Mares Puck 4 runs Buhlmann with GF

[Redtwo]

BINGO!

From the manual:

- Missed deco stop violation.
In case of a violation, Puck 4 will restrict the
use for 24 hours, and will only allow operation
in Bottom Timer mode, continuously displaying
the violation symbols

I had a mares smart and i was able to override an lock out if it happens and 'reset' your tissue loading. (Never used it for that. Only once when i just had it and tested its apnea mode while snorkeling (max 2-3m depth) and it wouldnt let me activate dive mode the next morning )

Question is if you want to do that given it erases also the dive info you want to keep for a second dive. But in some instances it can at least help you get in the water before 24h if lock out was because of a wrong mix in the computer and the dive itself was rather benign and multiple hours ago (like the time of tables. After enough hours also the tables assume your clean again).

 

[scubadada]

Hi Divers,

We have conducted testing that might interest you. More details are available here: Info - Deeply Safe Labs: A website for dive computer testing

We haven't got our hands on a Puck 4 yet, but we did have the opportunity to test a Mares Sirius Computer. You can find the tests here: Deeply Safe Labs . We are very interested in hearing what you think about the "Repetitive" mode, supposed to handle repeated dives such as is done on liveaboards.

We have no way to know for sure if the Puck 4 behaves like the Sirius until we can test it, but our tests on the Sirius have shown that is does not seem to use the unmodified ZH-L16 C parameters, but is slightly less conservative for all gradient factors settings we have tested.

Best regards,
Eric Frasquet,
Deeply Safe Labs.

In your testing, the Mares Sirius runs like the Shearwater Perdix 2, Garmin MK 2, and Scubapro HUD, unmodified Buhlmann.

The Puck 4 likely runs like the Sirius and Genius models. I believe the custom GF range has a maximum of 90, as you ran it in your testing.

All 3 of these Mares computers have the repetitive dive setting that can be turned off. When on, it subtracts 8 from the GF high and low when surfacing from a repetitive dive. It adds back 1 after every 15 min, back to baseline at 2 hours. The setting did not have much effect in your testing, as you would expect with surface intervals of 90 and 75 min. Other than the theoretical, I know of no experimental support for the repetitive dive setting. You can read about this on page 9 of the Puck 4 owner's manual.

The Mares Genius and Sirius run a maximum GF of 90. My statement above is not accurate, the Puck 4 runs a maximum GF of 85. I verified this with Mares Customer Service:

"Okay, you saw the Sirius with a 90 GF, not the Puck 4.

The value of 90 can only be achieved by turning on the Physio / Advanced setting. Genius and Sirius have it. Puck 4 does not have it. 85/85 is the maximum.

The information below is from the Sirius owner’s manual.

PHYSIO allows you to define an additional conservatism based on how you feel about yourself and diving overall. Each step from LOW to MEDIUM to HIGH incrementally reduces both gradient factor values by 10. There is also a setting called ADVANCED (ADV), which increases the gradient factor by 5 so that a maximum of 90/90 can be achieved. This is only for experienced divers who have accumulated enough experience to know they can tolerate such levels of inert gas. We do not recommend doing this since it increases the risk of decompression sickness thus Sirius requires that you insert a code (1234) to allow the setting. The value set in PHYSIO remains stored until you manually change it. The default value is OFF."

 

[Fastmarc]

"This is only for experienced divers who have accumulated enough experience to know they can tolerate such levels of inert gas."
Huh?

 

[scubadada]

"This is only for experienced divers who have accumulated enough experience to know they can tolerate such levels of inert gas."
Huh?

I view Mares as being conservative. Remember that all their computers ran Mares RGBM before they offered Buhlmann on the Genius. The Genius and the Sirius support technical diving and have a maximum GF of 90, that has to be entered in an advanced mode with a code sequence. The Puck 4 is more of a recreational computer, though offering 3 gases. It has a maximum GF of 85. The Aqua Lung i330R has a maximum GF of 90. Seac computers have a maximum GF of 85.

Mares has a different philosophy than Shearwater, Garmin, Ratio... Ratio has a preset GF maximum of 93 until you get to the Tech+ model with custom GF.

 

[AbyssTek]

We have some on the club and they perform really well...

 

[AbyssTek]

 

[AbyssTek]

Here you have a review of Puck 4. You can activate english subtitles. If anyone needs help just told me.

 

[scrane]

Is Mares still big in the rental market? Perhaps this explains Mares in limiting the new Puck to conservative ranges.

 

[AbyssTek]

We are testing the new Puck 4 at depths ranging from 0-60m, and they are delivering performance similar to that of computers costing more than a thousand euros...
In the price range of up to 300€, it is one of our favorites.