Alec, another great session! Quick story, I had one of those portable analog unit, and I always brought it with me so I was sure what I was breathing,. One trip, I watched helplessly as it fell off the seat in the boat that it was carelessly left on, and of course that was the time there was also a tank that decided to come loose and guess where it landed! Oh well, can you say Pelican case, lol! I did after this trip and now always follow my analyzer around and put it away when I am done in the case. Best idea ever! Do you know if any of the manufacturers are looking to build an analyzer into the integrated computer units, I think that's th efuture. Take care!
Boy do I have stories about smashed/lost gear!! We'll have to have a contest sometime Tom. It makes perfect sense to build an O2 analyzer into dive computers. Why not? They already have them in rebreathers. I think the first recreational dive computer with an O2 analyzer will be a hit! Put your reg on the tank and read the EANx level. How smart is that?! Alec
Tommy, BTW, I've been selling a lot of my vast vintage scuba stuff on eBay. It'll take me years but I'm having fun and lots of collectors are getting some good stuff. Many of the items you will recognize but I think a few will amaze even you. I just listed a Sportsways K to J Converter, very rare and pretty neat. Check it out under my eBay ID - seahunter. Let me know what you think. Alec
I wonder if it is possible. The computer tends to just read the pressure after all. It doesn't really have air flow, which might mean you can't actually measure O2 levels at the computer. After all the air by the pressure sensor may not be the same as the air coming out of the tank, just pressurized by it. It sure would be a neat feature though if it could be done.
That's a technical problem that can be solved. They have them for rebreathers but of course, as you say Len, the sensor is in an air flow. There is air flow in a scuba regulator too so it's just a matter of incentive to make it work. Incentive means profit and as divers demand it, profit will appear. Alec
Thanks for the information. This was shot back in July 2017 so I expect some of my older videos to be behind the technology curve. Will look into a newer version. A
Great videos Alec, how about a discussion on the different Scuba associations PADI, NAUI etc. perhaps a history lesson who they are , how they came to be. Thanks and keep the great work up
I believe this is the first Nitrox related video (I searched back) - maybe you didn't publish the others you mention in your video. Keep it coming! I use Nitrox on multi day boat dives... not worth the $ for local dive shop fills for a my typical 2 dives outings... Happen to be in Canada right now (but west coast, Whistler and now Vancouver... all smoked in).
I'm working on a plan to get Kevin to do a cameo - you know, I'll ask him to hold something while I demonstrate. It will only be for a few seconds so keep watching! Alec
When I first went to Cozumel in the 70's (I can't believe that was almost 50 years ago!), there was no PADI Facility system, the compressors were pretty rough, maintenance was haphazard and operators were untrained. Not just in Mexico - many dive spots around the world were just waking up to the new sport. CO poisoning was a genuine concern. Heck it was a concern in North America! And we didn't have any cheap, portable CO testers as we do today. Our safety method was simple but effective. The first day in Cozumel we didn't dive. We would go down to the dive shop, sit on the beach or sea wall out front early in the morning and watch the divers gearing up and heading out for a day of diving. If those same divers came back in the afternoon, we figured that shop had good air!! Hey! Sounds funny now but it made sense then!! Today recreational divers don't have to worry about that. I always advise divers going on holidays to find a PADI 5 Star dive shop or something comparable. That's not a 100% Guarantee but it's as close as you'll get. Alec
I was in Antiqua in the early 90s and was the only one at the resort that requested Nitrox. I had massive head aches with it and the dive shop people said they did not use Nitrox for the same reason. Apparently only one shop on the island did Nitrox fills and they sent it to the Sandals resort I was at. In hind sight, 150 dives later and rev=breather certified, I strongly suspect I had CO toxicity from those fills. I never had any issues elsewhere and CO is odourless (compressor oil may not be). I have no way of knowing their maintenance/certifications at the Nitrox fill area as it was off site. I still do not have CO tester as I spend enough $ on my Nitrox and rebreather sensors every other year, but I am acutely aware of what CO/CO2 toxicity signs are. It would be nice if dive shops/ live boards carried the CO analyzers to test the tanks on request.
@@tedreitsma478 Old post ... but my understanding is that CO2 has vastly different symptoms from CO. Our body is extremely attuned to CO2. In fact, or breathing is based on CO2 blood concentration. CO is more problematic because it can kill you easily without warning. That's why people have CO detectors in homes. CO outcompetes O2 in your hemoglobin. Your blood looks brilliantly red! My opinion is worth nothing compared with the owner of this channel. That said, we have to take care of ourselves. I do not own a nitrox analyzer, but I just purchased a CO detector (which is about $400). The reason: every place has a nitrox analyzer. (Almost) every dive boat will. Slight errors in accuracy make little difference unless one is doing technical dives. But CO can kill you or silently impair you. This is especially true in deeper dives. The absence of widespread CO testing on boats means that we don't know how prevalent CO is in tanks. How many dive issues have something to do with CO? We have no idea. Further, even low levels can cause problems, and these would not be attributed to CO. The old advice to smell your air only has value because bad smell may indicate CO. But CO cannot be smelled directly. Finally, most popular dive sites do not follow N. American or European standards.
