O2 Bank/System

[Superlyte27]

Guys:

I've been partial pressure blending Nitrox and Trimix for more than a decade, but recently I was approached by someone wishing to build a suitable system for several people to use weekly (myself included). I've been cascading 3 2400lb O2 bottles per week. And while this is a VERY cheap way to make nitrox, it's time consuming and I need larger quanities.

I've heard there's a couple ways to go:

Keep doing what I'm doing, but bank the 32%. i.e. fill a bank with correct amount of oxygen then top of with air.

A stick

A membrane system.

I'm familiar with the membrane system, we had one in Key Largo, the thing cost a fortune and it's severely out of my price range. However, I know nothing about the stick method. Can anyone offer input, advice, warning? I'm looking at least tripleing my current usage.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[mfascuba]

Talk to Wayne Kinard of Amigos Dive Center in Fort White - he uses the stick to blend his gas / fill banks.

[Brian Kakuk]

I use Wayne's Trihunter 6000 Nitrox/Trimix mixing stick with great results.

http://www.amigosdivecenter.com/stick.html

I don't bank nitrox because I need two different blends on a daily basis (28 and 33) for cave diving here. I can dial in anything I want while I fill 4 tanks at a time and can make adjustments on the fly if needed (turn 33 into 28 or 28 into 33 if needed). I have not used it for Trimix yet. A very good piece of equipment that has saved me a lot of money in oxygen. I also have a membrane system but I don't use it because it uses so much drive air (about 2 to 1 for EAN 32) requiring me to run my little compressor to death. I would need to buy a large medium pressure shop compressor to take the load off of my dive compressor, which means one more piece of equipment drawing power and requiring maintenance/filters etc.

Safe diving,
Brian

[Superlyte27]

Ok, that looks like absolutely the way to go. Thanks a ton guys. Anything I should know about? Service life? Replaceable parts?

[Brian Kakuk]

That's the beauty of the system (and the real reason I wanted it). I've been running mine in the field and at the shop for more than a year, and the only things that needs changing is the main intake filter found at any hardware store and the two in-line o2 sensors (have not had to replace mine yet).

Safe diving,
Brian