Argon use

[geraldp]

OK I finally splurged on an Argon system. I got tired of getting cold during my dives (48-52 degree PNW water). Adding drygloves last Spring helped, but I still get cold by the end of my second dive. I hope to get out in the next week or two to try it out.

I got a 14 cu. ft. LP (2215PSI) AL tank. For those of you who dive with Argon can you give me an idea as to how many dives this will last? I've read here that you should purge the air out of your drysuit with AR before the dive for optimal thermal benefit. This obviously means less dives before refilling, but I'd like to get a feel for how much Argon I can use for flushing the suit.

 

[bcsean]

a lot of people have a large tank in their vehicle to purge first and then run a 6 cu ft tank for filling during the dive. Generally a 6 gets a couple of long dives over 100+ feet deep. 14 will be tons for a day.

Can I suggest if you're getting cold to evaluate what undergarment you're wearing? I plan to get argon when I'm diving trimix but until then, I bought the appropriate undergarment for our climate (400 weight DUI).

 

[geraldp]

a lot of people have a large tank in their vehicle to purge first and then run a 6 cu ft tank for filling during the dive. Generally a 6 gets a couple of long dives over 100+ feet deep. 14 will be tons for a day.

Can I suggest if you're getting cold to evaluate what undergarment you're wearing? I plan to get argon when I'm diving trimix but until then, I bought the appropriate undergarment for our climate (400 weight DUI).

I'm wearing Whites Glacier Series Outer Pants and Outer Jacket over long underwear. These are fairly thick, but I am still getting cold hands (and have to pee really badly) at the end of my second dive. I thought about adding the Base John & Jacket to go with these as extra layers, but I'm already pretty bulky, and for the same amount of money I got the Argon system instead.

Recently I picked up some thicker thinsulate glove liners at Costco for my drygloves, but I haven't tried them out yet.

 

[MechDiver]

I've read here that you should purge the air out of your drysuit with AR before the dive for optimal thermal benefit. This obviously means less dives before refilling, but I'd like to get a feel for how much Argon I can use for flushing the suit.

I've never done the purge thing, even when using trimix, and haven't had a problem with cold. I use an alum 13 and can dive all weekend and still have ar left. Although you have a huge tank, it only holds 2000 psi, so I wouldn't plan on purging much unless you have a ready source to refill.

MD

 

[JeffG]

I'm wearing Whites Glacier Series Outer Pants and Outer Jacket over long underwear. These are fairly thick, but I am still getting cold hands (and have to pee really badly) at the end of my second dive. I thought about adding the Base John & Jacket to go with these as extra layers, but I'm already pretty bulky, and for the same amount of money I got the Argon system instead.

Recently I picked up some thicker thinsulate glove liners at Costco for my drygloves, but I haven't tried them out yet.

It looks like that stuff is 100g thinsulate (Torso would be 200 due to the overlap).

If you want to be warm, get better undies before going to the argon setup. (With my 400g DUI I have been in 39deg water for 90 min...feet were a bit cold though...I don't have the 400g socks)

 

[Camerone]

FWIW, I dive a 6 cf argon cylinder with my rebreather out here in the Puget Sound. I find it makes a fairly good bit of difference as to warmth, even with a hefty set of Andy's Undies. I can easily get four dives out of the 6 cf cylinder, more if I'm extra-careful, although I don't purge my drysuit first. I do depressurize the suit completely before I get in, though.

A 14 cf should last you forever One thing you might find helpful is to have your argon regulator detuned just a bit. You don't need as high an intermediate pressure on the argon reg as you do on one you'd breathe out of, and a lower IP means you can eek more out of the bottle...

 

[matt_unique]

OK I finally splurged on an Argon system. I got tired of getting cold during my dives (48-52 degree PNW water). Adding drygloves last Spring helped, but I still get cold by the end of my second dive. I hope to get out in the next week or two to try it out.

I got a 14 cu. ft. LP (2215PSI) AL tank. For those of you who dive with Argon can you give me an idea as to how many dives this will last? I've read here that you should purge the air out of your drysuit with AR before the dive for optimal thermal benefit. This obviously means less dives before refilling, but I'd like to get a feel for how much Argon I can use for flushing the suit.

I have not tried an Argon system. I spoke to some friends who have used it and they did not feel they were any warmer with Argon compared to air. Have others noticed a a real difference? You certainly don't want to pump trimix into your suit so a small suit inflation bottle is taken. I am curious if Argon is worthwhile compared to air.

--Matt

 

[theskull]

I have not tried an Argon system. I spoke to some friends who have used it and they did not feel they were any warmer with Argon compared to air. Have others noticed a a real difference? You certainly don't want to pump trimix into your suit so a small suit inflation bottle is taken. I am curious if Argon is worthwhile compared to air.

--Matt

IMO Argon is a necessity for trimix diving and a luxury for air/nitrox diving. I typically wear a 200g Thinsulate undergarment for nearly all DS dives. When the water is COLD (below 50 F) and the dive is going to be long (more than 30 min), or the air is also cold (below 50 F), I have 1 of 2 options:
1. Wear my polartec longjohns under my undergarment (or I could buy a second ug in 400g Thinsulate).
2. Strap on my Argon bottle.

It does make that much difference. The choice to make, unless you also dive Trimix on occasion, is whether to invest some extra $$ in a heavier undergarment or in an argon bottle/reg/strap set (and have to buy fills for it).

Also, the argon purge is unnecessary as long as you burp all the air out of your suit before starting the dive.

theskull

 

[wb416]

OK I finally splurged on an Argon system. I got tired of getting cold during my dives (48-52 degree PNW water). Adding drygloves last Spring helped, but I still get cold by the end of my second dive. I hope to get out in the next week or two to try it out.

I got a 14 cu. ft. LP (2215PSI) AL tank. For those of you who dive with Argon can you give me an idea as to how many dives this will last? I've read here that you should purge the air out of your drysuit with AR before the dive for optimal thermal benefit. This obviously means less dives before refilling, but I'd like to get a feel for how much Argon I can use for flushing the suit.

I had a 14cf last me through a week long tech class (17 dives) and I still had enough for 2 or 3 deco dives when I got back home.

I find the "pre-purging" unnecessary for my comfort. YMMV.

 

[PacNWdiver]

IMO Argon is a necessity for trimix diving and a luxury for air/nitrox diving.
theskull

I agree with this 100%. Unless you are made of money or ice diving the cost and the complication to your rig don't make it worth the small benefit. Better to invest in a decent undie. I love my Weezle!

Trimix is a different story.