Redundant Computer

Do you dive with a redundant computer?

  • Yes

    Votes: 68 41.5%
  • No

    Votes: 96 58.5%

  • Total voters
    164

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Let me clarify my vote of "yes".

I dive with a backup of a depth gauge, timer, and tables in a pocket.

But a second computer, a really inexpensive second hand one, as long as it works, would be just fine as a backup to get you out of the water safely in the event of a failure durring your dive.
 
What we were discussing, and apparently many use them for, is if your computer dies, you have another with your profile for the week logged so that you can keep trucking without interruption during your week away.

Not too worried about finishing that dive, but rather, being able to keep maxing out dives for the limited time at the resort.
 
If your gonna spend a few thousand dollars on a trip that is based on diving. Then I would say spending a couple of hundred dollars to ensure you can make the most of the trip would fall into the category of "a smart thing to do".
 
I dive a spare for the reasons noted and to have a decent guage on my ascent. Watching bubbles was never my forte.
 
Never thought about using two computers.... but the safer the better. I use the Atmos 2 Wrist computer with a standard spg. It's cheap, accurate, and just perfect. I like having an analog spg tell me how much air I have left, but I could see how having 2 computers would be good.... Pretty unlikely that both batteries would die at the same time.
 
This thought just struck me, and made me think about a scenario.

You have two dive computers, both the same make and model so that you have a ready backup without interruption. One of the main reasons for the two computers is to back you up in the eventuality of a battery failure.

But here’s the kicker, and it’s a good one!

You have two identical computers with fresh batteries in both, because you just changed them before your trip. Both computers have been exposed to the exact same profiles and usage. Would not logic dictate that in this event, they will both experience battery failure at nearly the exact same time?

Just a thought…….
 
Deep/deco dives I always have a depth gauge and bottom timer as a backup, occassionally using my old Orca Edge computer in addition to my Mares.
I worry about failure-failure more than battery failure.
On a week long trip, better start with a new battery as it won't shut off until you get home.
 
My mechanic gave me the same scenario when he changed the halogen bulb in my car when it went out, (which the only reason he changed it is that there's so much CRAP in front of where the light is, you can't just unscrew, unhook, and put the new one in) If I change both at the same time, you run the risk of them burning out at the same time (but I said to him "well didn't they put them in when they first built the car at the same time?") He changed them...

Theoretically YES, but probably, nah! Anyway, when you power it on, doesn't your's show you the battery life left when it's getting low? I don't worry about mine having battery problems, I worry about fatal errors or something that just kills it!

I wear a watch to use as a redundant timer, and just reset the max depth gauge on my SPG every dive, who cares if I don't know the temps, I can always get that from someone else. Most of the time I'm diving where water temps don't really matter much. I just want to be sure that I keep my profile updated, I still back up with my tables in my log after the dives, so if I kill the computer somehow I don't have to guess!



pt40fathoms:
This thought just struck me, and made me think about a scenario.

You have two dive computers, both the same make and model so that you have a ready backup without interruption. One of the main reasons for the two computers is to back you up in the eventuality of a battery failure.

But here’s the kicker, and it’s a good one!

You have two identical computers with fresh batteries in both, because you just changed them before your trip. Both computers have been exposed to the exact same profiles and usage. Would not logic dictate that in this event, they will both experience battery failure at nearly the exact same time?

Just a thought…….
 

Back
Top Bottom