Mares Nemo Failure During Night Dive

[lundysd]

I thought I'd share a recent experience I had with my Mares Nemo and warn everyone about spontaneous equipment failure. I had just recently purchased this computer 3 months ago and have had nothing but good things to say about it, but last weekend I was at the Flower Gardens doing a night dive when I began to have some problems. I was at about 70 feet and checked my dive time with the backlight around 5 minutes into the dive, and everything looked fine (the battery level was good -- I've only had less than 20 dives on this computer). A few minutes later I tried checking the dive time, but the backlight wouldn't activate. I checked the depth/time with my dive light, and although the depth was about right the time seemed short. Soon after I hit 1000psi and we began our ascent on the line; as we ascended I checked his computer, and sure enough my computer had frozen up about 15 minutes earlier. We did our safety stop and had plenty of gas left, but it was a little unnerving to have a computer fail in this situation. Thank god I had a good buddy stayed nearby, otherwise I would have had to estimate my safety stop in the dark without a computer or buddy.

As a result of this event, I will never dive without a backup analog SPG and depth gauge. Had I been in an area of varying depth I could easily have exceeded my safe nitrox depth. Luckily I remained calm and everything worked out, but my lesson has been learned.

 

[DiveTub]

What did Mares have to day about it ?
Cheers
Chris

 

[lundysd]

Nothing yet -- I returned it and the dive shop gave me credit for a replacement. I'm certainly not going back to another Mares though....

 

[DiveTub]

Hmm I have over 200 dives on mine without a problem, changed the battery out after 120 dives no.

Second time I have ever heard of one locking up like that, I do know that the original Nemos had a problem accepting different batteries as some batts are thinner than others and they could lose contact. This was fixed after the first batch by adding cushion to push the battery up firmly against the connectors.

I personally reckon they are a great computer and will continur to wear it.



Cheers
Chris

 

[lundysd]

I initially thought it was the battery, but the display stayed on for 3 days, which means that it was getting power. It was really weird -- I still have no idea what happened.

 

[DiveTub]

On the other saw I do this, the battery was dropped out for a minute then put back in. We put it down a a dirty connection, both the battery and computer points where cleaned, it has now done another 50 dives without a problem.

Cheers
Chris