Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent

**PhilSiswick** · 17th May 2007, 12:25

Quote: (Originally Posted by Padipro)

I've heard that it's dustier then Sofnolime, I'll find out soon enough as I just purchased a pail, but I've also heard that if you fill the canister while standing in front of a small fan it tends to blow the dust away as you fill the scrubber.

Where are you going to find a small fan on a dive boat? Presumably while filling your scrubber, you'll shower all those around you with a nice fine powder that sets like concrete in the presence of water. You won't be popular :-)
Cheers,

Phil

**Gill Envy** · 17th May 2007, 15:38

Quote: (Originally Posted by PhilSiswick)

Where are you going to find a small fan on a dive boat? Presumably while filling your scrubber, you'll shower all those around you with a nice fine powder that sets like concrete in the presence of water. You won't be popular :-)
Cheers,

Phil

Phil, have you used Sodasorb? I have used both and continue to use them both depending on availability and container size when traveling without issue. one half keg of safnolime and one keg of sodasorb fits in checked luggage under the 70 lb weight restriction. Around here safnolime doesn't come in full kegs and you can't get sodasorb in half kegs, so I mix and match for travel since they need to be seeled for TSA.

I just don't see what the big deal is, one is a lot more expensive and less dusty, make and choice and act accordingly, but it's not that big a deal either way. they pretty much match one another on the temp stick and the amount of dust involved is minute in my experience, a bit irritating if you breathe it in while filling but really a non-issue if you ask me. It's almost always easy to find a place with a gentle breeze, more than enough to keep the little bit of dust there is from getting in your nose. I have never "showered all those around me" with the dust while filling, and I have never noticed any dust while on the loop, which is where it really counts... and if you go in on a palate, it's more like $76 a keg for sodasorb.

silent running · 17th May 2007, 20:36

Quote: (Originally Posted by Padipro)

"After studing the differance in scrubber duration between Sodasorb and Sofnolime in the Prism Topaz we found only a 3 minute differance and desided to use Sodasorb as it was cheaper then Sofnolime."

Hello Padipro, if I remember correctly it was 3 minute difference per pound, which in a Prism scrubber would mean 18 minutes, don't remember the exact protocols. If that's right, it really isn't much of difference considering that you will have less material in the scrubber with 6-12 Sodasorb than with 8-12 given the same volume. And you might compensate for those differences or exaggerate them given the differences in the way different people pack. Even though I prefer the less dusty Sofno, I've had no trouble getting 10hrs out of 6-12 in the Prism...

Jim Culter · 30th May 2007, 16:56

As a new rebreather diver I have been a bit disappointed by the apparent controlled market of the adsorbents. This stuff is treated like diamonds by DeBeers with limited distribution and seemingly fixed prices. I could buy medical grade sodalime (4-8) locally for a good price from a 'gas' distributor but if I want diver grade (8-12) I have to go through an 'exclusive distributor' over 1,500 miles away (higher price plus shipping).

Could be all the dust of Sodasorb is due to trucking back and forth across the country (in the US). By the time the diver gets the material it may have crossed the country several times by truck, lots of bouncing to grind up the granules. Even dive shops that buy in bulk are limited in their options.

Too bad there ar so few options, if there were significant competition the product might improve.

mempilot · 5th June 2007, 03:24

Quote: (Originally Posted by PhilSiswick)

Where are you going to find a small fan on a dive boat?

No need to fill the scrubber on the boat in SE FL. Most will pack at home or at the dock before the relatively short rides out to the sites. As a matter of fact, I've heard that most captains down here prefer you not do that mess while at sea.

That in mind, while on a live-aboard or long multi-dive day (doesn't happen much in SE FL), packing on the boat would be a neccessity and the fan idea wouldn't work. But then there may be a breeze anyway.

***jradomski*** · 5th June 2007, 03:46

Quote: (Originally Posted by Drmike)

Not sure if thats correct seeing as you can buy sodasorb in singapore no problem and theres also places on the net that sell it.

But I agree its crap

Really dusty and I find it doesnt last anything like as long as softnolime.

But then its cheaper so....

sounds like you were comparing 4-8 mesh (which is the most common).. the 4-8 should be compared with sofnolime 4-8.. most people use 8-12 sofnolime which compares fairly closely with 612 mesh sodasorb.. I have multiple dives using an INSP scrubber with over 6 hours with any signs of breakthrough whatsoever.. (most was deco, not swimming) and only had about .5 inch or so of purple (checked it right after the dive on 2 occasions) at the start of the scrubber, so I had time left (and I was tracking my oxygen usage)...

