Suunto "Too Conservative" Issues

[Gilligan]

Marc,
I know my gf's computer was not off by 15 feet beause the dive site is well known to us.
Jim

 

[curtissqd]

Genesis once bubbled...
hose you and BADLY if you dive repetitively when the attention symbol is lit.

If that little triangle with an "!" in it is lit, and you get in the water, it will penalize the dive to a varying level of severity

First of all, no - I have it set on AO & PO (I learned this the hard way when I had somehow set it on A3 and blew a dive because it immediately went into deco)

Thank you Genesis - this would explain the problem - especially given that at one point there is a huge drop in the Devil's Throat - and same on a rise which forces a slow warning - I need to look at that because for one reason or another - I did hit the Attention Symbol.

Your comments are greatly appreciated. Now I just need to make sure I try to ensure somehow in those circumstances this does not happen.

Curtis

 

[Brules]

The LDS owner where I recently bought my VT Pro sells Suunto, Uwatec, Oceanic & Sherwood dive computers. When I went in and was grilling him (I played dumb to see just exactly what he would say) when I asked about the Suunto's, the first thing he said was "Where will you be diving", I said "Cozumel", and his reply was "Not a good idea...Suunto's and Cozumel Diving don't get along too well." He told me about how they get more conservative when you do multi day dives with lots of ups and downs like in Cozumel. He then proceeded to show me his video from last month in Cozumel.

He was diving with a VT Pro & a Stinger for backup. On the 2nd day of diving, the Suunto was showing like 30 min less bottom time, and then further on in the tape it on the 3rd day, it was locked out. I knew this was an issue with them, and was not suprised, but it made the point well enough.

So I went with a KNOWN less conservative dive computer for this very reason. Suunto's are by default too conservative, with no ability to lighten them up. Their ultra conservatism has not been proven to be ANY safer than any other computer, so to me the hassle of it was not justified.

I think I made a good choice.

Brules

 

[norcaldiver]

I didn't know there was an A3, unless, of course, it was once owned by Nigel from Spinal Tap, then it goes to A11.

 

[curtissqd]

norcaldiver once bubbled...
I didn't know there was an A3, unless, of course, it was once owned by Nigel from Spinal Tap, then it goes to A11.

 

[Charlie99]

Brules once bubbled...
"Not a good idea...Suunto's and Cozumel Diving don't get along too well." He told me about how they get more conservative when you do multi day dives with lots of ups and downs like in Cozumel.

. On the 2nd day of diving, the Suunto was showing like 30 min less bottom time, and then further on in the tape it on the 3rd day, it was locked out.

It's funny to be defending Suunto, since I love my Oceanic Data Plus 2 hockey puck, but.....

Suunto attempts to emulate RGBM by looking at your ascent rates, see-saws, and other variations in profile. If you "misbehave", it reduces the M values of the haldanian/dissolved gas model that it uses. It does this in response to profiles that are likely to cause formation of microbubbles in your tissues.

Proper profiles should keep a Suunto happy. It just requires a few more minutes of doing what we should all be doing anyway --- deep stops and very slow ascents in the last 30'.

 

[Genesis]

You'll find that 90% of the problem goes away if you make deep stops with the Suunto. I've had the STOP come on due to a very short (but quick) ascent near the bottom (as little as a 5' change in depth can trigger it!) but have never had it REMAIN lit on the ascent, because with my ascent profiles (typically HALF the recommended 30fpm, and if I'm either solo or with someone else who will do it, I do deep stops as well) it clears before I get to the safety stop depth.

That also keeps the attention symbol down, although its UNAVOIDABLE on most deep (100'+) dives - no matter WHAT you do the attention symbol will show up as soon as the 10 minute wait before its a "repetitive dive" expires, and typically remain lit for 45 minutes to an hour or so.

 

[docmartin]

i've had the same problem with my stinger in cozumel. the dm was understanding and i just hung out a little longer doing deco stops while the others got back in the boat. it does make me wonder about taking it on a liveaboard trip. i would definitely dive nitrox and also bring a different backup. i still got an old orca marathon and that is pretty much the other end of the scale with huge bottom times for repetitive dives. used it on the galapagos aggressor and did not have any problems.
however, next time i will definitely follow the deep stop protocol which is something i learned from this board. thank you.