Question Pelagic Pressure Systems or Shearwater (the Swift) transmitter failures

[Rearviewmirror]

For the record, changed my vote to SW Other as it seems as if the Teric is the problem not the SW transmitter.

 

[scubadada]

For the record, changed my vote to SW Other as it seems as if the Teric is the problem not the SW transmitter.

Time will tell, if it is the Teric, it will be no failure, SW

 

[Belzelbub]

And yet many people say that wireless integration has reached a point where it's as reliable as an SPG

The poll should not be interpreted as anything close to a failure rate. I have a few SPGs that I keep in my spare kit. I'll bring at least one with me on the boat, but don't have them hooked up during the dive.

In my case, I've had a total of 4 PPS transmitters, and only one that could be considered failed. I never dove with the failed unit. I bought it used and noticed it wouldn't connect once I powered it up. Tried a different battery and different DC to read it, but still nothing. It was replaced by Huish for the service fee. So, I've never dove with a failed PPS transmitter, but did hold one in my hands. My failure rate is overstated as there is no way in the poll to account for multiple transmitters that would be the denominator.

I have, on the other hand, dove with a failed SPG. I much prefer the failure mode of the transmitter to that of the SPG. In the SPG failure, the needle stuck during the dive. It stuck at about 3000 psi. I noticed it after about 15 minutes of diving. Started with 3300 or so, and knew that couldn't be right. Had the needle stuck further into the dive, I might not have noticed it right away, which could be bad if toward the end of the dive where I might think I have 1500 psi when I actually have less. By contrast "NO COMMS" is pretty clear that there is a problem.

 

[Rearviewmirror]

Just heard back that it was my Teric antenna. Michelle at Dive-Tronix said "Can’t say how it happened, though the Terics are a bit more fragile than other Shearwater computers. There really isn’t much of a case/chassis to protect the internal components. But it sounds like you are easy on your yours. Some of our cave and wreck divers bump their Teric into things pretty hard which can damage the antenna."

 

[scubadada]

Just heard back that it was my Teric antenna. Michelle at Dive-Tronix said "Can’t say how it happened, though the Terics are a bit more fragile than other Shearwater computers. There really isn’t much of a case/chassis to protect the internal components. But it sounds like you are easy on your yours. Some of our cave and wreck divers bump their Teric into things pretty hard which can damage the antenna."

So your vote changes on this thread

 

[Still Kicking]

In my case, I've had a total of 4 PPS transmitters, and only one that could be considered failed. I never dove with the failed unit. I bought it used and noticed it wouldn't connect once I powered it up. Tried a different battery and different DC to read it, but still nothing.

I understand this is all pretty close to anecdotal but still, a relatively large percentage of people in the poll report failures. You alone have had a 25% failure rate (ie. transmitter that stopped working so that you could not dive with it).

In 30 years I have yet to had an SPG issue beyond fizzing leaks (did not stop me diving for the day). Oh wait ... i think I just jinxed myself.

 

[Belzelbub]

I understand this is all pretty close to anecdotal but still, a relatively large percentage of people in the poll report failures. You alone have had a 25% failure rate (ie. transmitter that stopped working so that you could not dive with it).

Yeah, I hear you. But I’m still not certain that I’ve actually had a failure. I held a failed transmitter in my hands, but may not have actually had a failure. I bought that one used to use for my daughter. So, it failed at some point. I only know that it didn’t work when I first tried it. Judging by the serial number, this was an early unit. Certainly much older than the one I bought new in 2013.

Even if I were to have a failure before a dive, I’d still dive. I’d just swap in an SPG and go. Electronics and mechanical devices can fail, so having a backup for either is a good idea. Dead batteries aside, electronics tend to fail on startup, so if it works during pre-dive, it’s likely to continue to work during the dive.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I’m as conservative as they come and I’m getting close to ditching my SPG. I dive the same profiles regularly, know my SAC, know what I typically end the dive with wrt gas, and always have a 40 cf pony as an emergency reserve. IF I had a failure during a dive, I have zero doubt I could end the dive safely. I’m getting closer to being comfortable just having an SPG in my bag on the boat. I suspect I’ll be there soon and ditch the SPG.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I’m as conservative as they come and I’m getting close to ditching my SPG. I dive the same profiles regularly, know my SAC, know what I typically end the dive with wrt gas, and always have a 40 cf pony as an emergency reserve. IF I had a failure during a dive, I have zero doubt I could end the dive safely. I’m getting closer to being comfortable just having an SPG in my bag on the boat. I suspect I’ll be there soon and ditch the SPG.

I routinely do two hour cave dives just on transmitters for my back gas. Short of something weird like getting stuck reading but continues to transmit, all the failures would result in a warning from the computer. Something I am used to as it always complains about the transmitter not present 90 seconds into any dive, due to having different transmitters on my single tank rig from my sidemount. When I dive sidemount it complains about the single tank transmitter missing. When I dive singles it complains about the sidemount transmitters.

 

[Still Kicking]

I routinely do two hour cave dives just on transmitters for my back gas. Short of something weird like getting stuck reading but continues to transmit, all the failures would result in a warning from the computer. Something I am used to as it always complains about the transmitter not present 90 seconds into any dive, due to having different transmitters on my single tank rig from my sidemount. When I dive sidemount it complains about the single tank transmitter missing. When I dive singles it complains about the sidemount transmitters.

Would drive me nuts. To each their own lol.