Method Exit bag and inert gas megathread

[distredsul]

If I use a Nitrogen cylinder of 9.4L, 137bar, 9.995% purity, is this sufficient?

 

[Spectre]

Tired to ask ChatGPT for a step-by-step guide for my city and the dumb robot won't help

 

[blackheart3]

To Use:

If I found all this on the internet, I'm sure you can, but maybe these will address a few of the questions I've encountered here.

Start by sitting upright in a chair. My understanding is that you should not be lying down, and that you want to be confident you won't fall over when you black out, as any final twitching with your head rumpling the bag against whatever you are lying on might displace the bag enough to allow the inert gas to escape.

I have heard fears of convulsions with this method, but I have also heard —more plausibly— that accounts of convulsions are more accurately associated with sedated-suffocation (a predecessor to this inert gas technique) rather than to inert gas asphyxiation. However, a few final twitches are possible as the electrical activity in the brain fades, and it would be tragic to have the attempt ruined by not taking the simple precaution of being sitting up and stable.

To feel confident that any post-mortem twitching will not knock the cylinder over and jerk the tube out of the exit bag, secure the cylinder to the leg of your chair. I use a piece of webbing; duct tape or a length of cord would work.

If you wear glasses, as I do, remove them. They will be a hindrance when you need to pull the gas-filled bag down over your face, and will allow space for air to remain in the bag.

To pre-fit the drawcord, pull the bag down over your head and face. Tighten the elastic drawcord around your neck so that it's snug, but not cinched tight. You should be able to fit your fingers under it.

Lift the bag up off your face so that the drawcord is now around your temples and just above your eyebrows, below your ears and around the back of your neck, like a shower cap. After adjusting the drawcord to your neck, it will feel tight around your head; this is good.

Scrunch ALL the air out of the bag. The more air you can remove, the faster the inert gas will take effect. If you ignore this step, your attempt will likely fail.

At this point the end of the hose should be inside the bag. I have long hair, so I secure the end of the hose at the back of my head with a hair elastic. Others have taped the end of the hose securely to the inside of the bag with more micropore tape.

If you have long hair, like I do, make sure it is bundled up inside the exit bag, not sticking out under the drawcord.

With the regulator closed, open the valve of the cylinder. There will be a sharp hiss as the regulator fills.

Open the regulator and adjust the flow of gas to 15Lpm. The gas flowing through the tube was surprisingly loud to me, and a bit distracting. Someone here kindly recommended earplugs, which I may do on my next attempt. Or I may listen to music; I doubt earbud wires will displace the drawcord.

The bag will gradually inflate above your head. It will take a minute or two to reach full inflation.

As the bag is inflating, take deep breaths, exhaling fully, to purge as much CO2 as possible from the depths of your lungs.

When the bag is inflated and you're ready, exhale as completely as possible and hold your lungs empty. Slide the bag down over your face and settle the elastic comfortably around your neck. Finally, inhale as deeply as possibe; breathe slowly

Exit Bag and Inert Gas Basics —A very, very long post, I know, but I feel like I've fielded a lot of questions about this, so I figured I'd spell out everything I know. Others on the forum should please add to this thread whatever reliable technical information they feel is appropriate for someone attempting this method to have.

The idea behind using an exit bag with inert gas is to create an atmosphere around your head that is both free of life-sustaining O2 and can carry away the exhaled CO2 that would activate your hypercapnic alarm.

The Gas:

You will need to keep the inert gas flowing at 15 liters per minute (Lpm) for 40 minutes to be confident of ending your life —in other words, you'll need a minimum of 600 liters of inert gas. In the past this would have been helium (He), but due to the uncertain availability of genuinely pure He, the best current options are nitrogen (N2) and argon (Ar). Both are reliably available in pure form (no air contamination) from stores that supply welders. N2 is also available from some brewery supply houses, but the purity of the gas should be confirmed to your satisfaction. Both N2 and Ar should work to ctb and are similar enough in their properties to be treated identically for use with an exit bag.

Pressurized gas cylinder sizes are not standardized across the industry, nor internationally, and it can be difficult, if not impossible, to tell how much gas they contain from a photograph on a website.