Hi Alex. I'm about to get my first dry suit as I live in England and it's so so cold. Could you do a beginners guide to what to look for ? Should help loads of people out ! Thanks as always Theo
Can't do drysuits in a video so we have a series planned - 2 or 3 videos covering drysuits - everything you want to know! It won't be out for a while but keep your eyes open. Alec
Today, CO is not the problem it once was. Modern compressors and filter systems, properly maintained, preclude that worry. The only time I'd be concerned is if I was diving in a place where North American standards are not kept - some very remote places in Central, South America or the Middle East, Africa maybe. There is a diver CO tester available. It's a little pouch with a 1-time tester but they're cheap and compact. It's called 'CO Pro'. Any dive store can get it for you. Thanks for watching. Alec
Hi Alec, if possible could you please talk about diving gear that is for cold water and warm water. Such as a pro/ con, where and when to use such gear?
Hey Alec, loving the series! I was wondering if you could do a video of the equipment differences between Rec diving (~60ft), deep Rec diving (~100-130ft) and deep tech diving (~200ft), I'm not sure if that would benefit anyone, but I would definitely be interested in it, and it would be nice to have all the info in one place. Also, I'm down in Ottawa, and was wondering if 1. scuba 2000 would ship here, and 2. you guys could do an event by Ottawa. maybe the st. Lawrence river (great wreck diving!).
Hi Faisal. We often got to Brockville & Kingston too. Years ago I was a monitor at an instructor course in Ottawa and made a dive in a quarry close to there. I forget the name of the quarry but it ought to been named the "Don't Dive" quarry! Was it Catfish Quarry or something like that? Sure put me off diving in the Ottawa area. Scuba 2000 will ship anywhere. Heck I shipped to Singapore, Hamburg, even NYC. Weird huh? I had Sherwood products from Lockport, NY shipped to me in Toronto and then we shipped them to a diver in NYC. I think it was more the good customer service than the product or price. They have a toll-free number. Re the Video idea., that might be good, certainly the rec and deep rec. I like to leave the tech diving discussions to the tech group. Perhaps one day when they get their act together (all agree on standards for training and gear) I will talk about it but right now it's an invitation to an angry tirade whenever one mentions tech diving. Thanks for watching. Alec
alec if you ever get one of the play buttons that will be a good video on its own or with a video i know a long way to go to get one but you have some good tips and i sometimes go back threw and watch them again
alec i am sure you are full of tips or even answers to questions as well even with new stuff for scuba comming out oh here is something trimix have you thought about going into talking about that i have heard it is kind of unsafe to use being so new to scuba sei after pdic merged with sei they dropped it i have heard stories that
Great video! Subscribed! Have a question sir. If I bought a dive computer and set it to Nitrox...could I set it to 21 percent under the Nitrox setting if I was diving regular air and second dive switching to Nitrox or would I have to use the regular air setting on my watch and then switch the watch to Nitrox on the second dive? I would think I could just use the Nitrox setting for everything and just adjust the percentage of air? Please let me know what you think and thank you 🤠
I might have a stupid question, but cannot remember why. Why do these analyzers need to be calibrated using air from a tank and not surrounding air? If I remember corrwctly the PADI training book says just that. Is it: to eliminate humidity in air/room etc and do some of them auto calibrate?
Actually they should be calibrated with room air - assuming the tank air came from that immediate area. And, if you recall from your EANx course, they must be calibrated to air at standard temperature and humidity. Most dive shops will have (should have?) a thermometer and hygrometer right by the fill station and a table so you can add or subtract from the reading if the temp or humidity indicate so. That is, if the temperature is very high, when you calibrate the sensor you will subtract since hot air holds less O2 - or vice versa. The table tells you how much. Search for . Some auto calibrate. You push a button and they read the conditions and adjust accordingly. I've never been overly confident in that ability. It could be fine. I'm just hard to convince sometimes. Alec
Hi Alec, great video. I use the same green/yellow Nitrox analyzer you have in the video. I noticed the comments below about calibrating with a tank with air vs looking at temperature/humidity. Unfortunately, I never see the temp/humidity anywhere in the dive shop I use, secondly, on the live aboard boats that fill with Nitrox - it would be impractical. So I see your point, but I am stuck with using an air tank and calibrating at 20.9% oxygen. As dive computers generally round to the nearest whole number, I would THINK that there would be very little variance and just set computer to be conservative. Do you have any data on how far out the temp/humidity can affect the Nitrox % in realistic temperature/humidity situations ? It would be interesting to know.