Sodasorb is dustier, but have not found that to be an issue..

I believe SMI's numbers since they did do testing on both sorbs..

the price difference between 4-8 and 6-12 sodasorb is not that big (in the us its like $25).. so if your rebreather can use the finer mesh go for it..

silent running · 5th June 2007, 08:31

Quote: (Originally Posted by jradomski)

sounds like you were comparing 4-8 mesh (which is the most common).. the 4-8 should be compared with sofnolime 4-8.. most people use 8-12 sofnolime which compares fairly closely with 612 mesh sodasorb.. I have multiple dives using an INSP scrubber with over 6 hours with any signs of breakthrough whatsoever.. (most was deco, not swimming) and only had about .5 inch or so of purple (checked it right after the dive on 2 occasions) at the start of the scrubber, so I had time left (and I was tracking my oxygen usage)...

Sodasorb is dustier, but have not found that to be an issue..

I believe SMI's numbers since they did do testing on both sorbs..

the price difference between 4-8 and 6-12 sodasorb is not that big (in the us its like $25).. so if your rebreather can use the finer mesh go for it..

Hi Joe, I had thought the same thing-maybe Mike was using 4-8. Supposedly, SMI have not sent any Sodasorb 6-12 to the Pacific until very recently. So only 4-8 wouldv'e been available in that neck of the woods, only Mike can tell us for sure.

The difference in price btw Sodasorb 4-8 and 6-12 is negligable, but not the diffenence btw 6-12 Sodasorb and 8-12 Sofnolime, except maybe in the UK...

gkndivebum · 7th June 2007, 05:17

Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running)

[...] Supposedly, SMI have not sent any Sodasorb 6-12 to the Pacific until very recently. [...]

Ummm... I've got a pretty large pile of 6-12 Sodasorb in my little corner
of the Pacific ... and have for quite some time. There's at least one
other dive operator on the Big Island and at least one dive shop on Oahu
that also stock it. YMMV. Aloha -

***jradomski*** · 7th June 2007, 07:32

Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running)

Hi Joe, I had thought the same thing-maybe Mike was using 4-8. Supposedly, SMI have not sent any Sodasorb 6-12 to the Pacific until very recently. So only 4-8 wouldv'e been available in that neck of the woods, only Mike can tell us for sure.

The difference in price btw Sodasorb 4-8 and 6-12 is negligable, but not the diffenence btw 6-12 Sodasorb and 8-12 Sofnolime, except maybe in the UK...

You can also buy sodasorb from amron international.. if you buy in quantity (and are a company) you can get pricing similiar to what SMI sell it for to their dealers..

***jradomski*** · 7th June 2007, 07:36

Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running)

Hi Joe, I had thought the same thing-maybe Mike was using 4-8. Supposedly, SMI have not sent any Sodasorb 6-12 to the Pacific until very recently. So only 4-8 wouldv'e been available in that neck of the woods, only Mike can tell us for sure.

The difference in price btw Sodasorb 4-8 and 6-12 is negligable, but not the diffenence btw 6-12 Sodasorb and 8-12 Sofnolime, except maybe in the UK...

ANDI left about 12 pails of 6-12 in manado indonesia in 2004...