In the US, a 20 cubic foot (cf) cylinder is the smallest you should use for ctb; a 40cf will allow some margin for flinching, practicing, etc. "A 20cf" and "a 40cf", or "a 20" and "a 40" is nomenclature US welding supply houses will recognize, so asking for either should get you the desired product. A 20cf cylinder is quite small for industrial use; I've had clerks tell me, "well, we have a 40, but we'll need to special order a 20." It's up to you what you do in that situation. Personally, I have a 40cf cylinder. It has allowed me to flinch and abort my attempt three times now, and I don't need to worry about refilling it. I bought my N2 at AirGas, a national company here in the US. They do not demand any sort of professional certification for purchasing inert gas, and no more than the usual forms of ID depending on payment method.

I know nothing of gas cylinders outside the US, so if you are using other than US-typical cylinders, you'll need to call and ask to make sure whatever tank you're contemplating holds 600L of compressed gas. Hopefully knowledgeable forum members will add cylinder sizing information to this knowledge base.

Cover story: N2 and Ar are both used for welding. N2 is used in beer brewing. In my day job, I use both N2 and Ar to flood partial cans of expensive paint, to displace the O2 in the cans and prevent the paint from skinning over and going bad. It's a cost saving measure. The clerks I've bought gas from have never heard of that trick, which has meant they don't know enough to interrogate me on my motives or to try and quiz me on my welding knowledge. They have merely said, "huh! That's a new one!"

The store clerk may ask how you're carrying the pressurized cylinder "back to your shop," since pressurized cylinders can be very hazardous to transport (the valve is vulnerable to damage in an accident). I haven't had any trouble when I have told the clerk, "in the back footwell of my car, and very carefully padded!" What they really want to know is that you are aware that a pressurized cylinder is a missile waiting to explode if anything damages it, and that you know enough to not let that happen.

Is it really necessary to have a 600-liter tank? Tanks with that capacity are usually too large

 

[NellyGoes]

(Posting this here too I hope it's okay that it's a bit duplicate)

I'm also curious — what are opinions on taping the tube to the bag vs your head vs a hat/visor/headband?

I'm leaning towards my sturdy cotton headband rn (tried ball cap first, then visor but you really don't need that extra brim so I downsized).

Curious if anyone has opinions or insights (and I'm planning to go tomorrow so yeah I'm tight with all my last minute elements ha. But that's typical for me. And so far it's looking good…)

 

[The_Sadness_of_Life]

Hello Folks
I been searching and Researching for a painless way to CTB without fail and I accidentally come across this website SS. from here I learned a lot and I was surprised there's a lot of folks here who wants to CTB and helping each other out.
I learned a lot here from people like Vizzy and GasMonkey.

My current situation is different I have my dad age 90 and had Microvascular Ichemia with that he had Memory issues, Cognitive Decline, Memory Loss, Behavioral Change, Loss of weight, low appetite.
This affected me a lot, there's only 2 people in my family me and my 90 years old dad.
I have my father since the beginning of my life we have each other thru thick and thin.
If my father is gone then I have to be gone too.

My life is been very stressful and very emotional I really want to CTB.
The only thing that holds me back is my religious faith, I'm afraid that there might be a spiritual world where in the time of judgment we will be judge.
Imagine your already living in a tormented life so then you CTB knowing that you no longer exist that you escape this life of torment but then you awaken in purgatory where there is no point of return that's scary.

But Anyway Let's go to the main point.
I need help for a Nitrogen CTB set up.

I was reading a thread from Vizzy and his Nitrogen set up it's a bit complicated I really need a detailed information.

1. EEBD Hood I live in US and it's not easy to find this hood I seen some in EBay but I don't know if will be the right one, Then on Alibaba Website. So anyone here knows where to get this EEBD hood and the Exact Model? and how to obtain it in detail

2. Nitrogen this is not easy to obtain even Vizzy didn't say how he obtained it?
Can anyone from US or anybody that knows how to obtain Pure Nitrogen? I check some websites but it's not easy to many things to go through, anyone knows how to obtain a Pure Nitrogen right size that can purchase online available to ship in US and explain in detail how to obtain it.

