convenient yes, but is it safe?

[NuclearOOPS]

I dive a Mares Icon HD, (Still waiting for the promised air integration), but if and when its finally available I'm buying it. I have a single OMS spg on a thin HP miflex that will stay attached. The hose and guage are both small so I'll be able to tuck it away in the BC, and if I have a problem with my air integration I still have my spg.

 

[freewillie]

Part of the allure of wireless AI for computer is to eliminate the hose, but looks like most everyone here using analog back up SPG anyways. I'm really starting to like the convenience and location of keeping dive computer on my wrist. I have a console retatractor and clip the SPG to one of my upper D rings, usually on right shoulder. Still very easy to check remaining air, but would be easier with AI. Besides, I really like getting new toys !!

 

[Rascally Rabbit]

It seems to me that the OP already may have a good grasp of what goes into staying safe while using an air integrated computer. I'd base that assumption based on the questions asked but will offer my conclusions also.

First let me say there is no reason to believe that an AI computer is any less safe than any non integrated computer. In fact if a transmitter fails or the computer is used without a transmitter it functions just as any non AI computer.
So the answer to has a transmitter ever failed during a dive is that yes it happens. (usually after a battery replacement) No it has never happened to me. Staying safe in this event does require the diver to abort the dive. If you are properly monitoring your dive and you hold to this rule your safety is never compromised. Your computer is still monitoring depth and time. You and your buddy should still make a safety stop and once out of the water you can either fix, replace the transmitter or add a SPG and continue diving and using the same computer to monitor your dives.

As for backup... Since a transmitter problem will not prevent further diving after a fix backing up the computer becomes more of the issue. This is no difference than backing up any non AI computer. Some people like to include a SPG and dive watch I prefer to leave my SPG in my reg bag. I instead opt to dive with a second computer. My second computer is another AI of the same manufacturer so unless I have a failure of both other than pressure readings (which would indicate a transmitter failure) my day of diving can continue. If one computer were to fail during the next surface interval I can add my gauge cluster to my regs plot my day of diving on tables and have redundancy on my further dives.

As you can see safety isn't really the issue as long as you don't mind calling an individual dive and you are properly backing up. Since you are not risking anything more than a few minutes reconfiguring at the surface. The real issue is whether you can continue diving that day and a good backup plan will insure you can.

 

[vladimir]

Eliminating a hose is a flimsy reason to justify AI, in my opinion. The hose leading to an SPG that is clipped to the hip D-ring is as streamlined as can be. Since you already have an SPG, configure it that way--remove it from a console if need be and get a hose of the proper length. Then enjoy the convenience of having your gas supply monitor on your wrist with no qualms about its reliability.

I have been using AI since the earliest models, almost 20 years ago. They had chronic reliability problems. I never had to abort a dive, but I did have to consider it during long waits for an indication of my gas supply. The technology has improved, however, and I have yet to catch my Suunto D9 dropping a signal in about 4 years and 300 dives.

 

[rongoodman]

Another thing to consider is that as you get more experience and become more aware of how much gas you consume, you're not going to be needing to check your SPG every few minutes. You'll have a pretty good idea how much you have just from how long you've been down, and checking becomes more of a confirmation of something you already know. I've been happy with a bare SPG clipped to my left waist D-ring since my first dive out of OW.

 

[Searcaigh]

I do not use an AI computer but I occasionally dived with people that have had issues with them.

Six months ago in PG Philippines a Belgian photographer had a problem when he fired his strobes the computer went crazy, I believe it was an UWATEC model, can't remember what strobe he was using though, but it was not Sea&Sea or Inon

 

[RTee]

I prefer the KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid) method...wrist computer (non AI), a watch/bottom timer and analog gauges. Less things that can go wrong. But if you like new toys, by all means.

 

[EastTNDiver]

I used to be one of those "never trust electronics underwater" divers, but two years ago I bought a Uwatec Galileo Sol with pressure transmitter and love it. I usually dive a couple times a month, along with at least a couple of week long dive trips a year, and have never had so much as a hiccup out of my Sol. Add in the fact that it has one of the nicest digital compasses I've ever seen, and it just gets better. I don't use a backup SPG either, as I always know how much pressure is left, and if my computer fails I just end the dive...same as I would for a failed SPG. While on dive trips, I do keep a backup computer puck (Aladin Prime) in a pocket so I can pick right back up on the next dive if my primary fails, but I haven't actually needed it yet. Of course, this is all in regards to OW diving.

 

[halocline]

They're probably not any more likely to fail than one of those tiny spool o-rings on SPGs, but then again, when a spool o-ring fails, it's almost always on the boat when you pressurize it, and it takes 2 minutes to replace. When an electronic device fails, it could be ay any time and likely is not repairable.

I agree with Ron that with some experience you typically only need to check gas a few times per dive, so they don't exactly solve a big problem. This is another area where the technical dive guys have come up with a logical, practical solution; the bare SPG on a 24" hose clipped to the left D ring.

 

[Rascally Rabbit]

They're probably not any more likely to fail than one of those tiny spool o-rings on SPGs, but then again, when a spool o-ring fails, it's almost always on the boat when you pressurize it, and it takes 2 minutes to replace. When an electronic device fails, it could be ay any time and likely is not repairable.

I agree with Ron that with some experience you typically only need to check gas a few times per dive, so they don't exactly solve a big problem. This is another area where the technical dive guys have come up with a logical, practical solution; the bare SPG on a 24" hose clipped to the left D ring.

First off I disagree with only checking gas a few times a dive. This is typical of how experienced divers get into low air situations that they shouldn't. I wouldn't call needing to check your air a big problem but it is a necessity that should be done regularly and often. Having the data on your wrist makes it far easier to do than having to unclip the spg and bring it up to your line of sight.

As for the 24" hose clipped to the left D ring... All is well with that until the clip breaks, the diver forgets to clip it off or for some reason while trying to clip it off the diver doesn't get it done. These instances do happen although given not very often. However when it does you have a SPG dangling free or to get caught up in something. This is a non issue with an AI wireless computer.

As for strobes causing the loss of sync or loss of sync in general...
This is only a problem if sync is not re-established in a timely manner.
A timely manner varies depending on depth and the rate the diver is consuming gas. Most modern wireless computers do re-establish sync quite quickly if one you are diving one that does not blame the individual computer and get it fixed don't bad mouth the entire technology. SPG, inline AI computers and non AI computers all have similar failure rates if you deduct user error (or lack of user understanding) from the equation. I dive with 2) 42watt/sec. Slave strobes in addition to the internal strobe of my camera and have never had a sync issue that correlates to the firing of the strobes. For that matter I've never lost sync for more than a few seconds without being able to re-establish sync.

As for when electronic devices failing...
We are talking about well engineered solid state devices not vacuum tubes. With proper maintenance failure is rare but aside from battery failure, (which is repairable) usually it is catastrophic. This should cause a very safe response from a diver.(end the dive) An SPG on the other hand can be in a failure condition without a diver being aware the result can be a OOA incident or worse.

The feature of most AI computers are designed to give the diver more information in real time and at a glance than just time, depth and nitrogen loading. AI divers also can read their dive time remaining, Air time remaining and PO2 levels.

Sure a well trained diver can dive without the need of these devices and the extra real time info. I'd even say that a diver probably shouldn't be diving without being able to keep themselves safe without these added features. It is however comforting to know the info at any point during the dive. It allows divers that are not as well trained to also enjoy the sport safely if they at least understand proper use of the equipment.