just discovering the problem with suunto transmitters

[Ski_Lounge]

With EVERY product, there are happy owners and unhappy owners. Because you didn't had any issue with your DC, it doesn't mean that others haven't.

Obviously that's a fair statement. But there's more nuance to this. Some companies have a larger fraction of satisfied customers, while others are the opposite.

I've personally experienced, and this forum is full of stories about, Shearwater going out of their way to provide quality customer support, in many cases with the product out-of-warranty. It does not seem that way with Suunto. OP asked for alternatives, sometime suggested Shearwater (seems reasonable), are you saying OP should avoid the recommendation?

 

[El Diablo]

I really don't understand why you continue to bring in the in-housing rechargeable batteries to the discussion. That's not what is in the OP's transmitter. If it were, I don't think he would have had as much heartburn with not being able to replace the batteries himself. He would have been able to recharge his transmitter and move on.

A sealed rechargeable battery is completely different than what we are talking about.

I will explain it again just in case... DCs are paired with wireless transmitters. What is good on being able to change the battery on your transmitter if you have to send in your DC?

Servicing your own gear is comfortable but programing and servicing your gear in an authorized dealers isn't so complicated. That's all.

 

[El Diablo]

Obviously that's a fair statement. But there's more nuance to this. Some companies have a larger fraction of satisfied customers, while others are the opposite.

I've personally experienced, and this forum is full of stories about, Shearwater going out of their way to provide quality customer support, in many cases with the product out-of-warranty. It does not seem that way with Suunto. OP asked for alternatives, sometime suggested Shearwater (seems reasonable), are you saying OP should avoid the recommendation?

I don't disagree as I have no personal experience with Shearwater. Seems to be a great company.

With Suunto I have mixed feelings although the usage of my DCs when I was working in the industry was quite heavy so I might not represent the average 50 dives a year customer.

 

[Belzelbub]

Well, read from this happy owner. I am sure there are many more around this forum.

Are you sure? See your comment below.

With Suunto I have mixed feelings although the usage of my DCs when I was working in the industry was quite heavy so I might not represent the average 50 dives a year customer.

I don't get it. Are you a happy Suunto owner, or do you have mixed feelings about it?

 

[Belzelbub]

I will explain it again just in case... DCs are paired with wireless transmitters. What is good on being able to change the battery on your transmitter if you have to send in your DC?

For me, personally, I don't have to make that choice. I have a Perdix AI and a PPS transmitter. I can change the batteries of both myself, and I can do that independently of the other regardless of where I am. I can even do it when I'm on a boat. I carry spare batteries and a battery tool in my save a dive kit just in case. I've never needed to use them, but I still carry them just in case.

And again, a battery that can be recharged without removing it is completely different than what the original post was about. And, though the transmitter and DC are paired, that doesn't mean that the batteries need replacing at the same time.

Go ahead, send your Suunto in to replace a battery. I'll happily replace mine in the comfort of my own home in just a few minutes.

 

[GreggS]

thank you all, i really appreciate the speedy replies. ill provide a few responses below:

the model transmitter i have looks like this but with a clear bottom Suunto Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitter for select dive computers says dp173 on it. i have the vyper novo so i guess i got the cheaper one. it was bought new.

thankyou for the shearwater suggestion. ill look into them.

scared silly - thank you for the offer. ive found one on ebay and expect it here in about a month...

i have found an spg to borrow and will buy a spare one when i get home. i somewhat regret ever going digital in the first place!

Don't give up on wireless AI just yet. Like I said earlier, your situation seems far out of the norm. If it is still under warranty, and I'm assuming it is, I would contact Suunto about the transmitter running the battery down so quickly. It should definitely last longer than 40 dives, even if that did take close to 2 years.
Again, my original battery lasted close to 150 dives over more than 4 years.

 

[saxman242]

This was a good reminder to order a couple extra caps for my suunto transmitter for next time I change the battery myself.

 

[Dan]

Forget SUUNTO & get Shearwater.

I used to have SUUNTO D4 for may be 9 years. For the first few years I used to send it to SUUNTO authorized scuba shops for battery change. Then I watch YouTube video on DIY battery change, noticed how easy to do it and started to do it myself.

Like someone says, you don’t know what you don’t know. I thought that’s the way DC works, cumbersome, head-scratching manual, learning by using it and asking people why it does this or that, how to adjust Nitrox setting, how to switch between air & Nitrox, etc.

Later on I got a Teric and noticed the difference between the two DC. It’s like night & day. Teric is so user friendly to use it. It’s manual is so well written. I can set the sharp color display to show everything I need to know including the compass north direction and the return direction, in a glance without needing to press buttons while diving,

I gave D4 to my brother when he took OWC last month. I’ll be showing him how to use it next week when we are diving in Bali & Komodo.

 

[GreggS]

Fair enough. Now I know one. Not sure if you've had a warranty issue that needed to be taken care of or not. Usually that, and the response, is what makes owners unhappy.

The Vyper Air I mentioned earlier went wonky after 1 year. It would not operate in dive mode and wouldn't even navigate the menu without locking up. As it had a 2 year warranty, I took it back to the shop I bought it from. They checked it and couldn't do anything with it so they sent it back to Suunto. Apparently, Suunto couldn't fix it either and although it took a few months (during the winter non-diving months for us), I got a call from the dive shop to come pick up my new Vyper Novo that Suunto replaced it with. And although I no longer use that computer, I still own it and my granddaughter uses it. So I really have nothing against Suunto DCs nor do I have an issue with their warranty or customer service. The only reason I no longer use it myself is I had the opportunity to purchase a used Oceanic OCi with transmitter at a very reasonable price and have been using it for the past couple of years.

Now, the DM5 software from Suunto? Absolutely sucks. But that's a discussion for another day.

 

[El Diablo]

For me, personally, I don't have to make that choice. I have a Perdix AI and a PPS transmitter. I can change the batteries of both myself, and I can do that independently of the other regardless of where I am. I can even do it when I'm on a boat. I carry spare batteries and a battery tool in my save a dive kit just in case. I've never needed to use them, but I still carry them just in case.

And again, a battery that can be recharged without removing it is completely different than what the original post was about. And, though the transmitter and DC are paired, that doesn't mean that the batteries need replacing at the same time.

Go ahead, send your Suunto in to replace a battery. I'll happily replace mine in the comfort of my own home in just a few minutes.

Why do you have to close your paragraph with such an idiotic sentence?

"Go ahead, send your Suunto in to replace a battery. I'll happily replace mine in the comfort of my own home in just a few minutes". How much time and effort do you think it takes for me to send-in every 2 years a transmitter for replacing the battery? Fetch the horses and ride 500 miles???

As I previously wrote, I am in Munich. I simply print a label from the comfort of my house as well (2min), put the computer on a box in the supermarket when I go for groceries (7min walking from my house) and hand it over to the employee in the DHL kiosk (German post office) that is actually inside the Supermarket (another 2min-3min tops), pay online (2mn) and receive the package home a few days later again. So you will need what 10m of your own time every 2 years to do the same? You beat me by 5min or 2.5min per year. Congrats.

Also, if anything goes wrong, my DC is covered by warranty as any service should by law when done by an authorized dealer. In your case... pray. I don't know what fictional advantages you are imaging as I service my gear in the needed intervals. Of course, for people that aren't organized and count every dime or avoid public contact I can see a benefit.

Don't be a tool.