smelly air

[overkillphil]

Scary stuff indeed!

 

[GrimSleeper]

I can say I've never used gas that's odourless. There will always be a slight rubbery taint to the air from the reg. Standing in a compressor room that taint always seems to be around also. After so many dives though, if you found it different that usual it's probably best not to dive it!



Yes, it does. Very much so. No compressor is 100% efficient regarding oil contamination, and no filter is 100% efficient at removing oil/moisture from the air. Using the correct oil for any compressor is of the utmost importance. There is always a degree of contamination in compressed breathing air.

Sorry, misunderstanding. I wasn't suggesting you can just drain the sump of your truck and slap the oil into your compressor. Failing to use the correct oil in a compressor does indeed lead to problems with flashing, carbonisation on the valves, excess hydrocarbons overwhelming the filter... What I meant was that 'Oh, it's food-grade oil that you can taste' does NOT make it ok that there's enough entrained oil that the diver can taste it.

D'Oh! How do I do the quote-within-a-quote' thing?

Grae

 

[sambolino44]

Just to make it clear, this odor was so strong that it was actually unpleasant to clear my mask. It was an un-natural smell, not like rubber, or even anything exactly like I've ever smelled before. I've never detected any odor at all from scuba air before this event.

Not only was the smell disturbing, but something else that really sticks out in my mind about this event was the guy who was so quick to dismiss the smell as harmless. He never smelled the air from my tank, but he "knew" right off what it was, and that it was OK. No doubt at all in his mind. Now, I don't want to criticize this guy too much, because he seems like a fine fellow otherwise, but I would have expected a response more like, "Smelly air, hmm? Let's check that out." or something.

Another note: when we returned the tanks to the shop, the guy did not charge us, he seemed genuinely concerned, and as we were leaving he was already bleeding the tanks. He said that they had just recently installed new filters, so he was surprised to hear about the problem. Now, who knows if these tanks were filled before he changed the filters?

 

[jtpwils]

He said that they had just recently installed new filters, so he was surprised to hear about the problem. Now, who knows if these tanks were filled before he changed the filters?

I think the problem is most likely to occur immediately after the filters were changed because maybe it wasn't done quite right.

 

[Soakedlontra]

To add more mystery to this story. My buddy told the owner of our local dive shop about it. He agreed with all of you that the air should not smell at all! Now today I brought back home our re-filled tanks from this shop. When my buddy came back home he sniffed the air directly from the cylinders. The air in my tank did not smell, his did, slightly!

Now his tank was sent to a shop to be cleaned for rust a while ago. I am wondering is that may have something to do with his cylinder smelly air...

 

[CamG]

Greetings Sambolino44 and I would not use the tanks. The instructor I assist as a DM is also a VIP tank inspector and I have been around the inspection process. It has been a real learning experience both in tank care and compressor issues. He is a very anal about compressor maintenance and proper tank inspection and care. In just the last several months doing a variety of VIP's of cylinders there have been several tanks that had a very fowl "old nasty tire" smell. In one such tank there were evidence of pitting and the tank was just 2 years old.
In your situation I would ask if they have a current Air Analysis and check the date to be sure it is current. If they will not produce this or it is out of date, turn around and head down to the next LDS. Bad air can and will hurt you depending on just what or how contaminated it is. This is no joking matter.
In the last two years of pumping gas not once have I smelled or tasted anything in my tanks or any others that he or I have filled. Filters and proper synthetic oil for the compressor are carefully maintained and checked periodically. A fill log of detailed information; filter change, how long / hrs of run time, etc. The intake hose is placed according to the wind direction and away from contaminates as much as possible.
In the two Air Analysis's that have been taken the sample has more than exceeded the requirements. The compressor is bled every five minutes by hand because it is not automatic.
Not everyone is as careful or take the time to learn the proper gas pumping procedures. Improper compressor maintenance or a failure can occur which can be very dangerous. Be cautious and educate yourself. This is your life in that cylinder if it is bad air it could be your last dive! I am not trying to scare you but make a point.
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[sambolino44]

Now I'm really going crazy! I tried my tanks at home, which never went near the shop in question, and sometimes I think I can smell it, barely, and sometimes not at all. What the hell?!?

Anyway, regardless of what's going on with my tanks now, it's way less than what I smelled last weekend - not even close.

 

[Soakedlontra]

Greetings Sambolino44 and I would not use the tanks. The instructor I assist as a DM is also a VIP tank inspector and I have been around the inspection process. It has been a real learning experience both in tank care and compressor issues. He is a very anal about compressor maintenance and proper tank inspection and care. In just the last several months doing a variety of VIP's of cylinders there have been several tanks that had a very fowl "old nasty tire" smell. In one such tank there were evidence of pitting and the tank was just 2 years old.
In your situation I would ask if they have a current Air Analysis and check the date to be sure it is current. If they will not produce this or it is out of date, turn around and head down to the next LDS. Bad air can and will hurt you depending on just what or how contaminated it is. This is no joking matter.
In the last two years of pumping gas not once have I smelled or tasted anything in my tanks or any others that he or I have filled. Filters and proper synthetic oil for the compressor are carefully maintained and checked periodically. A fill log of detailed information; filter change, how long / hrs of run time, etc. The intake hose is placed according to the wind direction and away from contaminates as much as possible.
In the two Air Analysis's that have been taken the sample has more than exceeded the requirements. The compressor is bled every five minutes by hand because it is not automatic.
Not everyone is as careful or take the time to learn the proper gas pumping procedures. Improper compressor maintenance or a failure can occur which can be very dangerous. Be cautious and educate yourself. This is your life in that cylinder if it is bad air it could be your last dive! I am not trying to scare you but make a point.
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

What do you think of a dive shop with a compressor that is next door to a boat workshop where folks have been spraying paint on a mast all day and the whole environment was saturated with strong paint smell?

I think it shouldn't be there in the first place!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What do you think of a dive shop with a compressor that is next door to a boat workshop where folks have been spraying paint on a mast all day and the whole environment was saturated with strong paint smell?

I think it shouldn't be there in the first place!

I was going to ask what's next door ... or if the compressor is located near a parking area, or indoors next to the shop's repair facility. Filters should be able to remove most contaminants, but if they're around volatile substances like car exhaust or solvents used for cleaning or glueing, there will be some odor involved ... and to my concern, that no matter what the source, if you can smell it you shouldn't take it underwater.

I once had a tank contaminated with air that smelled like car exhaust. Fortunately I didn't dive it. I had it bled and cleaned. There was still some residual odor ... although very slight ... until I had cycled several fills of air through the tank.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[sambolino44]

Now I've had several more tanks to try, and several refills of my tanks, and I still sometimes smell that same smell, very slightly. This is directly out of the valve on the tank. It's so slight that I really have to pay attention to smell it, but I THINK it's there. Anyway, a smell that light is not something I would worry about. But the smell that got this thread started was so strong I have no regrets not finishing that dive.