Strobe/Wireless Dive Computer Interference

[danclem]

Thanks for the information. I spoke with UWATEC several weeks back, and they relayed the following, which seems to be consistent with the comments that have been posted.

In very rare circumstances there may be interference resulting from the electrical pulse caused by the strobes' firing. Wireless computer readings should reappear the next time the computer cycles, which would be a matter of seconds.

I have not had any issues with the Ikelite/Subal/UWATEC combination, and absolutely love the wireless wrist computer.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Larry C]

I dive a Vytek, with Sea & Sea and Olympus strobes. Never had an issue, though my wife told me she'd heard of it. One thing to note, though. My wife dives a Vytek as well. Twice, we've turned on our computers too close to each other's tanks and had both Vyteks reading the same sender. Usually it happens on liveaboards, where the tanks are next to each other and both valves are on when we set up the computers. We now double check our Code when we start up. It's a little disconcerting to be at 100ft, 5 minutes into a 45minute ascending dive and have your computer yell "FAIL" when you get 15-20 feet from your dive buddy.

 

[CompuDude]

I dive with a Uwatec SmartTec (wireless AI). Never had any interference when using my strobe (Inon D2000).

I've had it lose sync for a couple of seconds at various times, but never anything I where I could attribute it to the strobe. I dive with a an analog SPG on a short hose clipped to my left waist D-Ring. Very out of the way, streamlined, and good redundancy.

I've heard people mention this issue before, but it has never affected me. Perhaps some strobe-computer combos are more likely to interfere than others. Regardless, I wouldn't let it deter me... although I do recommend an analog SPG (properly clipped off) as a backup, especially if you end up with one of the interference-prone combinations. (Odds are small, however, based on anecdotal evidence)