Idea to back up my wireless PSI transmitter. penny for your thoughts?

[RJP]

Using a mini Pony gauge, and Placing it in the second HP port on my first stage. They are inexpensive and it would still keep me stream lined (Keeping in mind that this is only ment for redundancy in case my transmitter fails). My buddy would then be able to read the pressure in my tank and I wouldnt have to end the dive, or worse, an entire dive trip.

Let me know what you think.

I think I hope that you're kidding.

 

[RJP]

Here is another way of looking at things, out of vogue but valid nonetheless, if it needs to be backed up, requires redundancy, cannot be trusted to function--take it and toss it into the trash can and get something that works and can stand on it's own. In this case, a B&G spg.

N, minimalism

So you wouldn't recommend a backup light? And you should only dive with a single regulator? And never dive doubles?

 

[Rhone Man]

Think outside the box.... get an old J Valve

Seriously though, I have a D9 with wireless, and it can be flaky. However, it is usually flaky at the surface. Once it is synced, I am good to go - I have never yet lost the signal during a dive once I am synced at the surface. However, more than once I got tired of fiddling and waiting so I just jumped in without it synced up.

 

[fnfalman]

If I were to use redundancy for everything, I wouldn't be able to stand up much less walk to the side of the boat and jump in.

 

[ivobj]

Well, if you want to avoid redundancy, use a regular HP hose + SPG, or if you want to use the wireless one, as said before, a hose based SPG should be used. I wouldn't even consider something I cannot manage by myself, specially to tell me how much gas I have, and worse, keep diving like this!

In the configuration you proposed if your wireless does not work, I HAVE to call the dive.

Personally, I stick with the old fashioned HP hose, it does not bother me a bit, but that is my opinion...

 

[mselenaous]

i have a suunto D9. i always have a brass and glass gauge as a backup, and check it throughout the dive to make sure that the two agree. i love my hoseless computer!! however, i have had it fail to sync once and was damn glad i had the back up. the only downside to going by gauges only was that i didn't have previous dive information to calculate remaining bottom time, so i had to be really conservative. but, i think hoseless computer are a great convenience especially when lugging around a lot of photography gear.

Think outside the box.... get an old J Valve

Seriously though, I have a D9 with wireless, and it can be flaky. However, it is usually flaky at the surface. Once it is synced, I am good to go - I have never yet lost the signal during a dive once I am synced at the surface. However, more than once I got tired of fiddling and waiting so I just jumped in without it synced up.

I also have a D9 and DITTO...what they said. Hoseless is a great convenience when it works, but the technology it still a bit flaky with syncing transmitters and I'm impatient like Rhone Man. So until then, the spare SPG is clipped out-of-the-way to a D-ring on my webbing.

As for a pony SPG..so tiny I can't read them on the surface so don't ask me to. I won't buddy with you if you are that dependent on me to tell you your PSI. That IMO = gear failure. And as we all know GEAR FAILURE = ABORT DIVE.

 

[fnfalman]

For those that recommend SPG as primary instruments, I presume that these have never failed before?

Everything has the possibility of failure and that's why we make and take calculated risks. If a transmitter were to fail on a hoseless AI dive comp, or if a console AI dive comp were to fail...so what? You terminate the dive and surface. How's an extra depthgauge/airgauge going to help out here? You can't see that the surface is coming up? If you have 1000-psi in your tank when your computer funk out, having an analog gauge is not going to change that amount.

 

[matt215]

so far the only issue i've had with hoseless (knock on wood) is failure to sync topside. i did the dive anyway with my backup gauge.

i think the key to hoseless is having a solid backup, and just checking it throughout the dive. i find the convenience very valuable especially when doing a free ascent.

 

[fnfalman]

so far the only issue i've had with hoseless (knock on wood) is failure to sync topside. i did the dive anyway with my backup gauge.

That's how I'd do it. I carry an extra SPG console and hose. If my wireless dive comp were to funk out, I'd twist off the transmitter and twist on the SPG console and go for it the old fashion way.

 

[Cave Diver]

For those that recommend SPG as primary instruments, I presume that these have never failed before?

Everything has the possibility of failure and that's why we make and take calculated risks. If a transmitter were to fail on a hoseless AI dive comp, or if a console AI dive comp were to fail...so what? You terminate the dive and surface. How's an extra depthgauge/airgauge going to help out here? You can't see that the surface is coming up? If you have 1000-psi in your tank when your computer funk out, having an analog gauge is not going to change that amount.

It's not so much that an SPG would never fail, it's more about the potential for failure. With the AI, you've got two seperate parts, with batteries, so you have greater potential failure from multiple sources.

As you said, everything has potential to fail and it's about managing risks, not taking them. Everyone has to make their own determination on what level of risk they're willing to accept and how important a particular dive will be to them if they have to miss it.