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Cameron,

<I was wondering whether equipment used in trimex needs to be
<specially cleaned or whether the rigs used can be used for
<normal air too. I am aware of the need to have Nitrox equipment O2
<clean.

Many people in the US dive what we call "Heli-air" or "Poor man's trimix",
in which helium is added to an empty tank, and then topped up to working
pressure with air.  In this kind of mixing, the tanks, regulators, etc.
do NOT have to be oxygen cleaned, or prepped in special way to use trimix.

However, this does not produce what I like to call and "optimal" mix, in
which both the narcosis level and the partial pressures of oxgyen are
adjusted to a given dive depth.  Often, this requires additional oxygen
to be added to the system (usually the first gas to be added), and thus
requires that the tank and valve be oxygen cleaned and prepped.  

Hope this helps -

John

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