Do any computers apart from Suunto show the floor?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Gekko user guide page 25

CEILING, CEILING ZONE, FLOOR AND DECOMPRESSION RANGE
When in decompression, it is important that you understand the meaning of ceiling, floor, and decompression range (Fig. 3.19.):
- The ceiling is the shallowest depth to which you should ascend when in decompression. At this depth, or below, you must perform all stops.
- The ceiling zone is the optimum decompression stop zone. It is the zone between the minimum ceiling and 1.8 m [6 ft] below the minimum ceiling.
- The floor is the deepest depth at which the decompression stop time will not increase. Decompression will start when you pass this depth during your ascent.
- The decompression range is the depth range between the ceiling and floor.
Within this range, decompression takes place. However, it is important to remember that the decompression will be very slow at, or close to, the floor.
The depth of the ceiling and floor will depend on your dive profile. The ceiling depth will be fairly shallow when you enter the decompression mode, but if you remain at depth, it will move downward and the ascent time will increase. Likewise, the floor and ceiling may change upwards while you are decompressing.
When conditions are rough, it may be difficult to maintain a constant depth near the surface. In this case it will be more manageable to maintain an additional distance below the ceiling, to make sure that the waves do not lift you above the ceiling. Suunto recommends that decompression takes place deeper than 4 m [13ft], even if the indicated ceiling is shallower.
NOTE! It will take more time and more air to decompress below the ceiling than at the ceiling.

OK, it's not the floor, it's the ceiling zone floor :D
 
Andrew, this implies that the Helo2 will start clearing deco below the floor. How can that be so, given the very definition of "floor" that you later posted.

For info, from my Gekko manual:

"Rather than requiring you to make stops at fixed
depths, the dive computer lets you to decompress
within a range of depths (Continuous Decompression).
"

But of course "range of depths" presumably means floor>ceiling.

a different algorithm for the helo2 from most of the other suunto computers as per the link i posted. i wasn't posting a definition of floor, just referencing the manual for suunto recreational computers.

---------- Post added November 12th, 2014 at 07:28 AM ----------

OK, it's not the floor, it's the ceiling zone floor :D

Yes!

This is the important bit from the manual excerpt that you have quoted, "Within this range, decompression takes place. However, it is important to remember that the decompression will be very slow at, or close to, the floor".

So yes, you a right and it fits with spending a lot of time at 10 metres. However, it doesn't work very well for square profile (i.e. wreck dives) with a significant decompression commitment. I know this, because I tried using a Gekko as a backup computer on dives of this kind. It wasn't uncommon to end up with more deco at the ceiling zone floor than when I left the wreck.

The HelO2 in contrast is a pleasure to dive with, but in terms of "continuous decompression" as they call it, it does nothing than my 1999 Aladin computer couldn't!
 
I make decompression dives.

My Suunto Gekko tells me whether I'm above the floor or not, "floor" being defined as:

"the deepest depth at which the decompression stop time will not increase. Decompression will start when you pass this depth during your ascent".

When I'm below the floor, it shows an up arrow and "ASC TIME" blinks. I really like this feature because, for example, it helps me decide whether to stop to video something at 15m during my ascent.

However I'm looking to switch away from Suunto because the Gekko's algorithm is too conservative for me. I much preferred the algorithm of my old Uwatec Aladin Pro, so I am thinking of getting a Subgear XP-10. But as I understand it, that computer (like the Aladin Pro) gives no indication of the floor.

Are there any other computers apart from Suunto that show if you're above or below the floor on a deco dive? As I'm in Thailand I'm particularly interested in the more mainstream brands that would have dealers here (Scubapro/Uwatec, Oceanic, Mares etc.).


Shearwaters will show you if you are off gassing or not (in Non Deco Mode). Basically if the time display switches from less than 99 minutes to 99 minutes at depth, that is where off gassing is starting according the algorithm. TO my knowledge no Aeries/Oceanic/Hollis or Cressi computer will show you a floor reading
 
Shearwaters will show you if you are off gassing or not (in Non Deco Mode). Basically if the time display switches from less than 99 minutes to 99 minutes at depth, that is where off gassing is starting according the algorithm. TO my knowledge no Aeries/Oceanic/Hollis or Cressi computer will show you a floor reading

Um...no. Look at the GF99 value during your ascent: if it says "ongassing" you're not offgassing; if it displays a % value, you're offgassing. How high the value will indicate how much the leading tissue tension is, and thus something about rate of offgassing.
 

Back
Top Bottom