You can download and print the temp/humidity table. It's small. I'm not too sure of the effect but suspect it's not critical. 30, 31, 31.5, 32, 32.5 % - if the diver is diving safely and NOT pushing the limits, he'll be fine using the 32% table. Alec
Thanks @@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter. I've read quite a bit on scuba forums around the risks of accidentally getting exposed to CO from faulty compressors, and asking the question as to whether divers (including recreational) should be checking their tank fills. I thought that might be a topic you would be interested in discussing.
For enriched air nitrox divers, calibration is generally on the percentage of oxygen or 21%. Most use either a scuba tank of air to calibrate or wave it in the air to reset it. If you need more information, check you model of analyzer at www.analoxgroup.com. A.
Alec Peirce Scuba thanks for the reply. Can you please make a video about who and when should divers consider training about Nitrox. Also why don’t you do product reviews. It is very hard to find decent reviews for products. Love your videos keep the good work.
Good question Sheldon. The instructions usually say that the reading ought to settle fairly quickly - within a few seconds. If the readings do not settle, but go up and down continuously, time for a new sensor. I'm not familiar with all the EANx analyzers out there but that's sure a good sign. Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba : I was a Respiratory Therapist and know that manufacturers of the detectors study and recommend a duration of service. The chemicals in the detector have a determined life. Used or not, to detect concentrations of O2 or other gases.
Yep. You're right. With scuba analyzers it's hard to keep track of the hours of use or the volume of gas through the device. Maybe in a medical environment it would be easier since everything is timed. In a dive shop, nothing is timed. We're there for fun so the analyzer stays open to the air while we swap dve stories, then 3 people use but 1 diver has to make three tries to get it right, and so on. Hard to track. Maybe it should be swapped out every 3 months but in Canada that would be a waste in winter. Not sure what the best solution is. Alec
It is required for every EAN diver to verify the O2 content. After the dive shop fills it, ask for an O2 analyzer to check it yourself. Some shops actually have you check and sign a log before handing them over. You must know the O2 percent to input to your dive computer so always ask or do it yourself. A.
Hey Alec love your channel! So I have just recently gotten OW certified and am starting to buy my gear. I live in the west coast of Canada but plan on doing some traveling in warmer waters. Is there a way to just buy a single pair of fins that go well with either dry suit w/rock boots or wet suit boots? Or would I have to buy two different set of fins? I am not sure if this is a common thing other divers do.
Good to hear from you. I don't get comments from many Canadian divers - real divers!!! I've talked about this previously - not sure where in the vids. Maybe someone else remembers. There's a lot of factors, lots of ifs, but generally you cannot get one pair of fin to fit over your wetsuit boots and your drysuit boots. The drysuit boots usually have a pocket that's way too large for wetsuit boots. Some divers manage it but I think they compromise a bit - one or the other is not a good fit and they will get sore, tired feet sooner or later. You need a good pair of drysuit fins, a good pair of cold water wetsuit fins and maybe even another pair of fins for warm water with 3mm booties. By good pair, I mean good performance but more important, good fit. To review, a good fit means that the foot, your foot with the appropriate boot on, goes easily into the fin pocket, almost all the way in, firmly holds the foot solid but not squeezed in the pocket and the fin platform (the flat part that extends behind the pocket on the bottom of the fin, the part you stand on) extends at least to your heel if not completely under your heel. And the fin should come off easily too. Every time you kick, the fin is forced onto your foot (think about it - that's how they work) and by the end of the dive, some divers can't get their fin off without help - too tight. Unless you're odd , that's the way it is. Take care. Alec
@Alec, what would be a minimum weight (travel) scuba config that you would still feel safe and comfortable with in ow and cavern environments? Thanks so much for your videos!
Hi Zolt.I'm not sure what you mean by weight - the actual weight of the reg set?? For all OW including caverns, you need only a reg system - reg, Sfae Second, SPG/computer and LP hose for the BCD. The weight of this system will vary from 5 pounds to 15 pounds depending on make and model. My current system is very light and suits all my diving - Oceanic ZEO reg, XS Scuba AltAir Safe Second and pressure transmitter for my Air- Integrated wrist computer. I don't think it weighs 4 pounds! I hope that's what you wanted. Thanks for watching. Alec
Hi alec! Thanks a lot for all your interesting vids, I realy enjoy them! As a suggestion, could you once talk about nitrox vs. normal regulators and about what a service man does if he gets a regulator and first stage O2 clean for use up to 100% oxygen??? Can every regulator be serviced as such that it can be used for 100% O2 after? thanks!
