Oceanic Datamask Inoperative

[Guy Carrier]

In September I bought two Oceanic Datamasks, one for my wife and one for myself. Mine has three dives on it and my wife's has not gotten wet yet. Today (11/18/07) in preparation for a two week liveaboard trip from 15-29 December 07 I did a dry checkout (attached regs with transmitters to tanks in my basement) of the masks to make sure all was working well. The mask with three dives on it is totally inoperative and will not show any info on the screen or illuminate the backlight.

I took a battery from a transmitter that works and swapped it out in the inoperative Datamask and it still is inoperative. All of the mask metal connectors (screws) are corroded as has been reported extensively on Scubaboard by other Datamask owners but I got the screws out and the battery cover off and back on without damage to them. The mask has not been in the water since it was last working.

Has anyone else had a problem like this? I had both masks activated ten days ago making sure I knew where the transmitter code was and how to change it if the unused mask did not have the correct code entered. The unused mask worked as expected in the dry checkout, came on, synched up with its transmitter and showed a decrease in tank pressure as I breathed through the regulator.

Is there a way to leave the mask in a mode that would drain the battery instead of turning off automatically? I have now taken the battery out of the mask that works and swapped it into the mask that is inop and the mask remains totally inoperative. The battery from the inoperative mask also will not activate the working mask but replacing its original battery brought the working mask back to life. I am planning on buying a new CR2 battery this afternoon ($10 PER BATTERY AT RADIO SHACK) after work to see if that makes a difference. Is there a way to reboot the mask's computer?

Hope someone has some ideas, thanks,

Guy

 

[Guy Carrier]

I would like to report that I have already been contacted by an Oceanic technical representative and after describing the problem and my troubleshooting efforts they have assigned me a return authorization number and they promise to send me a replacement Datamask well before our trip on the liveaboard in mid-December.

I have also been contacted by Doug Krause from Oceanic and he has offered to keep an eye on the exchange and make sure it goes off without a hitch. I asked Doug to look into the corrosion problem that has been documented by several others on this board and promised that I would be posting a trip report with a thorough evaluation of the Datamasks after 40-50 dives over a two week period in December aboard the liveaboard.

Guy

 

[Scubakevdm]

Awesome! I'm glad they were able to take care of you guys before your trip!

 

[Guy Carrier]

Scubakevdm,

I get the sarcasm in your post but don't see where its particularly useful. If I'm missing something let me know. As I see it, I posted a problem with a new piece of equipment to see if anyone else has had the same problem or if anyone had any ideas on how to fix it. I posted a second time to let people know that the manufacturer of the new piece of equipment was extremely responsive to my problem and was doing what they could to make it right.

My post clearly states we will be doing 40-50 dives over the two weeks.

To alleviate your concerns, we will be doing 40-50 dives if the Datamasks work or not. We will each have a couple of backup masks. We each have AERIS ATMOS AI computers that have served as our primary computers over the last four years. I will be reporting how we do with the datamasks during the trip whether that is good news or bad for Oceanic.

Guy

 

[Scubakevdm]

Scubakevdm,

I get the sarcasm in your post but don't see where its particularly useful. If I'm missing something let me know. As I see it, I posted a problem with a new piece of equipment to see if anyone else has had the same problem or if anyone had any ideas on how to fix it. I posted a second time to let people know that the manufacturer of the new piece of equipment was extremely responsive to my problem and was doing what they could to make it right.

My post clearly states we will be doing 40-50 dives over the two weeks.

To alleviate your concerns, we will be doing 40-50 dives if the Datamasks work or not. We will each have a couple of backup masks. We each have AERIS ATMOS AI computers that have served as our primary computers over the last four years. I will be reporting how we do with the datamasks during the trip whether that is good news or bad for Oceanic.

Guy

Hey, man... I wasn't being sarcastic, I was just trying to help. Sorry, I'll delete it.

 

[ONESPEED]

Scubakevdm,

I get the sarcasm in your post but don't see where its particularly useful. If I'm missing something let me know. As I see it, I posted a problem with a new piece of equipment to see if anyone else has had the same problem or if anyone had any ideas on how to fix it. I posted a second time to let people know that the manufacturer of the new piece of equipment was extremely responsive to my problem and was doing what they could to make it right.

