Mixed gas mix-up almost got me at 100 feet off Pensacola

I was running a hot tap on a gas line off Pensacola last spring. My gas analyzer started flashing a bad mix on my trimix, but my tender was insisting the numbers looked fine topside. I called the dive and surfaced anyway, and it turned out my helium tank was reading 15% low. Has anyone else had issues with gas suppliers sending questionable fills?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_henry28d ago

Yeah that's sketchy man. My buddy got a bad helium mix from a big supplier down in Houston last year, almost had to emergency ascent from 120 feet. Always double check every tank with your own analyzer before splashing, and never trust the tender on that one. I started logging serial numbers on my fills too just in case. Scary how many corners these gas companies cut sometimes.

oliviahenderson23d ago

Whoa, @the_henry that's wild. Logging serial numbers is smart, one bad mix is all it takes to ruin your whole weekend. I'd be paranoid too after hearing that.