Kev and I are working on a Nitrox For Dummies series to try and dispel some myths and help divers understand the why and where of Enriched Air. This 'oxygen cleaning' thing will certainly be covered. It's a genuine problem in the Nitrox world. To give you a quick answer, sure, a regulator can be cleaned to be safe for 100% oxygen. Regulators on medical oxygen tanks are obviously clean for 100%. In scuba there's not so much need since we don't (seldom,) use 100%. One difficulty you face with a nice, clean-to-100% regulator is that you can no longer use it for air or even a mixture of air (Nitrox) or it's no longer clean for 100%. It's possible if you're careful about the air source but easy to make a mistake and your efforts and expense are wasted. Thanks for watching. Talk again soon. Alec
Nope, only measures the O2 percentage, nothing else. All other contaminates should be eliminated by the filling station. Check their posted air quality report to see how current it is and if they passed all requirements.
These things are crazy expensive if you think about what they are.. Technically the "analyzer" is nothing more than a 5$ multimeter, it just has an additional potentiometer to adjust the offset and factors in a correction curve.. The "Sensor" part is a galvanic cell (a battery) which is driven by oxygen through a membrane.. The output leads of the cell are connected to a resistor to get a voltage drop, this voltage is measured by the analyzer (multimeter). As more oxygen diffuses through the membrane into the sensor cell a higher current is generated generating a higher voltage drop on the resistor (ohms law). That´s why the sensors have a lifespan as basically the electrodes inside the cell are oxydized after some amount of oxygen has entered the cell.. You can increase the lifespan by placing the sensor into a very small air tight box when not in use. So basically 300-600$ for a battery and a multimeter.. crazy expensive..
When purchased new do they come with a factory calibration sticker / cert or do they expect you to send it in for calibration and pay for that the first time as well?
By the way I understand ones adjust the unit before each use to environmental air to set the percentage of O2. I speak as to knowing the integrity of the actual O2 sensor operating within the proper tolerances at each end of the operating curve since this sensor is critical for concerns of life support SCUBA activities.
Jeff Morgan -- Exact calibration isn't needed, because diving Nitrox isn't an exact science. Every diver will have his or her own tolerance to oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis, etc., so no single mixture will be guaranteed safe for any particular diver...or even for the same diver on any particular dive. For that reason, we dive within limits that have a margin a safety built in. If you adjust your analyzer each time so that it shows the "room air" to be in the 20.5 to 21.5 percent oxygen range then it will give you a reasonably accurate reading of the oxygen percentage in the Nitrox mixture when you test the cylinder air.
Yes and for this reason I looked into make my own Nitrox analyzer. But you still need to buy the sensor part which is not cheap and has a limited life span, so that reduces the incentive to make my own. If someone figures out a way to make a cheaper and long lasting sensor, we'll all be interested.
What about on a boat, vacation, etc. I go to many places where diving is popular. They don't have the time or equipment for each person. They ask if you want air or 32%. I didn't have one until I started doing GUE. GUE requires you to have your own at least my instructor. $300 is cheap. Compare that to the ones for trimix. Those are around $800.
Alec, another great session! Quick story, I had one of those portable analog unit, and I always brought it with me so I was sure what I was breathing,. One trip, I watched helplessly as it fell off the seat in the boat that it was carelessly left on, and of course that was the time there was also a tank that decided to come loose and guess where it landed! Oh well, can you say Pelican case, lol! I did after this trip and now always follow my analyzer around and put it away when I am done in the case. Best idea ever!
Do you know if any of the manufacturers are looking to build an analyzer into the integrated computer units, I think that's th efuture. Take care!
Boy do I have stories about smashed/lost gear!!
We'll have to have a contest sometime Tom.
It makes perfect sense to build an O2 analyzer into dive computers. Why not? They already have them in rebreathers.
I think the first recreational dive computer with an O2 analyzer will be a hit!
Put your reg on the tank and read the EANx level. How smart is that?!
Alec
Tommy, BTW, I've been selling a lot of my vast vintage scuba stuff on eBay. It'll take me years but I'm having fun and lots of collectors are getting some good stuff.
Many of the items you will recognize but I think a few will amaze even you.
I just listed a Sportsways K to J Converter, very rare and pretty neat.
Check it out under my eBay ID - seahunter.
Let me know what you think.
