Banned from diving for a locked out backup computer?

[Kim]

It's not a good idea to ride a computer to the limits anymore than it is to ride the tables. If your dive planning includes just a small bit of a conservative margin then it's hard to see how you would bend either of them.

 

[BarryNL]

But what if one is locked and the other isn't (In this thread we are carrying two computers)

Dunno, it's your choice - you're the one who risks ending up bent. Personally if I'd done something which locked out a computer I'd be more interested in monitoring myself for DCS than getting back in the water.

 

[carldarl]

Through all this I am a little confused. Am I right here? You bought a Suunto as your new primary since you are unhappy with your Aeris AND because you wanted a little more conservatism. Now, ifif you lock it our diving you want to go araound it. Why buy a more conservative model if you are going to ignore it?

I dive a Suunto because I am 52 years old, diabetic, overweight, had six back surgeries and am not in peak condition. (Obviously and also dive at altitude) Why in the world would I want to ignore a lockout, therefore bypassing the safety margin I purposely bought? Might as well just "follow the leader" and hope they're diving a profile/s that don't violate my tired old body?

Help me understand as I am too feable to get it...

 

[Jarrett]

Why would I want to dive if my primary computer is locked out?

In the scenario that it freaked out or in case of incorrect settings on my part prior to the dive. I see stories about that happening a few times. Don't want to loose dive time for a computer snafu be it my fault or the computers.

 

[carldarl]

Then do as others have suggested. Toss the Suunto in a bag and dive the backup. I've never had an op ask to see my computer or even see my dive paln. Even running hard at 5 dives a day on a recent live-a-board they never asked. But, I also record my basic info after each dive so if I ever have to revert to tables I have the what's needed. It also helps me keep up with where I am and what I have left so to speak.

Have a great time diving and just remember the body still goes along for the ride. Keep it comefy...

 

[Jarrett]

This post from Damselfish in another thread pretty much sums it up completely for me:

I dive with a backup computer. So a failure not only won't affect future dives but not even the current dive. This matters to me as I'm usually doing repetitive multilevel dives someplace that was expensive to get to.

 

[The Chairman]

Jarrett,

Welcome to the department of redundancy department.

Going for a second dive computer? Good for you! Here's the booge: If you lock up a computer, whether your fault or the computer's, they don't want you to dive. Merely changing computers is not an option, because the new PC does not have the data for the other dives UNLESS you do as you are suggesting and use both.

So if one locks, just switch to the other. The dive op just wants to make SURE you have a computer that has your entire dive profile. You do, so no prob.

Reading this thread I get the feeling that some of you view diving as some sort of competition. "I got 3.4 extra minutes with my "WildnSassy" Dive computer.

As some others have most aptly pointed out, you are really 3.4 minutes closer to being bent. Now if you follow the rules your chances of being bent are pretty slim. However, the closer you ride the NDL on your computer, the closer you are to being bent. Did you drink last night? Did you hydrate? Did you actually get to sleep? Are you sea sick? Did you, oh I think you get the picture. Ask Dan and they will tell you that more people are bent on a computer than not! WHY??? Aren't computers safe??? Not if you keep riding their NDL! It's bound to bite you in the butt.

Now what locks out a PC? A ballistic ascent. A missed deco stop. It just hates you.

So... slow DOWN. It's a big ocean and you aren't going to see it all on one dive anyway. Check both computers frequently. Always go with the most conservative. As breathing gas will allow it, exceed the time on your deco or safety stop with WILD abandon. MB and I once did a 20 minute safety stop. We just sat there and watched everyone ascend together (after 3-5 minutes) and get on the boat. As the last diver made his way to the platform, we did our final ascent. Did we need that extra fifteen minutes? Nope. Did it hurt? Nope. Did it help keep DCS at bay? Assuredly.

 

[NauticalbutNice]

I personally am a big geek and my main dive buddy is a big geek too.

While we both dive computers, we also carry a set of tables..in our BCD pockets! Hey we like to make each other plan dives on the safety stops.

Damn...I need to get a life...

Listen to what Netdoc says. He's a guru! (And he knows way more than me!) He also gets bonus points for saying wildnsassy.

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

 

[pasley]

...I've already bought one computer (Aeris) and I'm having problems with it. One of the problems is the ability to download the dives which is important to me.

Downloading, which I initially thought was a luxury, can be important. When I was at the chamber (12th lifetime dive), they wanted to know how long I had been at x depth. I had no idea. Being a rookie, I was checking my air every minute or so, not my depth (my bad). In analyzing my dives on the computer later, I have noticed things I missed during the dive and improved my diving. Stuff like a SLOW warning, or how long I over stayed the NDL because I was busy bagging a 3 pound lobster (my bad, but he was tasty)..

Another is the liberal nature of the Aeris. I am beginning to believe I would like a more conservative computer initially as I get into diving. Something that theoretically keeps me a bit safer.

at my age conservative is good. SUUNTO is conservative.

... And I have heard a few of those "my Suunto locked out for no good reason" stories.

Yep, mine locked me out for no good reason, except that I had overstayed the NDL at 84 feet, went into a short mandatory deco, and then due to concentrating on getting a lobster* off my computer so I could see my ascent rate, blew through the safety stop. So the "for no good reason" is really for my safety. The SUNTO does not lock you out for no go reason. It locks you out for violating basic diving rules and dive tables (by over staying the NDL and not doing the deco stops). I would have stayed out anyway, but the computer locked up to ensure I did. If the "my Suunto locked out for no good reason’s story tellers were honest, they had violated the computer by overstaying the NDL and then not doing the deco stop. I call that "not the most intelligent thing to do". My SUUNTO has locked me out once in 220 dives and that was MY FAULT not the computers.

So go ahead and buy and use a SUUNTO with confidence. If you get locked out it is for your safety and you will know what you did to deserve it.

* It really was funny, I brought my computer up to look at it the lobster (bug) grabbed on to the face of it for dear life. As i worrked to pull him off (big strong sucker he was) in failed to stop finning up and got him off just in time to wach my depth go 4,3,2 1.

 

[Damselfish]

This post from Damselfish in another thread pretty much sums it up completely for me:

Originally Posted by Damselfish
I dive with a backup computer. So a failure not only won't affect future dives but not even the current dive. This matters to me as I'm usually doing repetitive multilevel dives someplace that was expensive to get to.

That thread was on a slightly different topic. Do note, by failure I'm talking about a computer failure, like it springs a leak or freaks for no good reason. A computer locking out because you pushed it or did a Polaris isn't a failure - not of the computer anyway.