Just got nitrox certified :)
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I dive Air exclusively - could be one of those red herring questions but I was curious. So you can change EAN % gases on most computers?
That's the only way it can work. Otherwise you would have to dedicate a different computer to each possible mix.
Nitrox classes have changed dramatically over time. I got certified about 15 years ago with PADI, and there was all sorts of math and table work involved. It took a lot of study. One of the things I learned from doing all that work was that doing all that work was not necessary. The calculations I had to do to determine how pulmonary oxygen toxicity concerns could limit my dives convinced me that pulmonary oxygen toxicity concerns were probably never going to limit my dives. I carefully memorized all the formulas and then forgot them all over the next few years since I never had a reason to use them, even though I used nitrox often during those years.
Today's classes are much shorter and easier because people eventually figured out that they don't need to be nearly as hard as they used to be in order to create a safe nitrox diver. If you want to learn all the stuff I had to learn back in the day, knock yourself out. You will eventually need to learn some (not all) of it if you go on to technical diving, but other than that it will be just icing on the cake.
Basking Ridge Diver
Contributor
Thanks BoulderJohn...
Seems the Oceanic Veo 2.0 - Air or single Nitrox mix to 50% O2 - does not allow for multiple gases during SIT time but I need to investigate further...
So there is at least one out there.
Seems the Oceanic Veo 2.0 - Air or single Nitrox mix to 50% O2 - does not allow for multiple gases during SIT time but I need to investigate further...
So there is at least one out there.
If the Oceanic Veo won't do it, that is incredibly lame. I have a 15 YO Suunto Mosquito that allows mixture changes during the SI
OP
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Well, IIRC the Suuntos do it for you when the SI exceeds two hours. i.e. they revert back to 21%.So you can change EAN % gases on most computers?
My husband jokes that he can teach a 30 second Nitrox class: Dive 32%, don't go below 100 feet, and always analyze your gas. Nitrox is not rocket science
You have to be able to switch during a surface interval. People switch gases from dive to dive all the time.
Perhaps you are confused by language that will not allow you to switch DURING a dive. Many basic computers will not allow that. The need to switch during a dive is pretty much limited to technical diving.
Basking Ridge Diver
Contributor
Since I currently do not dive EAN - it is a non-issue. However I may get a card in the spring so I was curious. If the Ice melts before then I may throw it in the pool to test that theory... Thanks.
OK, we have the switching between dives thing figured out.
Some computers, especially older model computers (and especially Suuntos) have two modes: nitrox and air. In many cases, especially with Suuntos, you can't switch from nitrox to air (or vice versa) for 24 hours between dives. For the wisdom in that feature, you will have to contact the manufacturers. I actually asked Suunto about that and several other features I did not understand, and they did respond, but I honestly cannot remember why it was they were so convinced it was a good idea. If you have such a computer and plan to dive both air and nitrox in the same 24 hour period, as many people do, simply keep it in nitrox mode and set it to 21% when diving air.
Some computers, especially older model computers (and especially Suuntos) have two modes: nitrox and air. In many cases, especially with Suuntos, you can't switch from nitrox to air (or vice versa) for 24 hours between dives. For the wisdom in that feature, you will have to contact the manufacturers. I actually asked Suunto about that and several other features I did not understand, and they did respond, but I honestly cannot remember why it was they were so convinced it was a good idea. If you have such a computer and plan to dive both air and nitrox in the same 24 hour period, as many people do, simply keep it in nitrox mode and set it to 21% when diving air.
OP
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Well, air IS nitrox 21%, isn't it?
If I'll be diving nitrox regularly, I'll probably keep my Suunto constantly in nitrox mode (set to 21% if I'm diving air, but that's a non-issue since it reverts to 21% two hours after I've set the percentage) since the display is slightly different in air mode and nitrox mode. I'm a firm believer in having consistent instrument readouts.
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