3. Flow Meter how to set it up with Vizzy thread is bit hard to understand he uses extra hoses crimping tool then those ferrule stuff
Anyone can explain it in detail understandable and what is the right model to obtain.

I want to buy and set it all up so when that time has come to CTB I will be ready and prepared.

I have some of Vizzy list on EBay and it cost a lot around $800-$900 but I wanna make sure everything is correct so If someone here a professional CTB Nitrogen set up Expert can see the link and list let me know if all is good or something is wrong ok please!

Nitrogen Gas:

Nitrogen Gas, Full, 40 Cu. Ft. CGA580 Connection Nitrogen Tank/Gas, 100% PURE! | eBay

Used as a purging gas to prevent internal flacking during welding/brazing or to pressurize and leak test a sealed system. Nitrogen Gas, 100% PURE! 40 cubic feet of Nitrogen Gas. (1) Steel Heavy Duty 40 cu Tank.
www.ebay.com

EEBD Hood:
Pardon Our Interruption...

Flow Meter:
Pardon Our Interruption...

Oxygen Detector:
Pardon Our Interruption...

Hose Clamps:
Pardon Our Interruption...

Crimping Tool:

Interstate Pneumatics H6 V-Grip Type Crimper - 2 Opening 2 Dies for 1/4 Inch & 3/8 Inch Hose - Crimpers - Amazon.com

Interstate Pneumatics H6 V-Grip Type Crimper - 2 Opening 2 Dies for 1/4 Inch & 3/8 Inch Hose - Crimpers - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com

So far this is all the list I got from the Vizzy thread I know I'm still missing some items like the extra hoses and this barb or ferrule stuff chair etc..

So anyone out there a CTB Nitrogen set up expert can you check my list and let me know if this are good or wrong any errors let me know thanks.

 

[The_Sadness_of_Life]

Hello Folks
I been searching and Researching for a painless way to CTB without fail and I accidentally come across this website SS. from here I learned a lot and I was surprised there's a lot of folks here who wants to CTB and helping each other out.
I learned a lot here from people like Vizzy and GasMonkey.

My current situation is different I have my dad age 90 and had Microvascular Ichemia with that he had Memory issues, Cognitive Decline, Memory Loss, Behavioral Change, Loss of weight, low appetite.
This affected me a lot, there's only 2 people in my family me and my 90 years old dad.
I have my father since the beginning of my life we have each other thru thick and thin.
If my father is gone then I have to be gone too.

My life is been very stressful and very emotional I really want to CTB.
The only thing that holds me back is my religious faith, I'm afraid that there might be a spiritual world where in the time of judgment we will be judge.
Imagine your already living in a tormented life so then you CTB knowing that you no longer exist that you escape this life of torment but then you awaken in purgatory where there is no point of return that's scary.

But Anyway Let's go to the main point.
I need help for a Nitrogen CTB set up.

I was reading a thread from Vizzy and his Nitrogen set up it's a bit complicated I really need a detailed information.

1. EEBD Hood I live in US and it's not easy to find this hood I seen some in EBay but I don't know if will be the right one, Then on Alibaba Website. So anyone here knows where to get this EEBD hood and the Exact Model? and how to obtain it in detail

2. Nitrogen this is not easy to obtain even Vizzy didn't say how he obtained it?
Can anyone from US or anybody that knows how to obtain Pure Nitrogen? I check some websites but it's not easy to many things to go through, anyone knows how to obtain a Pure Nitrogen right size that can purchase online available to ship in US and explain in detail how to obtain it.

3. Flow Meter how to set it up with Vizzy thread is bit hard to understand he uses extra hoses crimping tool then those ferrule stuff
Anyone can explain it in detail understandable and what is the right model to obtain.

I want to buy and set it all up so when that time has come to CTB I will be ready and prepared.

I have some of Vizzy list on EBay and it cost a lot around $800-$900 but I wanna make sure everything is correct so If someone here a professional CTB Nitrogen set up Expert can see the link and list let me know if all is good or something is wrong ok please!