My post clearly states we will be doing 40-50 dives over the two weeks.

To alleviate your concerns, we will be doing 40-50 dives if the Datamasks work or not. We will each have a couple of backup masks. We each have AERIS ATMOS AI computers that have served as our primary computers over the last four years. I will be reporting how we do with the datamasks during the trip whether that is good news or bad for Oceanic.

Guy

I think you need to switch to decaf. Lighten up.

 

[joystershell]

Scubakevdm,

I get the sarcasm in your post but don't see where its particularly useful. If I'm missing something let me know. As I see it, I posted a problem with a new piece of equipment to see if anyone else has had the same problem or if anyone had any ideas on how to fix it. I posted a second time to let people know that the manufacturer of the new piece of equipment was extremely responsive to my problem and was doing what they could to make it right.

My post clearly states we will be doing 40-50 dives over the two weeks.

To alleviate your concerns, we will be doing 40-50 dives if the Datamasks work or not. We will each have a couple of backup masks. We each have AERIS ATMOS AI computers that have served as our primary computers over the last four years. I will be reporting how we do with the datamasks during the trip whether that is good news or bad for Oceanic.

Guy

WTH????? :11:

 

[Shark Bate]

I would like to report that I have already been contacted by an Oceanic technical representative and after describing the problem and my troubleshooting efforts they have assigned me a return authorization number and they promise to send me a replacement Datamask well before our trip on the liveaboard in mid-December.

I have also been contacted by Doug Krause from Oceanic and he has offered to keep an eye on the exchange and make sure it goes off without a hitch. I asked Doug to look into the corrosion problem that has been documented by several others on this board and promised that I would be posting a trip report with a thorough evaluation of the Datamasks after 40-50 dives over a two week period in December aboard the liveaboard.

Guy

Glad to hear that they are trying hard to take care of you - I purchased a Datamask back in Oct and have just a few dives on it in fresh water - but will be in Belize in early December and plan to put around 25 ocean dives on it then. Have an Atom 2 as a back up, but so far the Datamask has been working just fine. I have one suggestion and I really don't know if this is going to help much, but I plan on putting some silicone gel on all the screws because they do seem to be subject to corrosion as reported elsewhere on the board - I have just a little bit now - also the manual says that a 50/50 mix of white vinigar and fresh water will work well to remove salt build up and I am thinking that this mix may handle some of the corrosion too. I'll try and report more after the trip.

Enjoy your trip!!!

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I plan on putting some silicone gel on all the screws because they do seem to be subject to corrosion as reported elsewhere on the board - I have just a little bit now - also the manual says that a 50/50 mix of white vinigar and fresh water will work well to remove salt build up and I am thinking that this mix may handle some of the corrosion too. I'll try and report more after the trip.

Enjoy your trip!!!

1. Some silicone greases will disolve some silicones. I'd don't think I'd do it.

2. Plain old H20 removes salt. If it takes more than H2O, it's not sodium chloride.

 

[kroorda]

Guy, Like you, I purchased two Datamasks (one for me and one for my wife). Unlike you though, I returned both of mine for a refund. I felt that for $1500!, the screws shouldn't corrode, and you should be able to upload/download the mask without difficulty. (They even have difficulty uploading the masks at Oceanic). You have to make the upload/download cords go into their connectors, stay in the connectors, and be positioned just perfectly, before you can do a download. Am I asking for a lot? Well, I think that if you pay a lot, you should be able to ask for a lot. If you bought a new Mercedes and the lug nuts rusted/corroded the first time you drove it in the rain, would you be unhappy - particularly if you found out that ALL the lugs nuts rust/corrode on ALL models of that same type. Darn right. $1500 is a LOT to pay; even if you bought a seperate expensive mask and a seperate expensive computer. I talked to the guys at Oceanic and they are exceptionally nice and gracious. However, "Nice and Gracious" didn't solve the problems I experienced nor did it make me feel better about spending over $3k for two masks with identical problems. I really like the idea of the masks as my wife and I are both photographers. But, I'm going to wait until I can truly get what I pay for - an extraordinary mask (without any problems or issues).