Nitrox O2 Testing

[galvanni]

>> Deep? Not sure what that means; but with Nitrox you must watch your PPOs carefully.

I meant conservative depth (deep for me) - well shy of the MOD and partial pressure throughout the week. I'm not experienced - I will try to stay ~60 fsw or less throughout the week. I do understand the O2 toxicity.

>> It seems the PADI Nitrox book leaves some folks with the impression that it's really important to get their own analyzer.

No, it did not. The importance of the testing and the calibration just lead me to believe that the best option is to have and maintain your own equipment. Obviously that is the best - but what I've learned here is that it's not really practical.

 

[devilkitty]

>> It seems the PADI Nitrox book leaves some folks with the impression that it's really important to get their own analyzer.

No, it did not. The importance of the testing and the calibration just lead me to believe that the best option is to have and maintain your own equipment. Obviously that is the best - but what I've learned here is that it's not really practical.

Sensible? Yes, indubitably.
Practical? Depends on how much nitrox you dive.

It's quite rational to have an oxygen analyzer, particularly if you're like me and re-analyze every fill before diving it. It doesn't change once it's blended, but lug a bunch of similar bottles around with others that may not be diving your mix... Murphy Shall Prevail; tape markings can and do become illegible/go missing/whatever. Then having your own can make the difference between seeing what you want to see and scrubbing the dive(s).

If you're at all handy, get Vance Harlow's Oxygen Hacker's Companion from Airspeed Press.
A perfectly serviceable analyzer can be built for $90 or so, including sensor -- and the rest of the book is fine too.

 

[PfcAJ]

I built my own oxygen analyzer from a kit I bought from Oxycheq. It was a great learning experience, cheap (about 100 bucks), and now I have my own personal analyzer.

If you like to tinker and have even the slightest bit of mechanical ability (I'm certainly no mechanical poster boy), then its worth a shot and you might learn some stuff while you're at it.

 

[iztok]

If you consider buying an analyzer go for CO one.

 

[galvanni]

I built my own oxygen analyzer from a kit I bought from Oxycheq. It was a great learning experience, cheap (about 100 bucks), and now I have my own personal analyzer.

Hmmmm - looks like this maybe? The El Cheapo II Oxygen Analyzer by OxyCheq - InfoHub

 

[tracydr]

Dive shops in Bonaire will have an analyzer.
Your max depth with nitrox 32% is about 130 so you're being pretty conservative at 60 feet. Of course, if you're not used to or trained in deep diving that's a very good thing. Besides, you'll get more bottom time at 60 feet and in Bonaire there is usually more to see.
BTW, don't miss Oil Slick. It's a great dive and the leap is lots of fun. Makes a great night dive too, if your navigational skills are up to par. Just put a removable glow stick on the dock to help guide you to the stairs. That was our favorite night dive. Saw a huge Ray ther and the biggest slipper lobster.
We saw a family of 13 Carribean squid at Karpata. Very cute! We were there last month and temps were 84 degrees.
You'll love it!

 

[syntaxerrorsix]

The Oxycheq analyzer is straight out of Vance's book verbatim, and owning one or building one at the OP's level of participation in my opinion is overkill (not bad just overkill) and money better spent on actual dives. Every shop that blends has one and expects their customers to verify AND sign for the bottles they receive as a liability stand point.

YMMV

 

[vjanelle]

The Oxycheq analyzer is straight out of Vance's book verbatim, and owning one or building one at the OP's level of participation in my opinion is overkill (not bad just overkill) and money better spent on actual dives. Every shop that blends has one and expects their customers to verify AND sign for the bottles they receive as a liability stand point.

YMMV

You don't verify your tanks the day of the dive if it's been sitting in a steel vessel for god knows how long?

 

[syntaxerrorsix]

You don't verify your tanks the day of the dive if it's been sitting in a steel vessel for god knows how long?

I blend my own and verify bottles after they reach room temperature. I'm rarely off more than ~.3 of a percent and mixing partial pressure I don't even bother. I can do the math and so can you. It doesn't change. Even 10 years down the line.

 

[cruiser]

I'd test a steel tank for the O2 level before using if it's been sitting around for awhile. Any rust action inside a steel tank will reduce the amount of oxygen.