Nitrogen Gas:

Nitrogen Gas, Full, 40 Cu. Ft. CGA580 Connection Nitrogen Tank/Gas, 100% PURE! | eBay

Used as a purging gas to prevent internal flacking during welding/brazing or to pressurize and leak test a sealed system. Nitrogen Gas, 100% PURE! 40 cubic feet of Nitrogen Gas. (1) Steel Heavy Duty 40 cu Tank.
www.ebay.com

EEBD Hood:
Pardon Our Interruption...

Flow Meter:
Pardon Our Interruption...

Oxygen Detector:
Pardon Our Interruption...

Hose Clamps:
Pardon Our Interruption...

Crimping Tool:

Interstate Pneumatics H6 V-Grip Type Crimper - 2 Opening 2 Dies for 1/4 Inch & 3/8 Inch Hose - Crimpers - Amazon.com

Interstate Pneumatics H6 V-Grip Type Crimper - 2 Opening 2 Dies for 1/4 Inch & 3/8 Inch Hose - Crimpers - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com

So far this is all the list I got from the Vizzy thread I know I'm still missing some items like the extra hoses and this barb or ferrule stuff chair etc..

So anyone out there a CTB Nitrogen set up expert can you check my list and let me know if this are good or wrong any errors let me know thanks.

 

[NellyGoes]

@The_Sadness_of_Life
Hi friend. You've posted your post twice here (and other places), I'm not sure if that helps or rather clouds up the information in the forum. :)

This thread (while super mega helpful especially at the beginning) it seems has gone a bit "cold" unfortunately.

I'm sorry I'm very low energy (as I presume many of us are here due to our circumstances) to read your entire post in detail. It might be easier to post specific questions you may have regarding your setup or connections? What are you most unsure about?

 

[The_Sadness_of_Life]

@The_Sadness_of_Life
Hi friend. You've posted your post twice here (and other places), I'm not sure if that helps or rather clouds up the information in the forum. :)

This thread (while super mega helpful especially at the beginning) it seems has gone a bit "cold" unfortunately.

I'm sorry I'm very low energy (as I presume many of us are here due to our circumstances) to read your entire post in detail. It might be easier to post specific questions you may have regarding your setup or connections? What are you most unsure about?

Thank you for your reply. I seen this nitrogen in eBay and I wanna make sure it's the right one the right size and the right nitrogen.

@The_Sadness_of_Life
Hi friend. You've posted your post twice here (and other places), I'm not sure if that helps or rather clouds up the information in the forum. :)

This thread (while super mega helpful especially at the beginning) it seems has gone a bit "cold" unfortunately.

I'm sorry I'm very low energy (as I presume many of us are here due to our circumstances) to read your entire post in detail. It might be easier to post specific questions you may have regarding your setup or connections? What are you most unsure about?

Nitrogen Gas, Full, 40 Cu. Ft. CGA580 Connection Nitrogen Tank/Gas, 100% PURE! | eBay

Used as a purging gas to prevent internal flacking during welding/brazing or to pressurize and leak test a sealed system. Nitrogen Gas, 100% PURE! 40 cubic feet of Nitrogen Gas. (1) Steel Heavy Duty 40 cu Tank.

www.ebay.com

 

[NellyGoes]

Thank you for your reply. I seen this nitrogen in eBay and I wanna make sure it's the right one the right size and the right nitrogen.

Nitrogen Gas, Full, 40 Cu. Ft. CGA580 Connection Nitrogen Tank/Gas, 100% PURE! | eBay

Used as a purging gas to prevent internal flacking during welding/brazing or to pressurize and leak test a sealed system. Nitrogen Gas, 100% PURE! 40 cubic feet of Nitrogen Gas. (1) Steel Heavy Duty 40 cu Tank.

www.ebay.com

I got my nitrogen from a welding store. Don't know where you are but not sure if eBay can be trusted. BUT either way simple way to find out is to test it. Get an oxygen detector and fill up a small bag with it in it. It should go to <0.5% fairly quickly. Best to also test the same with CO2 though I didn't.

Just clicked the link the item looks good!
Steel tank will be a bit heavy so plan for that for moving around in case you're weak.

