ALADIN ALADIN PRO NITROX User manual

American
OPERATING MANUAL
THE SYSTEM
SWISS MADE BY UWATEC AG
®
depth dive time
deco info
max. depth
NO STOP
®
O
2
% MIX
Feet

Operating Manual Aladin®Pro Nitrox
You must carefully read this entire manual before using your Aladin®Pro Nitrox.
TheAladin®Pro Nitroxisadecompression tool to assist a trained and certified diver in making decisions
concerning dive planning and execution. As with any tool, the Aladin®Pro Nitrox may be misused if
the following safety and operational precautions are not strictly followed. If they are followed, careful
useoftheAladin®Pro Nitroxcanincrease your diving enjoyment andreduceyourriskofdecompression
sickness. If they are not, you will be placing yourself at serious risk for decompression sickness.
WhiletheAladin®ProNitroxisatechnicallyadvancedtoolbasedonbiophysicalmodelsofdecompression
sickness and oxygen toxicity, neither it nor any other diving computer (or table) can actually monitor
the physiological changes that occur in your body as you dive. In addition, each diver will vary in his or
hersusceptibility to decompressionsickness.Notonlythat, but each individualdiver‘sownsusceptibility
mayvaryfromday today.Combinedwith the fact that decompressionmodelling is an inexact science,
and of necessity must be based at least partly on certain unproven assumptions, it is incumbent upon
you, the individual diver, to dive responsibly and to carefully follow all standard safe diving practices as
well as the admonitions contained in this manual.
Safety considerations
WARNING
Diving has many inherent risks. Even if you follow the instructions of
this manual in a careful fashion, it is still possible that you may be
seriously injured or die from decompression sickness, oxygen toxicity or
some other inherent risk of scuba nitrox. Unless you are fully aware of
these risks and are willing to personally accept and assume
responsibility for those risks, do not use the Aladin®Pro Nitrox!
B

Operating Manual Aladin®Pro Nitrox
Aladin®Pro Nitrox–The Diving System
C
depth dive time
deco info
max. depth
DIVE
®
B
–+ E
Interface and logbook-software
DataTrak (Option) Dive Computer Aladin®Pro Nitrox

Operating Manual Aladin®Pro Nitrox

Operating Manual Aladin®Pro Nitrox
This operating manual makes use of the following icons to indicate especially important comments:
Remarks: Informations and tips which are important for optimal use of the functions of
your Aladin®Pro Nitrox.
The following symbols are used in the operating manual:
flashing display
acoustic alarm signal
Operating instruction for manual input
(Example: bridging contacts B and E)
Important remarks concerning signal words and symbols
WARNING
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in
death or serious injury.
February 1996, Copyright by Uwatec Switzerland
D
B
– + E

Operating Manual Aladin®Pro Nitrox
Guidelines for the use of Aladin®Pro Nitrox:
The following guidelines for using Aladin®Pro Nitrox are derived from the latest medical research and the
recommendationsoftheAmericanAcademyofUnderwaterSciencesfordivingwithdivingcomputers.Following
theseguidelineswillgreatlyincreaseyoursafetywhilediving,butcannotguaranteethatdecompressionsickness
will not occur.
– The Aladin®Pro Nitrox is designed for dives made with nitrox and compressed air (21% O2) only. Do not use
the Aladin®Pro Nitrox for dives made other mixed gases.
– It is absolutely necessary to check the set mixture before each dive and to compare it to the gas mixture
actually used.
Always remember: Setting a wrong mixture cause either insufficient decompression calculations or a too
low calculation of the oxygen-toxicity!
– In accordance with the recommended maximum diving limit of all instructional agencies, do not dive
deeper than 130 feet.
– Always check the diving limits given by the used share of oxygen.
– DonotusetheAladin®Pro Nitroxforplanneddecompressiondiving.Thedecompressionalgorithmcontained
in the Aladin®Pro Nitrox should be used only for emergency or unintended decompression.
E
Safety considerations

Operating Manual Aladin®Pro Nitrox
– On all dives with the Aladin®Pro Nitrox, make a safety stop for three to five minutes within the ten to thirty
feet zone.
– Never use the Aladin®Pro Nitrox for repetitive, “square“ dives deeper than 60 feet. A square dive is a dive
that is performed for its duration at a uniform depth.
– Always make the deepest dive of the day first when repetitive dives are planned, and for each successive
dive make sure that the deepest portion of that dive is done at the beginning of the dive.
– All divers using dive computers to plan dives and indicate or determine decompression status must use
their own computer.
– If the Aladin®Pro Nitrox fails at any time during the dive, the dive must be terminated, and appropriate
surfacingprocedures(includingaslowascentanda3to5minutesafety stop) should be initiated immediately.
– On any given dive, all divers in a buddy group must follow the most conservative dive computer for that
particular dive.
– You should not dive for a period of twenty-four hours before activating the Aladin®Pro Nitrox to use it to
plan or control your diving.
Safety considerations
F

