarely checked or enforced, but that's the rule. Some countries allow 15 ppm, some only 5, some 3. If I get a 1 or 2, I accept that such could be my testing and/or rounding. If I get 3 or more, I start complaining as well as wondering what else they are letting in my tanks.

 

[bamafan]

I have a SensoCon Co tester and I am happy with it. For the price it is cheap insurance as they are only a little over $100. The one downside to it is if you blast gas through it very hard you will get a false reading. You just need to barely crack the valve or reg.

On a side note I just got back from Cozumel and I was impressed with Meridiano. They are a first rate operation no matter what country they are in. It is an impressive operation. I have some pictures I will try and figure out how to upload