New DPV - Dive Xtras

[NothingClever]

The Nanuk 960 easily accommodates the Travel tube but I remember looking up the Tech tube dimensions and finding it would theoretically fit inside the 960 but requires thinning the foam at the Nanuk's walls for the tube's overall length.

Regarding the Tech tube, I don't mind the behavior of the Travel tube. It disappears when I'm not on the trigger and I'm not sure the Tech tube would be a worthwhile purchase for me. If the day comes I become a caver, then I'll just fleet up to the Exploration tube or actually buy another Travel model with 12Ah batteries. But for the OW technical diving and coastal exploration I do, the Travel tube with 9Ah or 12Ah batteries is bomber and Tech tube would be a superfluous expense.

The battery case is the Apache 4800 and retails for 59.99USD. It's from Harbor Freight (a chain of tool stores in the USA for those not from the USA). I don't normally shop there because they carry a lot of junk but the Apache series of boxes is a great value. One could use a smaller case and just carry the batteries. There was some reason I wanted to fit the charger in there alongside the batteries but I can't remember now. TBH, you could fit the charger inside the Nanuk 960 (with the Travel tube) and go with a smaller Apache case for four batteries. That would be pretty slick.

 

[stuartv]

Regarding the Tech tube, I don't mind the behavior of the Travel tube. It disappears when I'm not on the trigger and I'm not sure the Tech tube would be a worthwhile purchase for me. If the day comes I become a caver, then I'll just fleet up to the Exploration tube or actually buy another Travel model with 12Ah batteries.

I agree on the Travel tube being fine. The trim was annoying to me when I first got it. After a few dives, I got used to it and now I definitely feel like I would prefer the shorter length, lighter weight, and upright trim of the Travel to longer, heavier, and in trim from a Travel. As you say, for the diving I do now.

When I eventually get to the point of diving in caves with a DPV (a long ways away yet), I think I would step up to something more reliable than any model of BlackTip anyway. I and about 6 or 7 friends all bought BlackTips. So far, it seems that the BlackTips are just a bit finicky about their batteries and the sockets that they mount in. Just finicky enough to make me not trust one enough for what I perceive to be the requirements of cave DPV use (having no actual cave or even cavern training yet).

 

[NothingClever]

Yeah, I'm just now becoming aware that others are having problems. I don't do Facebook so it seems I've missed out on some insight from others about the BT's problems. Mine has been great (knock on wood) so I haven't had any reason to doubt it.

 

[NothingClever]

Problem in need of solution: I have a relatively new Tech (4-5 dives), on double click for start in water, the actual start of the motor is intermittent. Yesterday, it could take 4-5 tries to get the motor started. I also see on occasion, the jerkey prop, giving it a quick push seems to start the motor. Currently, safe-start is disabled, and changed initial speed to 2. I figured I'd see what the hive-mind has for the weekend before talking with the shop.

I experienced the same thing on the second dive with mine back in August. After the update mine has been great and I’m a dive or two past 50 with mine now.

 

[RVBldr]

I experienced the same thing on the second dive with mine back in August. After the update mine has been great and I’m a dive or two past 50 with mine now.

Was that the V1.15 update?

 

[pauldw]

It's actually satin. 3M 2080 Satin Flip Psychedelic, from Amazon (Rvinyl). And it isn't obvious, but the motor is wrapped in 3M 2080 Satin Flip Ghost Pearl. I don't have any experience in wrapping, and it took me two tries to get each wrap on. They weren't perfect wrap jobs, but I was satisfied. Just had to go a little at a time. Beware of using too much heat to soften a part of the wrap for conforming! Had mixed success with knifeless tape. I dove it for awhile and it appeared to stay on fine, although where I banged the scooter on a rock at entry, the wrap now has a wee ding. I've noticed that some people have wrap on their tubes that covers the main tube and one of the raised parts at the ends, but not at the other end. That's because the tube is a little under an inch too long for a 1' size wrap. You have to get a 2' if you want to hit every bit of it.

I’ll begin by mentioning that one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen diving are the sunbeams penetrating into Mexican cenotes. I could sit and watch that all day. Today I had an interesting experience while diving in a reservoir in the US, though. I came up out of the gloom to about 15 feet and was navigating by compass for the shoreline to do a moving safety stop. About that point I noticed that sunbeams were streaming past me and penetrating down below me. It was so beautiful! And my scooter wrap, which was meant to be not especially conspicuous but still to have something there, was shimmering in the light. Those 3M Flip wraps seem to be nice that way. Of course the sunbeams were still better by themselves themselves!

 

[Wibble]

Are there any release notes for the firmware updates? Couldn’t find them.

Also, I don’t have a win-dos machine, only have Macs. Can the recommended VESC tool be run in a win-dos VM (VMWare virtual machine)?

(Have a new Blacktip and it’s got the jittery start issue where you need to turn the prop and it’ll start — almost as if it thinks the prop's jammed. Have been recommended to update to 1.15)

 

[stuartv]

There is a native Mac build of the VESC tool. It worked fine for me.

I could not get the Windows VESC tool to work in a Win VM on Mac.

 

[Wibble]

There is a native Mac build of the VESC tool. It worked fine for me.

I could not get the Windows VESC tool to work in a Win VM on Mac.

Which version of VESC Tool did you use on the Mac? Have found version 1.08, but the windows version seems to be version 3.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I could not get the Windows VESC tool to work in a Win VM on Mac.

Was the issue connecting to USB? As most VM software don't handle this well, you have to connect the USB device and then go into settings, and associate the device to the VM.