Quote: (Originally Posted by
Sutty)
The trouble with having cells individually tested by a reseller is that it requires the package to be broken, and therefore no longer stored in an inert atmosphere unless the resellers can set this up. The shelf life is therefore reduced, which may be an issue for "spare" cells.
What we really need is cells that are all individually tested by the manufacturer prior to sealing/sale. I'm assuming this doesn't happen already. Personally I would pay a premium for such cells.
This in unfortunately an old fable that stubbornly sticks around. It is not necesary at all to store it in an inert atmosphere - as long as you store it in a small sealed (airtight) bag. The cell will then just use the very little bit of O2 in the bag - and that's it. APD re-seals the cells after testing in a new small bag. That's good enough.
In fact, there is at least one manufacturer here on Rebreather World that says that storing them in a sealed bag doesn't make any difference anyway in terms of overall lifetime. I forgot which one; I thought the guys from Innerspace..? Too lazy to find out.
Look at it this way: if you seal it in a small bag with air, and the cell uses up the remaining O2 in it, it is effectively stored in inert gas, called nitrogen....
ciao,
Tino.