Who DOESN'T analyze their gas?

[IowaCaveDiver]

I know most anyone reading this will happily post about how they always analyze their breathing gas... I don't want to hear from you (sorry)... I want to hear from the divers who don't analyze their gas. My wife and I have for years consistently, without miss, made analyzing our gas part of our gear-up routine. We do it together (she is always afraid I am going to whack the analyzer out of calibration so I must be babysat), mark our tanks, set our computers and then go for our dive. If we are diving on a boat we usually do it the night before in the garage, then pack up and go.
Recently I was diving with some new friends (off shore/boat spearfishing) and noticed they didn't analyze their gas. When I asked if they did, they simply said the shop they get it from just pumps 32% so there is nothing to worry about, and they went about the day as if nothing mattered. A couple of trips later they surfaced complaining of headaches, which we thought to be overexertion, but they worsened during the night accompanied by noxiousness the next morning. I became very concerned for them, as I didn't know whom they were getting gas from, so I analyzed their tanks for oxygen, and they were good. I then ordered a C0 analyzer, something I have been meaning to get for awhile now and anxiously awaited its delivery.
So, it got me thinking... every time I am somewhere like peacock or JB or wherever other divers are present, I cannot recall hardly ever seeing anyone pull out an analyzer and test their gas. We all were taught it is important, we all know the potential for gas mix-ups or incorrect fills or even the possibility of C0 contamination. Most basic Nitrox classes teach you that the correct practice is to analyze the gas at the shop at the time of pickup and that the fill should be logged at the fill station prior to departure. Of course in cave country, this isn't the case... you can get tanks slammed full of nitrox or other gas without showing a C-card and certainly without analyzing before departure. Enough said... back to my original inquiry... who DOESN'T analyze their gas? why?

[Seanmeboy]

I haven't been to a shop yet that did not have an O2 analyzer you could use. Yes and a lot of shops will make you analyze it and sign the log.. However a co2 analyzer isn't as readily available. And for some reason people don't tend to monitor or analyzes air. Even though there's the same potential for co2. I admit I don't monitor for co2. I wish I had a co2 monitor since the shops have the o2 monitor

[tursiops]

Is this like asking, "If anyone here is dead, raise your hand?"

Hey, you said they were spearfishing. That's all you needed to know.

[Jax]

I haven't been to a shop yet that did not have an O2 analyzer you could use. Yes and a lot of shops will make you analyze it and sign the log.. However a co2 analyzer isn't as readily available. And for some reason people don't tend to monitor or analyzes air. Even though there's the same potential for co2. I admit I don't monitor for co2. I wish I had a co2 monitor since the shops have the o2 monitor

Want to point out that it is CO (Carbon Monoxide), not CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) for which you measure. You can get the headache and nauseousness from breathing too fast on perfectly good gas, due to failure to properly breath and exchange CO2.

[a64pilot]

I often don't if I'm present while the tanks are being filled and I can see the in-line analyzer. But, Tri-mix I always analyze, I don't have a CO analyzer.
I find it comical when I see people mark their tanks to the .1 percent of O2, you don't think our recreational analyzers are that accurate do you?

[Jax]

I often don't if I'm present while the tanks are being filled and I can see the in-line analyzer. But, Tri-mix I always analyze, I don't have a CO analyzer.
I find it comical when I see people mark their tanks to the .1 percent of O2, you don't think our recreational analyzers are that accurate do you?

Nor are the computers' place holders giving that level of accuracy. I guess it helps to remember to round up or down?

[a64pilot]

As far as rounding, another way is to never bust the floor for the mix, as in don't go deeper than 110 for 32%, but run air tables for conservatism. I do that for my Kids as I'm not real sure there has ever been any studies on Nitrox and younger people, applies probably for older, possibly overweight people as well?
Only way I can think of for an electrically driven compressor to get CO in it would be for the operator to use an incorrect oil, one that would burn at high compression temperatures? Of course I guess they could park a running lawnmower right beside the air intake, but other than that, where could the CO come from?

[Jax]

As far as rounding, another way is to never bust the floor for the mix, as in don't go deeper than 110 for 32%, but run air tables for conservatism. I do that for my Kids as I'm not real sure there has ever been any studies on Nitrox and younger people, applies probably for older, possibly overweight people as well?
Only way I can think of for an electrically driven compressor to get CO in it would be for the operator to use an incorrect oil, one that would burn at high compression temperatures? Of course I guess they could park a running lawnmower right beside the air intake, but other than that, where could the CO come from?

There have been several problems overseas, with poorly maintained compressors and not carefully controlling what is around the air intake. Don't think there has been one in the US from a dive shop.

[kwinter]

Don't think there has been one in the US from a dive shop.

Think again. There have been several reports of serious injury from bad gas at USA dive shops.

[bpcfire1]

I got bad gas from a dive shop here in CENTRAL FLORIDA. It was reported and the problem was being worked on that day.