Operating Manual Aladin®Pro Nitrox
– You MUST follow the ascent rates as indicated by the Aladin®Pro Nitrox, and should the computer fail for
any reason, you must ascend at a rate of no greater than 60 feet per minute.
– You MUST be familiar with all signs and symptoms of decompression sickness before using the Aladin®Pro
Nitrox! Seek IMMEDIATE treatment for decompression sickness should any of these signs or symptoms
occur after a dive! There is a direct correlation between the efficacy of treatment and the delay between
the onset of symptoms and the treatment for decompression sickness.
– Alwaysobservethe optical and acousticalarmsignals of the Aladin®ProNitrox.Avoidsituations of increased
risk which are marked with a warning sign in this operating manual.
– Never dive the Aladin®Pro Nitrox to the limit. Neither the Aladin®Pro Nitrox, nor any other diving computer
or decompression table should be pushed to its limit. Give yourself a margin of safety by always leaving at
least a few minutes in the “no-stop“ box before making your ascent.
– Avoid repeated ascents and descents (yo-yo diving) while using the Aladin®Pro Nitrox.
Safety considerations
G

I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
LIST OF CHAPTERS
I INTRODUCTION 1
II ALADIN®PRO NITROX – THE SYSTEM 13
III DIVING WITH ALADIN®PRO NITROX 31
IV DIVING AT REDUCED RISK WITH ALADIN®PRO NITROX 57
V LOGBOOK 67
VI DIVE PLANNER 73
VII INTERFACE 83
VIII TROUBLE SHOOTING 87
IX APPENDIX, Maintenance, Technical Information, Warranty 91

I Introduction 1
I
I INTRODUCTION
1. Aladin®Pro Nitrox: Your Personal Companion ______________________________________ 2
2. Aladin®Pro Nitrox ______________________________________ 3
3. Aladin®Pro Nitrox – Reducing Risks of
Decompression Sickness ______________________________________ 7
4. The Calculation Model ZH-L8 ADT 4.1 Description_________________________ 9
4.2 Advantages _______________________ 11
5. Safety in Diving _____________________________________ 12

I Introduction
2
What can further increase your diving pleasure? The
goodfeelingof having thehighest possible safety and
freedom to move. A dive computer which constantly
controls the data of your dive and your individual
behavior meets these requirements.
Aladin®Pro Nitroxwatches
over the nitrogene and
oxygenesaturationofyour
body without interruption.
With Aladin®Pro Nitrox you
dive more safely than ever before. In addition,
Aladin®ProNitroxoffersanunmatchedcomfort
incarrying andoperation.Aladin®ProNitrox
givesyouincreasedsafety
dueto the new calcula-
tion model. All in-
formations necessary
for safe diving are
combined in one in-
strument. The Aladin®
Pro Nitrox can increase
1. Aladin®Pro Nitrox – Your Personal Companion
both yourdiving pleasureandsafetyby reducing
yourrisk ofdecompression sicknessprovidedyou
carefully follow the instructions and
guidelines given you in this manual.
Unlike previous diving computers,
which only base their decompressin
information ondepth and time data,
the Aladin®Pro X
Nitrox alsoconsiders
temperature, which
is known to be additional
risk factor for decompression sickness.
Aladin®Pro Nitrox allows you to plan and
executediveswithagreaterdegree of safety
than with previous models of decompression
computers.
Please read this operating manual carefully and
to the last page.

I Introduction 3
I
2. Introduction Aladin®Pro Nitrox
Nitrox is a gas mixture consisting of nitrogen and
oxygen. The kind of air used for diving with
compressed air is the same as the normal air of the
earth‘s atmosphere (78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and
1% inert gases). Therefore, normal air is also Nitrox!
WhentalkingofNitroxas thebreathinggas for diving,
it concerns a mixture with a higher share of oxygen.
A higher share of oxygen (and automatically the
reduction of the share of nitrogen) has the advantage
of lengthening the no-stop phase (or reducing the
decompressionphase), since less nitrogenis dissolved
in the diver‘s body during the dive.
But the higher share of oxygen in the Nitrox-mixture
also causes additional physiological problems by the
toxic effects at a higher partial pressure of oxygen
(ppO2). When breathing oxygen at a higher partial
pressure, two kinds of oxygen toxicity can occur:
CNS damages:
Symptoms of poisoning occuring at short notice in
the central nervous system(CNS). Such symptoms
are: irritations of the respiratory organs, sickness,
headache, pulmonary oedema, cramps, uncon-
sciousness. The symptoms occur at a ppO2of more
than 1 bar and depend on the term of exposure and
on the partial pressure of oxygen.
Damages of the lungs:
Symptoms of pulmonary poisoning occuring in the
long run. The symptoms occur at a ppO2from 0.5 bar
and higher and with terms of exposure in the range
of days/weeks.
Aladin®ProNitroxconsiderstheshorttermtoxiceffect
of oxygen (CNS damages) by means of the so called
„oxygen-clock“. It is based on a list which showa the
units of toxicity for oxygen per unit of time in
dependence of the ppO2. The indication of toxicity
uses „CNS O2%“ (= relative toxicity of oxygen for

