I agree, my OMS analyzer had some crud in the flow meter that I had 
to clean out before the thing would even work, and the wings I got 
from them were missing some parts so they wouldn't hold air, so I 
have no love lost for OMS.  However, now that the analyzer is working 
it's a reasonable unit.  All it is, basically, is a flowmeter with a 
sensor and a little box with a readout and an adjustment, same as the 
miniox and several others on the market.  I liked it 'cause it came 
with a flowmeter, but in real life you don't need it.  A restrictor 
is precise enough, or you are diving your PO2's too high.

Cheers.

Skip MacElhannon wrote:
~
>OMS can't even make something as simple as a tank vavle.  I had a 
>couple of brand new OMS K-valves in my parts bin and thought I would 
>try one on a stage tank.  The valve is hard to turn and almost 
>impossible to crack slightly to analyze the gas.  It is either off, 
>full on, or if you do manage to get a moderate flow, it creeps off 
>again in 2-3 seconds.
>
>Skip
>
>
>At 06:58 AM 10/24/01 -0400, Trey wrote:
>>
>>Art, consider the source - from those who brought us bondage wings ,
>>slobwinders, and every other kind of ridiculous trinket out there. My
>>opinion is that these people are morons and they know jack about diving. Why
>>anyone would go to them for anything but a good laugh is beyond me.
>>
>>OMS had a display table one time at an NACD convention. I honestly burst out
>>laughing when I saw the collection of nonsense they make. One person
>>commented that it looked like " a police evidence table at a stupidly
>>investigation".
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Art.Paltz@R2*.CO* [mailto:Art.Paltz@R2*.CO*]
>>Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 4:53 PM
>>To: techdiver@aquanaut.com
>>Subject: RE: O2 Analyzer
>>
>>
>>Patrick,
>>
>>I think we are saying basically the same thing.  I've never owned an OMS O2
>>analyzer but a friend said that the OMS brochure said the sensor lasted
>>forever, that is what I was referring to.  I guess it's a justification for
>>the high price.  I think their sensor has a little holder that seals the
>>sensor head.  If I was given bad information I apologize.  I too think its
>>BS that a sensor never goes bad.  This isn't Star Trek, fuel cells don't
>>last forever or recharge themselves all by themselves....  :)
>>
>>The "Spectrum Oxygen Analyzer" I gave the Web site for
>>(http://www.oxygenanalyzer.com/) uses as standard the MSA 406931 30 second
>>sensor (replacement cost $49) and for $10 more will send the Teledyne R-17A
>>10 second sensor (you guessed it, replacement cost $59).  I think these
>>sensors are extremely competitive.  I'm pretty sure that if you for whatever
>>reason liked another sensor better you could configure the unit to use that
>>type.  If you need/want that you can contact them directly (they are nice
>>people), I know they also use the Maxtec sensor.
>>
>>My sensor is 3 years old and I'm going to replace it next year.  Don't want
>>to go to analyze tanks and have it dead.  Better save than sorry, $49 every
>>3 years isn't going to break my bank regardless if the sensor is going or
>>not.
>>
>>Art.
>>
>>
>>  -----Original Message-----
>>From:   Patrick Duffy [mailto:pduffyca@ea*.ne*]
>>Sent:   Tuesday, October 23, 2001 12:45 PM
>>To:     Paltz, Art
>>Cc:     rmmacleod@ac*.ca*; techdiver@aquanaut.com
>>Subject:        Re: O2 Analyzer
>>
>>Art,
>>
>>All O2 analyzers perform the same function and most all have similar (and
>>often
>>identical) components.  Usually the higher end units have sealed
>>potentiometers,
>>on/off switches and electronics enclosures and have a more expensive panel
>>meter.
>>
>>One question often over looked is the cost of a replacement sensor.  A
>>number of
>>manufacturers have chosen to use a high output sensor in their designs which
>>results in a more expensive sensor.  Others even go as far as making a
>>proprietary sensor shell to force you to buy their sensor at inflated
>>prices.
>>Then there are the mfgs that put the least expensive sensor in the unit in
>>an
>>effort to keep the total price of the analyzer down.  Some sensors do have a
>>shorter life than others (read the specs if they will tell you the sensor
>>mfg)
>>as well as different response times.  I've even seen dive equipment
>>manufacturers state the sensor will last longer than the sensor manufacturer
>>claims it will (figure that one out).  There are many sensor manufacturers
>>out
>>there, making a sensor is not too hard, making a sensor that is consistent
>>in
>>performance is the difficult part.  I've never heard of a sensor lasting
>>forever, they are basically batteries that produce mv based on the amount
>>oxygen
>>exposure.  The greater the PPO2 and length of exposure, the shorter the life
>>will be.
