New Nitrox Diver question: Must I purchase a Gas Analyzer?

[lamont]

@mathauck0814:
The opportunity costs of double-checking O2 percentage of the gas include:

If you are diving nitrox, just buy an O2 analyzer and analyze it yourself at the shop and analyze it at the dive site (if those are different days).

I had a dive shop employee slap a 32% sticker on my tanks the other day because the gas in my tanks came out of the same banks as the gas in another tank he analyzed so therefore "they must have been the same" (except, of course, that my tanks weren't empty to begin with).

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I check the tanks when they are filled/when I pick them up, and again pre-dive. I may not be diving the same day I get my tanks filled.

-Mitch

 

[mathauck0814]

@mathauck0814:
The opportunity costs of double-checking O2 percentage of the gas include:

• Time
• Cost of owning/maintaining your own O2 analyzer
• Inconvenience.

I guess it's worth 5 minutes/$300/inconvenience of carrying an extra 2lbs of kit to ensure I live to dive again. It would sure suck to find out that the fill station op misunderstood and put the 50 or 100 in the wrong bottle.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

I guess it's worth 5 minutes/$300/inconvenience of carrying an extra 2lbs of kit to ensure I live to dive again. It would sure suck to find out that the fill station op misunderstood and put the 50 or 100 in the wrong bottle.

Since the question was about double-checking (vs. checking once), wouldn't the 50 or 100 in the wrong bottle be caught on the first check?

Just a question, not a flame.

 

[Belmont]

I use my own Analox tester on all my dives, air or EAN.
I took a gas blender course recently and it has confirmed in my mind that
too many things can go wrong. I limit putting my life in some unknown person's
competence.

Also, I knew a fellow diver who died from CO poisoning a few years ago.
I own a CO tester and use it on every cylinder batch, it takes a few seconds.

I also put my seat belt and keep it on for the duration of the flight.

 

[mathauck0814]

Since the question was about double-checking (vs. checking once), wouldn't the 50 or 100 in the wrong bottle be caught on the first check?

Just a question, not a flame.

Fair enough - I thought the initial question was whether or not to own your own analyzer.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

Fair enough - I thought the initial question was whether or not to own your own analyzer.

The original question was - but you know how these threads wander! No worries.

 

[Mortis65]

I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to this thread. You've helped eductate me as to what to expect when I get my first Nitrox fill, and what to watch out for.

What I am also hearing is that it is normal practice to check the tanks and sign them out at the dive shop (contrary to what I saw on the island), and that if the LDS does not make a O2 meter available I should find another LDS.

With the number of dives that I plan to make over the next 18 months, I think I'm hearing that I should always check the tank personally at pickup. If I were living in a non-landlocked state, I would dive more often and pickup multiple tanks. Then I think the investment of the O2 meter would be much more practical.

In the mean time, I will always check at the LDS, and personally mark each tank. As I will be diving those tanks right away, I doubt that a double check on the boat will be requried.

If I'm not able to check the tank at the LDS, I'll dive a standard air tank.

Thank you again.

 

[turnerjd]

Looks like a good approach to me.

Don't forget that if the shop fills by membrane, or from banked Nitrox this is OK, but for a partial pressure blended fill you should wait some time before analysing.

Jon

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I had a dive shop employee slap a 32% sticker on my tanks the other day because the gas in my tanks came out of the same banks as the gas in another tank he analyzed so therefore "they must have been the same" (except, of course, that my tanks weren't empty to begin with).

I think if I were getting nitrox fills at a shop with ignorant employees exhibiting that kind of behavior...I'd be inspired to get my own O2 analyzer and check the O2 percentage of the breathing mix at home. Then again, I'd probably just choose to patronize another shop.