Are "old" computers safe?
- Thread starter wgmontgomery
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dumpsterDiver
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It's a great computer. You scew it into your regulator, you turn the air on and it boots up. If not, then you change the battery, if that doesn't work, take it off the hose, save the hose and toss the thing in the garbage.
There are NO STUPID BUTTONS to push. It turns on gives you air pressure in great big letters and reads depth, NDC limit, minutes left of "air time" based on your recent consumption rate and works well for deco diving too. It is aggressive, so if you dive on air with it, you might want to cut a few minutes off the limit. It will only fail once, so I wouldn't be overly concerned about impending failure.
There are NO STUPID BUTTONS to push. It turns on gives you air pressure in great big letters and reads depth, NDC limit, minutes left of "air time" based on your recent consumption rate and works well for deco diving too. It is aggressive, so if you dive on air with it, you might want to cut a few minutes off the limit. It will only fail once, so I wouldn't be overly concerned about impending failure.
I used the Delphi, predecessor to the Phoenix, and then upgraded to the Phoenix and I think went through 4 of them with different issues but they all ended up dead. No Phoenix lasted a full dive at all!!! Today's computers are much more capable, use current algorithms/software, Nitrox capable, consume batteries less, etc. If you are actually diving on regular basis, 30 dives per year or more, you should get a more up to date computer.
Note: Orca Computers went out of business after the son of the owner died in a motorcycle accident. The son of the owner was the reason the owner started Orca and bought the intellectual property rights from the original company that made the Edge, Marathon.
Note: Orca Computers went out of business after the son of the owner died in a motorcycle accident. The son of the owner was the reason the owner started Orca and bought the intellectual property rights from the original company that made the Edge, Marathon.
My old orca Phoenix computer I still use it in fact I have two done a lot of deep dives with this computer with no problem.
I see no problem with keep using these computers as long as you follow the program on the computer.
I see no problem with keep using these computers as long as you follow the program on the computer.
OP
wgmontgomery
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Your cheapest options are a used He, or https://www.divegearexpress.com/dive-rite-nitek-q-advanced-nitrox-trimix-dive-computer-v2.
For new, from what I've used and seen, there is no good alternative to a Petrel 2.
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I can't think of anything in life that doesn't have a 100% failure rate given enough time.
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wgmontgomery
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halocline
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To anyone concerned about dive safety, I would suggest learning more about the basics of decompression models and read some of the more in depth, but still recreational-oriented, articles on factors that corollate with DCS incidence in recreational diving. Then you might actually be in a better position to manage your own diving instead of completely relying on a dive computer.
To say that one computer is "safer" than another is simply false; there are no studies that show increased incidence of DCS with a particular brand of dive computer, or with any of the algorithms that they are based on. There's simply not enough data to support any such statement. Instead of trying to sell (or buy) dive safety via a gadget, smart divers should learn to dive safely through better profile management and dive behavior. So much of this comes down to judgement, of which computers have zero.
---------- Post added September 28th, 2015 at 07:09 AM ----------
You really enjoy making statements like this, don't you....
To say that one computer is "safer" than another is simply false; there are no studies that show increased incidence of DCS with a particular brand of dive computer, or with any of the algorithms that they are based on. There's simply not enough data to support any such statement. Instead of trying to sell (or buy) dive safety via a gadget, smart divers should learn to dive safely through better profile management and dive behavior. So much of this comes down to judgement, of which computers have zero.
---------- Post added September 28th, 2015 at 07:09 AM ----------
You really enjoy making statements like this, don't you....
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