Question NITROX (in less than 40 foot of water)

[broncobowsher]

How friendly are you with your local dive shop?
Stop in, have a talk with them. See if they will analyze the tanks for you and discuss the idea of using them as filled.

Correct answer by the book will be either empty and refill, or take a Nitrox class.

 

[myrddin]

Thanks folks. You have given me what I was after. I trust the fill by the way. And based on what I see here and the info I’ve seen online I could dive these like they were air at max depth of 40. BUT I think I’ll go ahead and get my enriched cert. I’ve been looking for something to do. Might as well do this

Thank you all for the conversation. Much appreciated. Now to figure out if I can take the class online or at the local dive shop. I’m a NAUI advanced diver. I think the nearest shop is padi. But I believe some of the instructors are both. I’ll sort it out.

Thanks!

 

[myrddin]

How friendly are you with your local dive shop?
Stop in, have a talk with them. See if they will analyze the tanks for you and discuss the idea of using them as filled.

Correct answer by the book will be either empty and refill, or take a Nitrox class.

I just hate to waste the tanks is all. It’s not about the cost as much as it seems like a waste. I’ll talk to the local dive shop tomorrow.

 

[gmerick]

Get the cert. Consider what the LDS will do when you ask for those stickered tanks to be filled. Is one of those stickers an O2 cleaned sticker? Also, give thought to buying an analyzer. (I purchased mine before the cert class, and the instructor was more than happy to teach me how to use it during the class).

 

[ReefHound]

The main risk factor here is not whether 32% is safe at 40 feet (it is perfectly safe, I've done it many times), it's the confidence in the contents of the tank. If something got miscommunicated or misunderstood or mislabelled, maybe the tank actually contains 100%, and 40 foot dive on 100% is extremely dangerous.

That risk factor exists on every tank you didn't personally observe being filled, even allegedly "air" tanks. Nobody tells air divers to analyze their tanks.

 

[boulderjohn]

I’m a NAUI advanced diver. I think the nearest shop is padi.

It doesn't matter.

 

[ReefHound]

Great start. How will YOU analyze them to confirm their labeling?

I know, everyone speeds then gets mad when they get a speeding ticket. While this "should" be safe, do you want to assume that risk?

If you take the course, the shop could train you to analyze your own tanks.

Do you analyze Every Single Tank you dive, even when diving "air"? How do you really know it's only 21% and the filler didn't make a mistake?

 

[boulderjohn]

Do you analyze Every Single Tank you dive, even when diving "air"? How do you really know it's only 21% and the filler didn't make a mistake?

Lots of shops don't have the ability to fill nitrox. Very few in Colorado can.

 

[lowwall]

If you can watch while they are analyzed, then I'd dive it as air.

There's no magic to diving nitrox and no new technique requirements other than knowing your maximum operating depth. This is why the operating a motorcycle on a car license analogy is inapplicable here. A conservative maximum operating depth for 32% is 110ft. Stay away from that and you'll be fine.

 

[ReefHound]

Lots of shops don't have the ability to fill nitrox. Very few in Colorado can.

I know the person I asked dives in Cozumel and every shop can get air or nitrox tanks. But the point remains, every day thousands of "air" divers use tanks provided by dive charters or filled by shops that can do both. Should they be analyzing?