WEBPAGE UPDATED Sunday January 23, 2022
Made in USA
“OXYGEN RULES OF THE ROAD” DO NOT APPLY TO LIVEWELLS AND BAIT TANKS USING MECHANICAL AERATION WITH AMBIENT AIR
Special fire safety rules that apply to “Oxygen-enriched” and “Oxygen-rich” areas inside all boat livewells and bait tank gas space environments that contain 24% – 100% oxygen. Ambient air contains <21% oxygen/79% Nitrogen/<1.0% trace gases. These rules also apply should oxygen gas accidently escape into and contaminate a boats bilge, battery box or any other compartment containing live electricity in or on a boat. These special rules do not apply to ambient air environments that ARE NOT OXYGEN-ENRICHED OR OXYGEN-RICH.
FACT: Ambient air (all mechanical aeration livewell equipment), all livewell air vents including the popular V-2T air vents, air pumps, air blowers, air bubblers or water pumps WILL NOT, CAN NOT enrich livewells with oxygen gas. Air contains slightly less than 21% oxygen gas. Period. Additional supplemental oxygen > 21% purity is necessary to create an oxygen-enrichment and oxygen-rich environments in livewells, bait tanks boat bilges, lockers and compartments containing live electricity.
All mechanical aeration devices and livewell pumps that entrain ambient air via venture device or water pumps that have air leaks on the inlet side of the water pump can supersaturate livewell water with Nitrogen can supersaturate the water and fish’s blood with Nitrogen gas causing Pop-Eye and gas embolism. Nitrogen gas supersaturation is a serious condition that can also affect SCUBA divers breathing air at depth… it’s called the Bends.
“OXYGEN-ENRICHMENT” / “OXYGEN-RICH” advertisement sounds impressive to fishermen, but when you see these words used to advertise fishing oxygen systems, oxygen generators, livewell air vents, etc., what do these 2 words really mean?
Air Products – “The hazards of oxygen and oxygen enriched environments” http://www.airproducts.com/~/media/files/pdf/company/safetygram-33.pdf
Oxygen-Enriched Classification – OXYGEN GAS FIRE SAFETY
WARNING
“OXYGEN-ENRICHED” and “OXYGEN-RICH” mixtures or atmospheres is defined as any environments containing more than 23.5% oxygen by volume. In oxygen enriched atmospheres, the reactivity of oxygen significantly increases the risk of IGNITION and FIRE.
AMBIENT AIR CONTAINS 20.9% OXYGEN
*** The difference between the O2 concentration in ambient air and an Oxygen-Enriched or Oxygen-Rich environment is only 2.6% oxygen concentration.
Materials that may not burn in normal air may burn vigorously is an oxygen-rich environment. Sparks normally considered as harmless may cause fires. All materials that burn is air may burn with a much hotter flame and propagate at a much greater speed.
The safety Rules of the Oxygen Road apply to ALL/Any fishing oxygen systems that is capable of enriching the livewell and bait tank gas space between the water surface and lid with oxygen gas.
Oxygen-enriched or oxygen-rich boat livewells and bait tank environments present special fire safety issues that do not apply to livewells and bait tanks aerated with ambient air (mechanical aeration, electrical bilge pumps, livewell and bait tank water pumps. Air contains slightly less than 21% oxygen gas at sea level and at mountain elevations.
Any and all supplemental oxygen devices fishermen use in boat livewells and bait tanks that will cause oxygen enrichment (24% oxygen or greater) requires special Fire Safety precautions and rules. The Oxygen Rules of the Road do not apply to aerated boat livewells and bait tanks that are mechanically aerated with ambient air, air pumps, water pumps, etc.
The Oxygen Rules of the Road apply to all livewell oxygenation products and equipment that advertise “oxygen-rich” or “oxygen-enrichment.”
Knowing, understanding and practicing Oxygen gas safety in all oxygen-enriched livewell and bait tank is important!
Knowing how to identify livewell equipment that will cause oxygen-enrichment is a serious safety matter.
Fishing oxygen systems that will enrich livewell environments with supplemental oxygen are livewell and bait tank “Oxygenators” (Electrolysis and PSA type oxygen generators), all high pressure compressed oxygen systems, low pressure oxygen systems and all supplemental oxygenating devices and chemicals fishermen use to enrich livewells and bait tanks with oxygen gas.