And yes 40 cubic feet should be good. IIRC it's about 1400 liters and 600 is minimum to ctb. So with 40 you have twice the amount which gives you room to test and practice! Just make sure you have a correct regulator and flowmeter to set the rate to 15-25LPM (unsure of exact best rate still trying to decide for myself).

 

[The_Sadness_of_Life]

I got my nitrogen from a welding store. Don't know where you are but not sure if eBay can be trusted. BUT either way simple way to find out is to test it. Get an oxygen detector and fill up a small bag with it in it. It should go to <0.5% fairly quickly. Best to also test the same with CO2 though I didn't.

Just clicked the link the item looks good!
Steel tank will be a bit heavy so plan for that for moving around in case you're weak.

And yes 40 cubic feet should be good. IIRC it's about 1400 liters and 600 is minimum to ctb. So with 40 you have twice the amount which gives you room to test and practice! Just make sure you have a correct regulator and flowmeter to set the rate to 15-25LPM (unsure of exact best rate still trying to decide for myself).

Thank you friend for giving a time reply for me.
I been trying to find for guidance and so far you been ver helpful I appreciate it.
I'm from California and this eBay nitrogen gas is a blessing to me to find it cause it's not easy for me to find one. Can testing be done with this detector https://www.ebay.com/itm/375618478154

Everything I'm buying most from eBay this is the flow meter I'm trying to purchase

Argon CO2 TIG MIG Flow Meter Welding Regulator Welder Gauge CGA580 Heavy Duty | eBay

CGA-580 fitting, so it fits all argon, helium, nitrogen, and argon/CO2 mixed gas tanks. This does not fit CO2 cylinders. Heavy Duty The output flow is 10 to 60 cfh (cubic feet per hour). The warranty applies to defective products.

www.ebay.com

If you have time to check them let me know.

Also I been reading that laying down is not recommended? I actually want to be laying down in bed to CTB? But most here is saying to nitrogen CTB needs to be in a chair tied up.
Why is that? Kind to wanna hear your thoughts!

Lastly the EEBD hood is something I wanna use just like Vizzy did. Is this EEBD hood good

DRAGER CF-10/15 EMERGENCY ESCAPE BREATHING DIVICE (EEBD) HOOD FOR DRAGER MAKE | eBay

In All United Nation. CUSTOM POLICY. Marine Engineering.

www.ebay.com

Sorry for this bunch of questions I'm just getting a bit excited. I just want a validation on all my plans of purchase before finalizing it I don't want to make mistakes.

Thanks friend.

 

[outrider567]

Thank you for your reply. I seen this nitrogen in eBay and I wanna make sure it's the right one the right size and the right nitrogen.

Nitrogen Gas, Full, 40 Cu. Ft. CGA580 Connection Nitrogen Tank/Gas, 100% PURE! | eBay

Used as a purging gas to prevent internal flacking during welding/brazing or to pressurize and leak test a sealed system. Nitrogen Gas, 100% PURE! 40 cubic feet of Nitrogen Gas. (1) Steel Heavy Duty 40 cu Tank.

www.ebay.com

Any Nitrogen is 'right'--By Law, Nitrogen Tanks must contain at least 99.0% Nitrogen

Thank you friend for giving a time reply for me.
I been trying to find for guidance and so far you been ver helpful I appreciate it.
I'm from California and this eBay nitrogen gas is a blessing to me to find it cause it's not easy for me to find one. Can testing be done with this detector https://www.ebay.com/itm/375618478154

Everything I'm buying most from eBay this is the flow meter I'm trying to purchase

Argon CO2 TIG MIG Flow Meter Welding Regulator Welder Gauge CGA580 Heavy Duty | eBay

CGA-580 fitting, so it fits all argon, helium, nitrogen, and argon/CO2 mixed gas tanks. This does not fit CO2 cylinders. Heavy Duty The output flow is 10 to 60 cfh (cubic feet per hour). The warranty applies to defective products.

www.ebay.com

If you have time to check them let me know.

Also I been reading that laying down is not recommended? I actually want to be laying down in bed to CTB? But most here is saying to nitrogen CTB needs to be in a chair tied up.
Why is that? Kind to wanna hear your thoughts!

