Tracking Helium and Nitrogen separately

[looka]

Lots of tech divers use Vplanner, depth gauge and wet notes.
Lots of rec divers use plain rec computers.

It makes sense. When you go somewhere diving, you might happen to do one or two trimix dives and a few other easy/shallow/rec dives.

This means you either own a trimix computer, or stick to Vplanner and wet notes for the all set of dives, until you can do a 48h SI that gets you clean.

OR...? is there another option?
Can you track your nitrogen load with your nitrox computer and helium load using vplanner?

Let me explain.

Say you do a morning deep dive to 60m, you use 18/40 trimix, you use Vplanner and wetnotes for your deco plan.
Does it make sense to set your nitrox computer on EAN58 and take it with you (maybe in a pocket so you are not tempted to look at it? Would this correctly track your nitrogen load?
Obviously, on your trimix dive, the decompression information coming from your nitrox computer would be garbage, because it cannot track the helium you have on-gassed. But on following nitrox dives, your computer would know your nitrogen level and you can just use it normally.

Is that correct?

Would the overly high virtual ppO2 lock your computer on the trimix dive?

 

[Dr. Lecter]

I think this is theoretically appealing, but it's likely the computer would lock you out because it went into deco and your Vplanner schedule didn't clear its requirements. I've never heard of a computer locking out at high PPO2s, though I suppose it's possible there's such a beast out there.

Having a trimix capable OC computer along for the dives and running VPM would probably be the best bet. Shearwater and Liquivision come to mind, though I know there are others that would do that.

Alternatively, you could use something like an Atomic Cobalt, that will continue to calculate profiles even if you blow off the computer's deco requirements...the nitrogen loading should be correct for subsequent dives that way. Seems silly, though, when you can buy a new Petrel for $950USD.

 

[wedivebc]

Looka
Please don't do trimix dives without proper training. If you have received training in trimix, please go see your instructor and ask for your money back, seriously.

 

[looka]

Looka
Please don't do trimix dives without proper training. If you have received training in trimix, please go see your instructor and ask for your money back, seriously.

I'm not doing any trimix dive yet, I am just asking a question

Mostly trying to understand how important it is for your computer to understand helium, because i am planning a trimix course in the near future but i need a new diving computer now.

That's it. But thank for your response.

---------- Post Merged at 10:57 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:54 AM ----------

I think this is theoretically appealing, but it's likely the computer would lock you out because it went into deco and your Vplanner schedule didn't clear its requirements. I've never heard of a computer locking out at high PPO2s, though I suppose it's possible there's such a beast out there.

Having a trimix capable OC computer along for the dives and running VPM would probably be the best bet. Shearwater and Liquivision come to mind, though I know there are others that would do that.

Alternatively, you could use something like an Atomic Cobalt, that will continue to calculate profiles even if you blow off the computer's deco requirements...the nitrogen loading should be correct for subsequent dives that way. Seems silly, though, when you can buy a new Petrel for $950USD.

thanks

 

[Superlyte27]

Looka
Please don't do trimix dives without proper training. If you have received training in trimix, please go see your instructor and ask for your money back, seriously.

This was stated perfectly. Wedivebc isn't trying to pick on you, and isn't trying to hold out on you, but there are people who take these threads as fact/truth. They get it in their mind that what is said is completely correct, and then they try to pull this crap and get into trouble. Or they argue til they're blue in the face why what they've learned (usually incorrectly) should be okay. The people with true wisdom know that the best advice you can get (on a topic like this) is from an instructor or a really great mentor.

These questions will be answered in a Trimix class.

 

[looka]

Looka
Please don't do trimix dives without proper training. If you have received training in trimix, please go see your instructor and ask for your money back, seriously.

On a separate note, I agree with your advice, I don't do things without training, because of safety of course, but also because I do enjoy training (when the instructor is not an *******).

I do agree to the KISS approach when you are in the water. Simple standard procedures are more likely get you out safely than anything else.

When you are out of the water, I think things are slightly different. Understanding theorethical scenarios a little bit more in depth, has little downside and it can prevent you from doing or believing something dumb some dumbass said

Here I am trying to understand if computers are able to track gas exposures independently (say, theoretically have a computer that tracks helium and one that tracks nitrogen). If I am actually planning to dive trimix with a nitrox computer in my pocket is a different story.(the answer is no, I am not trying to do that)

 

[treasurehunter]

Looka

The question you are asking is irrelevant in trimix diving. There is a lot more involved than how a computer tracks your dives. So if your not planning to dive with helium in your mix don't worry about it. Better to start worrying about leaning to dive doubles first. It is best to start your training with an instructor first because part of the training is to make you understand what gear is good for you for the type of diving you will be planing and why. Gear is very individual and a helium computer is optional. Trying to prepare your gear before you start training will only leave you with gear you wish you didn't buy before your training.

 

[looka]

Looka

The question you are asking is irrelevant in trimix diving. There is a lot more involved than how a computer tracks your dives. So if your not planning to dive with helium in your mix don't worry about it. Better to start worrying about leaning to dive doubles first. It is best to start your training with an instructor first because part of the training is to make you understand what gear is good for you for the type of diving you will be planing and why. Gear is very individual and a helium computer is optional. Trying to prepare your gear before you start training will only leave you with gear you wish you didn't buy before your training.

I do dive with doubles and done all the training I need to start a trimix course. I think I should do a few more dives before going to the trimix level. I need more time in the water, because i lack experience. Trimix will happen in late 2013 for me.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[PfcAJ]

Does work like that.

Its the entire inert gas load that you've got to be aware of.

 

[wedivebc]

Although Dalton's law teaches us that we can deal with each gas as if it was an independent entity and exerts forces according to it's partial pressure in a container, the human body is a most complex container and the relationship of each gas has to be considered as a whole as well as each individual gas.