Back-up SPG?

[vladimir]

I feel that my life is too valuable to trust to a peice of plastic with a circuit board and battery

Are you talking about a pacemaker or a dive computer? If it fails, you do have the option of aborting the dive.

 

[halocline]

Yeah, the "my life is worth...." argument is usually shaky. Your life and safety in scuba is dependent on the way you dive, who you dive with, what risks you choose to take, etc...not an individual piece of gear. If your computer dies, you don't have to die with it (unless you're on some sort of seriously twisted gear-bonding trip) just head for the surface. That's what OW diving is based on, the ability at any time to reach the surface should you need to.

Back to the SPG, divesports in AL has a great deal on the XS scuba (identical to dive-rite) brass guages. I recently bought one on a 24" hose and I love it. Clip it off to your left hip D-ring (or whatever you have if you're diving a standard BC) and you'll hardly notice it's there.

 

[*Floater*]

Being a gadget geek, I bought myself an air-integrated wrist mounted computer -- which I love -- except the day it failed. I thought the coolest thing about the AI computer was that it meant one less hose, but now I am thinking a back-up SPG would not be bad thing to have.

What's the standard practice among folk with AI computers -- do you have a back-up hose, or a back-up reg, or just dpend on that transmitter to do its job?

I'd get a small or large (depending on preference) TDL pressure gauge (or similar) with 24" HP hose. I think that's only $66 + shipping right now because of the special. Either clip it to the the left hip d-ring and leave it there for backup, or just put it in your save-a-dive kit along with a wrench. If the hoseless unit fails then you may decide to abort that dive, but will be good to go for the next one.

Of course, if you have to dive with a backup SPG, then it sort of defeats part of the purpose of having the hoseless unit, but at least you still have the remaining gas info right there on your wrist (when the unit works) which may be a plus for you.

Here's some discussion about SPG's: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=162964

 

[markrovner]

Many thanks! I ordered the TDC gauge as part of the group buy...

Appreciate the help. I'll decide when i comes whether to attach it immediately or just have it handy.

 

[paulwlee]

Having a backup SPG should NOT be for safety, but to be able to continue the dive without your pressure link.
If you need the SPG to be safe when your wireless link fails, you need better dive planning. You should have enough gas to get back at any point of the dive, so if you abort the dive, then you no longer really need your air pressure information, although it would be nice to have.

When you get the SPG, put it on a shorter hose than usual (~24") and snap it to a ring on your BC on the left side. That way it stays completely out of the way until you need it.

 

[Web Monkey]

I use a SmartCom computer, and have a Uwatec SPG/Depth gauge console as a backup. It's small enough to easily pack, but big enough to read, and it has the same quick-disconnect as my SmartCom, so a quick changeout on the boat is easy.

That said, I've never needed it, and probably never will, as long as I always bring it wth me

Terry

Being a gadget geek, I bought myself an air-integrated wrist mounted computer -- which I love -- except the day it failed. I thought the coolest thing about the AI computer was that it meant one less hose, but now I am thinking a back-up SPG would not be bad thing to have.

What's the standard practice among folk with AI computers -- do you have a back-up hose, or a back-up reg, or just dpend on that transmitter to do its job?

 

[terrasmak]

If you just get a good SPG instead of a AI computer you wont need a backup .

 

[CompuDude]

If you're a gadget freak like me, the general thrill and convenience of AI (all your info on one screen, extra info for calculating SAC rates, etc.) is more important than losing the hose.

Go the tech route of getting a plain SPG and clip it off on your left side as a backup, and you'll never have to fear losing sync again. I tend to be more of the mind that losing sync (which is super-rare, and tends to last mere seconds in any event) is not a big deal, because you should have enough of an idea of how much gas you have left to abort the dive without fear regardless.

 

[dannobee]

I feel that my life is too valuable to trust to a peice of plastic with a circuit board and battery I have a wrist mount computer and full manual console this way I know my depth pressure and heading even if my comp fails. Redundancy is the best insurance you can have.

You do know that for many years we used to dive without SPG's, and either moved the J-valve rod or surfaced when the reg got hard to breathe, right?

Gas planning is what it's all about. Give me a watch and depth gauge (and the beginning pressure) and I can estimate my air pressure within a hundred psi or so. It's not that difficult.

 

[DirtRider]

I dive with an AI suunto vytec. I had problems twice. If you sync up and walk to far away it may not automatically sync up again and you have to get it a few cm away for a number of seconds to sync again. That is near impossible when already diving and I couldn't get it to sync again. After it happened the first time I decided to get the suunto modular 3 gauge console and just use it as a 2 gauge (front and back). I have the sk7 compass on one side and backup spg on the other. It is always kept clipped to my side unless I need the compass. Since I'd need the compass anyway having the line is no big deal. Now I won't ever have to abort a dive if I lose sync and the extra drag really isn't noticeable. It was my mistake both times for wandering to far after the sync but now I know better. The benefit of the AI is being able to have everything you need on your wrist. It takes 1 second to monitor everything instead of clipping and unclipping. I could also double check pressure if something seems out of place but I really don't need to do that since I'm always monitoring pressure on my wrist mount. Redundancy COMBINED with prudence are the best combination for success in any extreme sport. If you every rely on that which is intended as redundancy then you just doubled your risk because you have twice as much dependent equipment that could fail. I wouldn't change a thing if I had to do it all over again.