Rawlings Rumor @ bad fills

[mheaster]

Was at Lake Rawlings diving today.

I asked about this directly without making any accusations or insinuations was told very honestly and directly about an issue with a compressor last year (2010) and when it was discovered, it was isolated and corrected and all associated lines and bank cylinders were inspected and cleaned. I asked about current Air Test Documentation and was immediately given a golf cart ride (round-trip) up the hill to the Dive Shack and shown it (Grade E Air) . It stated at bottom something to the effect of "meets all the specifications of".

The Compressor Maintenance Logs were also prominently on display too. I did not ask to look at but can only assume they would have been happy to show them to me.

I found the Staff in the Dive Shack at the time (Kevin , Dalelynn and Errol) quite willing to talk to me about their compressors, the previous issue and their maintenance and Inspection results.

I would encourage anyone with questions to discuss it with Lake Rawlings staff directly and promptly.

In hind-site, I failed to ask specifically about Grade "E" "Oxygen-Compatible" reduced maximum acceptable carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and particulate levels.

I can not speak to that with any authority but I am going to ask the about it in next day or two.

Having personally addressed the concern directly with Lake Rawlings, specifically with Errol Duplessis the President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Lake Rawlings and having received a very candid response, would it be possible to disclose the name of the shop that has allegedly forbidden its tanks to be filled at Lake Rawlings?

I do not even fault a shop for making ANY such decision about who and where their tanks can be filled but I have certainly seen MANY shops near and far that have their rental tank fleet filled pretty regularly there! This may just be a case of OLD News?

​

 

[Peter_C]

The sure fire way to kill this thread is to have them post their air same test to this thread. Sometimes it sucks we have to prove our innocence but those that do come out smelling like roses, and the accusor smells like poop!

 

[tddfleming]

Was at Lake Rawlings diving today.

I asked about this directly without making any accusations or insinuations was told very honestly and directly about an issue with a compressor last year (2010) and when it was discovered, it was isolated and corrected and all associated lines and bank cylinders were inspected and cleaned. I asked about current Air Test Documentation and was immediately given a golf cart ride (round-trip) up the hill to the Dive Shack and shown it (Grade E Air) . It stated at bottom something to the effect of "meets all the specifications of".

The Compressor Maintenance Logs were also prominently on display too. I did not ask to look at but can only assume they would have been happy to show them to me.

I found the Staff in the Dive Shack at the time (Kevin , Dalelynn and Errol) quite willing to talk to me about their compressors, the previous issue and their maintenance and Inspection results.

I would encourage anyone with questions to discuss it with Lake Rawlings staff directly and promptly.

In hind-site, I failed to ask specifically about Grade "E" "Oxygen-Compatible" reduced maximum acceptable carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and particulate levels.

I can not speak to that with any authority but I am going to ask the about it in next day or two.

Having personally addressed the concern directly with Lake Rawlings, specifically with Errol Duplessis the President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Lake Rawlings and having received a very candid response, would it be possible to disclose the name of the shop that has allegedly forbidden its tanks to be filled at Lake Rawlings?

I do not even fault a shop for making ANY such decision about who and where their tanks can be filled but I have certainly seen MANY shops near and far that have their rental tank fleet filled pretty regularly there! This may just be a case of OLD News?

​

Mark:

It sounds like between you talking to Rawlings and my husband talking to a board member and one of the people that went out when this all took place to help fix it. I would think that this puts it to rest. Board member also said they use the grade E mod for the nitrox. Got a fill for myself and daughter yesterday without any issues.

 

[wedivebc]

Yes, 325 is high. It prompted us to go looking for the cause. It's within spec, so we haven't shut down the operation, but usually the reason for high CO2 is that there is actually high CO, and one of the catalysts in the filter changed it to CO2, doing it's job. The air for this test was banked at the dock, so it's quite possible that the exhaust from the generator was swirling around on the main deck while pumping this air. Offshore, the exhaust would be blown down wind. The previous test had no indication of high CO2, so we'll check the next one carefully looking for trends.

