Double Sensor Failure on Dive Yesterday

[Puffer Fish]

For me, once batteries are out, they are being changed. That's still what it sounds like. Though I have had my VT3 on the original batterier for over a year now.

That would be my first guess and the first thing I would check.. my new wireless lasted 3 dives and the battery went dead.. doing a battery check showed it to be good.. but changing it corrected the issue. Even new batteries can be bad... alway carry spares

Note: I have a set of rechargible batteries for my strobe that work in the charger, test great, but will not run the strobe... other sets still work though.

 

[battles2a5]

Could it be that someone else on the dive was using an Oceanic on the same frequency? My guess is that is was some external factor since both transmitters went out at the same time. Either way, I'm interested to see what caused this.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Could it be that someone else on the dive was using an Oceanic on the same frequency? My guess is that is was some external factor since both transmitters went out at the same time. Either way, I'm interested to see what caused this.

With two sensors, on two different frequences, that would be unlikely, but whatever it is... it would appear to be something unlikely.

If the sensor/computer location was reversed (say the computer were put on the wrong wrists), that would also do it. They would work some of the time and not others. You could also get that from inverting the reg. Their angle of transmission is fairly narrow.

 

[DennisW]

My wife has the Oceanic Pro Plus 2 and it has failed twice. The first time we sent it back for an overhaul. The second time, it was ok the next day. I don't trust integrated computers. So, we take a spare set of gauges with us every time we go diving.

 

[Jinjer]

We called and visited with a good friend who owns a dive shop and explained what had happened. He suggested that possibly moisture could have gotten into the first stage. This was quite possible because I was using a DIN connector for the first time on this trip because the operator had Steel 120s. Because of the corrosion in the tank connector, my DIN connector would not connect properly to their tanks. I told them not to mess with it and I would just sit out the dive, but they kept messing with it until they made it work. It is very possible that they could have caused moisture to get into the first stage during that process.

 

[Puffer Fish]

We called and visited with a good friend who owns a dive shop and explained what had happened. He suggested that possibly moisture could have gotten into the first stage. This was quite possible because I was using a DIN connector for the first time on this trip because the operator had Steel 120s. Because of the corrosion in the tank connector, my DIN connector would not connect properly to their tanks. I told them not to mess with it and I would just sit out the dive, but they kept messing with it until they made it work. It is very possible that they could have caused moisture to get into the first stage during that process.

The pressure transducer is made from two dissimilar metals, with a current passing thru it. The amount of current will vary with the pressure. Anything that changes the conductivity can effect this, even moist air might effect it... if it is open.

I don't know how they are built, so cannot say that the transducer is actually exposed to the compressed air, or has a protective cover. It is also possible they plugged the inlet tube with micro debris

However, you forgot to mention this when initially asking what the issue might be. Given only half the information, you will usually get only half the possible answers.

 

[Jinjer]

However, you forgot to mention this when initially asking what the issue might be. Given only half the information, you will usually get only half the possible answers.

I apologize for the fact that I didn't originally mention the fact that the crew had a hard time connecting my reg to their tank because of the DIN connector. I didn't realize that would have been something that had caused the problem, until I was asked questions by our friend who owns the dive shop.

I just wanted to update everyone though that we are sure the problem was caused by moisture that got on the sensor. When my husband removed each sensor, there was moisture on them. I did end up removing one sensor and using a SPG to be sure that I would not have any more issues. There was one more dive where I got a LINK LOST as I was doing my safety stop.

Now that I am back home we are taking the regs in for service since it is obvious that moisture got into the first stage.

If anyone sees this type of problem in the future with Oceanic sensors, check the sensor to see if moisture has gotten into the first stage. It doesn't seem to take much to get them to fail, as there was not much on the sensors when we removed them.

 

[pickens_46929]

Even if the moisture *may* have affected it... please make sure you use new, name-brand batteries... just replaced one "new" Toshiba battery that the local dive shop put in the computer with a new copper colored one that worked like a champ.

Oceanic told me marginal batteries and non-named brand (eg. especially Radio Snack), will give weird errors.

Dave

 

[Jinjer]

Thank you for the battery tip. We always make sure we buy name brand batteries, but that is a good thing to know.

I am almost positive my problem was caused from moisture in the First Stage, I am taking my reg in for service today to make sure no problems have been caused because of moisture getting in there. Obviously you don't want moisture there, but I was surprised that a little moisture on the Transmitter would cause it to fail like that.

 

[spectrum]

In some cases it's not as simple as staying with a "brand Name". Different brands of the same generic battery model can have significantly different power delivery and aging properties. If you can stay with the OEM brand do so, it may have been chosen for a very special reason. While not the same computer you can find information on this if you research the Areis Atmos-2.

This is probably not essential to this thread but might be important to others translating your experieince to their own computer problems.

Pete