Welcome, I hope you have time to read these few lines before acquiring a blender of any make. On the market you can find blenders of many different shapes and sizes. You’ll find new and second hand blenders at incredible prices, some pages which describe themselves as world leaders in the production and sale of blenders (as if this was a guarantee of the quality), other pages which offer blenders with a pitch diameter of 40 mm for flow rates of up to 1.000 litres a minute, other blenders which lose 20% helium in the aspiration phase etc. etc. As a result of all this, and before choosing a blender, I would recommend a look at these basic guidelines in order to avoid possible problems:

1) Check the flow rate required by your compressor and if you can, also the minimum value allowed in mbar of aspiration by the manufacturer. Then ask the manufacturer of the blender that you have chosen to guarantee, in writing, that these values will be respected after connecting the blender to your compressor. If the compressor doesn’t receive the flow rate necessary because the blender blocks the passage of air, the compressor will overheat, causing damage which could be serious.

2) Ask the manufacturer of the blender about the minimum duration of the sensor or sensors present in the blender, their cost, whether they are readily available, and if they can be easily replaced by the user.

3) Ask the manufacturer of the blender if the materials with which it is constructed are resistant to corrosion, what is the protection grade (IP) for the mechanisms in the control panel and of the blender itself.

4) Ask the manufacturer: guarantee of the blender, CE regulations, TUV and what type of safety features it includes.

5) If at the time you’re interested in a nitrox blender and at some point in the future you might want to have trimix too, ask the manufacturer if you have the possibility to transform the one you want to buy for a reasonable price, rather than having to change it for a different model.

6) Check that the control and regulation of the blender is easy and intuitive: simplicity is the basis of safety.

7) Verify the existence of Technical Service in your area or the possibility of getting assistance via Skype, WhatsApp etc. in less than 24 hours.

8) Remember to ask the manufacturer of the blender which types of pressure regulators are included in the assembly kit and to verify with your supplier of technical gases if they are compatible with their bottles. These days it is easy to find in most areas (Europe) bottles of helium and oxygen at 300 bar so therefore the regulators have to be adequate for this pressure. You may also find small differences in the bottle connections, depending on the manufacturer.

9) Even though the blender’s manufacturer might not say anything about it, I suggest you check with them the type of oil recommended for your compressor for these types of mixtures (normally it’s a kind of synthetic oil with the same viscosity characteristics and with a flash point of 260º C or higher) and, if necessary, to change it for this type.

With more than 20 years of experience in this sector, we can guarantee our blenders for 5 years from the date of purchase. We make our blenders practically to measure depending on the wishes of the client regarding the flow rate, number of compressors to be connected, the connection at existing membrane, level of protection required, type of installation etc.
At first sight they may appear basic, but they are accurate, robust and reliable. We make an effort to continually improve our products using the latest technology available and putting into practice the advice and wishes of professionals in technical, military, commercial and recreational diving. We also do what we can to keep production costs down but without ever lowering the quality or compromising on safety. We would ask you then to have a look at the technical characteristics and working principles of our blenders and overall to check our references. If you would like, please feel free to ask us for a contact list of our clients so you can get in touch with them directly and receive the information first hand.

Many thanks for taking the time to read these lines; I hope it has been useful to you.

Bosello Gianclaudio
T.D.  A.A.T  ( Airtek Air Technologies )