Issues with Suunto?

[eja12a]

Ok I see, that was definitely the issue. It was a full 48 hours.

 

[PatW]

I have had or used a nunber of the Suuntu computers. I dove with the Suuntu Cobra for a number of years. It had a really CONSERVATIVE algorithm. It was about the same as other computers on the boat for the first dive but it gave me less time on repetitive dives and by quite a bit. I currently have an EON Core, The EON Core has a JUST KILL ME NOW setting which is not all that aggressive so I do not get kicked to shallow depths on second and third dives.

I had a really weird problem with my EON Core. I got up onto the boat and it had me at 10’ for a REALLY LOOOONG dive. I was not able to get it working. I took it into the dive shop and the owner called up Suuntu. They had never even heard or seen that issue. So the computer was sent in and Suuntu was able to see the log and the dive but they could not get the computer to repeat the issue. They finally gave up and scrubbed the computer and reset everything. And it has worked fine since then.

 

[Bigbella]

• 48h lock up ("bricking") for arbitrary reasons such as changing from gauge to dive mode
• Incorrect MOD calculations
• Hideously complex button presses
• Non standard algorithms with proprietary software for planning
• Difficult user interfaces
• etc…

Aside from a cheap beginner's computer, they’re outclassed by other manufacturers

Wow -- knock on wood or pecker-wood plastic, I must truly have been lucky, over thousands of dives, a great many of them obligate decompression, never to have been locked-out or placed on some odd error mode.

If I had any bone to pick with Suunto, it was with battery replacement in the early 1990s Solution, where the computers, for a time, all had to be sent back to the company for service, to prevent voiding an existing warranty, and the batteries covered, in the compartment, with some strange blue or red sealant . . .

 

[BoltSnap]

The last good, reliable, functional and trust worthy dive computer Suunto made was the "Solution" about 30 years ago. They made a Nitrox version, "Solution Alpha" and that was the last of it. Everything that followed was crap. On top of their crappiness, worst arrogant customer service and lousy lockout rules.

I had MANY Suunto computers starting with the Solution in the early 90's. The greater majority of them failed and had to be replaced several times. Suunto demanded money for the replacements (Cobra & D9).

Suunto is the worst dive computer manufacturer company in existence today.

 

[harvalen]

It had a really CONSERVATIVE algorithm. It was about the same as other computers on the boat for the first dive but it gave me less time on repetitive dives and by quite a bit.

That's the main problem I have with my old Suunto Vyper Air. I've compared it quite a bit with a few Buhlmann computers and Subsurface. On default (least conservative) setting it is roughly the same as GFHigh 85, it gives a bit more NDL time at 30 m, a bit less in the 12-20 m range, but roughly the same over a dive. If your surface interval is too short then it'll be roughly GFHigh 70 for the 2nd dive. I personally want something more conservative than GFHigh 85. If you use the middle conservative setting then the first dive roughly match my wanted conservatism of GFHigh 70. However, the 2nd dive will be in the 50-55 range, which is a bit ridiculous.

I'm pretty sure the cutoff point for the penalty is 2 hours. When diving at home I get the penalty when the surface interval is 1 hour 45 minutes. There is usually no penalty when I'm on a LoB, where the surface interval is often 2 to 3 hours.

 

[Jai Bar]

I have seen some people that have them and love them… others hate them.
Can members provide examples of issues they’ve had

I have been using various Suunto dive computers for a while. More than I am a fan of Suunto (I am not!) is the fact that I know and respect the local distributor.
Without further ado, here is a brief of the problems I got with my and my wife's Suunto computers. Since the list is short, I added also the ones that have not manifested any problems- yet...

- Suunto companion: no problems, it just died of old age
- Suunto Vyper: one day it just died, just stopped responding and that's about it. Beyond repair, dumped.
- Suunto Gekko: had depth sensor issue, beyond repair, dumped
- Suunto Vyper (2nd unit): gets stuck at "active" even days after returning home from dive trips, which depletes battery faster than usual.
- Suunto D6 and D6i: both started manifesting a problem it swaps to Gauge mode and cannot be used for the following 48 hours. Ï must emphasize that it is not the common cause of omitting/skipping decompression stops- it happens on regular OW dives, far far from NDL limits, no fast ascent or anything that should trigger locking on Gauge mode. Just randomly once in a while it actually starts on Gauge mode (although we keep both units permanently on Ean/Nitrox settings, we never use Gauge- I mean- until the computer decides to force it on us). I double and triple checked all dive logs- no indication of any abusive behavior.
As much as me and wife love the local Suunto distributor (from which both have been buying scuba gear for 2-3 decades) we are throwing both D6s to the rubbish bin and getting something more reliable.