Argon suit inflation

[daz]

Hi All,

After advice and recommendation for a cheap argon setup,  need to know as much as possible.  Average price for a fill, recommended size of cylinder, 1st stage (Special one required I guess ?).

Just for info,  I know this maybe overkill but I am considering one for the wife as she feels the cold and it would extend her diving season.  

TIA
Daz

[Dominic]

If you'e using air or nitrox, you're unlikely to get any benefit from Argon...

The first stage can be any conventional one, but it needs either a DV or an OPV (Over-pressure valve) in case the reg decides to freeflow.

Remember to mark the cylinder very clearly as being non-breathable air, there's been at least one death from somebody deciding to go pootling around the swimming pool using daddy's little scuba tank...

You might want to look into something like the Xerotherm for her instead - I bought my mother some of the Xerotherm socks, and they keep her feet warm. There can be no greater endorsement!

[Duncan]

Hi Daz,
Ive started using argon and it seems to make quite a difference.
What sort of diving do you/your wife do? i notice a difference using argon but really only on longer dives (1hour+) less than that & i dont tend to feel the cold anyway. if your not looking to do deep/long duration dives i wouldnt bother with Argon its just extra crap to carry around & go wrong and i struggle to find anyone local that keeps it. (working on getting it at RoHo)
i wouldnt suggest moving to argon, first i would look closely at
1. how much weight does your wife dive with? sometimes adding a little will alow you keep more air in your suit during the dive = happy Bunny
2.What sort of undersuit does she wear? -its not a ten year old wooly bear??
if you need a new undersuit i can recomend  a coulple

[daz]

Thanks for the advice guys.

The wife uses a 4th element xerotherm with a weezle extreme overtop.  I guess she is just prone to the cold.  To be fair she did have surgery to remove her thyroid a couple of years ago and notices the cold a lot more since.

Sounds like Argon is not the way to go,  I think I will start playing around with resistance wire and batteries (might as well have a second use for my DIY battery pack. )  Nothing like mixing electricity with water to spice things up.  

Cheers anyway,
Daz

[Dominic]

You could try replacing the Extreme with the Extreme +

Or maybe a compressed neoprene drysuit, which I gather are a bit more insulating than simple membranes..

Then there's the amount of heat that can be lost through the hands and head - is she using a good quality, thick hood? Gloves? Have you tried those 3-finger mitts John Gulliver (I think) swears by?

All else failing, buy her a bigger cylinder and namby pamby fins, add 5kg to her weight belt, and she can keep warm by finning like #### to keep up with you ;)

[daz]

Actually she does what she can to insulate herself, hood, gloves etc... but cannot abide really thick gloves as she can't operate anything.  

Somehow the idea of a bigger cylinder and small fins, great though it is, would never work.  Well it would work once but after the dive she would be wearing my balls for earings. ;)

Actually all joking aside I am seriously considering the resistance wire approach.  If i fix it between 2 T shirts I know I can make something that is safe even if it does get wet.  I already have batteries, reed switchs and the like so for the £5 that a reel of wire will cost it has got to be worth a play.

(And if it does not work,  I can always start looking at the market for heated hand grips (Interested Mr Binnie !!).

Daz

[Phil Ennis]

Is the Wife well insured !!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds fun Daz, I have seen a full undersuit somewhere with the setup you are talking of trying, cant remember where I saw it, maybe someone else has seen it.

Good luck and let us know how it goes, if the thermal aspect doesnt work then the wife might get a cheap Perm out of it.............I have been watching too many cartoons.

[Duncan]

Daz,
just a thought - when you mention the electric thing.... i happen to know that EoHo have some really cheap (£50 i think) electric heated thinsulate undersuits, there old stock thats been in the the shop forever and they dont come with a battery, but just might be the ticket for you missus?

[daz]

Dunkster,

You are a legend mate.  I owe you a big drink if we ever meet up.  Just phoned RoHo,  got 2 of them on the way to me.

1 left if anyone fancies a chance on a medium heated undersuit, 12v no battery.  

Thanks again,

Daz

[Duncan]

glad i  could help mate.
thought about getting one myself but im afraid a medium just aint gonna cover much of me!
let us know how they work.

p.s if you need 12v batteries cheap?