just discovering the problem with suunto transmitters

[Zef]

Be advised, if obtaining and changing the transmitter battery oneself, the 1/2AA battery comes in 3V and 3.6V…either can be made to fit in the transmitter but the 3.6V will wreak havoc…only use a 3V 1/2AA battery….Also note that the battery needs to have the “nub”/protrusion on the negative side, whereas most common batteries have it on the positive end:

For comparison, here is an example of what not to use:

-Z

 

[El Diablo]

Just to add to the conversation, I personally have nothing against Shearwater except the fact that I don't like their interfaces. Neither I have anything against user replaceable batteries. There are some benefits to both.

I actually have an issue when people attack brands and brand owners just because they heard or had a bad experience. Suunto and Suunto owners seem to be the usual victims here. There are hundreds if not thousands of Suunto owners that for decades had no problem with their dive computers. The OP just stated that his transmitter's battery died after less dives than expected but within the 2 years that it requires service. It was simply a miscalculation from the OPs side.

I had 2 of my Suunto DCs fail me over +20 after heavy abuse. I still own 2 of their DCs because I understand that electronic devices don't have a lifetime warranty and eventually EVERYTHING fail at some point.
As I previously wrote, my friend's Scubapro and Mares computers failed as well. It happens. Probably there are Shearwater owners around here that also had bad experiences. What matters is how the company deals with you when something bad happens. Suunto isn't the best I must admit as well.
In my case, I got the D5 WITH the transmitter for 580€ due to my corporate benefits so the price at the time of purchase was simply unbeatable.

You UBER expensive OLED TV will burn after thousands of hours, your 1200$ iPhone battery will die, your editing PC with its 24 core processor, etc.
Electronic devices have limited use, even expensive camera lenses with electronic contacts and motors have a logo stating that their expected life is 10 years. Of course there will be people that own a DC from the 80s and still use it but I am pretty sure these are a minority.

All good.

 

[Zef]

Just to add to the conversation, I personally have nothing against Shearwater except the fact that I don't like their interfaces. Neither I have anything against user replaceable batteries. There are some benefits to both.

I actually have an issue when people attack brands and brand owners just because they heard or had a bad experience. Suunto and Suunto owners seem to be the usual victims here. There are hundreds if not thousands of Suunto owners that for decades had no problem with their dive computers. The OP just stated that his transmitter's battery died after less dives than expected but within the 2 years that it requires service. It was simply a miscalculation from the OPs side.

I had 2 of my Suunto DCs fail me over +20 after heavy abuse. I still own 2 of their DCs because I understand that electronic devices don't have a lifetime warranty and eventually EVERYTHING fail at some point.
As I previously wrote, my friend's Scubapro and Mares computers failed as well. It happens. Probably there are Shearwater owners around here that also had bad experiences. What matters is how the company deals with you when something bad happens. Suunto isn't the best I must admit as well.
In my case, I got the D5 WITH the transmitter for 580€ due to my corporate benefits so the price at the time of purchase was simply unbeatable.

You UBER expensive OLED TV will burn after thousands of hours, your 1200$ iPhone battery will die, your editing PC with its 24 core processor, etc.
Electronic devices have limited use, even expensive camera lenses with electronic contacts and motors have a logo stating that their expected life is 10 years. Of course there will be people that own a DC from the 80s and still use it but I am pretty sure these are a minority.

All good.

You have added nothing to the conversation with your post above. In fact you started an argument earlier in this discussion thread and are now s basically and disingenuously stating you did so because you have issue with people who attack brands and brand owners.

I have looked through the comments on this thread and all I can see, other than your posts, are people offering advice and opinion. You have gone beyond expressing your opinion and have turned this into an argument that basically boils down to you putting forth the notion that your opinion/experience is more valid than others. I have followed your arguments with both amusement and bewilderment. Based on how you write, it seems you are intelligent, educated, and experienced, but you are unabashedly obstinant and seem to favor petty argument to force your opinion as superior than to have rational discourse where you are simply sharing what you know in support or in contrast to the others who are participating here and in other threads you have posted in. This type of argument is tiresome and does more to push people away from the discussion table/forum instead of drawing them closer. Please share your opinion and participate in discussions, I am sure your knowledge can offer something positive, but please stop the endless push that comes across as only your opinion is correct and matters….there are plenty of people here with lots to share and a whole lot more to learn.

-Z

 

[El Diablo]

You have added nothing to the conversation with your post above. In fact you started an argument earlier in this discussion thread and are now s basically and disingenuously stating you did so because you have issue with people who attack brands and brand owners.

I have looked through the comments on this thread and all I can see, other than your posts, are people offering advice and opinion. You have gone beyond expressing your opinion and have turned this into an argument that basically boils down to you putting forth the notion that your opinion/experience is more valid than others. I have followed your arguments with both amusement and bewilderment. Based on how you write, it seems you are intelligent, educated, and experienced, but you are unabashedly obstinant and seem to favor petty argument to force your opinion as superior than to have rational discourse where you are simply sharing what you know in support or in contrast to the others who are participating here and in other threads you have posted in. This type of argument is tiresome and does more to push people away from the discussion table/forum instead of drawing them closer. Please share your opinion and participate in discussions, I am sure your knowledge can offer something positive, but please stop the endless push that comes across as only your opinion is correct and matters….there are plenty of people here with lots to share and a whole lot more to learn.

