Loose rules in Fort Lauderdale, FL

[tarponchik]

Analyze your gas....

Please do me a favor, go through analyzer adds like this one, or this one, or that one, etc. and find one add where accuracy or precision are disclosed.

 

[PfcAJ]

Please do me a favor, go through analyzer adds like this one, or this one, or that one, etc. and find one add where accuracy or precision are disclosed.

As you wish:
Palm oxygen Analyzer

Most manufacturers list +-2% but real world it's more like +-1% or less. Easy to verify by using two analyzes and comparing. Especially easy to verify on the high end ones with two point calibration.

 

[PfcAJ]

And maybe you still believe in Santa? Oxygen analyzers used by divers in dive shops to check tanks are so inaccurate you can use them only to tell if you got air or some kind of Nitrox, and then trust in the guy who mixed it. But if I am already taking extra risk by diving solo, why would I add another risk factor? Risks do accumulate, just like errors.

What kind of janky dive shop are you going to?

 

[KeithG]

So, I learned there will be a 320 foot long boat sunk near Fort Lauderdale, I made time to go and dive it. I live in Houston but have my gear in Florida as well.

I arrive to Fort Lauderdale, go to a new (for me) place that banks nitrox. I wanted only one tank with nitrox, a 2nd reef dive I can do on air.

I am told that one of my two tanks is missing a visual inspection sticker. I got them both inspected 2 months ago at another unrelated place, evidently, that store forgot to stick one sticker. I am told that for $15, they will do inspection and give me air. I figure that I am not losing all that much and give a go ahead. So, the fill guy asks me what sticker I want on my tank, for air or nitrox... I figure that air sticker will do.

While I was standing there, my tanks never left my view, the dude put on a sticker and started pumping air... The tank was never disassembled. Now I wish I opted out for a nitrox sticker, it would have been even more amusing.

When I paid, no one asked for my nitrox certification for the other tank.

Went diving Lady Luck on two separate occasions with two different outfits. 100 feet, strong current. Elected to dive solo each time. No one asked me for my solo or even open waters cert. Cool.

Not that I have a problem, just odd. In Houston one doubtfully can get an air fill without an ow cert.

Next time - caves. Just kidding...

And whose rules were being broken? The Houston scuba police department?

I am interested in understanding different peoples perspective on "scuba rules". Seems like lots of people are inventing lots of rules.

Certification agencies make rules that must be followed by instructors for training dives. Other than that, each dive op is free to make up any (or no) rules they desire. Although some places do have some odd government rules.

Last time I rented a tank the only card I presented was my visa. Even stranger, they asked me what size of tank and I said "a small one, those big ones look too heavy to carry". I definitely did not come across as a diver that knew what they were doing (I was renting the tank to service my regs...).

Who thinks there is such a thing as "standard scuba rules"?

 

[tarponchik]

As you wish:
Palm oxygen Analyzer

Most manufacturers list +-2% but real world it's more like +-1% or less. Easy to verify by using two analyzes and comparing. Especially easy to verify on the high end ones with two point calibration.

Yeah, right. This is in ideal conditions when you stuck the thing into the air and your results do not depend on the gas flow. And how do you know that your scale is not off? You "calibrate" the analyzer on air before you check your Nitrox tank but you have no idea what it's gonna show you when you run 100% oxygen, maybe the analyzer will show you 85% or 110%. That's why you can't calibrate by a using a single standard, you need 2 at least. When you measure pH you always run at least 2 standard buffers for calibration, not just one. Same thing here.

 

[tarponchik]

Last time I rented a tank the only card I presented was my visa. Even stranger, they asked me what size of tank and I said "a small one, those big ones look too heavy to carry". I definitely did not come across as a diver that knew what they were doing (I was renting the tank to service my regs...).

Was this in Egypt? I've been told they do not ask your C-card because usually nobody in the shop has one

 

[PfcAJ]

Yeah, right. This is in ideal conditions when you stuck the thing into the air and your results do not depend on the gas flow. And how do you know that your scale is not off? You "calibrate" the analyzer on air before you check your Nitrox tank but you have no idea what it's gonna show you when you run 100% oxygen, maybe the analyzer will show you 85% or 110%. That's why you can't calibrate by a using a single standard, you need 2 at least. When you measure pH you always run at least 2 standard buffers for calibration, not just one. Same thing here.

Lol I analyze 100% oxygen all the time. I've never not once got something like "115%" or "85%".

While I'm sure you're well intentioned, I don't think you really have a solid grasp of what you're talking about.

 

[tarponchik]

What kind of janky dive shop are you going to?

The junkier the better.

 

[tarponchik]

Lol I analyze 100% oxygen all the time. I've never not once got something like "115%" or "85%".

While I'm sure you're well intentioned, I don't think you really have a solid grasp of what you're talking about.

I wonder how you manage this? If you have a solid grasp of what you're talking about, you do know, of course, that there is no oxygen tank where we divers pick up Nitrox.

 

[Scared Silly]

Please do me a favor, go through analyzer adds like this one, or this one, or that one, etc. and find one add where accuracy or precision are disclosed.

Try looking at the manufacturers specs. For instance, page 23:

MO2-865 O2 EII Pro Technical Manual.pdf