Suunto Cobra battery issues

[TCB]

Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to let the forum know about an issue I had with my Cobra during a recent dive trip and some interesting information I learned subsequently . . .

My wife and I were diving in Nassau couple of months ago. This was our first official dive trip after being certified, and our first open water dives with our new gear, which included Cobra computers for each of us. After our second day of diving, we were in the hotel logging our dives and I noticed that the date and times on that day's dives were wrong. The date was listed as Jan 2, 2000 and the times weren't anywhere near correct. I shrugged it off as a glitch and reset the date & time. On our second and final dive of the next day, we had been down about 14-15 minutes when I heard the computer beep. I looked down to see the computer tell me that the date was Jan 01, 2000 and that my dive time was 0 minutes. The computer had once again reset iself, this time at depth! Luckily, this was our last dive of the trip and we were on a very shallow reef (25-30 ft max). We finished the dive (I had a watch on as a backup timer and we didn't get anywhere near the NDL) and headed home the next day.

I took the Cobra back to my LDS and they sent it back to Suunto/Aqualung. It turns out that my computer had an improper battery installed at the factory. Apparently, not all CR2450 batteries are exactly the same size and Suunto only uses two specific brands. Other brands (I believe they said the one in mine was a Duracell) are slightly smaller - enough that they can shift around slightly and cause the unit to reset when not all the proper points are in contact with the battery. The real mystery is how the incorrect brand wound up in my unit. The LDS didn't ever open it and Aqualung doesn't know either. The LDS checked my wife's Cobra, and it had one of the two correct brands installed.

I don't remember the brand names of battery that Aqualung told my LDS shold be used, but the battery kits they sell should have the right ones. I would caution against using a CR2450 battery obtained anywhere else for your Cobra.

 

[artusor]

Wow!

This points to some really poor QC at the factory. Setting aside the design issue (it should take ANY equivalent battery), it is telling that the factory would put in the wrong battery. They should know the requirements, and not just be buying off the shelf batteries.

Let me relate an incident I had with my Cobra. About a month ago I was diving in the US Virgin Islands. I'm recently certified, so the Cobra had a total of 9 dives on it. On getting to St Thomas to start my AOW class my first dive was a night dive. After hooking up, everything looked OK, but after about 10 minutes I checked the computer again, my FULL tank was reading 190 lbs pressure! We switched to several others, all started reading about 500 lbs low and gradually declined from there. Luckily the dive boat had a spare console, and I have a Suunto Stinger watch/computer as a backup.

With quality control like this, I think a backup DC is absolutely essential.

 

[KrisB]

Wow!

This points to some really poor QC at the factory. Setting aside the design issue (it should take ANY equivalent battery), it is telling that the factory would put in the wrong battery. They should know the requirements, and not just be buying off the shelf batteries.

Let me relate an incident I had with my Cobra. About a month ago I was diving in the US Virgin Islands. I'm recently certified, so the Cobra had a total of 9 dives on it. On getting to St Thomas to start my AOW class my first dive was a night dive. After hooking up, everything looked OK, but after about 10 minutes I checked the computer again, my FULL tank was reading 190 lbs pressure! We switched to several others, all started reading about 500 lbs low and gradually declined from there. Luckily the dive boat had a spare console, and I have a Suunto Stinger watch/computer as a backup.

With quality control like this, I think a backup DC is absolutely essential.

this sounds like it could have been a problem with the 1st stage and/or the valve as much as it was the computer... although I could just be misunderstanding your pronoun use. What was it that you swapped? Tanks with the same regs/computer; or regs/computers with the same tank? Or, alternatively, different gauges on the same first stage & tank?

 

[artusor]

No. It was definitely the computer. On the boat we tried swithching tanks with the same computer. All 3 tanks that were tried started out reading about 500lbs low. After that they tried a different console/reg.

When I got back home I took it back to my LDS. We tested it again there. Same symptom. Any tank it got hooked to started reading low. As far as the reg, it was not keaking at all. When my LDS put in a new COBRA the redings returned to normal.

 

[ewong]

Must be a lemon, I haven't had a problem with my Cobra ... did u ever find out what was wrong with the computer?


Eddy.

 

[maxcleosam]

I had a similar situation with my Suunto Vector watch.
The CR2450 that had been replaced by the factory was an incorrect size and caused the crystal display to be intermittant.

 

[tobad78]

So What Brand do you guys use off the shelf?

The kit is overpriced. You can pick up a battery and o-ring under $3

I have a battries plus in town maybe t'll try there

 

[murrr77]

So the real question is this: why did the LDS send the computer to Aqualung/Suunto to replace the battery? The battery is USER replaceable, and while it is understandable that a diver may not want to do it themselves, the dive shop should certainly be confident enough in thier own abilities to replace it themselves!

I have a vytec and have replaced both the watch and transmitter batterys myself, took 5 minutes. Originally, I took it to the authorized LDS and they first told me the battery shoudl last 10 yrs (OK, ???) then they didnt' think it was user replaceable. After I assured him it was, he pulled out a cordless screwdriver and proceded to strip the screws on my transmitter.

Moral of the story, just because they are an authorized dealer doesn't mean they are competent to do any of the work. Do it yourself or send it to someone you trust.

 

[TCB]

So the real question is this: why did the LDS send the computer to Aqualung/Suunto to replace the battery? The battery is USER replaceable, and while it is understandable that a diver may not want to do it themselves, the dive shop should certainly be confident enough in thier own abilities to replace it themselves!

The shop didn't send it back for a battery replacement. They sent it back to have Suunto try to diagnose the problem. At that point, we didn't know about the battery issue and the problem could have been anything from a loose wire to a bad circuit board.