Alec
I wonder if it is possible. The computer tends to just read the pressure after all. It doesn't really have air flow, which might mean you can't actually measure O2 levels at the computer. After all the air by the pressure sensor may not be the same as the air coming out of the tank, just pressurized by it. It sure would be a neat feature though if it could be done.
That's a technical problem that can be solved. They have them for rebreathers but of course, as you say Len, the sensor is in an air flow.
There is air flow in a scuba regulator too so it's just a matter of incentive to make it work.
Incentive means profit and as divers demand it, profit will appear.
Alec
The Analox O2EII PRO is discontinued. Perhaps time for a new video. Keep up the great work. Learning a lot.
Thanks for the information. This was shot back in July 2017 so I expect some of my older videos to be behind the technology curve. Will look into a newer version.
A
Awesome job mate!!!
Thanks Kevin.
Amazing ! I'm just starting my reading and qualification on Nitrox. So helpful as always !
Thanks Theo.
Alec
i thought about doing nitrox course before i do advanced diver
Great videos Alec, how about a discussion on the different Scuba associations PADI, NAUI etc. perhaps a history lesson who they are , how they came to be. Thanks and keep the great work up
I believe this is the first Nitrox related video (I searched back) - maybe you didn't publish the others you mention in your video. Keep it coming! I use Nitrox on multi day boat dives... not worth the $ for local dive shop fills for a my typical 2 dives outings...
Happen to be in Canada right now (but west coast, Whistler and now Vancouver... all smoked in).
Right Alain. 2+ dives a day if you're over 40 is the right place for Nitrox.
Alec
Thanks Alec for all the tips! I am new to diving and you are a wealth of information. My only question is....when do we get to meet Kevin?
I'm working on a plan to get Kevin to do a cameo - you know, I'll ask him to hold something while I demonstrate.
It will only be for a few seconds so keep watching!
Alec
Sir, what are your thoughts on carbon monoxide detectors and their use for recreational divers?
When I first went to Cozumel in the 70's (I can't believe that was almost 50 years ago!), there was no PADI Facility system, the compressors were pretty rough, maintenance was haphazard and operators were untrained. Not just in Mexico - many dive spots around the world were just waking up to the new sport.
CO poisoning was a genuine concern. Heck it was a concern in North America!
And we didn't have any cheap, portable CO testers as we do today.
Our safety method was simple but effective. The first day in Cozumel we didn't dive. We would go down to the dive shop, sit on the beach or sea wall out front early in the morning and watch the divers gearing up and heading out for a day of diving. If those same divers came back in the afternoon, we figured that shop had good air!!
Hey! Sounds funny now but it made sense then!!
Today recreational divers don't have to worry about that. I always advise divers going on holidays to find a PADI 5 Star dive shop or something comparable. That's not a 100% Guarantee but it's as close as you'll get.
Alec
I was in Antiqua in the early 90s and was the only one at the resort that requested Nitrox. I had massive head aches with it and the dive shop people said they did not use Nitrox for the same reason. Apparently only one shop on the island did Nitrox fills and they sent it to the Sandals resort I was at. In hind sight, 150 dives later and rev=breather certified, I strongly suspect I had CO toxicity from those fills. I never had any issues elsewhere and CO is odourless (compressor oil may not be). I have no way of knowing their maintenance/certifications at the Nitrox fill area as it was off site. I still do not have CO tester as I spend enough $ on my Nitrox and rebreather sensors every other year, but I am acutely aware of what CO/CO2 toxicity signs are. It would be nice if dive shops/ live boards carried the CO analyzers to test the tanks on request.
@@tedreitsma478 Old post ... but my understanding is that CO2 has vastly different symptoms from CO. Our body is extremely attuned to CO2. In fact, or breathing is based on CO2 blood concentration. CO is more problematic because it can kill you easily without warning. That's why people have CO detectors in homes. CO outcompetes O2 in your hemoglobin. Your blood looks brilliantly red!
My opinion is worth nothing compared with the owner of this channel. That said, we have to take care of ourselves. I do not own a nitrox analyzer, but I just purchased a CO detector (which is about $400). The reason: every place has a nitrox analyzer. (Almost) every dive boat will. Slight errors in accuracy make little difference unless one is doing technical dives. But CO can kill you or silently impair you. This is especially true in deeper dives. The absence of widespread CO testing on boats means that we don't know how prevalent CO is in tanks. How many dive issues have something to do with CO? We have no idea. Further, even low levels can cause problems, and these would not be attributed to CO. The old advice to smell your air only has value because bad smell may indicate CO. But CO cannot be smelled directly.
Finally, most popular dive sites do not follow N. American or European standards.
