I agree; 25/25 is fairly useful, but 30/30 is ideal for Ginnie Springs . . . 
Tri-Mix Agencies?
- Thread starter RichBolduc
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waterpirate
Contributor
I do not know why this is going where it is. Maybe you guys just don't like me????? I said it was a usefull tool in less than 100fsw on an ndl dive. I gave reasons why. None of this disscussion was meant to encourage anyone without the skills you keep refrancing to jump on the helium bandwagon. This entire thread left the realm of addressing the op pages ago and morfed into a disscussion where it seems I am the only one who thinks helium is usefull when trained in it's usage at 100fsw or less.
The example I gave was intended to point out that someone who is trained to solve their problems in the water, can be tasked and tangled to a point where the benefit of some additional sobriety would help with that proccess while staying focussed on the task.
I do not buy the money arguement. It costs what it costs. Buy it and use it or do not, it is just a tool. Some people can afford nicer tools. The notion of building up your exposure to nitrogen and getting acclimated to it and still functioning is just a flawed thought proccess, if another tool is available.
Eric
The example I gave was intended to point out that someone who is trained to solve their problems in the water, can be tasked and tangled to a point where the benefit of some additional sobriety would help with that proccess while staying focussed on the task.
I do not buy the money arguement. It costs what it costs. Buy it and use it or do not, it is just a tool. Some people can afford nicer tools. The notion of building up your exposure to nitrogen and getting acclimated to it and still functioning is just a flawed thought proccess, if another tool is available.
Eric
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Nothing personal ... I was trying to relate what you said back to the OP, who stated that he intended to use the gas beyond recreational depths. I don't see that as prudent ... for reasons that go well beyond narcosis.
Many of us got into the use of helium at the recreational level ... I did through the IANTD rec trimix class. And the advantages of a bit of helium at 100 feet in cold, dark Puget Sound are obvious. But most folks I know who go this route will eventually stop using helium at recreational depths because they come to realize that while it's nice, the cost/benefit equation just doesn't make sense. Now I don't use helium at all above 120 fsw ... and if I'm going deeper than that it's for a specific reason and I'm doing a planned decompression (not recreational) dive. Those dives require a bit more than just helium if you're going to do them responsibly.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
waterpirate
Contributor
No feathers ruffled here. It all goes back to training, what a novel concept. If you use it deep or at rec levels it still requires training. People are going to do - what people do. Some violate training standards others do not, its thier choice. The cost benefit ratio for me is well worth it, other peoples milage may vary/with road conditions. as the economy tanked in my kneck of the woods, so did the lds's. I bought my own compressor for conveniance and the rest is just good memories. Helium averages out to .48 cubic foot for me, I realise for others it is excessive in cost when not home brewing.
Eric
Eric
Oh, Eric, I'm with you; I hate narcosis, and I use helium pretty freely. But my costs, although not as low as yours, are lower than many people pay for helium. I haven't used it shallower than 100 feet, but in the 100 to 130 range, using a 25/25 mix gives one enough bottom time to be reasonable. A number of our good local wall dives are interesting down to 130, and can be multi-leveled without entering mandatory deco.
ucfdiver
Contributor
lamont
Contributor
I noticed substantially more 'clarity' at 60 feet on my first ever 30/30 dive.
It wasn't a safety issue, but I could tell the difference (very subtle, but there was a difference there).
Using 30/30 at that depth all the time just to eliminate that effect would be awfully pricey, but I wouldn't tell someone else not to do it, or act like there's some kind of a rule against using it there.
David_57
Contributor
So why does TDI offer the Helitrox course which limits you to a min of 21 O2 and a max of 20 He? Based on what I have seen here 20% of helium in your mix has no apparent advantage.
I'm not sure why they came up with that number either, but it does reduce the END of a 150' dive to 113', so it's better than air/Nitrox. I added it on to my Deco Procedures course last fall--it wasn't expensive, and might come in handy until I get my Normoxic class done.
David_57
Contributor
Yes it seems significant when when 140ft dive has a END of 105 as 105 is about where I start to feel a little narced, but some of the posts on here seem to indicate its not much use below 25% ? And very handy when taking the course you mentioned along with the Advanced Nitrox course as many of the dives are in the 130ft to 140ft range.
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