Forgetting to turn on computer before the dive

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ElizaDoolittle

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I suppose it's a very basic question, but although I've searched for the answer on the forum, I haven't found any. The closest thing is having a computer which fails in the middle of a dive, but I don't know whether the situation would be exactly the same.

It's never happened to me, but yesteday, I suddenly asked myself what should be done if you forget to turn on your dive computer before jumping into the water. Should you turn it on immediately as soon as you realise? Is there a time or depth lapse when you can ignore its not having recorded data? Or would it give an error message as it notices it's not the beginning of the dive? Should you abort the dive? Trust your buddy's computer, as long as it's your first dive that day and also his? Cancel any other dive you intended to do on the same day?

Thanks if you can clarify this for me!
 
I suppose it's a very basic question, but although I've searched for the answer on the forum, I haven't found any. The closest thing is having a computer which fails in the middle of a dive, but I don't know whether the situation would be exactly the same.

It's never happened to me, but yesteday, I suddenly asked myself what should be done if you forget to turn on your dive computer before jumping into the water. Should you turn it on immediately as soon as you realise? Is there a time or depth lapse when you can ignore its not having recorded data? Or would it give an error message as it notices it's not the beginning of the dive? Should you abort the dive? Trust your buddy's computer, as long as it's your first dive that day and also his? Cancel any other dive you intended to do on the same day?

Thanks if you can clarify this for me!
You should always turn it on before the dive, but say you forgot or it turned off before you got in the water, it should turn on automatically when you dip below 1’ I believe.
 
There are a lot of options depending on your experience level and type of computer. If you know your start time and max depth you could dive tables for the day, if you are on a standard mix you can do ratio, you could follow the 110 rule and only do one dive for the day, you could max your depth at 30’…. I would not recommend trusting your computer if you already got a few minutes in and sharing a computer with your buddy is generally considered a bad idea.
 
I suppose it's a very basic question, but although I've searched for the answer on the forum, I haven't found any. The closest thing is having a computer which fails in the middle of a dive, but I don't know whether the situation would be exactly the same.

It's never happened to me, but yesteday, I suddenly asked myself what should be done if you forget to turn on your dive computer before jumping into the water. Should you turn it on immediately as soon as you realise? Is there a time or depth lapse when you can ignore its not having recorded data? Or would it give an error message as it notices it's not the beginning of the dive? Should you abort the dive? Trust your buddy's computer, as long as it's your first dive that day and also his? Cancel any other dive you intended to do on the same day?

Thanks if you can clarify this for me!
Most computers will turn on automatically at a certain depth, I believe (my SW’s will). I don’t rely on that functionality and always check before submerging, but no worries if I miss it at some point.
 
Thanks a lot! I didn't know that. I've seen that my computer (a Cressi Leonardo), according to the instruction manual, gets automatically into the dive program "DIVE AIR" when you reach a depth of 1.2 meters. But I don't know whether that means it'll turn itself on if it's turned off, or it needs to be already on and will get into the dive program if you are in the "DIVE SET" program instead.

I'll check in my next dive. I'll jump into the water with it off, will go down to 1.2 meters and see what happens. If it doesn't turn on automatically, I'll surface, turn it on and start the dive again.
 
Thanks a lot! I didn't know that. I've seen that my computer (a Cressi Leonardo), according to the instruction manual, gets automatically into the dive program "DIVE AIR" when you reach a depth of 1.2 meters. But I don't know whether that means it'll turn itself on if it's turned off, or it needs to be already on and will get into the dive program if you are in the "DIVE SET" program instead.

I'll check in my next dive. I'll jump into the water with it off, will go down to 1.2 meters and see what happens. If it doesn't turn on automatically, I'll surface, turn it on and start the dive again.
Just make sure it’s set up for what gas you are diving (i.e., air vs nitrox) as it might not let you change that once the dive has started.
 
In the old days some single button pick computers (Sherwood the source) did not automatically turn on. You needed to push the button before you jumped in. It would not turn on at depth. You need to resurface to activate it. Worst thing was that once turned on at the surface it automatically turned off after a short delay if you did not start a dive. After having it turn itself off a few times while waiting to get in, I swapped to a computer that automatically turned itself on.

I would be surprised if there are modern dive computers that do not turn on automatically. Does anyone know of one?
 
I suppose it's a very basic question, but although I've searched for the answer on the forum, I haven't found any. The closest thing is having a computer which fails in the middle of a dive, but I don't know whether the situation would be exactly the same.

It's never happened to me, but yesteday, I suddenly asked myself what should be done if you forget to turn on your dive computer before jumping into the water. Should you turn it on immediately as soon as you realise? Is there a time or depth lapse when you can ignore its not having recorded data? Or would it give an error message as it notices it's not the beginning of the dive? Should you abort the dive? Trust your buddy's computer, as long as it's your first dive that day and also his? Cancel any other dive you intended to do on the same day?

Thanks if you can clarify this for me!
It depends on your computer. Some turn on automatically, some turn on when you push the button to start dive and sometimes when they turn on at depth they go into gauge mode for 24 hours. Best to establish a regimen to turn on computer before you turn on your air. Make a plan and stick to it.
 
Best to establish a regimen to turn on computer before you turn on your air. Make a plan and stick to it.
Actually, you still need to check it’s on prior to submerging as some computers will time out and turn off if no activity detected in a set period - my Teric does that.
 
It depends on your computer. Some turn on automatically, some turn on when you push the button to start dive and sometimes when they turn on at depth they go into gauge mode for 24 hours. Best to establish a regimen to turn on computer before you turn on your air. Make a plan and stick to it.
I not sure, have to check, but an old Oceanic depth gauge and or dive computer, 1 button puck type said not to depress the button when it is underwater. Reason I forget also an if it said why. Other not said here was waterproof? Note sand got in the pressure sensor through the boot where opening for sensor and did this. On land pressed button. It starts self test and then shut off. If already going in water and not watching it shuts off. Really you are to wait and when self test ends, look to see depths and time limit for no decomp dive. Then if you want to press button again while on surface to see past log of dives not sure how long it stays on for you to get underwater. Cleaning sand with only tooth brush lightly under running fresh water fixed the clog. Careful on beach dive that console it not treated bad. Just like reg, 2nd an octo sand can be a problem if you let it.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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