I Introduction
4
the central nervous system). CNS O20% corresponds
to the normal state before the first dive, and CNS O2
100% corresponds to the critical upper limit. The list,
initiallypublished by the US Navy,is nowadays known
by the names IANTD- orNOAA-list. We modified this
list for the use with Aladin NitroX in cooperation with
Dr. Bill Hamilton, Hamilton Research Ltd. (Tarrytown,
NY), a well-known specialist.
Thelong-termkindofoxygenpoisoninghaspractically
no relevance for diving with independent diving
equipment and is therefore not considered in the
design of Aladin Nitrox.
The physiological peculiarities of oxygen and the
changing decompression due to the reduced share of
nitrogen require a profound training, if nitrox is used
fordiving. Additional technical problemswiththe use
and the maintenance of parts of the equipment bear
further dangers when diving with nitrox. Therefore,
2. Introduction Aladin®Pro Nitrox
we recommend to adhere to the following guidelines
by all means.

I Introduction 5
I
1. Only dive with nitrox if you have been trained
thoroughly by a recognised institution.
2. OnlyuseAladin®ProNitroxwithopenbreathing
systems. Aladin®Pro Nitrox must be set for a
determined gas mixture. In partially-open and
inclosed circulation-systems,thegasmixture can
vary considerably. The calculations may yield
results different from those necessary for the
actual muxture.
3. Only use Aladin®Pro Nitrox for diving with an
indepent breathing apparatus. Aladin®Pro
Nitrox is not designed for long-term exposures
with Nitrox.
WARNING WARNING
4. Aladin®Pro Nitrox always calculates consider-
ing the gas mixture set by the user. It is absolu-
tely necessary to check the set mixture before
each dive and to compare it to the gas mixture
actually used. Maximum deviation from the
measured mixture must not exceed 1% O2. A
wrong gas mixture can be lethal!
5. Aladin®ProNitrox disposes of appO2-warning,
the default-limits of which are set at 1.5 bar
ppO2max.Thislimitcan be adjusted viaInterface/
Data Talk in the range of 1.2 to 1.95 bar. An
alternation of the ppO2max to higher than 1.6
bar is risky and we do not recommend it.
2. Introduction Aladin®Pro Nitrox

I Introduction
6
and then also includes the calculation of the
CNSO2Limit inthe same wayas with anyother
nitrox-dive.Always remember:setting awrong
mixture causes either insufficient
decompression calculations or a too low
calculation of the oxygen-toxicity!
WARNING
2. Further Remarks on Aladin®Pro Nitrox
WARNING
6. Frequently check the „oxygen-clock“ (CNS O2
Limit), especially in the range higher than 1.5
bar ppO2. Close the dive if the CNS O2Limit
exceeds 75%.
7. Make sure you have a sufficiently long surface
interval, just as when diving with compressed
air. Oxygen also needs sufficient time to leave
the body. Go on the next dive only when the
CNS O2Limit has dropped below 40%.
8. Of course, Aladin®Pro Nitrox is a personal
instrument like any other diving computer. This
also applies when diving with compressed air
between two nitrox®-dives. Aladin®Pro Nitrox
canbe adjusted tocompressedair (21%oxygen)

I Introduction 7
I
3. Aladin®Pro Nitrox–Reducing Risks of Decompression Sickness
Byconsidering your individual gas mixture, depth and
time profile and water temperature, the Aladin®Pro
Nitrox can be considered a personal diving control
instrument. Relying on the latest results of medical
and physiological research for its decompression
modeling, the Aladin®Pro Nitrox differs from earlier
diving computers in a number of significant ways:
• The ZH-L8 ADT decompression calculation model
considerseight body tissues as well as the ambient
temperature. This allows for an even more precise
calculation of a modelled risk for decompression
sickness which can lead to greater diving safety.
• The Aladin®Pro Nitrox uses both optical and
acoustic alarms. The acoustic alarm uses varied
sound signals to assist in establishing the reason
for the alarm.
You must strictly observe all optical and acoustic
alarms and take appropriate action based upon
those alarms to avoid serious injury or death from
decompression sickness!
WARNING
• By using the Aladin®Pro Nitrox‘s logbook, a diver
may directly call up information from the last 19
dives. When interfaced with a personal computer,
37divesand200minutesofdiveprofilein intervals
of 20 seconds can be read out.
• The dive planner allows the advance planning of
no stop dives with readily determinable surface
intervals.

