Dive shop expectations on "Tank Fills"

[peterbj7]

Chazrich - if I mix nitrox by PPB (which I don't any more) and haven't had time to do the job properly I tell the customer that I believe the mix will settle out to what he wants but I can't guarantee it. To do the job properly and guarantee the result I need several days.

Tigerman - it may seem pedantic, but unless you have a clear idea of the difference between % and %age part you will at some point confuse the two. Your base (of 100) is not the same in the two cases - in the one case it is 132 and in the other 100. I have been doing this for too many years not to have learned to be extremely careful over units. Sloppy language leads to sloppy thinking - at every point in a computation state your units.

 

[String]

Is that in Dahab? Is it the same down in Sharm? When I was last in Dahab (10 years ago!) there was only one shop doing nitrox, and they did use PPB. I'm pretty sure the few in Sharm who did it also used PPB, but hey that's ages ago.

Most (all?) centres offer nitrox now but as far as im aware its all partial pressure (most via pre-banked blended 32% in the compressor room). Not that any of the dives in the area need nitrox anyway! Other than a Thistlegorm trip away nitrox is pointless here.

I was thinking of the UK too, not seen a single place that has membrane. Every one is partial pressure.

 

[peterbj7]

On the liveaboards I've done in the Red Sea I've been very grateful for nitrox for the third and subsequent dives. The first two have usually been too deep for standard nitrox.

 

[Superlyte27]

I know shops that don't sell nitrox at all and drain your tank before they will fill it just because of people doing this. If they don't sell nitrox, I also suspect their air isn't clean enough for nitrox anyway.

Hmm, I've yet to see a shop that didn't sell nitrox. But, I do live in florida and not in the stone age.

 

[Tigerman]

Hmm, I've yet to see a shop that didn't sell nitrox. But, I do live in florida and not in the stone age.

You ARE aware theres other places around you? You can imagine that some of them are not crowded with divers and might have small shops catering to the few divers thats there on a rather minimal inventory basis?
I guess not, cause afterall youre in FLORIDA..

Geeze...

 

[Superlyte27]

EXACTLY!!!

Also exactly the reason I said make the investment and start mixing your own Nitrox. A K-Bottle of O2 costs about $20 bucks here, so how much nationwide, $60 tops? Any idea how many fills that is? A friggin buttload even on doubles.

 

[Graeme Tolton]

I have seen 1 membrane system so far.. It was up here in Canada... It was a small shop, in a small town... have no idea why he chose to buy that system... Owner told me it cost $80K CAD... Most of the shops around here partial pressure blend. It is common to see shops around here with booster pumps, due to the number of tech divers around here, wanting 3000psi o2 or to pp blend tanks without draining.

It should never take 2 weeks to get nitrox. If you for some reason do decide to stay with this shop and he won't change his work habits, you may want to invest in a couple more tanks and keep them in rotation...

 

[lsorenson]

Hi Lee it certainly sounds like your LDS is dropping the ball or maybe I'm just spoiled - mine banks EAN32 and fills are done while you wait (90% of the time - sometimes I'll leave my tanks when there are quite a few ahead of me).

I hope the "if you ask for...." was a rhetorical question. You do analyze every tank every time don't you?

Hey Brian, Thanks for chiming in... Yes I do check each tank every time... I do have a analyzer that I carry on all trips that helps keep a peace of mind...!

lee

 

[lsorenson]

Have you talked to him about the delay. I would tell him that if he could bank air, then he would be able to give you a nitrox fill in a couple of days and if he is unable to do that, then you'll have to rethink bringing your tanks to him. Don't be threating or argumenative, just let him know you aren't pleased.

I have a feeling that his setup is similar to some I've worked with. Compressor sitting in an unairconditioned area. The heat and humidity really makes them work hard for that top pressure.

Lead... No threats at this end at all... I think of him as more of a friend and do what I can with purchases. I don't shy away a buying at other shops if he does not have what I want and he understands this as well.

lee

 

[lsorenson]

+/- 3%? I had to read that twice and decide whether or not you were kidding.

Sorry, but if I ask for 32% Nitrox then that is what I want. I went to a shop that analyzed the air when they brought the tank to me and pulled the analyzer away before it had settled down so that I wouldn't know that they hadn't gotten the mix exactly right. I pulled out my own analyzer once clear of the shop, tested it, and found it to be nearly 2% over. I paid for the gas and made a note of it, but haven't filled my tanks there since.

Not kidding at all... I asked for 32 and received 29! Not only that but only 2480psi. My understanding is he filled my 100cf for an 80cf (which my wife has) and I have 100's. When I went to pay the other day for the short's (nitrox and air) he hit me up for 7.50 a bottle (me and the wife's). I would have felt better if they were comped but what was, was... I had 4 air fills (he was out of nitrox) that were at 3100 and charged 10.00 for the 80 and 12.00 for the 100. I would have liked to seen them at 3400 (all tanks are Faber/Blue Steel FX series)

Like I said, he is a good guy but I wanted to see how others were treated at their LDS...

lee