Hi Alex. I'm about to get my first dry suit as I live in England and it's so so cold. Could you do a beginners guide to what to look for ? Should help loads of people out ! Thanks as always
Theo
Can't do drysuits in a video so we have a series planned - 2 or 3 videos covering drysuits - everything you want to know!
It won't be out for a while but keep your eyes open.
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba amazing ! Can't wait
Alec Peirce Scuba fantastic! Can't wait for it. I'll hold off getting one till then
Under what circumstances would you recommend testing for carbon monoxide in cylinders?
Any commercially available O2 readers that also analyze for CO?
John Harrington the only one to my knowledge is this one: www.divenav.com/products/cootwo
Today, CO is not the problem it once was. Modern compressors and filter systems, properly maintained, preclude that worry.
The only time I'd be concerned is if I was diving in a place where North American standards are not kept - some very remote places in Central, South America or the Middle East, Africa maybe.
There is a diver CO tester available. It's a little pouch with a 1-time tester but they're cheap and compact. It's called 'CO Pro'. Any dive store can get it for you.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Hi Alec, if possible could you please talk about diving gear that is for cold water and warm water. Such as a pro/ con, where and when to use such gear?
Sounds good.
I can do an interesting vid on Cold Water vs Warm Water".
Thanks for watching. Alec
Awesome dude ....I`m just a wild river guy ...advise is great .
Thanks for watching Stephen.
Alec
Hey Alec, loving the series! I was wondering if you could do a video of the equipment differences between Rec diving (~60ft), deep Rec diving (~100-130ft) and deep tech diving (~200ft), I'm not sure if that would benefit anyone, but I would definitely be interested in it, and it would be nice to have all the info in one place. Also, I'm down in Ottawa, and was wondering if 1. scuba 2000 would ship here, and 2. you guys could do an event by Ottawa. maybe the st. Lawrence river (great wreck diving!).
Hi Faisal.
We often got to Brockville & Kingston too.
Years ago I was a monitor at an instructor course in Ottawa and made a dive in a quarry close to there. I forget the name of the quarry but it ought to been named the "Don't Dive" quarry! Was it Catfish Quarry or something like that? Sure put me off diving in the Ottawa area.
Scuba 2000 will ship anywhere. Heck I shipped to Singapore, Hamburg, even NYC. Weird huh? I had Sherwood products from Lockport, NY shipped to me in Toronto and then we shipped them to a diver in NYC.
I think it was more the good customer service than the product or price. They have a toll-free number.
Re the Video idea., that might be good, certainly the rec and deep rec. I like to leave the tech diving discussions to the tech group. Perhaps one day when they get their act together (all agree on standards for training and gear) I will talk about it but right now it's an invitation to an angry tirade whenever one mentions tech diving.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
alec if you ever get one of the play buttons that will be a good video on its own or with a video i know a long way to go to get one but you have some good tips and i sometimes go back threw and watch them again
Would be nice to have that feature. I'm almost to 200 Tech Tip videos and keep asking Kevin, have we done this idea??
alec i am sure you are full of tips or even answers to questions as well even with new stuff for scuba comming out oh here is something trimix have you thought about going into talking about that i have heard it is kind of unsafe to use being so new to scuba sei after pdic merged with sei they dropped it i have heard stories that
Great video! Subscribed! Have a question sir. If I bought a dive computer and set it to Nitrox...could I set it to 21 percent under the Nitrox setting if I was diving regular air and second dive switching to Nitrox or would I have to use the regular air setting on my watch and then switch the watch to Nitrox on the second dive? I would think I could just use the Nitrox setting for everything and just adjust the percentage of air? Please let me know what you think and thank you 🤠
Many computers don't have distinction between air vs nitrox modes. They just allow you to change O2 percentage of a gas.
I might have a stupid question, but cannot remember why. Why do these analyzers need to be calibrated using air from a tank and not surrounding air? If I remember corrwctly the PADI training book says just that. Is it: to eliminate humidity in air/room etc and do some of them auto calibrate?
Actually they should be calibrated with room air - assuming the tank air came from that immediate area.
And, if you recall from your EANx course, they must be calibrated to air at standard temperature and humidity.
Most dive shops will have (should have?) a thermometer and hygrometer right by the fill station and a table so you can add or subtract from the reading if the temp or humidity indicate so.
That is, if the temperature is very high, when you calibrate the sensor you will subtract since hot air holds less O2 - or vice versa. The table tells you how much.
Search for .
Some auto calibrate. You push a button and they read the conditions and adjust accordingly. I've never been overly confident in that ability. It could be fine. I'm just hard to convince sometimes.
