Tanks = Confusion

[ekremer]

to summerize.
Any tank you get will allow you to use normal air and "pre-mixed" nitrox.

To get a Partial Pressure Fill nitrox you can take any tank and clean it special. Then from that point until your next VIP it is clean for partial pressure fills.

HOWEVER you may still fill it with regular air, except after that it will no longer be clean for p.p. fills. That is untill you special clean it again.

You know I swear we did this in my nitrox class .

 

[M_Bipartitus]

Let's see if I have this straight. If I make certain that the only Nitrox I use in my tank is pre-mixed, I don't need to worry about my tank being O2 clean. Is that correct?

Yes, You only need to worry about O2 clean if you get Nitrox with more than 40% O2 (normally only tech divers) or the dive shop mixes the Nitrox in your tank.

So, assuming that is what I do, which freak'n tank can I use to dive both "normal" air and "pre-mixed" nitrox?

Just about any tank should work for you. I would suggest you get one of the smaller tanks, such as the HP80 or LP 85 since you don't need the additional capacity. You may even consider a 72, if available.

Also if you find an O2 clean tank that meets the size you want, don't worry about it. An "O2 clean" tank is also "Nitrox ready."




For more information, Explanation of O2 cleaning:
The only difference between an O2 clean tank and a normal tank is an extra step in which an O2 clean tank is washed out to make sure no hydrocarbons are in it and it should have a special o-ring. The reason for this is that when oxygen has a high concentration it can be very reactive. If there are any hydrocarbons in a tank then the tank may explode if pure oxygen is added. This is not considered to be problem for Nitrox with <40% oxygen. You can make any tank O2 clean by having it cleaned by a dive shop.

Now, if you fill an O2 clean tank with "unclean" air then it just becomes a normal tank. This is because it may now have hydrocarbons in it, and it has a chance of exploding if >40% O2 is added.

If this is still confusing you, talk to you're local dive shop. They should understand it as they are likely to be the ones hurt if the tank explodes while filling.

 

[rleslie]

Fantastic!!!! I finally got it!!!!

Thanks for all of the help!!!

Roger

 

[Blair Mott]

I would use an HP 80 or smaller. M_Bipartitus gives some really good info
1. Any tank is nitrox ready as long as it is filled with 40% or lower and not filled using partial pressure method.
2.If you use a O2 cleaned tanked it will only be O2 cleaned as long as the air put into the tank has been through a hydrocarbon filter ( O2 does not need to go through the filter)

I O2 clean all my tanks, but it is only certain tanks that remain O2 cleaned after 12 months.

It is these tanks that have been filled with air using a Hydro carbon filter , if I use premix , nitrox stix any other method of making nitrox that ¨Air portion¨ has to have been pushed through a hydrocarbon filter to remain O2 clean.

It sounds like your situation any tank will you choose will work for your nitrox needs ( as you are not dive more than 32 or 36%) as long as the places you are getting your fills are not using partial pressure blending.

 

[R-T-W]

Sorry some was faster

Regards
R-T-W