17th May 2007, 12:25	#11 (permalink)
PhilSiswick WSKD 0001 Current Rebreather/s: Evolution Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 884	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by Padipro) I've heard that it's dustier then Sofnolime, I'll find out soon enough as I just purchased a pail, but I've also heard that if you fill the canister while standing in front of a small fan it tends to blow the dust away as you fill the scrubber. Where are you going to find a small fan on a dive boat? Presumably while filling your scrubber, you'll shower all those around you with a nice fine powder that sets like concrete in the presence of water. You won't be popular :-) Cheers, Phil __________________ Phil No comment on open circuit... it's an evolutionary dead end not really worth discussing here. Dave Sutton, 2007 I have always felt that the dive I am on is not nearly important as the dives I plan to be on the rest of my life. Tom Rose, 2007 www.hugsac.org.uk
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17th May 2007, 15:38	#12 (permalink)
Gill Envy Shearwater Copis Diver Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Evolution Other CCR Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: seattle Posts: 1,255	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by PhilSiswick) Where are you going to find a small fan on a dive boat? Presumably while filling your scrubber, you'll shower all those around you with a nice fine powder that sets like concrete in the presence of water. You won't be popular :-) Cheers, Phil Phil, have you used Sodasorb? I have used both and continue to use them both depending on availability and container size when traveling without issue. one half keg of safnolime and one keg of sodasorb fits in checked luggage under the 70 lb weight restriction. Around here safnolime doesn't come in full kegs and you can't get sodasorb in half kegs, so I mix and match for travel since they need to be seeled for TSA. I just don't see what the big deal is, one is a lot more expensive and less dusty, make and choice and act accordingly, but it's not that big a deal either way. they pretty much match one another on the temp stick and the amount of dust involved is minute in my experience, a bit irritating if you breathe it in while filling but really a non-issue if you ask me. It's almost always easy to find a place with a gentle breeze, more than enough to keep the little bit of dust there is from getting in your nose. I have never "showered all those around me" with the dust while filling, and I have never noticed any dust while on the loop, which is where it really counts... and if you go in on a palate, it's more like $76 a keg for sodasorb. __________________ Gill Envy ...Because I wasn't born with gills! ><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°> Last edited by Gill Envy : 17th May 2007 at 15:40.
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17th May 2007, 20:36	#13 (permalink)
silent running Mature mouth breather Current Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: U.S.A. Brooklyn, New York Posts: 1,778	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by Padipro) "After studing the differance in scrubber duration between Sodasorb and Sofnolime in the Prism Topaz we found only a 3 minute differance and desided to use Sodasorb as it was cheaper then Sofnolime." Hello Padipro, if I remember correctly it was 3 minute difference per pound, which in a Prism scrubber would mean 18 minutes, don't remember the exact protocols. If that's right, it really isn't much of difference considering that you will have less material in the scrubber with 6-12 Sodasorb than with 8-12 given the same volume. And you might compensate for those differences or exaggerate them given the differences in the way different people pack. Even though I prefer the less dusty Sofno, I've had no trouble getting 10hrs out of 6-12 in the Prism...
(Online)