Alec
Hi Alec, great video. I use the same green/yellow Nitrox analyzer you have in the video. I noticed the comments below about calibrating with a tank with air vs looking at temperature/humidity. Unfortunately, I never see the temp/humidity anywhere in the dive shop I use, secondly, on the live aboard boats that fill with Nitrox - it would be impractical. So I see your point, but I am stuck with using an air tank and calibrating at 20.9% oxygen. As dive computers generally round to the nearest whole number, I would THINK that there would be very little variance and just set computer to be conservative. Do you have any data on how far out the temp/humidity can affect the Nitrox % in realistic temperature/humidity situations ? It would be interesting to know.
You can download and print the temp/humidity table. It's small.
I'm not too sure of the effect but suspect it's not critical. 30, 31, 31.5, 32, 32.5 % - if the diver is diving safely and NOT pushing the limits, he'll be fine using the 32% table.
Alec
Alex - what are your thoughts on Carbon Monoxide alanlyzers?
I focus on recreational scuba gear so these are not used by divers, only O2. Sorry Peter no comment.
A.
Thanks @@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter. I've read quite a bit on scuba forums around the risks of accidentally getting exposed to CO from faulty compressors, and asking the question as to whether divers (including recreational) should be checking their tank fills. I thought that might be a topic you would be interested in discussing.
Hello Alec, how do you verify the Sensor on an Anlalox. The Display isn`t showing Milli-Volts....You calibrate on 100& O2?
For enriched air nitrox divers, calibration is generally on the percentage of oxygen or 21%. Most use either a scuba tank of air to calibrate or wave it in the air to reset it. If you need more information, check you model of analyzer at www.analoxgroup.com.
A.
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Hups, missunderstood. I think about lifetime of the Sensor....
Hello, great video. Where can I find the other videos you made about Nitrox?
There aren't many about EANx (Nitrox) but we have more planned.
Keep watching.
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba thanks for the reply. Can you please make a video about who and when should divers consider training about Nitrox. Also why don’t you do product reviews. It is very hard to find decent reviews for products.
Love your videos keep the good work.
How do you know when it is time to replace the sensor?
Good question Sheldon.
The instructions usually say that the reading ought to settle fairly quickly - within a few seconds.
If the readings do not settle, but go up and down continuously, time for a new sensor.
I'm not familiar with all the EANx analyzers out there but that's sure a good sign.
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba : I was a Respiratory Therapist and know that manufacturers of the detectors study and recommend a duration of service. The chemicals in the detector have a determined life. Used or not, to detect concentrations of O2 or other gases.
Yep. You're right.
With scuba analyzers it's hard to keep track of the hours of use or the volume of gas through the device.
Maybe in a medical environment it would be easier since everything is timed.
In a dive shop, nothing is timed. We're there for fun so the analyzer stays open to the air while we swap dve stories, then 3 people use but 1 diver has to make three tries to get it right, and so on.
Hard to track. Maybe it should be swapped out every 3 months but in Canada that would be a waste in winter.
Not sure what the best solution is.
Alec
Is it OK when you get your tanks filled to tell them you want to see them test it?
It is required for every EAN diver to verify the O2 content. After the dive shop fills it, ask for an O2 analyzer to check it yourself. Some shops actually have you check and sign a log before handing them over. You must know the O2 percent to input to your dive computer so always ask or do it yourself.
A.
Hey Alec love your channel! So I have just recently gotten OW certified and am starting to buy my gear. I live in the west coast of Canada but plan on doing some traveling in warmer waters. Is there a way to just buy a single pair of fins that go well with either dry suit w/rock boots or wet suit boots? Or would I have to buy two different set of fins? I am not sure if this is a common thing other divers do.
Good to hear from you. I don't get comments from many Canadian divers - real divers!!!
I've talked about this previously - not sure where in the vids. Maybe someone else remembers.
There's a lot of factors, lots of ifs, but generally you cannot get one pair of fin to fit over your wetsuit boots and your drysuit boots. The drysuit boots usually have a pocket that's way too large for wetsuit boots.
Some divers manage it but I think they compromise a bit - one or the other is not a good fit and they will get sore, tired feet sooner or later.
You need a good pair of drysuit fins, a good pair of cold water wetsuit fins and maybe even another pair of fins for warm water with 3mm booties. By good pair, I mean good performance but more important, good fit.
To review, a good fit means that the foot, your foot with the appropriate boot on, goes easily into the fin pocket, almost all the way in, firmly holds the foot solid but not squeezed in the pocket and the fin platform (the flat part that extends behind the pocket on the bottom of the fin, the part you stand on) extends at least to your heel if not completely under your heel. And the fin should come off easily too. Every time you kick, the fin is forced onto your foot (think about it - that's how they work) and by the end of the dive, some divers can't get their fin off without help - too tight.
