Inspiration Reliability

[RGist]

How reliable is the Inspiration?

 

[InspirationDave]

Had mine 3 years, never had a cell warning, only replaced batteries......after 3 years, had battery box terminal corrision recitifed and water likes to eventually run down the inner handset hose and get into the controllers corroding the microswitch.

All is now solved with the Vision electronics I have.

Unit has been extremely stable and reliable.....

 

[peterbj7]

Having owned several, have never had more than 2 years out of the electronics before $1k replacement was necessary.

 

[RGist]

Thanks for the feedback. I am considering purchasing a unit and this information is very helpful.

 

[InspirationDave]

I am told that the electrical wires pass down through the rubber hoses into the handsets on the Classic.

If you leave them hanging downards like I did when not in use, moisture can slowly travel down the hollow rubber hoses and get into the handsets. Seems like a bad design.....cost me $300 or so to have SDS replace the corroded microswitch and remove the water from the flooded handset as well as replace the battery box.

My new Vision electronics and wrist-set are supposed to solve all that.....we'll see!

 

[padiscubapro]

I am told that the electrical wires pass down through the rubber hoses into the handsets on the Classic.

If you leave them hanging downards like I did when not in use, moisture can slowly travel down the hollow rubber hoses and get into the handsets. Seems like a bad design.....cost me $300 or so to have SDS replace the corroded microswitch and remove the water from the flooded handset as well as replace the battery box.

My new Vision electronics and wrist-set are supposed to solve all that.....we'll see!

I wouldn't say its a bad design.. It has alot of positives.. mainly the handsets are at ambient pressure so it becomes extremely difficult to flood them... this may not be a big thing for people who do shallow dives (less tha 200fsw or so), but as depth increases this becomes a bigger concern.. They would have to thicken the cases considerably to work at any reasonable depth.

Having the handsets hang down when not in use is a BAD habit.. besides the potential for moisture ending up in the handsets the bigger deal is that the handsets are not secured and all the stress is put on the point where the hose is attached to the case of the handset.. the unit should be stored vertically when possible with the handsets clipped together through the carry loop..

on most units the micro switch is a piece of cake to replace a $3 switch, soldering iron and a few minutes of work..

 

[FishFinger]

How reliable is the Inspiration?

There has been a history of incidents were the O2 first stage causes the unit to catch fire. The buttons defining to the user which button is O2 and which is diluent (or more importantly the buddy), come off. Saying that ApValves provide first class customer care.

More importantly how reliable are you?Thats what you need to ask yourself before you even think of buying one. If your not disciplined its going to kill you!!

 

[wedivebc]

There has been a history of incidents were the O2 first stage causes the unit to catch fire. !!

Other than the recent one in UAE what incedents?

 

[FishFinger]

Other than the recent one in UAE what incedents?

I know of four incidents, one in which the boat caught completely on fire and burnt to the water.

Here is a picture of of a similar incident!!!

http://www.rebreatherworld.com/t350-.html

I have met people who have had their YBOD catch fire.

 

[caveseeker7]

That picture s from the UAE incident.
Cause undetermined, so it's not necessarily a YBOD fault.
I've been on four boards from three countries and lurk on two more
as well as on the RB list and don't recall three other torch jobs.
Mind elaborating a bit?