Lastly the EEBD hood is something I wanna use just like Vizzy did. Is this EEBD hood good

DRAGER CF-10/15 EMERGENCY ESCAPE BREATHING DIVICE (EEBD) HOOD FOR DRAGER MAKE | eBay

In All United Nation. CUSTOM POLICY. Marine Engineering.

www.ebay.com

Sorry for this bunch of questions I'm just getting a bit excited. I just want a validation on all my plans of purchase before finalizing it I don't want to make mistakes.

Thanks friend.

You don't have to be tied up--First of all, you just pass out in less than a minute, and any kind of convulsions you may have afterwards won't dislodge anything, just make sure your tubing is around 5 feet long or thereabouts

 

[MyShadow]

I've been reading about this method for weeks. It's by far the most complicated and expensive of all of the others, requiring a lot of money and time and trial and error. Even with all of that effort it's a longshot that it will work.

It's just so frustrating.

 

[NellyGoes]

any kind of convulsions you may have afterwards won't dislodge anything

So that's the hope. BUT technically that possibility exists. A person could dislodge their exit bag/hood/mask when convulsing when unconscious enough to create a big enough gap at the opening for too much oxygen to get in. From what I understand it's not super likely, but it is possible :/ (this is my single biggest worry in this setup as I'm ctb'ing on my bed — slightly reclined — too.)

 

[outrider567]

So that's the hope. BUT technically that possibility exists. A person could dislodge their exit bag/hood/mask when convulsing when unconscious enough to create a big enough gap at the opening for too much oxygen to get in. From what I understand it's not super likely, but it is possible :/ (this is my single biggest worry in this setup as I'm ctb'ing on my bed — slightly reclined — too.)

Not worried about it at all--When was the last time you ever heard of this actually happening?

 

[meemee]

TL;DR: Failed ctb attempt, party tanks, no regulator, reclining on bed, oven bag, plastic tubes.

Hello to all fellow sufferers. A few days ago I tried to ctb with the helium method, but without using the usual gas flow regulator.
As you can tell, this has been a failure.

Here's what happened:

1. Prepared two tanks, ~13.5 liters, ~320 liters of compressed helium each, so ~640 liters total. Seller's claimed that the purity is 99.9+, but I did not test it myself. Tubes attached right to the outlets of tanks.

One of the tank had been bought recently, and the other around 2 years ago. I had let the gas on the older tank run (for testing purposes) for some while, but not long; after that, I had closed it properly (or at least I think so) and stored it in a proper place until now.

2. Prepared a bag: 40x45cm (15.75"x17.72"), elastic tied around the neck part, plastic tubes from helium tanks taped to the inside of the bag. Found no leaks when testing. I did the elastic according to instruction ("snug but not tight"), but I can't be sure I did it correctly.

3. Positioned myself on bed, reclining at around 60° on pillows (half-lying, half-sitting, like in a car seat pulled back). Made sure to not get the tubes stuck between arms and body, and practiced pulling the bag from head to neck.

4. Wore the bag like a swimming cap, scrunched all the air out, and turned the valves on tanks to enable helium flow.

5. When the bag was almost full (~30-60 seconds later), I started hyperventilating, and after a while I finally exhaled deeply, pulled the bag over my head, checked the elastic tightness (not breathing in yet), and only then started taking deep breaths.

6. Nothing was happening even after 20-40 seconds. I noticed that the flow was too weak (I easily could "inhale" a wall of the bag, which, to my understanding, shouldn't happen). Because of that, I turned off the gas in panic, ripped the bag off my head, and proceeded to the next attempt.

7. This time I tried with a higher gas flow rate. When I did all the preparations and pulled the bag to my neck, I noticed that I did not "inhale" the oven bag wall this time. I thought that everything will be over soon, and just laid back, breathing deeply. But there were no effect: even after ~40+ seconds I haven't passed out. I started getting curious about leaks through holes, helium purity and proper adjusting of elastic band on my neck, but there was nothing to worry about as I've checked all these things beforehand (of course, assuming that I comprehended everything correctly, and the helium vendor did not lie about purity of gas).

