Frustration with Vyper Air

[traveler218]

I'm really starting to get frustrated with my Vyper Air. I bought it while on faction on Maui in December. My old depth gauge stopped working and thought I would take advantage of the free transmitter.

Right from the start I had problems. The first night I was setting it up getting ready for a dive the next morning and it stopped working. Seems this had been the store demo model and the battery died. After my dive (I used a console gauge), I took it back to the store and they replaced the battery. That afternoon I went snorkeling and decided to wear the Vyper Air in free dive mode just to see how it worked. About 3 minutes into the run it quite working again. This time it flooded the battery compartment.

I took it back again and got it replaced. The next day I was able to dive with it, no problems.

Since then it has been powered up a couple of times while checking my regulator. It paired up find and seemed to be reporting accurately (based on SPG). Today I was preparing my equipment for a dive next weekend. Connected my regulator to my tank, turned on the air and the Vyper Air reads "Fail". Tried replacing the battery but no joy. Looks like I won't be using it air integrated thus weekend

So far that makes one out of four dives I've actually been able to use it since I bought it. Not so good.

Anyone have any suggestions on fixing the problem? Or should I just return it for warrant repair?

 

[Scott]

Fail is telling you you have a connection problem. You will need to turn the air off, purge, then go into the Vyper menu and clear the code and then turn the air back on to allow the two to sync. For more exact details consult the manual

 

[NCadiver]

These are all user issue, If you by a demo model your suppose to change the battery for a fresh one, two when you change the battery your suppose to check your seal before diving, three you need to read the manual page 20 tell what was going on. Also DiveNav has a good class for most dive computers.

 

[Blackmore75]

I have had an issue where mine paired up with a friend of mines transmitter. Unknowingly, we had both cleared our codes pretty close to each other, and had actually pulled codes from each others transmitters. Be sure you keep an eye on that, as it will really throw you for a loop when you hit the water.

 

[traveler218]

These are all user issue, If you by a demo model your suppose to change the battery for a fresh one, two when you change the battery your suppose to check your seal before diving, three you need to read the manual page 20 tell what was going on. Also DiveNav has a good class for most dive computers.

Being new to computers and having just returned to diving after a lot of years, these are lessons i just had to learn. The battery was changed by an authorized dealer. I thought he knew.what he was doing. Also, I couldn't tell by looking at it that the seal was messed up.

I did learn somethhing from all of this though about self reliance. Just as in a lot of other things, I no longer rely on the "experts" to do things for me. I will either do it myself or at least double check everything.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

 

[Damselfish]

These are all user issue, If you by a demo model your suppose to change the battery for a fresh one, two when you change the battery your suppose to check your seal before diving, three you need to read the manual page 20 tell what was going on. Also DiveNav has a good class for most dive computers.

I wouldn't call #1 or #2 a user issue. It was bought at a store, it's not unreasonable to expect the store to be competant and do those things. Should probably have read the manual for #3, but at that point I can't fault a new diver in particular for just assuming the thing was a lemon.

 

[traveler218]

Fail is telling you you have a connection problem. You will need to turn the air off, purge, then go into the Vyper menu and clear the code and then turn the air back on to allow the two to sync. For more exact details consult the manual

You were right, I should have checked the manual. I couldn't find it yesterday but downloaded it electronically this morning. In section 5.7.11 (page 51) it shows how to clear the code. After doing that it worked great.

Thanks!

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

 

[Scared Silly]

I wouldn't call #1 or #2 a user issue. It was bought at a store, it's not unreasonable to expect the store to be competant and do those things. Should probably have read the manual for #3, but at that point I can't fault a new diver in particular for just assuming the thing was a lemon.

I whole heartily agree with the above. The shop when selling a "demo" should fully service any gear going out the door unless they sell it "as is". The fact that the shop screwed up the battery change is a bummer for them. As I hope when OP said it was replaced that the computer was replaced.

I have seen issues with pairing that required the code to be cleared. But it should have to be cleared but once.

 

[DevonDiver]

I did learn something from all of this though about self reliance. Just as in a lot of other things, I no longer rely on the "experts" to do things for me. I will either do it myself or at least double check everything.

What you may learn is that allowing the "experts" to do it for you takes the liability to them. That's why you got a no quibble replacement computer after the flood. If you'd changed the battery yourself, you'd have been left with nothing more than a wet lump of useless plastic..

Leaks/floods do happen sometimes, despite best efforts and expertise of the technician. A pressure test should indicate that, without catastrophic flooding, in most cases. Sometimes, an issue won't be revealed until the diver hits the water.

 

[traveler218]

I have seen issues with pairing that required the code to be cleared. But it should have to be cleared but once.

That was my original thought. The two had been paired and working several times. Before I replaced the transmitter battery the Vyper Air didn't even show the code. That's why I didn't think it was even trying to pair.

Good thing is it works now. I really do like the Vyper Air, it just gets frustrating when it takes so much fiddling to get thing to work. And my LDS wondered why I wanted a SPG as a backup. They said the whole idea of the wireless transmitter is to eliminate the hose. It was simpler when I just used a Depth Gauge, a SPG and a watch.