D.I.Y. Trimix Comes To Victoria
Article by Peter Fear, The Scuba Doctor
Melbourne, along with Sydney, offers ideal sites for Trimix diving. Melbourne has a multitude of wrecks to 80mts and wall dives exceeding 90mts. In Mount Gambier trimix is also being used in "The Shaft".
In Melbourne we have excellent trimix instructors including TDI, IANTD and BSAC. Courses can be arranged through us with any of these three agencies. Previously, if you completed a Trimix course, you most likely couldn't get a fill unless you had a friend or contact with a filling program, a fill whip, a compressor, helium and oxygen analyzers along with helium and oxygen storage cylinders at home. A very expensive exercise with monthly rental on cylinders, including high dollar rates for helium because most divers don't use enough to get the best retail rate.
The popularity of trimix diving is slowly increasing. However the amount of enquiries and interest The Scuba Doctor has been getting about technical diving indicates that many more divers would proceed to trimix if they could get cheaper, no hassle fills. The popularity of trimix diving is certainly on the rise.
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D.I.Y Trimix Fills
At The Scuba Doctor we have designed and built our own modern mixed gas fill panel with the aim of providing trimix fills at an affordable rate for divers and to encourage those considering trimix to participate.
Previously, left over fills after a trimix dive are either topped up with air or dumped to atmosphere to make way for the next fill. Both these practices waste the expensive helium and oxygen used along with air to make up the trimix. This gas could not be topped up with helium or oxygen for your next trimix dive as all filling is by partial pressure blending, i.e. you can only fill to the pressure of the gas you have in the storage cylinders. This is generally not enough unless you have multiple cylinders. A very expensive exercise considering, monthly cylinder rental and the cost of helium and oxygen.
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Booster Pump
To overcome the expensive wastage of left over gas, The Scuba Doctor have purchased and installed a helium/oxygen booster pump. This allows us to analyze your remaining mix and along with the cylinder pressure calculate the pressure and amount of helium and oxygen required for your next trimix dive. This can then be added to your cylinders using the booster pump without wasting valuable gas.
The Scuba Doctor have available for your use on our computer, mixing and top up programs. Also supplied are helium and 2 oxygen analyzers.
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Qualifications
With your trimix certification, an advanced gas blenders certificate and a short course in the operation of our panel and booster pump, that is all that is required for your DIY fills.
If you don't have your advanced gas blender certification, we are happy to fill for you at no extra charge.
Along with our normal hours of 6 days a week, including weekends and public holidays, we will also open by appointment after hours if required.
Trimix diving in Victoria has suddenly become much more affordable.
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