Testing Air Quality

[cowjazz]

Drunk driving is dangerous, too, but I don't carry a breathalizer with me.

Okay...

 

[pescador775]

Okay? The risk reward of diving as it relates to technology has come a long way. Diving equipment, including support equipment, has improved greatly over the past few years. With regard to domestic supplies of compressed air, the quality is generally excellent. This was not always so but even in the bad old days the risk of dying from "bad" air was slight. Today, the diver faces the same physiological risks of exploring a hostile environment but equipment risks have dropped greatly; this includes contamination of the air supply which is very low in rank. I mean, if you can trust the dive shop guy to fix your regulator then one can likely trust the air supply he provides. We can't change the relationship between man and physics but we sure as heck can improve the technology and that is evident. Also, with the improvements have come along a number of gadgets which some of us "must" have. The range is great and the rationalizations are many to justify purchase of the new toy. This generally follows some personal bent or inclination. I am no exception but I would like to believe that I have some common sense also. As far as CO monitors and the like, if one were to embark on an expedition to a foreign country and depend on third world resources to some extent, and if the expedition were important enough to justify a technical officer, it would seem that a CO monitor would be a useful item of kit for that purpose. For the diver depending on what is perceived to be a generally well run LDS it seems a trifle overkill, like the social drinker who can't depend on his own judgement and feels that a breathalizer is needed.

 

[cowjazz]

That makes more sense. I think we are in agreement on this.

 

[GulfCoastdiver]

How long does it take for air to go stale or bad? just wandering because I have had 6 tanks sitting in my garage for 4 months.

 

[scubastevesa]

check out de - ox in Italy they have a multi gas analyser that does all of the tests above

 

[sealark]

Here's something to think about, I am 72 years old been diving since 10 years old went through Navy Diving school in 1965. I was in charge of our Air Flats on first submarine Rescue ship USS Skylark. The compressors used regular oil in them 9250. The filter material we used was kotex pads nothing else. water was drained from bottom of stage drains and the filters. We made many air and he02 dives to over 200 ft. I own today HP compressors that have all the filters required and use synthetic oils in them. I never smoked a cigarette in my entire life and have logged over 10000 dives. and have never had any lung or adverse problems from the air I breathe now or air we had in the Navy. Maybe just lucky or could it be over regulation. Yes a gas compressor could cause problems and I also have one of them for traveling. But I always make sure the pickup is up wind when running. Gotta go diving snapper season is open here in Pensacola on weekends. Just a thought about compressed air. Cough Cough only kidding.

 

[Doc Harry]

I'm surprised that there doesn't exist a piece of equipment that can test CO2, O2, CO and Humidity?

You can buy a multi-gas analyzer that tests for CO2, O2 and CO - like these:
Multi Gas Detectors

How long does it take for air to go stale or bad? just wandering because I have had 6 tanks sitting in my garage for 4 months.

Four months? If the cylinders are aluminum, then air quality is not affected by the cylinder. If you've got steel tanks, then either
(a) test the air for O2/CO
or
(b) dump the gas and re-fill.