Enriched Air compliant BCDs ?!?

[anathema]

I'm in the market for a BCD and in my research ran across disclosure in Mares manuals stating that the BCD (Dragon and Pegasus for example) are not to be used with enriched air.

"MARES BCs are designed and constructed exclusively for use
with compressed atmospheric air. Do not use this MARES BC
with other gases or with oxygen-rich mixtures. Failure to
observe this warning may result in premature wear of the
equipment, defective operation or risk of explosion, resulting
in potentially serious damage. The conversion of a MARES BC
for use with oxygen-rich mixtures must be carried out
exclusively by trained and qualified technicians who are
perfectly familiar with all the cleaning and assembly
procedures for high pressure oxygen systems (with oxygen
content exceeding 21±2%)."

I found no such disclosure in some of the other manuals that I ran across such as Aqualung, Aeris, Cressi etc. Perhaps I just missed the warnings for the other manufacturers and its just a safe harbor statement that they all make.

I don't know what is involved in having it serviced to be Nitrox "safe" but the hassle has me wanting to avoid Mares. PADI's Nitrox course makes it sound like a big deal to have a Nitrox compliant BCD etc.

Thoughts, (as I am a relatively new diver and a novice Nitroxee)? Thanks.

 

[Dave1981]

As a rule we don't consider anything needs to be o2 clean for use below 40% o2.

I very much doubt any other manufacturers would have similar warnings. I can't think of a situation where a bc would require to be o2 clean. Maybe if you're orally inflating while on deco gas

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It is nothing but a big pile of horse crap to get you to spend more money at the shop. Post the question in the MARES forum. Ask them how much a Nitrox bladder is for the bc! I've heard a lot of stupid stuff put in user manuals but that comes pretty close to taking the cake. O2 cleaning a bc. What's next O2 cleaning your wetsuit because your pee will have a higher O2 content on Nitrox?

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

Slightly enriched air just a bit over an atmosphere is going to be fine. Stay away from the lunatics.

 

[RJP]

"Enriched air compatible BCD"



I would not buy a Mares product... just because they've obviously got an a-hole lawyer with too much power working for them.

 

[JKPAO]

I don't know any divers that pump O2 into thier BCD. Maybe it's diff in Italy?

 

[SangP]

As a rule we don't consider anything needs to be o2 clean for use below 40% o2.

I very much doubt any other manufacturers would have similar warnings. I can't think of a situation where a bc would require to be o2 clean. Maybe if you're orally inflating while on deco gas

Exactly! The only time you'll use 50% or more O2 is when you're doing deco and those are on your stage/deco bottles n not connected to your bcd.

For deeper dives you actually reduce the amount of O2, to as low as 10% (hypoxic trimix).

SangP

 

[RJP]

I don't know any divers that pump O2 into thier BCD. Maybe it's diff in Italy?

When push comes to shove, I'll run 100% 02 from a deco bottle into my drysuit instead of TMx from backgas. (I don't dive TMx enough to warrant going with a separate DS argon bottle.)

 

[SangP]

When push comes to shove, I'll run 100% 02 from a deco bottle into my drysuit instead of TMx from backgas. (I don't dive TMx enough to warrant going with a separate DS argon bottle.)

:shocked2:! Make sure no one comes near you with a smoke !

SangP

 

[Hatul]

OK. If the OP explodes in his Mares BC don't say they didn't warn him.