An gas leak detectors is an essential piece of equipment that every scuba diver should have. It helps to ensure you are using the correct blend of Nitrox in your tanks and ensuring you are not mixing too much or too little. Having confidence in your mix allows you to enjoy the dive without worrying about being unsafe or wasting your time.

An analyzer works by generating a small voltage that varies with the amount of oxygen being detected and then gives you a reading on a voltmeter. A good scuba analyzer will be able to detect oxygen levels down to 20.9 percent. Like any instrument, it needs to be calibrated in order to get accurate readings. This is done by running the sensor through a cylinder of clean air and reading the result on the voltmeter. Performing calibrations with clean air will eliminate the errors caused by ambient pressure and the aging of the sensor cell. It is recommended to calibrate the analyzer with compressed air from a scuba tank when measuring sport Nitrox mixes less than 50% and, whenever possible, calibrating with pure oxygen when measuring accelerated decompression Nitrox mixes of 50% or higher.

Stay Safe with Gas Leak Detectors: Types and Features

Many scuba oxygen analyzers have a port that can be connected to a BCD power inflator hose to allow the unit to be tested while you are diving. Others have a hose barb that can be attached to the first stage of a regulator. Some have an extra large button for easy operation and will give you a reading in seconds. The best scuba oxygen analyzer will be durable and come with a case, waterproof user manual label attached to the case, and a coupler to 4 mm silicone tubing for direct cylinder testing.