Recommendation for a scuba oxygen analyzer

[PfcAJ]

Thanks for all of the input... The DIY I find interesting... I would expect the LDS doing nitrox would test but I would like to confirm or be able to varify if label was damaged or rubbed off. Would not be the first time the carpet in the back of the SUV rubbed a sticker or sharpie marker off a tank.

---------- Post added February 13th, 2015 at 08:52 PM ----------

Looks like they just give you the O2 % but does not give you other percentages. So they wil
not give you Co2 % ( not that a good shops would have this prob) not that I'm going to be doing trimex anytime soon but is there differnt tester for trimex?

always analyze your gas. don't trust a shop to do it, do it yourself, write the analysis to the decimal point on a piece of tape on the top of the tank, date it, and put your initials on it.

Always always always analyze your gas!

 

[NAM001]

Octopusprime.

When you test your gas a tteh LDS use your testor. It does no good to use the shops to verify the fill . It will say all is good even if the meter is caput. let teh shop use theres and you use yours and plan for the worse of the readings. Highest readng for mod and the lowest reading for NDL.

 

[kensuf]

always analyze your gas before you put a regulator on the valve. don't trust a shop to do it, do it yourself, write the analysis to the decimal point on a piece of tape on the top of the tank, date it, and put your initials on it.

Always always always analyze your gas before you put a regulator on the valve!

FTFY.

For what it's worth, I had a friend die because he had put 100% Helium in an aluminum 40. The label said "100%". The bottle sat in his garage for months. He forgot that it was pure helium, and the label said "100%" so he just trusted it. He did not analyze it before getting in the water. He died.

This was back in 2001. It's a shame that as recently as 2013 people are still dying because they fail to analyze the contents of their tanks before putting a regulator on them.

 

[grf88]

I have an El Cheapo but if I was buying again it would be the Analox.

 

[Nasser]

I've tried a few and my favorite is the Analox O2Ell analyzer. It's just that little bit more attention to detail that I like. A nice grip handle, dome flow restrictor that screws right onto the handle, display and calibration knob in convenient locations - just an all round aesthetically pleasing piece of kit. It also seems to be one of the more durable analyzers I've used.

 

[SubAquatix]

For what it's worth, I had a friend die because he had put 100% Helium in an aluminum 40. The label said "100%". The bottle sat in his garage for months. He forgot that it was pure helium, and the label said "100%" so he just trusted it. He did not analyze it before getting in the water. He died.

Please, don't think I am questioning you, but I, for the life of me, can't think of a single reason to have 100% He in an al40!!

 

[Brandon]

Please, don't think I am questioning you, but I, for the life of me, can't think of a single reason to have 100% He in an al40!!

ONE possible reason: the supply cylinder had ~400psi in it, and it was desirable to return the cylinder, but not leave ~$40 worth of helium in it, so the helium was boosted into the AL40. Intention may have been to use the AL40 as a small HE supply bottle for mixing at a later date.

I have the Oxycheq Expedition analyzers and an Analox O2EII. I prefer the Expedition analyzers on the compressor, and the O2EII for checking cylinders.

 

[SubAquatix]

ONE possible reason: the supply cylinder had ~400psi in it, and it was desirable to return the cylinder, but not leave ~$40 worth of helium in it, so the helium was boosted into the AL40. Intention may have been to use the AL40 as a small HE supply bottle for mixing at a later date.

I could give you that one!! I always avoid that problem by having an extra bottle of He, so the problem is foreign to me!!

 

[waterpirate]

I could give you that one!! I always avoid that problem by having an extra bottle of He, so the problem is foreign to me!!

Do you send them back empty?
I always put the HE dregs into a set of empty doubles.
YMMV
Eric

 

[kensuf]

ONE possible reason: the supply cylinder had ~400psi in it, and it was desirable to return the cylinder, but not leave ~$40 worth of helium in it, so the helium was boosted into the AL40. Intention may have been to use the AL40 as a small HE supply bottle for mixing at a later date.

This is exactly the reason why it happened. Jonathan had been ill and was told not to dive for several months, and he didn't want to keep paying rent on the storage cylinders.