Sorry guys, but there is just no way you can detect CO with an O2 analyser (and won't go in the technicalities).
Lesson learnt here is that those who sell gas should test it with a CO analyser before releasing it to the end-user.
It would be prudent for the end-user to test the tanks as well with a CO analyser (since it is not done as a matter of course by Dive Shops and in any event why trust the Dive Shop with your own life???).
Two suppliers:
EII CO Carbon Monoxide Analyzer: Analox - Looking after the air you breathe.
http://www.temc.it/en/diving/de-ox-safe-carbon-monoxide-analyzer
Yep, and Analox and other companies have great inline CO monitors that can be set to auto shut off, but you can't trust supplier in general. The largest fill station in Coz was given a free Analox inline system for free, but still was caught supplying CO tainted air. They could get more tanks filled if they ignored the alarms and disabled the auto shut off. I was really disappointed that DAN America's only significant action was to give away more systems.
Here is another good unit available in the States for half of what other cost...
Cabon Monoxide Scuba Tank Analyzer Out of stock for now, but you can talk to them. I have with the sales manager, Kevin. I've been wearing the basic unit out and about to see how common cross reactions may be, etc.
Could we? Not trying to sharpshoot you, but I think you overlooked something. With the CO aren't we looking at something like parts per million, so even a high concentration , say 100 PPM maps to a very tiny fraction of the overall percentage. I'm not familiar with the O2 testers used, but from what I've seen, it looks like they, at most, read to 1 or maybe 2 decimal points. 100 PPM should work out to 0.001%. (and I may have 1 too few "0"s).
I'm not sure that we could pick up the CO content unless it was so high that it would be a significant portion of the gas, say 2-3%.
If I'm wrong, please let me know, like I said, not trying to sharpshoot you, just doesn't compute in my brain.
Steve
10,000 ppm = 1%. Checking O2 will not tell you anything about CO risks. Getting portable CO units that can check in the single digits ppm at affordable prices, many of them water & drop resistant, is a remarkable accomplishment - that we should use!
OK. From a chemistry perspective - CO and O2 won't mix, is that correct? So you can have 32% O2 in a tank and also some CO ?
I guess my confusion stems from a lack of understanding of this.
P
No, they'll blend easy. You have done the Nitrox course have you?
This is now becoming a tech diving/gas blending thread, but given the outcome of the incident I feel it appropriate. Even because you do not need to be tech diving to have benefit from understanding gases and how they interact with your body.
I am in Europe and I will be referring to BS EN12021 which is the standard for breathable air which says that breathable air should not contain more than 15 ppm of CO.
I can already hear DandyDon scream out loud "too much" and he is right. I will explain why.
I thought that most of Europe had changed to 5ppm, or 3 max...?
Another major risk is once CO binds to your blood at 3 to 6 atmosphers, it hits you harder when you ascend as the PPO drops but the CO remains in your blood blocking O2 movement.
I will join DandyDon Crusade
DAN Europe is now carrying a CO analyser in their shop (available from Sep 14).
Fabio
Great, which one? How much?
I cannot see any reason for accepting any CO in SCUBA gases as an end-user.
It just should not be there.
If you get any, buy your gas elsewhere.
Correct. If you find 1 or 2 ppm, it could be an error or handling mistake, but 3 and above - you got to wonder what else is getting in the tanks?