>>
>>Replacing a sensor in an oxygen analyzer is not needed until it is dead.  In
>>most cases you'll be able to calibrate it today, but will not tomorrow.  The
>>only divers that should seriously consider scheduled replacement are those
>>diving rebreathers.
>>
>>Putting the analyzer and sensor in a box is wise for protection, but it will
>>not
>>extend the sensor life ... too much space.  Along the subject of placing
>>caps on
>>the sensor, they cut off the amount of oxygen and do drop the mv
>>significantly.
>>I placed a cap over a new sensor I am testing the other day.  The sensor was
>>measured at 10.4mv.  I placed a cap on the sensor and over a 4 day period
>>the
>>sensor mv dropped until it reached 1.4mv.  At that time, I took off the cap
>>to
>>see how fast the sensor would recover ... it came back to 10.3mv in about
>>three
>>seconds.  I checked it about 20 minutes later and it was back to 10.4mv.
>>This
>>is a new sensor that is not presently available, and I know not every sensor
>>make will have this response/recovery time.  Most require much more recovery
>>time.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>Patrick
>>--
>>OxyCheq ... the diver's source for oxygen sensors
>>http://oxycheq.com
>>
>>
>>
>>Art.Paltz@R2*.CO* wrote:
>>
>>>  I bought from http://www.oxygenanalyzer.com/
>>>
>>>  In my opinion they are all pretty much the same except for the price.  If
>>>  you think about it, all it is, is a panel meter (volt meter) and an O2
>>>  sensor.  As far as I know all panel meters are pretty much the same in the
>>>  range we are talking (1-2%).  If we were measuring where millionths of a
>>>  volt mattered then there would be a difference.  I don't know for sure but
>>>  even a one percent reading for the oxygen content is only like a millivolt
>>>  and I don't think that's too hard to read for most volt meters.  You're
>>>  variance is really going to be in the sensor which if you read the specs
>>is
>>>  pretty much a percent or 2.  I don't know the difference in the sensors,
>>>  you'd have to ask someone else but again, for our purpose, they are all
>>>  pretty much the same as long as kept relatively fresh.  You should be
>>>  selecting an O2 content (Po2) that is not going to kill you and is way in
>>>  the save zone.  If you are pushing really hot bottom or decompression
>>mixes
>>>  then you probably should be changing the sensor all the time as they do
>>>  degrade over time (should you choose to be this dumb).  If you have some
>>>  reason that I can't really think of where you need to use these type of
>>>  mixes you might want to invest in a spectrum analyzer cause being
>>extremely
>>>  accurate probably matters.
>>>
>>>  The one at the above site is pretty much the same thing as the one you can
>>>  build in the O2 hackers handbook.  If you are like me and bought all the
>>>  parts (minus sensor) to build one yourself but are too lazy to do it, then
>>>  this is a good deal for you.
>>>
>>>  I wouldn't believe the claims of sensors lasting forever on some
>>analyzers.
>>>  They all go!  It's just that I think some of them have a cap to cap off
>>the
>>>  sensor when not in use so it stops degrading until the next use.  You can
>>do
>>>  this yourself by putting the analyzer and sensor in an air tight pelican
>>>  box....  A lot cheaper and you should probably have the analyzer/sensor in
>>a
>>>  box anyway so it's doesn't break it.....
>>>
>>>  Just my opinion, hope it helps.
>>>  Art.
>>>
>>>   -----Original Message-----
>>>  From:   The McLeods [mailto:rmmacleod@ac*.ca*]
>>>  Sent:   Sunday, October 21, 2001 8:16 PM
>>>  To:     techdiver
>>  > Subject:        O2 anylizer
>>>
>>>  Hi list,I'm looking to buy a new O2 anylizer.I'd like some opinions on
>>which
>>>  one is best,best buy,best made ect.Are all the makes available in
>>Canada,how
>>>  much are replacement sensor's and what are the best features.Thank's in
>>>  advance,Randy
>>>
>>>  --
>>>  Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
>>>  Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
>>>  --
>>>  Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
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>>--
>>Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
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