Dive Computers and Deco

[justvince]

Why do many computers lock out for 24 hours once they enter deco?

I would hope a computer would aid me through deco steps and let me know when it is safe to do more diving. It seems overly simplistic to declare no diving for 24 hours. I see a number of dc go into gage mode which implies to me post deco diving is possible with proper training (which I have not had yet, so if something about this post is stupid - please say so nicely.)

Is it a case that for intentional deco diving you do not use a dc?

I am shopping for a nitrox computer so in addition to educational comments, recommendation on features that will let a nitrox diver grow into more advanced diving would be appreciated.

Thanks for sharing!

V.

 

[ianr33]

Why do many computers lock out for 24 hours once they enter deco?

They dont.

They lock you out if you dont follow the deco instructions. Do the stops the computer is asking for and it will not lock out.

 

[justvince]

So when the manuals reference violation, it means violating the deco instruction? I thought the violation reference was violating of NDL. That is very useful. - Thanks!

 

[TSandM]

To answer your question, people who are doing staged decompression diving are either using computers which are designed for that purpose, or they are cutting tables or otherwise preplanning their dives.

Recreational dive computers are not happy if you go into deco, and they are even MORE unhappy if you don't do the sometimes ridiculous deco that they call for. (My husband's Suunto -- set on the proper mix -- gave him 20 minutes of shallow deco on a dive when none of the other five divers had any deco at all. He did it, because he wanted the computer to continue to work.)

 

[ianr33]

So when the manuals reference violation, it means violating the deco instruction?

Yes

I thought the violation reference was violating of NDL.

No

 

[DiverLaura]

the Uemis Zurich will not lock you out. it will penalize you if you do not follow the algorithms recommendations and give you a 'do not dive' alert, but it will not lock you out. They would prefer you take the computer with you to help calculate some kind of plan, as opposed to leave it locked out on the surface as a paperweight, and do the dive with nothing...

 

[ianr33]

My Shearwater Pursuit will never lock out and I assume the Liquivision is similar, but now we are getting a long way from recreational computers.

 

[Marc Bryan]

The X1 will not lock out.

 

[justvince]

Thanks Everyone! A couple of very nice computers mentioned. Being early in my dive career, I've been looking at the Element II, Zen, react pro, or Archimedes and such. I'm glad to find that they might be overly conservative on a deco dive, but still useable. And continued value if I move to more advanced diving. Any other thoughts?

 

[Marc Bryan]

Look at the dive rite trio. It is a three gas computer, that is a good value, and can stay with you through 90% of your dive career, and can serve as a bottom timer the other 10%. It is based on a solid algorithm, offers deco stops, and the ability to switch from back gas to two deco mixes.

Or even cheaper is the dive rite watch computer that is based on the same algorithm and is a two gas version.