Scuba on a budget

[Bob DBF]

So you're concerned about a thing when you don't even know what it is. How can you worry when you can't even name this contaminant? The air is clean, it came from my garage, it's outside air. If motors gave off horrid fumes, so many folk would die in workshops etc.

OK.

I'm not concerned, because I'm not breathing that air. You are not because you do not want to know the standards for breathing quality air, or whether your compressor is providing it. It's your call, not mine.

 

[BRT]

So you're concerned about a thing when you don't even know what it is. How can you worry when you can't even name this contaminant? The air is clean, it came from my garage, it's outside air. If motors gave off horrid fumes, so many folk would die in workshops etc.

What are you using for oil in your compressor?

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

Are you a certified scuba diver or are you learning as you go along?

 

[Cap335]

The chemical that you are wondering about is evaporated oil. The heat generated by compression can cause evaporation from the lubricating oil.

 

[ginti]

So you're concerned about a thing when you don't even know what it is. How can you worry when you can't even name this contaminant?

Because anything different from the air is a contaminant (air=nitrogen+oxygen), except for some special gases that, in any case, you want to know if they are in the mix since they change the decompression (for instance, helium - but don't worry, chances that you'll have helium in your mix are basically zero).

Some of the most common contaminants are CO and CO2; there exists others. However, because almost all substances could be considered contaminants (including metals and other particles that could end up in your mix due to potentially insufficient filtering capacities of compressors), you should test your air. It's basically the other way around of what you are saying.

If you don't want to test it, go on. Nobody is going to stop you.

 

[Naked diver 2]

OK.

I'm not concerned, because I'm not breathing that air. You are not because you do not want to know the standards for breathing quality air, or whether your compressor is providing it. It's your call, not mine.

Since you know the standards, you tell me what my compressor is likely to be polluting it with. You must know what the pollutant is to want to avoid it.

 

[Naked diver 2]

What are you using for oil in your compressor?

It came with it.

 

[Naked diver 2]

Are you a certified scuba diver or are you learning as you go along?

There's this thing called google. It's really not that much to learn.

 

[Naked diver 2]

The chemical that you are wondering about is evaporated oil. The heat generated by compression can cause evaporation from the lubricating oil.

Pretty sure we breathe that in all the time from car exhaust fumes. Think black smoke from buses.

 

[Naked diver 2]

Because anything different from the air is a contaminant (air=nitrogen+oxygen), except for some special gases that, in any case, you want to know if they are in the mix since they change the decompression (for instance, helium - but don't worry, chances that you'll have helium in your mix are basically zero).

Some of the most common contaminants are CO and CO2; there exists others. However, because almost all substances could be considered contaminants (including metals and other particles that could end up in your mix due to potentially insufficient filtering capacities of compressors), you should test your air. It's basically the other way around of what you are saying.

If you don't want to test it, go on. Nobody is going to stop you.

CO and CO2 don't come from motors. Solids like metals will be caught in the filter, anything smaller than the filter isn't going to bother my lungs. Why the extra worry when it's in a tank, rather than when you're in a factory with similar equipment running?