Speaking of Nitrox...

[Stone]

Fishkiller's original post also asked what would make Nitrox more affordable.

The only way to reduce the cost of Nitrox that comes to my mind is to remove the LDS profit. Some dive clubs offer free air fills with membership. If enough Nitrox divers formed a club or co-op, they could charge enough to cover:

1) Basic Equipment
2) Consumables (filters, lube, etc.)
3) Routine maintenance
4) Repairs
5) Insurance
6) Power
7) Shelter
8) etc., etc.

My wife and I probably spend $700 a year on Nitrox, so I'd gladly pay $100 apiece for a yearly membership.

 

[rstone]

Here in north florida, we charge 3.50 for air and 7.00 for nitrox. However i get both for free

You cant really eliminate the profit margin LDS charge. Thats what pays the bills, and makes sure theres someone there to fill your tanks. On things like classes, air fills, rentals, trips, we generally have a 20% GPM, which ensures, the instructor gets paid, a person is there to fill your tank, the gear is maintained, and your trip goes smoothly.

 

[Stone]

rstone,

You're right. You can't expect an LDS to give up the profit margin (unless it's a loss leader).

Unless the cost of Nitrox equipment (initial outlay, maintenance, etc.) can be reduced, profit is the only variable. My previous post refers to a Nitrox Club or Co-op that runs the filling station (at no profit) for the benefit of members.

 

[chuckrt]

I always wondered what other people paid for fills. Here in Syracuse itis $6 air and $12-15 for Nitrox. Also if one of the owners checks you at the register he charges $10 for super filter air.

 

[sharpenu]

It makes you wonder. If the air isn't clean enough to mix with O2, do I really want to breathe it? I try to avoid the shops that sell "super air" in addition to regular air. It always makes me wonder what the air is contaminated with that makes it incompatible with O2. Just my $.02

 

[Fishkiller]

Originally posted by sharpenu
It makes you wonder. If the air isn't clean enough to mix with O2, do I really want to breathe it? I try to avoid the shops that sell "super air" in addition to regular air. It always makes me wonder what the air is contaminated with that makes it incompatible with O2. Just my $.02

That is a Very good POINT I would hope there is an answer to it?
The air is filtered before it goes into the cylinder and you go diving what makes the air mixed for nitrox any different?

 

[Warhammer]

All air has comtaminants, no matter how much you filter it, you'll never get them all out. So standards have been established to establish how much comtaminant is exceptable for a particular purpose. In regards to difference between what we scuba divers call standard breathable air and air suitable for oxygen use, either one is exceptable for us to breathe. The only time we need the air cleaner for nitrox is if we are blending the nitrox via the partial pressure blending method. And the reason for that is because oxygen is an accelerant. If you put pure 100% into a scuba cylinder that has flameable materials(oils from non-02 cleaned air, compressor, and etc) you are at grave risk of creating a fire, because you have all the ingredients for one..ie accelerant, oil, and heat. This is also the reason that nitrox tanks need to be 02 cleaned if you're filling them via the partial pressure blending method.

Any other method like membrane and pre-mix, doesn't require this. Why? Well because the membrane method filters nitrogen out of the atmospheric air to increase the 02 %, thereby creating nitrox. The pre-mix method is where a shop does just that, they pre-mix the nitrox in their banks that are 02 cleaned then pump it from that bank into your tank as a finished product. As you can see, with eiher of these methods, neither your tank nor the air going into it never comes into contact with 100% 02, thereby eliminating the need for 02 cleaning.

Back to the issue at hand....I think you'd be hard pressed to notice any difference in 02 compatible air and standard air. And if it's costing you more to obtain the 02 air, I think it would be a waste unless you wanted 21% in your 02 cleaned tank to keep it up to snuff. Alot of shops that use the partial pressure method don't pump anything but 02 compatible air. It makes their costs higher due to the increased wear on the filters, but it also makes things easier for us and those less than "informed" shop employees that may forget which dial is which.

 

[sharpenu]

What the cost difference was between the O2 compatible air and the other air yesterday. They said essentially what you did. They also told me that it only requires one extra filter. They said it needs to be changed only once a year. The other filters get more frequent changes, but by the time the air passes through the last one, most of the contaminants have been removed. This means it only is changed twice a year. This brings the air to Grade I.

 

[Warhammer]

Once a year? Wow, didn't know they lasted that long. But I would imagine that it's highly dependant on how many fills they do. Haven't really ever asked how long they last. But I overheard a conversation between 2 shop owners a while back and one owner told the other that he replaced all of the filters on his system every 2 to 3 months regardless if they needed or not. He went on further to say that he also has the air tested several times a year. I can attest to the tests, because he proudly displays them on the wall above the fill station. But what the norm is, I don't know.

 

[Iguana Don]

50 hours on the compressor, and we change the Nitrox air filter at the same time. It doesn't need it, but it keeps things simple

Those filters (for a Bauer K 17) are $125.00 each. It takes 3 for the compressor and 1 for the Nitrox, that is $500.00 for a filter change.

ID