8. But from this point on I cannot recollect what had happened. I lost my memory of what happened next: I think I just turned off the valves after ~2mins of being stuck in pure helium environment, but this is impossible.

9. I woke up 40-60 minutes later, my head inside the bag (if I even remember correctly... these memories are very hazy). Tried to turn off the valves, but was surprised because the valve on a newer tank wasn't even opened, and the older tank was exhausted completely. I felt very sleepy/dizzy, my lower legs/calves hurt, and even standing upright was a very hard task.

So, my version of what had happened is: I did pass out on the second try, but in a half-unconscious manner I turned only the one valve off (on the newer tank), while the second tank was continuing to transmit gas at desired speed. This tank exhausted too fast to kill me, possibly because of the small leaks (the tank is 2 years old), or too much experimenting.

I can't feel any brain damage in terms of vision blur, memory shortage, or something like that. Also I felt no SI at all, not physiologically (CO2 buildup), not psychologically (so I was brave that day).

On a positive note: I did pass out successfully, so the helium is pure!
But still there are concerns: I don't know if the helium is pure in the newer tank because it was turned off when I woke up, so it must've been the older tank which knocked me unconscious. But I want to try again, and so I would have to buy a new tank, and so I can't know if the helium would be pure in this. And obviously regulator would help immensely.

Please comment on this. What did I do wrong? If I had to guess, then I'd say that this half-conscious state ruined everything. What do you think? I very much want to know the opinion of more knowledgeable forum members. If you are so kind to answer, please start with assuming that I can't have access to regulator, and then go from there. Thank you.

Additional notes: I did read the PPH, watch the Dignified dying video (with the two party tanks and no regulator), looked at the herman photos (with 15 different helium ctbs), and skimmed through Megathread (covered around 60-70%). Is this knowledge enough? Do I have to research further? If so, what would you recommend?

Also, are today's party helium tanks the same as they were, say, 15 years ago? Same pressure, volume, flow speed? So, could a tutorial written 15 years ago in Switzerland/US be applicable to today's situation in Eastern EU?

Please forgive me for this barrage of questions, I really want to know what was wrong.

P.S.: included pics of my setup, hope this is enough. The photographed tank is the newer one, but the older is entirely identical (in the appearance at least, can't be sure about gas purity though)

Hello, if it's not too much, can I ask what brand of helium did you use for both the new and old and where did you buy it?

 

[liquidity]

The Regulator:

A regulator screws on to the cylinder and does two things: 1) it reduces the pressure in the cylinder to a useable level, otherwise the 2000psi tank pressure would just blow the exit bag off your head as soon as you opened the valve, and 2) it controls the rate of gas flow into the exit bag —specifically, it should release it at 15Lpm, which is the minimum adequate to carry away exhaled CO2 and fool your lungs into believing there's enough air.

The good news is that while gas cylinder sizes are not globally standardized, the cylinder valve threads are —and both N2 and Ar cylinders have the same threads (other gasses have different threads), so a regulator that fits on one cylinder will fit equally well on another.

You don't need to worry about being sure to choose a regulator that will reduce the pressure: they all do that. The flowmeter is the critical element of the regulator for our purposes.

Some regulators come with a "click adjust" flowmeter that is very simple, allowing you to dial in 15Lpm without needing to think about it. To the best of my knowledge, these are medical grade regulators; generally very good quality, but often a bit more expensive. Others here may know more about them, and where to acquire them, than I do.

A typical welding regulator will have two gauges: the tank pressure gauge (unimportant to us) and the flowmeter gauge.

A welding regulator's flowmeter gauge will be marked in either cubic feet per hour (Cfh), Lpm, or both. Some welding systems require a fairly low flow of inert gas, much lower than our necessary 15Lpm, and this low flow is most easily measured in Cfh. If you see a gauge marked only in Cfh, it probably will not work for our purpose. Look at the highest Cfh setting on the flowmeter and do the math, to be certain. If the gauge reads in Lpm, a glance should tell you whether the regulator provides the necessary 15Lpm flow.

Harbor Freight Tools offers a cheap CO2/Ar regulator (it also works for N2) with a flowmeter that shows flow in both Cfh and Lpm and goes high enough for our purposes. This is what I have.

