My DC died at 108 ft. Now what do I replace it with?

[stuartv]

Just I thought I didn't see addressed but wouldn't Oceanic make a newer AI DC that is compatible with your transmitter? If so, use the $300.00 trade-in on one and you're set to go.

PP3 is a console. No AI transmitter.

 

[GreggS]

Gotcha. I'm not familiar with that computer so since I dive with wireless AI that's where my mind went.

 

[scbaNE2179]

Yup, I agree. Shearwater's reputation for their CS is legendary.

With the introduction of the Perdix/Perdix AI for some time now, you can probably find a used model on eBay, etc. I was fortunate enough to get my Petrel 1 from a diver friend who had high hopes of tech but it never happened so I ended up buying this unit from him.

As for the Petrel itself, I love how you can just set the unit to OC Rec mode and forget about it. Some divers however, will run their units in tech mode but the OC Rec mode gives you a much simpler interface. And lastly, USER REPLACEABLE AA battery! Come on, that right there should convince you man!

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Hoag

Sounds like if the battery change by your LDS caused the problem (?flood), you will have the computer replaced at no charge to you. I assume it is not under warranty, 2 years I think. If it turns out to be something else, Oceanic/Huish has a repair/replace service for a fixed price Support » Service For the PP3 it is $175. I have had good luck using this service, it's quite easy to use through the service portal Return Merchandise Authorization | Huish Outdoors - 1540 North 2200 West | Salt Lake City UT 84116 US

Good luck, let us know how it worked out.

Good diving, Craig

 

[Ricardo V.]

@Hoag,
As you said.... buy once, cry once.
Perdix is the way to go.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

We have two Pro plus 2's and love them. The light went out on one and Oceanic offered a rebuilt one for something like $200 exchange. My wife does not night dive often so it's not that big of a deal. You might contact Oceanic (were they bought out by Mares???) and see what they can do.

Good Luck,
Jay

 

[rongoodman]

How did you handle the fact that you had residual nitrogen from the previous dives prior to using this computer and this computer doesn't have this information?

One of the nice things about the Shearwaters is their display of the inert gas loading in the sixteen tissue compartments used in the deco model. After watching how they behave over the course of a week's diving on several liveaboard trips, I wouldn't have any hesitation in switching to a back-up computer. The slower compartments would be a little off, but they're nowhere near controlling things anyway. Changing things around, with deeper/longer profiles, additional dives, or different gases, would make me more cautious.

 

[Hoag]

Thanks for all the great advice everybody.

Does anybody have any experience with the Sherwood Sage dive computer?

 

[Hoag]

Well, I went on a bit of a "scavenger hunt" a couple days ago and went to some dive shops outside of my immediate area to see what they had for dive computers. From the people I spoke with, it looks as though nobody is recommending the "Status Quo" option unless my PP3 comes back at little or no cost. Most are (as I somehow expected) recommending either to go with an Oceanic Geo2 (or similar) or a Perdix AI.

I see advantages for both. I only get diving about once a year or so, and when I do, I tend to do Live Aboards and dive 4-5 dives a day for a week or so. The advantages of the DSAT algorithm on the Oceanic dive computers can be exploited on this type of diving. I am a little concerned that the Shearwater products, being developed primarily for tech diving do not view deco as a big deal, and are therefore running a conservative algorithm which would result in a deco stop when doing repetitive dives particularly over several days.

@rongoodman you mentioned that you had used a Shearwater on several LOBs. Did you find that the Buhlman deco algorithm that is used by Shearwater limited you or forced you into deco when doing multiple dives over consecutive days?

I really want a computer that will not put me into deco when I am diving lots of (relatively shallow) dives for several days in a row. I know that the "conservatism" can be altered on the Perdix, but is that feature available only in Tech Mode, or is it available in Rec Mode as well and if so, how much difference does it make?

Thanks again for your advice.

 

[rongoodman]

@rongoodman you mentioned that you had used a Shearwater on several LOBs. Did you find that the Buhlman deco algorithm that is used by Shearwater limited you or forced you into deco when doing multiple dives over consecutive days?

No. I've been running it in Rec mode on the liveaboard trips, with medium conservatism(40/85) on 32%, and doing 5 dives daily. Since I travel by myself I usually follow the DM in the water. Over the course of the week the slower compartments show a little loading, but I've only occasionally come close to the NDL on some of the deeper sections.

(High is 35/75 and Low is 45/95 but I've never had occasion to use them.)