Is it worth owning your own trimix analyser ?

[CuriousRambler]

I thought that while it does not need to change He sensors, you still need to change the O2 sensor ?

You're correct. Page 20 of the Solo manual:

11.2 Oxygen sensor replacement

The oxygen sensor has a limited service life The analyzer automatically checks the
sensor’s condition and, at the end of its life, the message “Oxygen sensor expired” is displayed upon activating the instrument.

 

[tridacna]

I have the DiveSoft. I'll never need to buy a sensor for it ever.

Helium yes. O2? Mine is replaceable. I'm confused. How does it work?

 

[Matt Vandercook]

the Divesoft uses the speed of sound to measure the percent of helium. it is true you will never need to change a helium sensor. it still uses a galvanic sensor (same as almost all the other nitrox/trimix analyzers) for o2 content. the o2 sensor only has a service life of 2-3 years, then it will need to be replaced.

I have a Divesoft for trimix that i use if its been a while between fill and use. I also have an analox o2EII-Pro for nitrox and when i'm teaching.

do you need a trimix analyzer? no. if you analyze at the shop when you pick up it won't change with out changing both o2 and HE. get a nitrox analyzer and check at the dive site, whether nitrox or trimix.

 

[Southside]

Helium yes. O2? Mine is replaceable. I'm confused. How does it work?

O2 cells need to be replaced in a rebreather every 12 months. My guess is he then uses them in his analyzer so he never has to buy one specifically for the analyzer. Common practice with rebreather divers.

 

[broncobowsher]

O2 cells need to be replaced in a rebreather every 12 months. My guess is he then uses them in his analyzer so he never has to buy one specifically for the analyzer. Common practice with rebreather divers.

Correct.

If you are sure you are going to Helium, just get a Divesoft. It is completely capable of doing Nitrox. It will go through O2 cells just like any other O2 analyzer. And nothing needs to change when you add Helium. If that happens in 3 months or 3 years it will still work. The Solo is the economy version offered by Divesoft, just add the good flow limiter and you are set.

 

[Superlyte27]

I thought that while it does not need to change He sensors, you still need to change the O2 sensor ?

Every rebreather I own uses the same sensor as the DiveSoft. So, while a sensor will be limited for CCR, it still works for the DiveSoft.

 

[Valyngar]

do you need a trimix analyzer? no. if you analyze at the shop when you pick up it won't change with out changing both o2 and HE. get a nitrox analyzer and check at the dive site, whether nitrox or trimix.

Well if the tanks have been laying for 24 before you analyse them, then you don't need own analyser. Helium takes time to mix, about 1 day. If you analyse from get go your reading can be way off (25% trimix looking like 35%)

 

[KenGordon]

I was about to buy my own O2 analyser but I was wondering: should I just get a trimix analyser if I plan to use He in the future ?

Should you analyse your He % prior to each dive if you dive a mix containing He in the same manner that one needs to analyse the O2 % on the day of the dive ?

Buy an o2 analyser, you can borrow my trimix analyser for now.

I have the original, quite large, Divesoft analyser. It is less convenient for just Nitrox than the Analox hand held one, so I wouldn’t be passing it about on a boat load of new divers.

Also, when the day comes that you find a reading hard to believe having two means you can check.

PS I have been on boats which do have trimix but do not have an analyser available.

 

[Searcaigh]

It really depends on how much trimix diving you plan to do, and where you plan to dive.

I bought a Divesoft analyser a couple of years back after returning from our HMS Hermes trip, primarily because if we had not brought our own (one of the team already owned one) we would not have been able to properly analyse our gases.

 

[michael-fisch]

It really depends on how much trimix diving you plan to do, and where you plan to dive.

I bought a Divesoft analyser a couple of years back after returning from our HMS Hermes trip, primarily because if we had not brought our own (one of the team already owned one) we would not have been able to properly analyse our gases.

I sincerely doubt that an unanalysed helium % is going to make a serious difference in your deco obligation. Almost everybody has access to an O2 analyser, and If you want to analyse for a 15/55 Gas at 70M for 30 minutes also run the calculations for 15/65 and 15/45. You'll find that a few % more or less of Helium doesn't make a big difference, so precisely analysing the Helium % is nice to have but an unnecessary expense with no real advantage.

Where I find it necessary is when I'm refilling tanks that aren't empty, because without a way to know what is in the tanks, I'd have to dump the contents.

Since I've spent 20 years filling trimix for other divers, I've had multiple He and O2 analysers for all of that time.

Michael
Edited an hour after the original posting, with this added
PS Multiple because if you have a single point of failure, IT WILL FAIL!