Cobra 2 Problems

[Apecks]

I had a problem with my Cobra 2 last month:-

I was helping out on an AOW as part of my DMT. Dropped to about 9m on a line a stayed there holding the lift bags while the instructor & student did some search patterns on the search & recovery dive. While waiting I was practising slowing my breathing rate down to try increase the projected air time as much as possible, the best I could manage was about 78 minutes. Fine!

Instructor & student came back to the line as they were having problems with the current & search patterns (they lost the anchor we had drop in to search for). Checked my Cobra 2 and it was reading 165 bar pressure & 99 mins dive time, I thought something was wrong then as I could not get anywhere near that time when I was just stationary. Waited 2 minutes and checked again = 165 bar pressure & 99 mins dive time!!!! Signalled to the instructor I had a problem and I was going to surface and go back to the boat.

Once back on the boat I turned off my cylinder and purged my regs, looked at the Cobra 2 again 165 bar pressure & 99 mins dive time!!!!:shakehead I then disconnected the quick release and removed the Cobra 2 which still read the same.

I pressed the button to start a new dive - it beeped as usual, checked the battery and cleared.

I have used it since very conservatively but my confidence in it has dropped. Anyone else had similar problems?

 

[BrianMered]

I have supplied Cobra 2's to a couple of my students in the past and they have had nothing but problems with them. Even the replacement units that came from Suunto went south within months of being used. One went off completely and was replaced only to repeat the same fault. The second unit consistenly reads tank pressure incorrectly. the replacement is doing the same again.

 

[Apecks]

The only other real problem I have had is with residue building up on the PC lead contact and running down the battery, which I solved by claeing with a toothbrush

 

[TheScubaBOB]

Are you using a quick disconnect?

A buddy of mine was (on a different Air Integrated computer) and was always having problems with the pressure readings. He removed it and everything has been working fine since.

Personally I have ScubaPro HP Quick Disconnects on all of my First Stages (the HP hose is removed frm the first stage not the console is removed from the hose) and have never experienced a problem with flow restriction.

 

[Apecks]

Yes I am using a quick release. Might have to strip it and get it through the ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[RickHeil]

I've had my Cobra 2 for just about two years and approaching a hundred dives. It has the quick disconnect.
I've never had any issue with it either in use or in downloading dive profiles to my PC.

My only complaint is the backlight is a little weak but other than that its easy to use and has performed flawlessly.

Sorry to hear you're having an issue.

 

[DJvR]

I have also been experiencing problems with the depth reading on my Cobra 2. I first noticed this during training dives that are shallow and I surface frequently. On subsequent descents the computer would not register that I was submerged and would either remain in "surface" state or report a depth of 2 ft when I was in actuality at 20 ft. Upon noticing this I started diving with a Gekko as backup and was able to show that the Cobra 2 was intermittently flaky and it appears to be an issue for repetitive dives shallower than 30 ft. I returned the computer to the local SUUNTO distributor two weeks ago and heard this morning that they reported "no problem found" and simply replaced the battery. Not encouraging - so I am back into diagnostics mode with an expensive piece of dive gear, very frustrating. Will report on future findings.

 

[DJvR]

I was able to speak with the local SUUNTO distributor about this problem and was contacted last week and told that they will be replacing my unit in order to keep it for further investigation. I have not been able to test the replacement unit yet, but at least feel that my concerns are being addressed. Will report on how things go with the new unit.

 

[JackSpearo]

a friend of mine has a Cobra 2, she took it to bonaire to use it for the first time, and it messed up completely! it totally didn't read the pressure of the tank...

mine works fine though

 

[Apecks]

Backlight has now gone out on me - friend of mine also had a cobra 2 and after a month of not diving he set his kit up and it was reading 86m for the whole month he had not used it.

It would seem Suunto have pahsed them out quite quick with the cobra 3 now launched