Actually the CO2 content of air over most of the planet is 325ppm so your readings are perfectly normal. I was going to ask how you got the nitrox sample down to <4. Are you using a CO2 scrubber?

 

[adelman]

I have printed and am looking at both your reports. I also have your certificates. Which I assume you get when you pass???? Are all the "Characteristics" within acceptable limits, I assume since you have the cert? However, are there any that are maybe a little high or low that one should pay attention to, ie CO2? Just trying to make heads or tails out of this, so if I see another one, I know what to look for. On your Dec report10-27042 the Co2 is reading 325 under source, it this good or bad???

Actually, 300-400ppm of CO2 isn't high, that is the CO2 content of normal air. To the extent it is higher than ambient, it might be that the compressor intake is from an occupied space and you're "rebreathing" some one else's exhalation.

When a filter stack is new, it has some ability to absorb CO2, and will pull the CO2 down well below 100ppm. It does, however, quickly lose the ability to absorb more CO2, and the filter output CO2 will stabilize around ambient.

What this means is that you *should* be paying attention to the CO2 in the analysis. An analysis which is below ambient is a bad thing -- it means that the sampler is providing samples when the compressor has a brand-new filter stack. I want to see a sample taken right before they change the filters, not after! A CO2 in the 300-400ppm range doesn't tell you how old the filters were, but at least it tells you that they weren't brand new.

 

[wedivebc]

Actually, 300-400ppm of CO2 isn't high, that is the CO2 content of normal air. To the extent it is higher than ambient, it might be that the compressor intake is from an occupied space and you're "rebreathing" some one else's exhalation.

When a filter stack is new, it has some ability to absorb CO2, and will pull the CO2 down well below 100ppm. It does, however, quickly lose the ability to absorb more CO2, and the filter output CO2 will stabilize around ambient.

What this means is that you *should* be paying attention to the CO2 in the analysis. An analysis which is below ambient is a bad thing -- it means that the sampler is providing samples when the compressor has a brand-new filter stack. I want to see a sample taken right before they change the filters, not after! A CO2 in the 300-400ppm range doesn't tell you how old the filters were, but at least it tells you that they weren't brand new.

What component of the filter stack removes CO2? The filters I use are composed of activated charcoal, desiccant (silica) and hopcalite. The latter actually converts CO to CO2.
I don't get where the CO2 removal would take place.

 

[adelman]

What component of the filter stack removes CO2? The filters I use are composed of activated charcoal, desiccant (silica) and hopcalite. The latter actually converts CO to CO2.
I don't get where the CO2 removal would take place.

The activated charcoal, but it doesn't do it for long, which is ok, as that isn't really its function.

 

[wedivebc]

The activated charcoal, but it doesn't do it for long, which is ok, as that isn't really its function.

Interesting. I always take my air samples at the end of the filters expected life to ensure my changing cycle is working. I have never tested a new filter so I guess thats why I had never observed that. Thanks

 

[padiscubapro]

The activated charcoal, but it doesn't do it for long, which is ok, as that isn't really its function.

13x will also remove some co2...

 

[padiscubapro]

What this means is that you *should* be paying attention to the CO2 in the analysis. An analysis which is below ambient is a bad thing -- it means that the sampler is providing samples when the compressor has a brand-new filter stack. I want to see a sample taken right before they change the filters, not after! A CO2 in the 300-400ppm range doesn't tell you how old the filters were, but at least it tells you that they weren't brand new.

I beg to differ.. My co2 readings are almost always NEAR ZERO.. I always do my air tests before I change filters, this is essential as it lets me know if I'm changing my filters often enough..

As A ccr diver, I always have lots of partially used sofnolime.. ALL my intake gas goes though a huge bed of this... output of this bed is always well below ambient and usually zero.. BTW I also send all my intake gas through a hepa and UV filter, I found this also extends the life and effectiveness of my main filters..