Does Oceanic make....

[Doug B]

Ok, so I love my Pro Plus 2 computer, but I don't necessarily want to take it on EVERY dive... mostly the "dives" I do in the local pool, helping my instructor buddy keep an eye on his students.

I've got the quick disconnect on the computer, does Oceanic make a simply (and inexpensive) SPG that will plug into the quick disconnect for situations like this?

If not.... Hey - I'll be the beta tester!

 

[undefined]

What would be the downside to taking the Pro Plus 2 with you when helping your instructor buddy? Students should familiarize themselves with the various computer models, and the PP2 is very easy to use and understand. Are you concerned with using different gear than the students or with wear and tear on your computer?

 

[visibilityunlimited]

I may sound like I am over dramatising with what I am about to say, but, in my opinion, if you are diving with a computer, then you need to dive with it every time you go under water (bathtub excluded).

A local High school near us has what are called lock-ins around the time of Prom. The students are in the school overnight in lieu of going out on the street and partying . They offer the kids lots of entertainment one of which is "Try Scuba" which we have done for years.

One of the lockins happened to fall on a particularly busy busy class schedule. We had a morning pool session for one group, Open water dives in the afternoon, an evening pool session with another group followed by the lock in.

By the time 4am rolled around my computer had just gone into the yellow.....Everyone laughed when I told them that I had to do a surface interval. Granted this is a bit of an extreme as far as an example goes. My point though is that unless your nitrogen levels have gone back to normal, you should use your computer rather than switching back and forth.

I am not alone in thinking that all divers should dive with computers. There are less chances for mathamatical errors which are common when using dive tables. I could lecture students about the benefits of computers all day but if I showed up at pool without a computer it would not go unnoticed. This could in turn turn an important lecture into a lot of "hot air"
Hmmm he's not diving with a computer, why should I? Students, even on a subconscious level, learn by example.

I agree that a redundant system is a wise idea but I think that you need to check with the certifying agency as to what is considered required equipment for instructing and assisting. Most, if not all, require a means to monitor depth, air and time. SDI requires a computer.

 

[Doug B]

Visibilityunlimited - your not getting what I'm saying. I fully intend to use my computer for nearly every dive.

I don't, however, see the need to use a computer (ie: burn up battery - which takes a $19 replacement battery and o-ring kit) when I'm diving in three to seven feet of water in my backyard pool, for 40 minutes, while a running the vacuum hose around the bottom picking up dirt. Or, when I'm in either 5 feet of water or 12 feet of water, at the local high school, just helping my instructor buddy keep an eye on some students. Typically, I'm only in the water for less than 40 minutes then too. I don't consider my self as "instructing" or "assisting". I'm just another guy in the water who has a little more experience than the students. Normally, I just "sit at the back of the classroom" and watch. Sometimes, my buddy asks me to jump into the pool first - to provide a live demonstration of a giant stride... but that's about the extent of my "instructing".

Sometimes I'll go with my buddy when he takes a class for thier first open water dives. Again, I'm just another diver in the water. I don't offer any instruction, I don't claim or represent myelf to be a dive master... I'm just a friend of the instructor who wants to log some bottom time in the quarry. I'll have my computer for those dives - and answer any questions...but I'm not instructing.

Primarily, I want the analog gage as a "save a dive" backup to my computer. I don't want to be out on the dive boat and have to skip the second dive because my computer flooded, or the battery died. I've got a citizen aqualand on my wrist, so I've got a back up for depth/time. And, I've got tables. And, I know how to use them very well.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Batteries last quite a while, although I change my computer batteries yearly because I dive a lot. If you are only in the water for a short time, you won't be burning much battery time and if you do a couple hundred dives a year, the cost of a battery compared to the cost of the dives is negligible.

 

[philmayer]

I doubt that using/not using your computer in the scenarios you listed will make the slightest difference in battery life. The instructors at my LDS make 500 dives a year with their PP2s on a single battery.

 

[Doug B]

500 dives on a single battery? That's good news. The manual says the batteries last 50 hours (I assume of dive time.) I've got about 25 hours on my battery now...

I have a analog gage w/quick disconnect coming from scubatoys. I just want it as a backup in my save-a-dive kit. For about $60, it's worth it to me.

-D

 

[300bar]

Don't acitivate your pp2 :14:

H2O activation set to NO

Or leave you pp2 back home

 

[scubatoys]

We've done this for guys a bunch. Actually, the gauge end of the QD hose is just an adapter, and you can get another and drop it onto any stock gauge, then QD off one, and on the other any time you want.

Give a shout if you need one!

 

[visibilityunlimited]

Good point 300 bar diver. turning off the H2O activation will definitely lend itself to the type of pool diving scenarios that Doug is talking about. Sometimes the simplest things are easily missed thanks.