*The product advertisement and product literature ADVISO will state if the product will create an “oxygen-rich” or “oxygen-enriched” livewell environment.
“RULES OF THE OXYGEN ROAD” – OXYGEN GAS AND CYLINDER SAFETY
OXYGEN, OXYGEN EQUIPMENT AND OXYGEN ENRICHED ENVIRONMENTS ARE ALL CONSIDERED THE SAME – SAFETY RULES APPLY
If you USE OXYGEN OR HIGH-PRESSURE OXYGEN CYLINDERS ON FISHING BOATS AND YOU DON’T KNOW, UNDERSTAND OR PRACTICE RULES OF THE OXYGEN ROAD … DO NOT INSTALL OR USE ANY LIVEWELL OXYGEN EQUIPMENT ON YOUR BOAT. FIRE HAZARD
Contact an oxygen equip expert that knows how to safely install an oxygen system on your boat. An expert can and will teach you how to store, handle and use pure oxygen and oxygen equipment safely.
FACT: Oxygen is not air.
A few “Rules of the Oxygen Road” regarding oxygen gas and high-pressure oxygen cylinders.
Never use, contaminate or lubricate oxygen equipment with petroleum base products, oil, grease, WD-40, etc. EXTREME FIRE HAZARD
There are lubricants that are safe to use with oxygen and oxygen equipment.
Never look into your live well with a burning cigarette in your mouth. EXTREME FIRE HAZARD
Always secure high-pressure oxygen cylinders to the hull of your boat with strong secure straps or brackets. Never leave a high-pressure oxygen cylinder free standing vertically at any time. When the cylinder is not secured, lay it down horizontally. SAFETY HAZARD
Never secure or transport high pressure oxygen cylinders in the boat’s bilge or battery box, to the lid of a plastic ice chest or anywhere that oil or gasoline can contaminate the equipment. Never secure or transport oxygen cylinders anywhere electricity can arch on any metal components of an oxygen system or burn oxygen tubing. FIRE HAZARD
Steel oxygen cylinders require hydrostatic testing every 10 years; aluminum cylinders every 5 years. The last hydrostatic test date is stamped into the tank’s shoulder. The stamp will be the month (a triangle, diamond or star) the year… 03 ∆
OXYGEN CYLINDER SAFETY: Always use a clean rag with freshwater to clean oxygen system components. EVER-CLEAR ALCOHOL is oil free. DO NOT USE RUBBING ALCOHOL. It contains trace amounts of oil. Use ethanol externally on system components and allow to dry completely before use. Do not use ethanol internally, anywhere within the regulator and gas circuit. Never expose ethanol vapors or ethanol to oxygen (the gas). Methanol should never be used to clean oxygen equipment; methanol contains oil. OIL CONTAMINATION IS A FIRE/EXPLOSION HAZARD
Always crack (open the oxygen tank valve slowly to blow out dust and foreign material) in the oxygen cylinder valve before connecting the regulator. Never stand in front of the high-pressure regulator when charging the regulator with high-pressure oxygen.
After connecting the regulator to the oxygen cylinder, open the oxygen cylinder valve slowly. HIGH PRESSURE SAFETY
Always use system and components, especial oxygen supply tubing that has been CLEANED AND CERTIFIED FOR PURE OXYGEN SERVICE. Air tubing contains petroleum. Never use air tubing purchased at hardware stores or aquarium stores for pure oxygen service. FIRE HAZARD
Never use cleaning solvents, WD-40, isopropyl alcohol (household rubbing alcohol) or any other cleaning products or any oil base products on oxygen equipment or in oxygen-enriched environments. FIRE HAZARD
Never use oil or oil-based lubricants on oxygen regulator threads or cylinder valve threads, hose barbs etc. If you must use lubricants; special synthetic lubricants compatible with pure oxygen service must be used. FIRE HAZARD
Never place oxygen supply tubes adjacent to live electrical wires or inside a wiring chase, battery compartments or boat bilge area. Because oxygen is heavier than air, the highest concentration of oxygen will accumulate in the bottom of the bilge. If tubing is placed in the boat’s bilge and a tubing leak occurs, the highest concentration of oxygen will accumulate in the bottom of the boat’s bilge where oil and fuel accumulate. FIRE HAZARD
FIRE SAFETY USING OXYGEN the gas:
FACT: Unlike air fires, oxygen fires require special fire extinguishers for extinguishing oxygen-riche fires<24% oxygen. Standard boat fire extinguishers can be use upon 1 condition: First turn off the oxygen gas source terminating the oxygen flow or oxygen production with an oxygen generator and then put the fire out with your boat fire extinguisher.