The Hose:

The hose needs to be long enough to reach from the gas cylinder beside you, up into the exit bag on your head. I have found it easiest to lead the hose up my back and into the bag at the very back of my neck. It seems to disrupt the fit of the bag less right there.

Some regulators come with a hose that threads directly into the regulator body. Some regulators come with a hose-barb, onto which a length of soft tubing can be pressed. Some regulators come with neither.

For the first situation, just thread the hose into the regulator, tighten it with a wrench, and it's ready.

(Regardless of what type of threaded fitting is used, you do need to wrench-tighten this fitting: a lot of gas can leak out at this connection. If it is a brass fitting, you should not need teflon tape on the threads; the soft metal deforms enough when tightened to provide an adequately gas-tight connection.)

For the second situation, take the hose-barb to a hardware / home improvement store and purchase tubing that fits onto the barb. Once home from the hardware store, thread the barb into the regulator body, tighten with a wrench, and press the tube onto the barb. It should be a snug fit; if you're worried it's too loose, use a small hose clamp / jubilee clip to secure it in place. If it's a little too tight to get the hose into place, soak the end of the tube in very hot water to soften it and press it onto the barb. I used clear vinyl tubing. Aquarium tubing should work. Surgical tubing may not; I don't know for sure.

For the third situation, you'll need a hose-barb fitting (typically brass) that threads into the regulator body. Take the entire regulator to the hardware store and ask someone to help you fit it with a hose barb. Then proceed as for the second situation.

Cover story: as with purchasing the gas cylinder, you're using N2 for brewing, or Ar for filling partial paint cans. Why Ar? because it's heavier than air and settles down onto the paint surface inside the can. For extra confidence that they won't ask inconvenient questions, you're doing it for your father, or your brother, and you don't know why they want it for their paint locker, they just said to get a hose barb and six feet of tubing…

The Exit Bag:

There are several videos on YouTube detailing construction of exit bags. I strongly recommend watching them. That's how I learned.

The short version of what you want is a turkey roasting bag —available in the supermarket, in with the zip-locks and cling wrap— with an elastic drawcord worked into a turned hem, and a cord-lock to adjust the drawcord's tension.

I used 3/8" elastic cord. I purchased both it and the cord lock at a sewing and crafts store (JoAnn's).

To construct the turned hem you'll need micropore (surgical) tape, available at a pharmacy in the first aid section. It's the right tape to use because it will reliably stick to the material of the bag itself. Sometimes it isn't labeled as "micropore." Ask a clerk if you can't find it.

Cover story: you were asked to re-stock the family first aid kit with micropore tape and you don't recognize any of the brands available.

Using an elastic drawcord is important: it needs to fit snugly around your neck, but not seal tightly. It must still be flexible enough for the flow of inert gas, lightly pressurizing the exit bag, to push past the elastic and flush away the CO2 you're exhaling. Don't use a non-elastic drawcord or do something like duct tape the bag to your neck; you don't want to create a seal, just a restriction.

Does anyone have any data on the the minimum gas quantity that might be feasible? I have access to all the other equipment including regulators etc, but can only get 2.2 ltre canisters of argon/nitrogen. This has been my planned method until reading this article which gives a much higher amount needed

 

[NellyGoes]

Not worried about it at all--When was the last time you ever heard of this actually happening?

Hmm well I can't say that I have. But I also don't talk to tons of ppl who have attempted this everyday ha. I guess my main "source" would be people reporting on here that they failed and my logical mind telling me that it's definitely possible.

May I ask if you're planning to use an exit bag, or hood, or something else if this is your chosen method?

Does anyone have any data on the the minimum gas quantity that might be feasible? I have access to all the other equipment including regulators etc, but can only get 2.2 ltre canisters of argon/nitrogen. This has been my planned method until reading this article which gives a much higher amount needed

Do not attempt if you have under 600L free gas. If you want to ensure ctb you must have ~15-20 LPM flow for 40 minutes (so do the calc). Otherwise body could stay alive (and you severely brain damaged :/). Pls don't attempt under the minimum amount.