Air tasted/smelled of plastic

[brobaek]

Hi all,
I was with a (in my mind) very professional divecenter in Croatia for some dives.

However, on one of my dives I found the air smelled/tasted of plastic. Well back on ground some hours later I tried again (direcly from the tank) and asked my girlfriend to confirm - it did smell of plastic.

Info:
- Filled to 230 bar
- with normal 21% air (I suppose)

However, the instructors where for this dive using Trimix. Can it have been helium I tasted and they somehow ****ed up the mixes?

I didn't feel bad in any way (and, btw had one of my best dives ever). Their eq was top prof (bauer and coltri compressors) and all approved.

Thx for your help

 

[Doc]

Sounds like poorly maintained filtration system filters turned to carbon dust through combustion. The smell of plastic is how I describe it.

Bad news.

There is a Bauer retrofit system that will detect this and shut down the unit until filter is replaced.

 

[RJP]

However, the instructors where for this dive using Trimix. Can it have been helium I tasted and they somehow ****ed up the mixes?

Helium has no taste.

Sounds like carbon or oil.

 

[brobaek]

OK - doesnt sound too good :-(

Should I do anything specific? Clean equipment or so?

Cheers,
Martin

 

[300bar]

I would drain and inspect the inside of the tank.
Just to make sure nothing but bad air came in.

 

[H3LlIoN]

I would drain and inspect the inside of the tank.
Just to make sure nothing but bad air came in.

I agree with the above post and would add : have your regulator first stage checked as well, cheap insurance - I have heard of first stages causing burnt plastic taste and smell caused by excessive heat when the tank valve was opened to fast with higher percentages of O2. (Nitrox) not sure that it could happen with air?

I also think it was caused by poor compressor maintenance.

Let us know what you find out and which shop filled your bottles

 

[brobaek]

I will check my first stages and bottles one of the upcoming days - and let you all know

 

[xjeslesx]

I personally would not have used air that smelled 'funny' or like plastic.

 

[300bar]

I personally would not have used air that smelled 'funny' or like plastic.

Agreed but at some point one tends to forget to smell and taste the air, predive.
I know,it happened to me ONCE.And mine had no "plastic"taste but a heavy burned oil.

 

[overkillphil]

I dove a tank that the air tasted weird and stale? (only way to explain). I felt nervous about it, and ended up aborting the dive after a few minutes. I didn't want to chance any injury from contaminates. In the end, I had the tank re-vip'd and tumbled, though they said the inside looked great. Maybe it was a very smoggy day when it got filled!