elmariachino
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Can anyone share the blueprints of DIY trimix mixing panels?
Trimix Mixing Panel
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you're going to need to elaborate a bit on that one. Way too many variables to just show prints. Are you continuously blending the trimix? are you boosting one or both? how many banks do you have? how many outlets do you have? etc
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elmariachino
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I use partial pressure blending, for the time being I am not using any booster pump but would like to get one eventually.
I get air directly from the compressor, oxygen from 5 banks linked in series and helium from 3 banks linked in series. For the time being, the 3 sources are independent:
- i start by filling up helium starting with the lowest pressure bank and moving to the higher ones
- then i move the tank to the oxygen system and start by filling from the lowest pressure then move to the higher ones
- last i move the tank to the compressor and top off with air
I would like to have one integrated system, with 3 inlets: one for He, one for O2 and one for air. As for the outlets, i am planning to have at least 2 whips for the outlets.
What I am thinking about is something like the below drawing. No idea if i should allocate anything for the eventual installation of the booster pump.
I get air directly from the compressor, oxygen from 5 banks linked in series and helium from 3 banks linked in series. For the time being, the 3 sources are independent:
- i start by filling up helium starting with the lowest pressure bank and moving to the higher ones
- then i move the tank to the oxygen system and start by filling from the lowest pressure then move to the higher ones
- last i move the tank to the compressor and top off with air
I would like to have one integrated system, with 3 inlets: one for He, one for O2 and one for air. As for the outlets, i am planning to have at least 2 whips for the outlets.
What I am thinking about is something like the below drawing. No idea if i should allocate anything for the eventual installation of the booster pump.
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@elmariachino Are you managing the bank cylinders individually from the valves, or do you want to them remotely?
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elmariachino
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The banks in series, the O2 banks or the He tanks, are managed from the individual banks. The panel is used to manage the mixing.
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elmariachino
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Nevertheless i am willing to consider other options, if u have any to propose.
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So this is a bit complicated, but hopefully this makes sense and is how I would do it.
Priority #1 to me would be for you to get banks for nitrox and put a blend stick on your compressor. Gives you a ton of advantages. Compressor doesn't have to run when you fill, don't have to O2 clean tanks/valves, more efficient use of O2, etc etc. Bank EAN30/32/36 or whatever is most convenient for your non-trimix diving locally. That solves your O2 going thru the blend station.
Your panel then becomes Nitrox only with valves for each of the banks and however many outlets you want.
Priority #2 would be to find a booster. Booster can double duty for He, and O2, and can either be driven by a shop compressor, or your nitrox banks. Shop compressor is cheaper if you have one available.
Your booster has a pair of inlets, one O2, one He, with a single outlet.
The O2 bank is fed into the booster when you need anything higher than the mixes provided by your nitrox stick. Typically 100%, 50%, and 30/30 if you dive that mix. Once those are depleted, you then move that bottle over to the nitrox stick where the compressor can scavenge all of the O2 out of the bottle from a regulator. Gives you most efficient use on the booster, and you can use all of your O2.
He is self explanatory, but you get to use all of it and don't have to drain any tanks down if you need to change mix.
Keeping the nitrox fill station separate from the boosters is IMO a good idea. It may sound a bit less streamlined, and it does make it a 2 step process, but I think it is well worth it.
Priority #1 to me would be for you to get banks for nitrox and put a blend stick on your compressor. Gives you a ton of advantages. Compressor doesn't have to run when you fill, don't have to O2 clean tanks/valves, more efficient use of O2, etc etc. Bank EAN30/32/36 or whatever is most convenient for your non-trimix diving locally. That solves your O2 going thru the blend station.
Your panel then becomes Nitrox only with valves for each of the banks and however many outlets you want.
Priority #2 would be to find a booster. Booster can double duty for He, and O2, and can either be driven by a shop compressor, or your nitrox banks. Shop compressor is cheaper if you have one available.
Your booster has a pair of inlets, one O2, one He, with a single outlet.
The O2 bank is fed into the booster when you need anything higher than the mixes provided by your nitrox stick. Typically 100%, 50%, and 30/30 if you dive that mix. Once those are depleted, you then move that bottle over to the nitrox stick where the compressor can scavenge all of the O2 out of the bottle from a regulator. Gives you most efficient use on the booster, and you can use all of your O2.
He is self explanatory, but you get to use all of it and don't have to drain any tanks down if you need to change mix.
Keeping the nitrox fill station separate from the boosters is IMO a good idea. It may sound a bit less streamlined, and it does make it a 2 step process, but I think it is well worth it.
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