Why do you have to attend Nitrox classes in order to use Nitrox?

[redacted]

Actually, I add a lot of information that's not in the book to my class...but it you want to know it you'll have to pay me...

You mean info like the XYZ regulator the store down the street sells will catch fire and burn when you breath Nitrox thru it but the ABC reg which we happen to have on a 10% off special is just what you will need???

No, I'm sure there is plenty of information and 1st hand stories a good instructor can add that will assist the learning process. But is any of it necessary for all the students to achieve the course objectives and learn to safely and effectively dive nitrox? Did your agency leave necessary information out of the course material the students purchase?

 

[Dive-aholic]

You mean info like the XYZ regulator the store down the street sells will catch fire and burn when you breath Nitrox thru it but the ABC reg which we happen to have on a 10% off special is just what you will need???

Actually, no. I have one of those regulators and have breathed nitrox through it.

No, I'm sure there is plenty of information and 1st hand stories a good instructor can add that will assist the learning process. But is any of it necessary for all the students to achieve the course objectives and learn to safely and effectively dive nitrox? Did your agency leave necessary information out of the course material the students purchase?

I just like students to be better informed. I like them to know the why's and how's. I don't think it's enough to just learn MODs, etc. And I really don't tell a lot of war stories. I don't have time for that with all the other information I put into the course.

 

[lamont]

Trying not to put the poster down, but YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH THE CERT FIRST.

After by BOW class I implemented buhlmann ZHL-16B in perl just to dust off some brain cells that hadn't dealt with differential equations in awhile. In the course of that I deduced the EAD rule for diving nitrox and ran some tables which agreed reasonably well with 32% and 36% tables that I dug up. I later confirmed my understanding of EAD, learned about oxygen toxicity and 1.4 and 1.6 ppO2 limits, O2 exposure limits and O2 compatibility and O2 cleaning and the need to analyze your own gas. And this was all before taking any Nitrox class. I also dove nitrox before being nitrox certified, and I still don't have a nitrox certification card and I've never been asked for it.

I'd really scare the crap out of you if I told you who typically mixed the gas in my tanks and what training was involved there...

 

[amascuba]

After by BOW class I implemented buhlmann ZHL-16B in perl just to dust off some brain cells that hadn't dealt with differential equations in awhile. In the course of that I deduced the EAD rule for diving nitrox and ran some tables which agreed reasonably well with 32% and 36% tables that I dug up. I later confirmed my understanding of EAD, learned about oxygen toxicity and 1.4 and 1.6 ppO2 limits, O2 exposure limits and O2 compatibility and O2 cleaning and the need to analyze your own gas. And this was all before taking any Nitrox class. I also dove nitrox before being nitrox certified, and I still don't have a nitrox certification card and I've never been asked for it.

I'd really scare the crap out of you if I told you who typically mixed the gas in my tanks and what training was involved there...

Dive shop owner and/or store lackey's with no training. Or ... You just do it yourself.

 

[lamont]

Dive shop owner and/or store lackey's with no training. Or ... You just do it yourself.

Yeah, after I watched my fills getting done for about a year, asking a lot of questions, reading the oxyhacker book and a few other gas blending books (along with everything on the internet), I signed my life away at the dive shop and started doing fills myself. I'm clearly going to die.

 

[fisherdvm]

I think it is just to be aware of the danger of oxygen toxicity. I don't know why it shouldn't be combined with your OW class...

I guess it is to make more money for the LDS and cert agencies.

 

[amascuba]

Yeah, after I watched my fills getting done for about a year, asking a lot of questions, reading the oxyhacker book and a few other gas blending books (along with everything on the internet), I signed my life away at the dive shop and started doing fills myself. I'm clearly going to die.

It's not really that hard. The actual process is just some simple math. Although there are other things to consider such as cleaning, etc.

 

[lamont]

It's not really that hard. The actual process is just some simple math. Although there are other things to consider such as cleaning, etc.

you also don't want to hammer pure O2 into the tank as fast as you can and open O2 valves a bit slowly and understand adiabatic heating, and understand how to read tanks and understand what the fill pressures are and a bit of background on steel and aluminum metallurgy and the hydro and viz process doesn't hurt.

 

[amascuba]

you also don't want to hammer pure O2 into the tank as fast as you can and open O2 valves a bit slowly and understand adiabatic heating, and understand how to read tanks and understand what the fill pressures are and a bit of background on steel and aluminum metallurgy and the hydro and viz process doesn't hurt.

You can if you want to see a 'purdy' light show.

 

[Hoosier]

I don't read all post in this thread, but with the current agencies' standards and reality, the nitrox course should be included in the part of AOW without additional charge.

What I had done for this class is a self studying and take an exam. That's it. Nothing more and less.

Please tell me who is using a nitrox table in rec. range diving. Most rec. diver is simply using the computer.