Is a Nitrox test at the dive site necessary?

[tursiops]

Follow up,


I just received the March/April edition of Dive Training magazine. On page 90 author Cathryn Castle says and I quote…


“Before even setting up your gear on a tank containing nitrox, the first thing you must so is verify its contents. This is done with a device called an oxygen analyzer.”


“By getting nitrox-certified and diligently verifying your nitrox tanks contents before each dive, you can increase your diving safety.”

The context of her little article is important. She is describing the situation of a diver arriving at a resort or a boat and being handed a nitrox tank. Yes, indeed, analyze it and tag it. She is not saying *immediately* before you set up your gear and dive, she is saying analyze it before you dive it.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I still test mine on the boat, even though I test them at the dive shop. It's a good habit and it doesn't hurt. The shops O2 analyzer could be giving off a bad reading, or maybe I forgot to label my tanks, or something could happen

You should never leave the shop without proper labeling. A shop that would allow you do so in the United States is taking a huge legal risk if anything were to happen to the diver using that gas. Analyzer giving a bad reading? Maybe yours is giving a bad reading too. That's why you calibrate.

I've used nitrox on dive boats in the United States where they had labeled the tank with my name, handed me an analyzer to confirm. Its a pretty straightforward process.

 

[Reku]

I analyze once when they are filled - I then label them in all the places sign and date on the tank as well. There is literally no chance to mess up. I also only use tanks that have my hand writing on them - that way I know it is correct. That said - if you have an analyzer it doesn't take long to do at the dive site. As other have said - when the tank is empty I tear off the name/date/pressure label but keep the mix label on the tank. Do whatever doesn't get you killed at the end of the day.