-Z

You need to work on your perception Zef. The only disingenuous thing here is your irrelevant and opportunistic attack for absolutely no reason. You might have looked into my comments but you haven't understood much... shame.

Never and nowhere I stated that my opinion is superior to anyone else's. In fact, multiple times I acknowledge that the person exchanging facts with me is right. You just need to scroll though a few to find what I am saying. Of course, as you had a specific target in mind, this was ignored.
As I said often, I respond on the same tone I am addressed with. Be educated and you will get an educated answer (where were you when some momos were crapping on Divemasters?).

It seems that you had that comment ready for some time but you were waiting for the right opportunity. This is not the first post were Suunto is targeted and Shearwater is advertised as the holy grail of DCs, just do some research and you will find many more similar threads. I do have an issue with folks attacking brands and I dare you to find one of my posts discrediting ANY brand.

To follow your own advise, what have you added to the conversation except trying to trigger a heated response, where's your positive attitude and what exactly did you shared besides the fact that you dislike my comments?

ps. I am fine with it, for likes, there's Facebook, friends and relatives.
ps II. See, now you got the Hong Kong "tarded" trigger happy...

 

[Centrals]

LOL!!!

@Zef You are wasting your time. Not worth the bother!

 

[saxman242]

Be advised, if obtaining and changing the transmitter battery oneself

Important here to keep in mind that the suunto transmitter and the suunto tank pod (used on the d5, eon, etc) use different batteries. The transmitter gets the varta 1/2aa, the pod gets the ls 14250.

 

[Belzelbub]

Why do you have to close your paragraph with such an idiotic sentence?

"Go ahead, send your Suunto in to replace a battery. I'll happily replace mine in the comfort of my own home in just a few minutes". How much time and effort do you think it takes for me to send-in every 2 years a transmitter for replacing the battery? Fetch the horses and ride 500 miles???

OK, whatever. The process you described to send yours in for battery service, is still more work. Plus, you aren't taking into account the turnaround time. The process you described is indeed more convenient than it would be in other parts of the world. But, I don't see how that helps the OP, who is not in Munich.

The OP just stated that his transmitter's battery died after less dives than expected but within the 2 years that it requires service. It was simply a miscalculation from the OPs side.

This is a mischaracterization by omission of the original post. The OP did state that his transmitter's battery died earlier than expected, and that he would need to send it out for service because none of the Suunto dealers would sell him what he would need. He was displeased with this approach, and asked for alternative manufacturers that don't have this requirement in place.

He also added that this would effectively leave him without his transmitter for at least a month while in Tonga.

 

[TooCold]

Well, I have work I should really be doing so I've enjoyed reviewing this thread and watching it slowly devolve into a flame war. But back to the OP's request for recommendations, I'd recommend any brand of DC that works with the Pelagic Pressure Systems transmitter. They're pretty reliable, and they not only have an easily user-replaceable battery but they're widely available: you can get one from multiple (5? more?) brand names and get the exact same thing.

So I'd obviously recommend a compatible dive computer from one of those manufacturers, that also had either a user-replaceable battery or a built-in rechargeable battery. If rechargeable, I'd also compare expected lifetime before battery replacement, the turn-around time when sending it in, and the cost of replacement.

I have a Perdix AI. The battery is not only (quickly and easily) user-replaceable but it takes all kinds of AA form-factor batteries, from the ordinary drug store variety to lithium rechargeables: best of both worlds. The only thing I'm not thrilled about is the form factor: I much prefer watch style (and size).

I have a Teric. I got it for the form factor and the beautiful screen, despite my strong preference for user-replaceable battery. I figured a $50 cost every 5ish years would be ok. The battery is a problem. I'm on my third in two years. I'm babying battery #3 and so far so good, but #1 and #2 both took nose dives shortly after tropical vacations. It definitely got hot to the touch when I wore it all day on hot sunny days. My theory is that the battery just can't handle the environmental temperatures of the tropics. If I'm right, that's a very serious shortcoming in a DC sold world-wide.

And to the OP's request for recommendations for "a less dyiphobic" company, I'd still recommend Shearwater, given my personal experience with service for my Teric, and the astoundingly numerous raves and kudos they get for their customer care.

 

[Zef]

Important here to keep in mind that the suunto transmitter and the suunto tank pod (used on the d5, eon, etc) use different batteries. The transmitter gets the varta 1/2aa, the pod gets the ls 14250.

Good point, thanks.

In my mind, although it was a general info post, I was replying to the OP who has transmitter that uses the 3V 1/2AA.

Do you know a brand other than Varta that makes the 3V 1/2AA with the nub on the negative end?

-Z

 

[Centrals]

Good point, thanks.

In my mind, although it was a general info post, I was replying to the OP who has transmitter that uses the 3V 1/2AA.

Do you know a brand other than Varta that makes the 3V 1/2AA with the nub on the negative end?

-Z

I can think of the only reason why Suunto has chosen such a nonsense!!