Do you test your nitrox?

[in_cavediver]

For those wanting a scenario as to when its not been tested each and every time:

Imagine this, a nice shop with back the truck in fill service with 10,000 cft plus of banked 32%. Diving there all week, and realize after one top up, you didn't analyze. I dove the mix anyway. Really shouldn't have but complancey can strike anybody, especially if its not covienent to remedy. It was stupid on my part and I shouldn't have dove the tanks. (that said, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I knew it wasn't pure helium added by test breathing it and with the volume added, even with pure 02 wouldn't put me over my Po2 for the dive and even at air or argon, I wouldn't be overtly hypoxic either. It was also the last dive of the day. In end, it was 32%)

I now own an analyzer to prevent that situation from ever happening again. (which needs a new O2 cell at the moment but that's on order).

When in doubt, by an analyzer

 

[Soggy]

I guess if you come right down to it, I don't know - but the sensor usually comes in the vicinity of 21%. Then you turn the calibration knob to lock in on 21%.

...steve...

I don't know about you, but I see it as a problem that you are calibrating to an unknown gas.

Fortunately, we have a known gas that we can calibrate to...all around us. If you are reasonably close to sea level calibrate to what you breathe every day, all day. Humidity and altitude can affect the reading slightly, but you'll be in the ballpark and you know that you have calibrated to something reasonably close to air. If you want to be *really* anal, you can then go and analyze a tank of air based off of this calibration and re-calibrate...it should be very very close.

 

[lamont]

I blend it myself at the shop, test it and label it myself. In the cases where i'm using it the next day i might not re-test right before diving it. In the typical case though i will also test it again either the night before when i'm packing gear or the day of the dive.

 

[TSandM]

I test my tanks when I pick them up, and label them myself. I don't test them again, and I often get three dives off a tank before it has to be refilled. So I didn't know what to choose for the poll.

 

[Splitlip]

Where can you find an analyzer for $100?

Oxycheq had one for $100.00 You assembled it yourself. Don't know if they still sell it.

 

[String]

Most suppliers here analyse or make you analyse in front of them and sign a book.

I do that then i re-analyse it at home and write the tank label.

 

[rookers]

F Yeah. Always. Test and label myself.

 

[Mountain Dog]

I absolutely test every nitrox tank. But I don't own an analyzer, so I have to rely on the one at the shop. It's my next purchase.

The most interesting thing I've read on this thread is the idea of testing "air" tanks to make sure they really are "air". Good point.

Mountain Dog

 

[TekDiveGirl]

Absolutely --- I analyze my gas when I pick it up from the shop or whherever it may be then I analyze it again right before I attach my first stage to it. One of my friends got bent when he didn't analyze his gas This happened a number of years ago now and to this day has the lingering effects of that DCS hit. You can never be too careful.

 

[Hickdive]

I guess if you come right down to it, I don't know - but the sensor usually comes in the vicinity of 21%. Then you turn the calibration knob to lock in on 21%.

...steve...

I just calibrate to the air surrounding me, unless there's a politician in the room beside me I can be pretty sure that's 20.9% O2.