Shearwater Perdix AI not seeing the transmitter

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telemonster

Contributor
Messages
436
Reaction score
190
Location
Northern Virginia
# of dives
200 - 499
Perdix AI, has been working great for 2+ years.

Single grey transmitter. Before a trip to Utila (after 7 days of diving) it did say the transmitter battery was low. I had replaced this battery before the trip, it seemed a bit odd as it was a recent swap and the factory battery lasted much longer

Took one of my scuba toys to the pool, and at the same time a friend used my rig for a discover scuba class. The computer took a long time to lock in on the pressure, but finally came up. Friend later said it seemed intermittent.

Was doing some pool time for my CCR class and had my perdix AI along because the reg set I had on my bailout had the xmitter. It wouldn't lock on at all.

I checked the voltage on the battery, it's above 3 volts. Swapped it with a new battery from the same batch, and it still won't lock on.

Pulled battery on perdix AI for about 10 minutes, powered back on. Nada.

Any thoughts?

Does anyone know the frequency that the xmitter transmits at in the small chance I have hardware that can receive it?
 
Does anyone know the frequency that the xmitter transmits at in the small chance I have hardware that can receive it?
38kHz. Good luck receiving that! You might find it easier to (1) pair with a different transmitter and thus assure yourself the computer end is Ok. Then (2) pair your transmitter with another computer to ensure the transmitter is the problem.
 
Ah thanks for the info. I swear I googled it before and it didn't show up.

I didn't think I had it, but at last... I don't hear anything (AM, FM, etc.)

Will ping some friends and test with their xmitters and/or computers.

If I can get one of them to bring it over, I'll post a video if it's audible.

for_sb2.jpg
 
After you powered on the the Perdix after removing the battery for 10 minutes, did you check to see if it was in AI mode?
 
Perdix AI, has been working great for 2+ years.

Single grey transmitter. Before a trip to Utila (after 7 days of diving) it did say the transmitter battery was low. I had replaced this battery before the trip, it seemed a bit odd as it was a recent swap and the factory battery lasted much longer

Took one of my scuba toys to the pool, and at the same time a friend used my rig for a discover scuba class. The computer took a long time to lock in on the pressure, but finally came up. Friend later said it seemed intermittent.

Was doing some pool time for my CCR class and had my perdix AI along because the reg set I had on my bailout had the xmitter. It wouldn't lock on at all.

I checked the voltage on the battery, it's above 3 volts. Swapped it with a new battery from the same batch, and it still won't lock on.

Pulled battery on perdix AI for about 10 minutes, powered back on. Nada.

Any thoughts?

Does anyone know the frequency that the xmitter transmits at in the small chance I have hardware that can receive it?

Take a paper clip and short the positive and negative connection points within the transmitter (with no installed battery of course) and try again.
 
Checked it, turned off AI mode then turned it back on. No change.

I used deoxit on paper towel, carefully wiped the points of contact between the battery cover and and ground leads.

Good call on shorting it out to discharge any capacitors that might be holding memory over battery changes that supplying pressure with no battery won't nuke. Tried it, no difference.

Much thanks for the suggestions.

Will talk to friends and try to get another xmitter/computer to cross test and contact Shearwater.
 
Def test a new transmitter if you can get your hands on another one for a simple test.
 
I had a somewhat similar experience. My transmitter was working fine, after 4 years and 300 dives on the same battery. I figured that, although I carry a spare battery around, since I was diving the Red Sea for a month, I would replace the battery. Put a new one in, and when I got on board the boat, transmitter dead. switched out batteries. Nada. Switched computers. Nothing. Looked inside the transmitter -- spotlessly clean, no corrosion. Between liveaboards in Hurghada, went to the Oceanic dealer there and they tried various things. Nothing. they said that I have to send it back to Oceanic (Pelagic) and that they have some sort of transmitter software that they can use to reset the transmitter or something. Bought a new transmitter there for $US 200! Thank you Dive Store! The moral of the story: Don't change your transmitter battery until you have to, travel with a spare transmitter or a gauge, and a spare battery.
 
Two updates to this!

First off, I contacted Shearwater and did some testing with tursiops. Replacement transmitter arrived just in time for some diving next weekend! Super huge props to Shearwater on this one. Quick response to support inquiry and timely resolve. Makes me love my awesome computer that much more!

Second off, for the sake of curiosity while testing the new transmitter with the Perdix AI I fired up the same ham radio and tried to listen for the data transmission and it didn't seem to pick it up. Perhaps I have a setting wrong I don't use the thing often but I would recommend using a buddy computer check to verify your transmitter for errors not a radio receiver :) I found the FCC reports for the OEM of the transmitter and all that. Will revisit one day in the future.

Thanks all for the suggestions. Judging by the lack of similar issues to mine it seems like a rare occurrence.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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