Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
> My local shop has one good technical instructor who teaches the IANTD program. > But the "deep air" has "Nitrox" as a pre-requisite (so I was told) and I have > no big plans for Nitrox diving (let alone the money for O2-clean regulator, > tank, and SPG required for the EAN dives). Nor do I plan (at this point) to > do anything deep enough to entertain EAN for a travel gas or deco mix. I > simply want to be prepared in the event that deco is mandatory, perhaps to the > point where I would voluntarily plan a deco dive. Just one point here. You can dive Nitrox mixtures of up to 40% O2 without going thru the expense of O2 cleaning your regulator, spg, etc. You _WILL_ need to provide (or rent) an O2 cleaned tank, however. Many fill stations that provide Nitrox use a "partial pressure" method to enhance the percentage of O2 in the mix. To accomplish this, they put pure O2 in the tank prior to adding hydrocarbon-free compressed air. If you have any junk in the tank or valve, an explosion is possible. Once the O2 has been mixed down with the compressed air, it can be used with non-O2 clean equipment, so long as the fraction of O2 does not exceed 40 percent. > Is Nitrox prevalent enough (or "desirable") to warrant the extra expense, or > am I wrong in assuming that "deep air" (without EAN mixes) diving is common? > I'm only contemplating "sane" air depths ( < 200 fsw) and not planning on > trying the Andrea Doria or something similar which is well below my head. > Any feedback (positive or negative) is welcome -- I just get the impression > that commercial training is after my wallet (Nitrox gear) rather than caring > about my safety (formal deco instruction on air). Like you, I too would question the requirement of Nitrox before Deep Air. I believe that Deep Air is just that - air. The possible exceptions would be the discussion of partial pressures, the physiological effects of O2 and N2 at higher pressures and the use of Nitrox as a decompression gas. I would kinda hope they would cover at least the first two of these in the Deep Air class. I have taken the IANTD Nitrox class as my introduction to technical diving. I found the class to be very informative and I do enjoy diving on Nitrox (reduced N2 narcosis, better bottom times and especially a significant reduction in the post- dive blahs! :-). I highly recommend you take it. And please verify what I have told you with the dive shop. :~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~: :Patrick Murphy : murphy@un*.sl*.un*.co* : :Unisys, Government Systems Division :"I would kill for her! : :McLean, VA : I would die for her! : :(703) 847-2545 : Either way, what bliss!" : : Opinions expressed are mine alone : Gomez Addams. The Addams Family : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The score: Opinions-3 A**holes-1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]