30th May 2007, 16:56	#14 (permalink)
Jim Culter New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 31	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent As a new rebreather diver I have been a bit disappointed by the apparent controlled market of the adsorbents. This stuff is treated like diamonds by DeBeers with limited distribution and seemingly fixed prices. I could buy medical grade sodalime (4-8) locally for a good price from a 'gas' distributor but if I want diver grade (8-12) I have to go through an 'exclusive distributor' over 1,500 miles away (higher price plus shipping). Could be all the dust of Sodasorb is due to trucking back and forth across the country (in the US). By the time the diver gets the material it may have crossed the country several times by truck, lots of bouncing to grind up the granules. Even dive shops that buy in bulk are limited in their options. Too bad there ar so few options, if there were significant competition the product might improve.
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5th June 2007, 03:24	#15 (permalink)
mempilot What is this..terrafirma? Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Megalodon Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 1,179	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by PhilSiswick) Where are you going to find a small fan on a dive boat? No need to fill the scrubber on the boat in SE FL. Most will pack at home or at the dock before the relatively short rides out to the sites. As a matter of fact, I've heard that most captains down here prefer you not do that mess while at sea. That in mind, while on a live-aboard or long multi-dive day (doesn't happen much in SE FL), packing on the boat would be a neccessity and the fan idea wouldn't work. But then there may be a breeze anyway. __________________ MEM "Da Pilot" Black holes are where God divided by zero. "If at first you don't succeed, don't dive silent." "Would you mind not shooting at the thermo-nuclear weapons." ~ Vic Deakins "Donkey's kill more people annually than plane crashes."
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5th June 2007, 03:46	#16 (permalink)
*jradomski* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Sport Kiss Optima rEvo Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Evolution Megalodon Classic Kiss rEvo Other CCR Home Build Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: "Da" Bronx Posts: 2,817	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by Drmike) Not sure if thats correct seeing as you can buy sodasorb in singapore no problem and theres also places on the net that sell it. But I agree its crap Really dusty and I find it doesnt last anything like as long as softnolime. But then its cheaper so.... sounds like you were comparing 4-8 mesh (which is the most common).. the 4-8 should be compared with sofnolime 4-8.. most people use 8-12 sofnolime which compares fairly closely with 612 mesh sodasorb.. I have multiple dives using an INSP scrubber with over 6 hours with any signs of breakthrough whatsoever.. (most was deco, not swimming) and only had about .5 inch or so of purple (checked it right after the dive on 2 occasions) at the start of the scrubber, so I had time left (and I was tracking my oxygen usage)... Sodasorb is dustier, but have not found that to be an issue.. I believe SMI's numbers since they did do testing on both sorbs.. the price difference between 4-8 and 6-12 sodasorb is not that big (in the us its like $25).. so if your rebreather can use the finer mesh go for it.. __________________ Joe Radomski CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10 All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.
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5th June 2007, 08:31	#17 (permalink)
silent running Mature mouth breather Current Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: U.S.A. Brooklyn, New York Posts: 1,778	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by jradomski) sounds like you were comparing 4-8 mesh (which is the most common).. the 4-8 should be compared with sofnolime 4-8.. most people use 8-12 sofnolime which compares fairly closely with 612 mesh sodasorb.. I have multiple dives using an INSP scrubber with over 6 hours with any signs of breakthrough whatsoever.. (most was deco, not swimming) and only had about .5 inch or so of purple (checked it right after the dive on 2 occasions) at the start of the scrubber, so I had time left (and I was tracking my oxygen usage)... Sodasorb is dustier, but have not found that to be an issue.. I believe SMI's numbers since they did do testing on both sorbs.. the price difference between 4-8 and 6-12 sodasorb is not that big (in the us its like $25).. so if your rebreather can use the finer mesh go for it.. Hi Joe, I had thought the same thing-maybe Mike was using 4-8. Supposedly, SMI have not sent any Sodasorb 6-12 to the Pacific until very recently. So only 4-8 wouldv'e been available in that neck of the woods, only Mike can tell us for sure. The difference in price btw Sodasorb 4-8 and 6-12 is negligable, but not the diffenence btw 6-12 Sodasorb and 8-12 Sofnolime, except maybe in the UK...
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7th June 2007, 05:17	#18 (permalink)
gkndivebum PRISM diver Current Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kona, HI Posts: 61	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running) [...] Supposedly, SMI have not sent any Sodasorb 6-12 to the Pacific until very recently. [...] Ummm... I've got a pretty large pile of 6-12 Sodasorb in my little corner of the Pacific ... and have for quite some time. There's at least one other dive operator on the Big Island and at least one dive shop on Oahu that also stock it. YMMV. Aloha - __________________ Best regards - gkn -- Gerard K. Newman - Kona, HI
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7th June 2007, 07:32	#19 (permalink)
*jradomski* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Sport Kiss Optima rEvo Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Evolution Megalodon Classic Kiss rEvo Other CCR Home Build Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: "Da" Bronx Posts: 2,817	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running) Hi Joe, I had thought the same thing-maybe Mike was using 4-8. Supposedly, SMI have not sent any Sodasorb 6-12 to the Pacific until very recently. So only 4-8 wouldv'e been available in that neck of the woods, only Mike can tell us for sure. The difference in price btw Sodasorb 4-8 and 6-12 is negligable, but not the diffenence btw 6-12 Sodasorb and 8-12 Sofnolime, except maybe in the UK... You can also buy sodasorb from amron international.. if you buy in quantity (and are a company) you can get pricing similiar to what SMI sell it for to their dealers.. __________________ Joe Radomski CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10 All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.
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7th June 2007, 07:36	#20 (permalink)
*jradomski* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Sport Kiss Optima rEvo Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Evolution Megalodon Classic Kiss rEvo Other CCR Home Build Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: "Da" Bronx Posts: 2,817	Re: Manufacturer Recomended Absorbent Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running) Hi Joe, I had thought the same thing-maybe Mike was using 4-8. Supposedly, SMI have not sent any Sodasorb 6-12 to the Pacific until very recently. So only 4-8 wouldv'e been available in that neck of the woods, only Mike can tell us for sure. The difference in price btw Sodasorb 4-8 and 6-12 is negligable, but not the diffenence btw 6-12 Sodasorb and 8-12 Sofnolime, except maybe in the UK... ANDI left about 12 pails of 6-12 in manado indonesia in 2004... __________________ Joe Radomski CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10 All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.
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