What is it like to dive with Argon?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Has anyone ever used it? I was wondering if it makes significant and noticeable difference in keeping you warm or is it a theoretical difference? Do you need less undergarment when suit is filled with it? Id love to hear from actual users. Thanks.

 

[TSandM]

The studies regarding Argon are contradictory.

I will tell you my personal experience, and how I came to my conclusions. I have dived Argon, and I have dived airgon (what happens when you top the argon tank with air) and air in a secondary suit inflation bottle. I have done them on consecutive dives, in the same water conditions. I concluded that argon made a noticeable difference in comfort. I subsequently did a lot of diving, some of it with backgas inflation (not helium) and some of it with argon. It seemed pretty consistent that I was warmer with Argon.

The studies really aren't overwhelming. There's some evidence that the best use of Argon is to purge the suit with it before diving, something most of us are neither equipped nor willing to do.

I will tell you that, if Argon helps a little, a heated vest helps a LOT.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

The studies regarding Argon are contradictory.

I will tell you my personal experience, and how I came to my conclusions. I have dived Argon, and I have dived airgon (what happens when you top the argon tank with air) and air in a secondary suit inflation bottle. I have done them on consecutive dives, in the same water conditions. I concluded that argon made a noticeable difference in comfort. I subsequently did a lot of diving, some of it with backgas inflation (not helium) and some of it with argon. It seemed pretty consistent that I was warmer with Argon.

The studies really aren't overwhelming. There's some evidence that the best use of Argon is to purge the suit with it before diving, something most of us are neither equipped nor willing to do.

I will tell you that, if Argon helps a little, a heated vest helps a LOT.

This makes a lot of sense. What about compressing properties of Argon? Is it true that you are not venting gas and putting in gas into your suit as much because Argon refuses to compress and expand with depth?

 

[tursiops]

Argon refuses to compress and expand with depth?

?? Where does this come from? It is just wrong.

 

[nimoh]

I agree with Lynne's assessment.

The best use of argon is when diving helium, if you are getting cold inflating with air, then better underwear or heated underwear is a better solution.

Something I read recently, is that if diving a heated vest, it is best to turn it on late in the dive since if you are warm at the start of the dive and the vest fails, you can run a higher risk of DCS. Conversely, if you are colder during the start of the dive and warm up late in the dive, you can run a lower risk. I don't mean uncomfortably cold, just a little cold.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

?? Where does this come from? It is just wrong.

Quote from DiverDan website:

"Argon serves as a better insulator than air. By filling the dry suit with argon the diver replaces the thinner, more compressible air with denser gas that does not compress nearly as much under a given pressure. This is a very advantageous concept for the dry suit diver."

Here is the link to the whole article on Argon:

Diver Dan's Online Scuba Store - Argon information - price list

 

[tursiops]

Quote from DiverDan website:

"Argon serves as a better insulator than air. By filling the dry suit with argon the diver replaces the thinner, more compressible air with denser gas that does not compress nearly as much under a given pressure. This is a very advantageous concept for the dry suit diver."

Here is the link to the whole article on Argon:

Diver Dan's Online Scuba Store - Argon information - price list

This is still wrong. Argon works better than Helium....not because of the compressibility, but because of the heat conduction through the gas. See Why Argon?.

Diver Dan's explanation is BS.

 

[victorzamora]

Something I read recently, is that if diving a heated vest, it is best to turn it on late in the dive

Yup, this is due to diffusion. Warmth helps ongassing AND offgassing. So, in theory, you'd like to be cold while you're ongassing and then flick that switch when you're offgassing. That's a great way to add a little bit of conservatism to your planning.

As for Argon not compressing, my mind is fairly blown. The higher density might make you less positive with the same amount of gas in your suit, but I don't think that would be a big difference. The compressability really blows my mind. I mean, MAYBE....but Argon is DEFINITELY a compressible gas. I'm assuming that at the pressures we're dealing with in scuba diving (10atm) that the Ideal Gas Law still holds, even for Argon. It seems to me that DiverDan's page claiming that is a sales pitch more than anything.

 

[abnfrog]

if you are going to be in close to 0 c water for more than 30 mins OR in deco you need argon ...................

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Yup, this is due to diffusion. Warmth helps ongassing AND offgassing. So, in theory, you'd like to be cold while you're ongassing and then flick that switch when you're offgassing. That's a great way to add a little bit of conservatism to your planning.

As for Argon not compressing, my mind is fairly blown. The higher density might make you less positive with the same amount of gas in your suit, but I don't think that would be a big difference. The compressability really blows my mind. I mean, MAYBE....but Argon is DEFINITELY a compressible gas. I'm assuming that at the pressures we're dealing with in scuba diving (10atm) that the Ideal Gas Law still holds, even for Argon. It seems to me that DiverDan's page claiming that is a sales pitch more than anything.

I think they are trying to say that the expansion and contraction experienced by Argon under pressure is less compared to your regular air. Now whether it is less to the point where you are actually putting in gas less frequently as you descent and venting gas less frequently as you ascend is something Argon users can elaborate on from their own experience.