AIR COMPRESSORS ABOARD DIVE BOATS

[John ("Popeye") Renshaw]

I am worried that many owners of boats used by scuba divers, especially the older boats, do not take precautions to ensure air quality for air taken in, compressed, and used to fill passengers' scuba tanks. On some boats in the past I noticed that the air intakes were located very close to the engine exhaust pipes, and especially with the older engines, the passengers can even smell the fumes on board. Would hate to think of the toxins that divers would be breathing from their tanks filled on board the boats instead of at licensed dive equipment facilities on land. What protections are assured for boat divers who fill their tanks on board?

 

[sea_ledford]

Ask to see their current air test, use your own CO analyzer.

It is in the boats interest to make sure they have clean air, otherwise they won't be in business long!

 

[martincohn]

You test ALL the gas you breath...don't you?

I don't care who filled it or where it got filled. I test it before I breath it!

 

[Wookie]

What protections are assured for boat divers who fill their tanks on board?

You mean aside from seeing the air test?

Ask to see the compressors. Shiny well cared for compressors, although not a sure thing, are indicative of a well cared for air system. Ask the compressor filter ghanger guy or girl how often they change filters. This is a straight answer (No hemming and hawing, and if they tell you it depends on the humidity, they are blowing smoke) like 25 or 50 or 75 hours. Although it does indeed depend on humidity, no one calculates that, they just change the filters every XX hours. Ask if there is a CO monitor in real time, they are expensive, but IMO worth it.

But nothing is assured. Kinda like walking across the street. No guarantees in life.

 

[Esprise Me]

I just bought a combined Nitrox and CO analyzer. The $300 wasn't a financial hardship for me, and I'm a worrier, so the peace of mind will be worth it even if I never get a contaminated tank.