FACT: If any livewell oxygen system does not deliver enough oxygen to achieve oxygen-enrichment (24% – 100% oxygen) the fire hazard is no greater than the fire hazard in air. Livewell oxygen systems (oxygen-injection systems and oxygen generator systems) all claim to deliver high concentrations of oxygen resulting in oxygen-enrichment and oxygen-rich livewell environments.
These oxygen safety rules and more apply to all livewell oxygen systems, all oxygenated livewells and bait tanks on boats or on land.
Livewell oxygen equipment that cannot deliver enough oxygen to produce oxygen enrichment, provide <24% O2 are no more effective oxygenators than aerator pumping air or livewell water pump pumping water through livewells and bait tanks. Actually, they can kill bait or fish (suffocation/hypoxia) in bait tanks and livewells quicker than aerators and water pumps. High mortality/morbidity occurs when these devices fail to provide minimal, safe dissolved oxygen continuously in fully stocked for summer transports.
A PARADOX: Oxygenator™ and FishO2™ salesmen and boat manufacturers that sell these livewell generators when asked, do not and will not mention or discuss oxygen gas (fire) safety yet their salesmen and promotional literature says their livewell equipment generates and delivers 100% pure oxygen. CAUTION: A HIDDEN FIRE HAZARD
OXYGENATOR™
FIRE SAFETY
Oxygen – rich environments (24% oxygen or >) accumulates in livewell gas spaces when the livewell lid is closed.
Oxygen – rich environments requires the same precautions and fire safety standards as pure 100% gaseous oxygen environments. Know oxygen fire risk and practice oxygen fire safety faithfully.
BassPro.com promotional advertisement
http://www.basspro.com/The-OXYGENATOR-Pro-Livewell-Flush-Mount/product/100135/
• Creates an oxygen-rich environment to keep fish fresh and lively
*The most efficient means of maintaining high-levels of oxygen in a livewell and nothing comes close to the OXYGENATOR’S ability to create an oxygen-rich environment.”
Although fire safety is a non-issue in this advertisement, all oxygen – rich gas spaces demand special respect in any livewell. Oxygen is not Air.
THE SCIENCE AND OXYGENATOR™
TPWD, Inland Fisheries Division, San Antonio, TX Publication by Fishery Biologist Randy Myers AquaInnovations Oxygenator 2-14-2012
http://www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/the-oxygenator-how-effective-is-it
T-M Marine Oxygenators generate 100% pure oxygen -water electrolysis.
Fires fueled with oxygen [gas] are very different than fires fueled with air [gas]. It makes no difference if the oxygen fueling the fire comes from a PSA oxygen generator, electrolysis oxygen generator, liquid (LOX) or compressed gas oxygen system. The oxygen source must be terminated before the fire can be extinguished if the oxygen generator is capably of oxygen enrichment (24% – 100% oxygen).
Knowing and understanding the gas, oxygen, and oxygen equipment at home, in your shop and on your boat is absolutely necessary in order to be safe.
Fishermen build oxygen systems with no knowing or comprehension about the gas, oxygen equipment or fire safety. Oxygen safety has absolutely no importance as these fishermen are totally unconcerned with high-pressure oxygen cylinder, oxygen or any livewell oxygen equipment safety. Oxygen fires on boats are NO BIG DEAL TO THEM.
Practicing the “Rules of the Oxygen Road” are necessary only if you want to reduce risk and maximize safety. Think safety and be safe when using oxygen and any kind of livewell oxygen system on board. Oxygen and oxygen equipment demand utmost respect. Oxygen is not air.
OXYGEN REGULATORS AND E-4 CERTIFICATION
When buying a high-pressure oxygen regulator for your live well oxygen system, always confirm with the seller that the regulator you’re buying has passed the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) E-4 Ignition Test and is Certified.