US divers using metric?

[JDelage]

All,

I'm considering using the metric system for my computer & gauge, as it's most intuitive for me (I'm living in the US but am originally from Europe). Are there US divers using the metric system and if so what is your experience with it? What I am trying to understand are the costs of using the metric system in the US (e.g., gear not in stock everywhere, ampered communication, etc).

Thanks,

Joss

 

[Redshift]

Teach them straight!

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Metric seems to be big in the RB community, and after a while of sticking to my PSI gauges I can see why…as long as everything is in bar, it makes doing gas math in your head a whole lot easier. If something remains in PSI or feet, though, you're stuck remembering the 1:14.5 barsi conversion and the 33:1 feet:ATA conversion.

I am less fond of their measuring gas in liters for some reason, probably because of the absurdly large numbers involved, but it does make more sense to work with the 1ATA volume of the cylinder and the pressure in ATA. If you knew the 1ATA CF volume of your tanks and converted your pressure measuring to BAR…that'd be the best of both worlds

 

[Mustard Dave]

The metric system is much easier to work with. Every 10 metres you go down, the ambient pressure increases by 1 bar, making gas consumption calculations a doddle. Measuring cylinder pressure in bar makes things easier - cylinder volume X pressure in bar = actual contents. I know a lot of techies in the US use metric measurements for this reason, so getting a contents gauge in bar shouldn't be impossible. Many computers allow you to switch units, so there should be no problems there.

 

[ajduplessis]

Gear should not be a problem (i think), problem might be communication thou.

It is roughly 1500 psi for every 100 bar. Learn 4 markers in psi (every 50 bar) and use them as guide. Depth is roughly x3.3 to the meter.

or; when in Rome.......

 

[Phil_C]

I would have to say that so long as your kit is all metric it won't matter, even if you are diving with someone who is using imperial. You can still use the same tanks on so on, and if you decide to turn at ⅓ gas for example you simply use a third of your starting bar instead. Just need to communicate this with your buddy.

For gas calculations you will just need to know the litre volume equivalent of your cylinder, which is not hard to find.

I have to say having used both I do prefer bar, and everything I have is in bar now. - P

 

[Akimbo]

Perhaps more to the point is you are safer diving the units you are familiar with... the units you think in. Any verbal input you get about a dive site can be converted before hitting the water — where distraction and narcosis might compromise your mental conversions.

 

[Tigerman]

Gear should not be a problem (i think), problem might be communication thou.

It is roughly 1500 psi for every 100 bar. Learn 4 markers in psi (every 50 bar) and use them as guide. Depth is roughly x3.3 to the meter.

or; when in Rome.......

All you need is half and quarter (which happens to be what 100 and 50 bar is for most rec divers anyways) - three quarters is just half+quarter and if your tank is full - youre able to talk or have gone down so recently its no need to know...

 

[Wookie]

I don't think in metric yet, I still have to convert in my head, so I end up using rules of thumb instead of actual estimates. At 50 years of age, I'll probably never think in metric, but I can converse in metric and not be embarrassed too badly.

It's interesting that almost everything we do is in metric, from the wrenches we use on our Fords and Chevys almost anything in chemistry and physics, but we still teach imperial in school for measure and volume, and what the heck is a cup or a pint or a tablespoon. Measure out a tablespoon? I don't think so. If you need a teaspoon of something, shake a little out. If you need a tablespoon, shake it about 3 times as long.

I'll dive with you in metric, it will just take a second for me to think about our dive plan. Or, I'll switch the units on my computer. It thinks faster than I do.

 

[kwinter]

I switched to metric before I even became a rebreather diver. It is much easier. For RB diving, it is almost a must. My gauges are bar. My computer is set for meters. My tanks are liters. However, I just can't get comfortable with Celsius. I know (and teach) the conversions and know some basic equivalents. But Fahrenheit is more sensitive with smaller units. I have asked Bruce at Shearwater to separate temperature from other measurements in choosing metric vs imperial. They should all be chosen individually. Bar vs psi, meters vs feet, Celsius vs Fahrenheit.

And forget the half and quarter stuff. As a teacher of remedial math, I assure you that 15/16 of the population are baffled by fraction math. No fractions allowed in the metric system.


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