jumbo
Guest
Ive done it a few times
jumbo
jumbo
SCBA fill station SCUBA
- Thread starter HenryG
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
There is extensive information that has been condensed to a four page PDF for your convenience. Please visit:
http://www.airsystems.com/Reference/CGA%20Air%20Grade%20Specifications.pdf
In a nut shell, the dive industry recommends Grade E and the fire industry recommends Grade D.
A quick scan shows Grade D allows for O2 variation between 19.5 to 23.5 %
Grade E has allows for a small fluctuation, between 20 to 22 %
If the air is used for blending then the tolerance levels are more restricted. Many filling cylinders at the local fire department may find that the air is tested for Grade D compliance but would also pass the Grade E standard.
FYI only...
Blades Robinson
http://www.airsystems.com/Reference/CGA%20Air%20Grade%20Specifications.pdf
In a nut shell, the dive industry recommends Grade E and the fire industry recommends Grade D.
A quick scan shows Grade D allows for O2 variation between 19.5 to 23.5 %
Grade E has allows for a small fluctuation, between 20 to 22 %
If the air is used for blending then the tolerance levels are more restricted. Many filling cylinders at the local fire department may find that the air is tested for Grade D compliance but would also pass the Grade E standard.
FYI only...
Blades Robinson
Im a lil ignorant on this, I fill at our SCBA station 90% of the time, I dont know what the firestation compressor grade is, but if it is required to be grade D, will they only test it only to be certified to be grade D... or is it the same filtration test, were if it is greater, they would give it an E grade? If anyone knows, I dont want to open a door were ppl argue over how they do or should do these tests...
Boater Dan
Guest
Desert Pirate: They should be testing the air on a regular basis anyhow even for Fire Service. I "believe" a testing company will only certify to what you ask for. So, they should ask to qualify the air to grade E if it is being used in a scuba environment.
Dan
Dan
We need to do air purity tests twice a year on all breathing gases up here too.
When the test comes back it should give you all the levels of the test so it should be easy to determine what realm it falls into be it "E" or "D".
When the test comes back it should give you all the levels of the test so it should be easy to determine what realm it falls into be it "E" or "D".
I use ours all the time. We have our air tested quarterly and maintain it for grade E. As for the fill whip, I asked the service guy for a yoke adapter and he made me one for about 100 bucks. From what I can gather though (and depending on who you ask) Grade E is not ok for O2 blending so none of my tanks are o2 cleaned for nitrox.
Dan
Barnard Fire District, Rochester NY
Dan
Barnard Fire District, Rochester NY
Boater Dan > They should be testing the air on a regular basis anyhow even for Fire Service. I "believe" a testing company will only certify to what you ask for. So, they should ask to qualify the air to grade E if it is being used in a scuba environment.
Bridge Diver> When the test comes back it should give you all the levels of the test so it should be easy to determine what realm it falls into be it "E" or "D".
ok... conflicting, but this is exactly my question, is the difference because your in seperate countries? I will ask our fire chief too, and post what I find out as well.
thanks,
Clay
__________________
Bridge Diver> When the test comes back it should give you all the levels of the test so it should be easy to determine what realm it falls into be it "E" or "D".
ok... conflicting, but this is exactly my question, is the difference because your in seperate countries? I will ask our fire chief too, and post what I find out as well.
thanks,
Clay
__________________
Could be but I just asked the testing company for the data/print out when they send the cert. It's this data that they used to determine if its safe so they should have it somewhere
fireplug
Registered
We have an Eagle Air for SCBA fills in our FD. One thing we have found when filling SCUBA tanks is having to remove the plastic boot on the bottom of 80 CF tanks. This allows the cylinder to fit into the blast chamber that must be closed and latched to allow air movement from the compressor or bank to the cylinder to be filled. I get real twitchy when I see someone filling a cylinder with a whip or a home made deal and the unrestrained & unprotected cylinder sitting in the middle of the floor. If a cylinder won't fit in our blast drawer it goes somewhere else to be filled.
Been dealing with "Won't happen to me, people" my whole career.
Been dealing with "Won't happen to me, people" my whole career.
Thats a good point Fireplug.. I have never done this, but have had ppl tell me that by puting the cylinder in a bucket of water will prove as a blast chamber as well. The tanks that are filled by our portable cascade system in our trailer dont have blast chambers, they fill from 5000 lb tanks through fill whips, and I have seen this done for saftey measures. I know the air out of this system is grade E... but I am more willing to chance the air from the FD than an absence of blast chamber in our trailer. reason why 90% of my fills come from the FD and not our cascade...
my question now is ... does a bucket of water form a blast shield? i dont see how, but Im not a scientist either.
this thread is making me think...
Clay
my question now is ... does a bucket of water form a blast shield? i dont see how, but Im not a scientist either.
this thread is making me think...
Clay
Similar threads