I Introduction
8
3. Aladin®Pro Nitrox - Reducing Risks of Decompression Sickness
Although the Aladin®Pro Nitrox can be used to
plandecompression dives,such dives are beyond
the realm of recreational or sport diving and must
notbeattempted by recreational orsport scuba
divers.
WARNING
• The Aladin®Pro Nitrox is designed to be mounted
on the diver‘s left or right wrist, which offers the
maximum freedom of movement as well as easy
operation and use.

I Introduction 9
I
4. The Calculation Model ZH-L8 ADT
4.1 Description
The Aladin®Pro Nitrox uses a new decompression
calculation model known as the ZH-L8 ADT. This
model uses eight compartments or “tissue“ groups
withnominal halftimeperiodsfrom5to 640minutes.
This model differs considerably from other
models by its consideration of the following
additional physiological processes:
1. Blood perfusion to the body‘s organs
is not constant. Skin and muscle tissues
are in particular subject to changes in blood
perfusion, depending on temperature and
workload. Changes in blood perfusion to these
organschangetheir nitrogensaturationtolerance.
The model used by the Aladin®Pro Nitrox takes
theseeffectsintoaccount and thusthe “skin“ and
“muscle“ compartments in the Aladin®Pro Nitrox
show variable half-time periods and saturation
tolerances.
Decompression information is calculated
according to the diver‘s individual behavior and
decrease in skin temperature. The decrease in
skin temperature is based upon the water
temperature and the dive time. By considering
these changes in saturation, the
time that must
be spent at
the
surface
prior
to
flying
can be
considerably
lengthened, depending
upon the depth, time,
and temperature of a
dive, as well as the
diver's behavior during that dive.

I Introduction
10
blood as well as in the body‘s tissues. If these
microbubbles partially impair circulation, the rate
of gas diffusion and saturation tolerance for those
tissues immediately surrounding this area of
impaired circulationare changed. If required, both
decompression time and RBT will be adjusted in
such a way that already existing microbubbles will
stop growing. Increased decompression time will
also assist those local areas of impaired circulation
to desaturate with less risk of decompression
sickness.
• The calculation of microbubbles results in altered
ascent instructions. If microbubbles are assumed
to be present based on the data used by the Ala-
din®Pro Nitrox, the ascent rate to the surface is
reduced to 23 feet/minute. This will help prevent
the formation of microbubbles in the arterial
circulation and minimizes formation of micro-
bubbles in the venous circulation after the dive.
2. Thedecompressionmodel used bythe Aladin®Pro
Nitrox considers nitrogen in both its dissolved as
well as its gaseous phase (microbubbles). Formati-
on of microbubbles is considered to be a strong
indicator of a high risk of decompression sickness.
The Aladin®Pro Nitrox model calculates the
formation of microbubbels depending on various
assumed influences in arterial and venous blood.
Innormal,slowascents, microbubblesformmainly
invenousblood.Duringfastascents,microbubbles
may also form in arterial blood and in the body‘s
tissuesaswell. If aparticular dive profilemay result
in the creation of microbubbles according to the
Aladin®ProNitrox‘smodel, decreasedbottom time
and/or increased decompression times as well as
increased “no fly“ time will be indicated.
• Microbubbles can form if the diver makes too fast
an ascent, ignores required decompression stops,
or makes repeated ascents during a dive (yo-yo
diving). These microbubbles can form in arterial
4. The Calculation Model ZH-L8 ADT

I Introduction 11
I
• Flying within 24 hours after diving.
If a diver experiences any of these risk factors while
diving, the Aladin®Pro Nitrox will add required
decompressiontimein orderto help minimize therisk
of decompression sickness.
Ifsigns or symptoms of decompressionsickness occur
after diving with Aladin®Pro Nitrox, seek IMMEDIATE
treatment at the nearest recompression facility.
4. The Calculation Model ZH-L8 ADT
4.2 Advantages
On the first dives following responsible diving
procedures, a diver using the Aladin®ProNitrox should
never be required to decompress, although a three to
five minute safety stop between ten and thirty feet is
recommended for every dive. If, however, unplanned
circumstancesarise duringthedive which increase the
risk of decompression, the Aladin®Pro Nitrox can, if
closely followed, reduce the risk of decompression
sickness by reducing remaining bottom time and/or
increasing decompression time. Some of the more
common risk situations are as follows:
• Repetitive dives, especially those deeper than 60
feet and those with short surface intervals.
• Repetitive dives using square dive profiles.
• Repetitive diving over the course of several
successive days.
• Diving in cold water.
• Yo-yodiving(repeateddescentsand ascents to the
surface during a given dive).
WARNING
Do not use the Aladin®Pro Nitrox for planned
decom-pression dives!