Metric -vs- Imperial

Grizz

Is their any advantage to using metric of imperial or the other way around for a new ccr diver?
I'm use to imperial but that is on OC so witch will be faster to read and do any
math if any in my head ?
I know its probably a stupid Question.

hchoat

My fiance and I (both relatively new Meg divers) have been debating the idea. He thinks going to metric will make things much easier- I, however, am resistant, as I never bothered to learn the metric system..... I think in theory it might be easier- but the hassle of learning all those new untis of measure seems not worth it to me. Besides- 50' means something to me, as does 1500 psi.... I have no reference for "meter" or "bar".

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caverkevin

Growing up in the States and now living in France. I am fairly mixed up with my unit and what I like to use. Here is my take.

Figuring meters of depth to ATA is really easy. Doing Dalton's law math in your head is a little easier with Metric. Figuring out the amount of gas in your cylinder when you have bars and liter marked cylinders is easy. Gas mixing is pretty much the same. Looking at the SPG is about the same in either

Since deco is generally planned around 10 foot steps. Remembers the stop depths in meters is kinda tricky. Like Heather said, it is kinda hard to get your head around how deep you are in meters if you know imperial. Most of the time I have to think about it and convert back into feet. It is getting better the more I use meters. I have been toying with the idea of switching to 5 meter steps for deco.

Personally I like using metric for diving over imperial. It does make a lot of thing a little easier. I also live in a metric world now. I really doubt I would change if I still lived in the States.

Cheers!!

Kevin

Beanie

hey 3m steps is easy just go up 3 on your gauge (set to metres)
if your gauges are all metric its got to be easier

but I'm biased I've only ever dived metric

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Grizz

Thanks for the input.
i think ill try some dry (wet ) metric runs on OC this week.
i have tell the 27th of july be for my Mod1 class starts.
and hmmmmmm im going to need a pee valve for sure now.

PeteS

I grew up with both imperial and metric. I've dived in both. Metric is easier.

When you need to work out partial pressures for flushes, absolute pressure is 1 bar per 10m + 1 Bar. Easy.

Gas quantities at depth? Cylinder volume x bar / absolute pressure.

All easy numbers to work with.

On the otherhand, why not convert your Rebreather's to Imperial? Working out the PSI partial pressures of O2 on a dill flush using 18/35 at 275 feet should be a doddle......... 24.54psi......

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caveseeker7

For me it was the opposite, moved from metric to imperial.
Major pita, absolutely no system in it. :

Got accustomed to psi on the contents gauge, but distances suck.
Same for weights and volumes.
Am suprised they have 24 hours in day, not 39.42.

For gas and CCR related calculation metric is way easier,
did it in my head while everyone else went nuts on their calculators.

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Cheers
Stefan



"Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media,
which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.'!"

decoweenie

Ditto.

Padowan

Not used Imperial for diving things - I use imperial and metric interchangably in life, distances in miles, some measurements in feet and inches, some in metres, I inflate my bike tyres to 50psi.

ALL the diving stuff I do though is in metric, I can do PPO2 calculations in my head really easily - and when diving a CCR, this is a useful skill IMHO.

Every 10m = +1 bar
Every 33feet = +14.7psi

I know which numbers look more appealing to work with!!!

I do agree though that 10 foot stop depths are perhaps more logical - but then again, why was 10 feet chosen in the first place and then converted to 3m - why don't we metric-ites use 5m stop transitions that would also me easy.... another discussion.

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abowie

Imperial is only used by Americans.

Stay with the rest of the World and use metric.

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Andrew Bowie

Rebreather-friendly Buddy