Systematic use of oxygen analyzers by advanced divers ? [Poll].

[Divin'Papaw]

I first answered "Always" . I don't breathe much air either. But when it is supposed to be air I don't check it.

Valid point. I last did an air dive in Mar 2015 according to my logbook which is why I answered always. If I were diving air and if it wasn't a deep dive, I probably wouldn't check it either as there is very little risk involved in it being something other than air. However, if it was a deep dive, I would still check it. If it had been inadvertently filled with 36% and if I were doing a 130' dive, that could be a fatal mistake.

Given that I now dive almost exclusively in South FL where nitrox is omnipresent and affordable, I just never dive air. I therefore always analyze with my own analyzer so that I have confidence in what I'm diving. I have a trimix/nitrox analyzer at home and a portable nitrox analyzer in my boat bag.

 

[tursiops]

Keep in mind, the distribution of answers in this poll isn’t going to come anywhere near what the distribution would be if you surveyed a similar/representative sample of “regular divers”:

The people who don’t test “every time” are much less likely to respond to the poll - why invite the inevitable proselytizing?

Even if the poll were (is?) anonymous, a similar issue would exist.. ScubaBoard members are going to be more likely to test their gas in general than your average diver. Simply by signing up for the board, members have demonstrated a higher-than-average level of interest in SCUBA and related practices. Knowledge is power, and exposure to the optimal practice (testing their hashtags percentage) will reinforce the messaging from their original Nitrox class that may have otherwise been forgotten/ignored.

Just my 2 cents

Agreed. In fact, I do not understand the motive for the OP's endless set of polls, nor do I think there is any generalizable conclusion one can make from the results.

 

[Mike1967]

I analyse my air fills because I dive both air and nitrox in my tanks, 99% of the time I used nitrox but if I'm planning to go to around the 40m mark, I'll obviously fill with air. Even though I empty the nitrox out to about 20 bar, I still want to know exactly what it is.
And there's no question and no excuse not to analyse nitrox fills every time, if whoever filled them for you isn't switched on enough to insist you analyse them and fill out the appropriate paperwork, I definitely wouldn't be trusting their word on what's in it.

 

[CT-Rich]

Agreed. In fact, I do not understand the motive for the OP's endless set of polls, nor do I think there is any generalizable conclusion one can make from the results.

From the way the questions are formatted I am assuming the writer is not Nitrox certified, otherwise he would have posed the questions differently, I guess. Not a bad discussion to have and might inform a someone interested in learning about mixed gas diving.

 

[Mike1967]

From the way the questions are formatted I am assuming the writer is not Nitrox certified, otherwise he would have posed the questions differently, I guess. Not a bad discussion to have and might inform a someone interested in learning about mixed gas diving.

Yeah he's doing it in about a week.
I love asking questions in here and getting heaps of different opinions, then deciding what I agree with the most and going with that. On the topic of Nitrox though, I believe there's one right answer to each question and all the other "opinions" people might have are just wrong. I know that sounds a bit douchie but I can't think of another way to put it lol
Anyway, he'll learn everything he needs to know when he does the course, he's probably better off going into this course knowing nothing than having heaps of different opinions that contradict the correct info he's about to learn.

 

[TrimixToo]

I have tanks dedicated to air. They are labeled "air" and never hooked up to the booster. I have tanks that are not dedicated to air. They are analyzed no matter what they are filled with, every time...even if they have been blown down and filled with air.

 

[TMHeimer]

I first answered "Always" . I don't breathe much air either. But when it is supposed to be air I don't check it.

I think that a majority of divers using Air don't verify it (like myself)--not saying that's good. Which is why I suggested the poll be changed to those diving Nitrox. Unless the OP just wants the poll to include votes from everyone regardless if Air or not.

 

[BRT]

I think that a majority of divers using Air don't verify it (like myself)--not saying that's good. Which is why I suggested the poll be changed to those diving Nitrox. Unless the OP just wants the poll to include votes from everyone regardless if Air or not.

So far 85% say they "always" analyze.

 

[CT-Rich]

So far 85% say they "always" analyze.

Says the people in the advanced forum. Forums alway have their biases. Most divers dive only air, and have no training for nitrox. If you hand them a O2 meter, they will have no clue unless it has a label...

 

[broncobowsher]

What about those of us who analyze (and adjust) during a dive?