Unless you're odd , that's the way it is.
Take care.
Alec
@Alec, what would be a minimum weight (travel) scuba config that you would still feel safe and comfortable with in ow and cavern environments? Thanks so much for your videos!
Hi Zolt.I'm not sure what you mean by weight - the actual weight of the reg set??
For all OW including caverns, you need only a reg system - reg, Sfae Second, SPG/computer and LP hose for the BCD. The weight of this system will vary from 5 pounds to 15 pounds depending on make and model. My current system is very light and suits all my diving - Oceanic ZEO reg, XS Scuba AltAir Safe Second and pressure transmitter for my Air- Integrated wrist computer. I don't think it weighs 4 pounds!
I hope that's what you wanted.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Awesome, that's exactly what I was looking for. I'll read about those gear, and thank you!
Hi alec! Thanks a lot for all your interesting vids, I realy enjoy them! As a suggestion, could you once talk about nitrox vs. normal regulators and about what a service man does if he gets a regulator and first stage O2 clean for use up to 100% oxygen??? Can every regulator be serviced as such that it can be used for 100% O2 after? thanks!
Kev and I are working on a Nitrox For Dummies series to try and dispel some myths and help divers understand the why and where of Enriched Air.
This 'oxygen cleaning' thing will certainly be covered. It's a genuine problem in the Nitrox world.
To give you a quick answer, sure, a regulator can be cleaned to be safe for 100% oxygen. Regulators on medical oxygen tanks are obviously clean for 100%. In scuba there's not so much need since we don't (seldom,) use 100%. One difficulty you face with a nice, clean-to-100% regulator is that you can no longer use it for air or even a mixture of air (Nitrox) or it's no longer clean for 100%. It's possible if you're careful about the air source but easy to make a mistake and your efforts and expense are wasted.
Thanks for watching. Talk again soon.
Alec
So this can also test the standard air quality,C02 etc
Nope, only measures the O2 percentage, nothing else. All other contaminates should be eliminated by the filling station. Check their posted air quality report to see how current it is and if they passed all requirements.
Alec Peirce Scuba thank you
They all work the same. The big question is how many hands you need to operate one. There are plenty of cheap devices that require three hands.
It can be frustrating for those with less than perfect co-ordination but most get the hang of it with practice.
Take care.
Alec..
These things are crazy expensive if you think about what they are.. Technically the "analyzer" is nothing more than a 5$ multimeter, it just has an additional potentiometer to adjust the offset and factors in a correction curve..
The "Sensor" part is a galvanic cell (a battery) which is driven by oxygen through a membrane.. The output leads of the cell are connected to a resistor to get a voltage drop, this voltage is measured by the analyzer (multimeter). As more oxygen diffuses through the membrane into the sensor cell a higher current is generated generating a higher voltage drop on the resistor (ohms law).
That´s why the sensors have a lifespan as basically the electrodes inside the cell are oxydized after some amount of oxygen has entered the cell.. You can increase the lifespan by placing the sensor into a very small air tight box when not in use.
So basically 300-600$ for a battery and a multimeter.. crazy expensive..
When purchased new do they come with a factory calibration sticker / cert or do they expect you to send it in for calibration and pay for that the first time as well?
By the way I understand ones adjust the unit before each use to environmental air to set the percentage of O2. I speak as to knowing the integrity of the actual O2 sensor operating within the proper tolerances at each end of the operating curve since this sensor is critical for concerns of life support SCUBA activities.
Jeff Morgan -- Exact calibration isn't needed, because diving Nitrox isn't an exact science. Every diver will have his or her own tolerance to oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis, etc., so no single mixture will be guaranteed safe for any particular diver...or even for the same diver on any particular dive. For that reason, we dive within limits that have a margin a safety built in. If you adjust your analyzer each time so that it shows the "room air" to be in the 20.5 to 21.5 percent oxygen range then it will give you a reasonably accurate reading of the oxygen percentage in the Nitrox mixture when you test the cylinder air.
Yes and for this reason I looked into make my own Nitrox analyzer. But you still need to buy the sensor part which is not cheap and has a limited life span, so that reduces the incentive to make my own. If someone figures out a way to make a cheaper and long lasting sensor, we'll all be interested.
Not terrible expensive! at about $300-$400, really? Shouldn't all LDS have one of those and let tank owners to use it before they leave the store?
What about on a boat, vacation, etc. I go to many places where diving is popular. They don't have the time or equipment for each person. They ask if you want air or 32%.
I didn't have one until I started doing GUE. GUE requires you to have your own at least my instructor. $300 is cheap. Compare that to the ones for trimix. Those are around $800.