Dive computer ????

[OneBadBusa]

At the family cookout yesterday an instructor was invited. Of course I spent a lot of time asking lots of DFQ's. Told him about the unbelievable deal I got off EBay. He told me I shouldn't use a dive computer that's over 5 years old and he made a lot of sense as to why not. What do others feel about this? I don't have the luxury of his yearly income but I do also have a console without a computer in it.

 

[PerroneFord]

Yea, you probably shouldn't use a BC that's more than 3 years old. You know how technology moves on. For goodness sakes, the computers used recreationally are based on tables that are 40 years old.


...and people look at us funny when we say we dive without computers.

 

[herman]

Hummm, guess I should get rid of both of my computers...NOT. As long as they are working to specs I see no reason to buy a new one. Bottom time is bottom time and the tables have not changed much in the last few years. Unless some radical new method of calculating N2 loading comes along I can see no reason to change out a working computer. If you got one off Ebay, having it checked is not a bad idea but otherwise I see no reason not to use it.

 

[Thalassamania]

I still use my EDGE on occasion, and that was the first digital one.

 

[Michael Schlink]

What computer did you get?? If it's an Edge or a Skinny Dipper, he may be right (joke here) Really which computer did you get, and if you don't mind how much$$

 

[CIBDiving]

There hasn't been any big change in most computers ( RGBM is the exception, and it's debatable if that is significant ) in the last 5 years, so in that much he's right.

The biggest change to happen is nitrox, before ~1998 nitrox capable computers were at a premium, now it's hard to find ( impossible?) to find an air only DC.

I think I'd draw the line at 1995 or newer for air and 2000 or newer for nitrox. With the Air computer date determined simply because of reliability issues. In all cases of older than 2 years beware of leaks- just changing the battery Oring does not fix all leak possibilities.

 

[Thalassamania]

NITROX - that's true. But if your not gonna dive that devil gas ... well the the oldies can be the goodies. Just make sure there's a user replaceable battery<G>.

 

[Storm]

At the family cookout yesterday an instructor was invited. Of course I spent a lot of time asking lots of DFQ's. Told him about the unbelievable deal I got off EBay. He told me I shouldn't use a dive computer that's over 5 years old and he made a lot of sense as to why not. What do others feel about this? I don't have the luxury of his yearly income but I do also have a console without a computer in it.

Take your older dive domputer to the LDS in your area that deasl with that company and have them pressure test is to make sure the seals are working, and to check that the pressure guaging system works. After that, dive the thing.

My wife and I are using slightly older computers and they're working fine.

 

[OneBadBusa]

I got an ORCA Phoenix, 2 dry suits, a wet suit, 4 aluminum 80's, 2 sets of regs, back pack, bag and 3 BC's had them all checked out and re hydro'd for under a $1000.
Not too bad I hope. You can be honest I can take it.

 

[Rick Inman]

NITROX - that's true. But if your not gonna dive that devil gas ... well the the oldies can be the goodies. Just make sure there's a user replaceable battery<G>.

Of course, you can dive nitrox using a non-nitrox computer. Know your mod, keep an eye on your cns% and go diving. You can even do a little math and increase your bottom time, but that's for a different thread...