Diving-Quality Air: At What Price?

I haven't dived for a loooong time and don't even know all the detail.

Here in SA the rules are strict including compulsory testing inspections , sertification and replacement.

In any case that would be the last item I would attempt to save on. I would rather go without women than go for cheap dirty refills. Even AIDS can be managed but death is death.

Hi Hendrik,

Ek dink.... Bliksem, is dit regtig 'n vraag?

(that's Southafricaneese for --- Cheep dive air.... got to be a dumb ass!!)

What do you define as pure air?

I do some diving and I always go out in groups with the local dive shop owners and employees. In order to save on the pile of tanks we need to take with from the local shop we just use a standard issue three stage gas powered air compressor to pump up the tanks at the site. Why bring 10 tanks with for each diver if you can just use two? One in use the other being filled.

The compressor just has a good intake air filter and moisture traps between each stage and at the end stage. Its basically just the gas engine driven version of the same units at the shop only smaller and portable.

For deep diving we bring the specialty gas tanks from the shop but otherwise fill on site is normal standard procedure. As I have been told this method is standard and common procedure world wide.

And divers like to save money don't they! So why not take a chance with poor air quality. If something goes wrong - blame the standards and the laws

I'm not sure what divers you hang out with, but for myself and I think I can speak for my friends who dive, the last thing we would skimp on is our air supply (air quality/ regulator). Being able to blame a problem on the supplier or the standards and the law is ridiculous (imho). The risk is too high. I end up a veggie for the rest of my life and am not even able to understand the fact that my wife was able to successfully sue someone for having a bad law. I would rather not take that chance.

John

in response to JBTardis ..the last thing we would skimp on is our air supply..

That is exactly what I thought - and no right minded diver would think otherwise - but there is a school of thought (amongst a few people who move in committee circles) that resists improvement to the standards for installing/updating equipment, maintaining same, and then self-testing to check performance- and then third party independent lab testing to prove compliance - on the grounds of cost.

" ...it would cost a fortune -the divers wouldn't pay it - it would drive the industry underground..." - and so the argument goes...

But not so, because, if as most divers say here, they want and expect pure air, because they are paying for it, and have confidence in their suppliers, then it means that (existing) standards are generally being observed, in which case the improvements proposed (based on latest medical knowledge and technical advancement) are only likely to have a marginal affect on the overall cost of the majority of compliant compressor systems.

The so called cowboys in the 'underground' industry (or should it be 'underwater'?) will not be able to demonstrate compliance and thus not compete - regardless of how 'low' the price is.

It is your life. If you want to skimp on air quality, Ok, But I won't. As previously mentioned, moisture and CO/CO2 are big things, but the biggest as far as I am concerned is oil. Oil can coat your lungs. Lymphoid pneumonia, if I remember right. I believe I have had it from a different situation and it is not nice. It is a real bummer when you cannot catch your breath, and I believe that I still have the effects ten years later. Not something I would want to do again. When I used to dive, dove commercially for ten years, I watched the hours on the filters very closely. When I do a recreational dive, if I don't like the look of an air shop, I won't deal there.

As I said before, IT IS YOU LIFE!

I've been diving over 40 years. I will only use reliable and trusted sites to fill my tanks. As stated before, under pressure many of the toxins can become greatly increased, but as you dive deeper, concentration of gasses increases. Nitrogen narcosis occurs the deeper you go. If you don't watch your bottom time your body becomes saturated with nitrogen. If you don't decompress on the way up, the nitrogen will create gas in your bloodstream and throughout your body causing "the bends". This is bad enough. I don't want to have to worry about oil in my lungs or great concentrations of CO or CO². Most good dive shops isolate the drive for the compressor separately so no contamination can occur. I'd rather pay double then have some fly-by-night operation fill my tanks.

Thanks everybody

Hendrik, tcmtech, JBTardis, Sapper, vtbgiraud, Bushdriver, Randall, charsley ....

what a super set of positive answers.

Here's a link to a very recent article that will confirm what you have been saying:

http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/7964

"Compressed breathing air – the potential for evil from within"

SO now you have me confused. What is your supposed standard for breathable air tested too?

I asked my friend at the Scuba shop about their compressor systems and she said every one of their compressor systems is certified for breathable air by all recognized and valid Scuba safety agencies and it is also certified by the powers that be that state it meets or exceeds all requirements for the fire and rescue agencies that also get their tanks filled by them as well. The paper work is there if I want to see it.

If the portable gas drive unit meets the PADI and the fire and rescue service requirements I have no problem with it being used to fill my tanks on site.

I know them and trust what they have to say and I will take their word over some faceless names on some internet chat site!

Tcmtech,

The comment was directed at the OP in regards to cutting corners to save a little bit of cash.

I am fully aware that there are many good divers, suppliers and shops. I have also used portable units to refill tanks and Hooka dive, but only when set up and used as per applicable rules and processes.

Diving is a Safe recreational or professional activity if done the right way with the right people and equipment.

This does not change the fact that short cuts can kill people.

My sincere apologies if I caused offence.

Regards,
Sapper