AI transmitter woes

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Stuart, you mentioned that the PPS transmitters started having more issues in the last year or two. Do you know more about that actual timeline? My Shearwater transmitter is dated 10/18, so almost exactly two years old. I haven't had any problems with it, but this is something that concerns me.
 
Stuart, you mentioned that the PPS transmitters started having more issues in the last year or two. Do you know more about that actual timeline? My Shearwater transmitter is dated 10/18, so almost exactly two years old. I haven't had any problems with it, but this is something that concerns me.

The person I talked to said (if I am remembering correctly) that it seems like 17-19 have had more problems, and 14-16 have had less problems. Obviously, there will be SOME failures from every year. They had no failures from 2020, yet. And I'm not sure if the observation about 14-16 has any real significance. I'm not sure Shearwater was even ever selling transmitters that were manufactured that long ago, so the failure rate on those could be just as high - for Oceanic and the other brands that were selling them from back then - and it's just that none of them were Shearwater-branded back then, so Shearwater hasn't had any calls about ones from back then.

I wouldn't worry about it TOO much. But, I would make sure you have either an SPG or a spare transmitter you can swap in on a moment's notice.

I also would not worry too much about being almost exactly 2 years old. Shearwater is awesome. I suspect that even if you were a bit out of warranty and had a failure, because they know there are some issues, I would guess they would take care of you. I mean, even if they wanted to be a pain about it, the warranty is from when you bought it - which is obviously some time AFTER 10/18. Mine were dated 10/18 and I got them way less than 2 years ago.

My post was not intended to be a call to arms. Just a call to be prepared for "just in case". :)
 
And, I noticed that XmtrA (or B? I can't remember for sure) got hot while I was sitting there waiting to see if my computer would start displaying a tank pressure. I took the battery back out and it was too hot to hold!

I have experienced this. An Aqualung branded PPS transimitter (ca 2017 model) didn't transmit after pressurizing and got burning hot. I removed the battery and let everything cool down. With a new battery it started to transmit again and has been ok for 30+ dives since this incident.
 
I have experienced this. An Aqualung branded PPS transimitter (ca 2017 model) didn't transmit after pressurizing and got burning hot. I removed the battery and let everything cool down. With a new battery it started to transmit again and has been ok for 30+ dives since this incident.

Interesting. I just tried it again, with another new battery. It still didn't work and, after being in and pressurized for only about 1 minute, I took the new battery out and it was very hot to the touch.
 
Interesting. I just tried it again, with another new battery. It still didn't work and, after being in and pressurized for only about 1 minute, I took the new battery out and it was very hot to the touch.

Hot battery normally means it's discharging too fast, which normally means a short. I'd first suspect a blown transistor (could be inside an IC) as the other usual suspects: a piece of conductive crap between the tracks, or a sticking out contact touching where it shouldn't, are probably less likely in this case.
 
It indeed behaved like a short circuit. My transmitter recovered with a new battery, so I have been thinking it was a battery issue (although they should be extremely rare).
I have no idea who would service/replace these in europe. I bought Aqualung branded transmitters online from a vendor well known for nonexistent customer service.
 
It indeed behaved like a short circuit. My transmitter recovered with a new battery, so I have been thinking it was a battery issue (although they should be extremely rare).
I have no idea who would service/replace these in europe. I bought Aqualung branded transmitters online from a vendor well known for nonexistent customer service.

Not scubastore was it?
 
Indeed it was. But I knew what to expect so I am not really blaming anyone.

It can't get any worse in my experience in Western Europe.
 
It can't get any worse in my experience in Western Europe

It depends on how you define western europe. There is another one in the eurozone with equally bad customer service but with slow and unreliable deliveries...
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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