The Beginner's Mixture

[MSilvia]

Will Nitrox take the place of Air, as the preferred "beginners mixture?" Why or Why not?

EAN21 aside, no... not so long as it's more expensive and new divers going to <60 feet are limited by RMV more than by NDLs.

 

[Cave Diver]

No, the NDL at 35' is :232

Depends on which tables you look at. The one's I referenced showed 205 minutes as the NDL @ 35'

 

[muddiver]

Depends on which tables you look at. The one's I referenced showed 205 minutes as the NDL @ 35'

I know, it's hard to argue when one has no idea which table is being referenced.

 

[JeffG]

I'm not for or against it. I just don't think it will happen anytime soon for the reasons I stated.

I don't think it is a question of for or against. It (nitrox) just doesn't solve enough problems (and creates others) to be used as a "beginners" gas. But it could/should be introduced relatively early.

 

[OldNSalty]

I think the real factor would be 'what are the shops getting out of it?' If they can market it correctly and charge more then I suspect a few shops will try it but for now, its the loss of a class down the road thus the shops have no motivation to go this route.

 

[Ana]

200 minutes is the NDL listed for a 35' dive.


Standard for some agencies recommend a 60' depth limit for an OW diver and 100' recommended with 130' max limit for AOW.

Thanks

That's why 200 minutes meant nothing to me, a number of minutes without the associated depth sounded strange.

As far as the 60' limit, maybe I shouldn't consider my kids new divers anymore, (too bad for them). If I remember correctly, when they got certified the 60' depth was the recommended depth to do the certification dives, with the "no kidding" max depth being 130'.

If 35' is the typical dives of new divers then, as others have mentioned, NITROX may be a waste of resources.

 

[gcbryan]

Yes, otherwise Helium and Oxygen mixtures for deeper diving would not remove the effect of Nitrogen narcosis.

This doesn't even make sense. The Oxygen is there became you need Oxygen to live...and the helium is there as an inert gas with low narcotic properties.

What does that have to do with Oxygen having similar narcotic properties as nitrogen? The oxygen percent is small at depth and the helium has replaced a large percentage of nitrogen (in trimix) and there is a remaining percentage of nitrogen as well...and the result is a less narcotic mix.

 

[gcbryan]

To answer the OP, Nitrox may be the beginners gas in resorts. It would be a good choice I would think.

The main issues with it other than that are the issues already mentioned...cost, availability, whether it's all that useful for a single dive locally. Most people I know who use it tout the benefit of less nitrogen but then they just do longer dives at depth than I do and negate that "benefit".

So, it's useful for longer dives but it's no safer when used that way. The hassle locally for me is having to have oxygen cleaned tanks when all local air isn't up to that standard.

 

[ianr33]

Yes, but then there are other repercussions as well. If the shop does partial pressure fills, then that's going to require that ALL customer tanks be O2 clean and maintained as such.

Wouldn't that just be another profit center for the shops though?

 

[Cave Diver]

Wouldn't that just be another profit center for the shops though?

Nah. Not after you factor in all the "I did my own viz and O2 cleaning, so I don't need to pay you to do it" vs. "I'm a PSI instructor and your tank doesn't have the required nitrox stickers on it." arguments and resulting loss of business from such.