Vintage Depth Gauge

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jiveturkey

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Messages
1,823
Reaction score
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Location
Ottawa
# of dives
200 - 499
I've been looking on Ebay for sometime now to find a decent depth gauge. I dont' have one on my console. I use my computer for depth info. Lately I've been thinking that I should have an analog depth gauge in case my battteries die or I forget my computer. Are these old gauges functional? Are they dependable? There are quite a few on ebay for pretty cheap.
 
Generally if they have not been abused they work fine.

One alternative for a backup depth gauge is a capillary deopth guage. There are no mehcanicals to go wrong, they are very thin and are very accurate at shallower depths where deco and saftey stops occur.
 
DA Aquamaster:
Generally if they have not been abused they work fine.

One alternative for a backup depth gauge is a capillary deopth guage. There are no mehcanicals to go wrong, they are very thin and are very accurate at shallower depths where deco and saftey stops occur.
That's a good idea. Those are cheap too. Still, I may end up going with the vintage because they look so cool. As you know, that's really what diving is all about. :wink:
 
Yep, I have a Scubapro depth gauge I bought new old stock from a going out of business dive shop. It goes to 500' just in case I ever need that capability.
 
jiveturkey:
I've been looking on Ebay for sometime now to find a decent depth gauge. I dont' have one on my console. I use my computer for depth info. Lately I've been thinking that I should have an analog depth gauge in case my battteries die or I forget my computer. Are these old gauges functional? Are they dependable? There are quite a few on ebay for pretty cheap.
I have several and they work perfectly. I usually carry a digital bottom timer for other functions and the depth gauge is always right on the same depth as the digital. I had a really old one recently that did not register at first, but when I got to 50 ft. it sprang to life and has been right on since. I always dive with redundant everything and everything has a backup. John
 
Be careful with some of the older guages. Age can make some of the components brittle.

I always make my vintage dives with a dive computer module as a backup.

On my most recent dive with my vintage Aqua-Lung SPG/Depth Gauge combo the depth gauge worked perfectly down to 109ft. However, on my ascent it ceased to function and displayed a constant 60ft (glad I had my backup).

After the dive I examined it closely and found that the plastic housing of the gauge was very brittle and on the dive to 109ft it finally gave up the ghost. :)

Just something to watch out for.
 
What would be considered vintage? How old, what era. I note a Aqualung plastic combo was mentioned. I di not think that to be vintage. In my mind I have considered things pre-1970 to be vintage and most stuff made before then was brass. N
 
Nemrod:
What would be considered vintage? How old, what era. I note a Aqualung plastic combo was mentioned. I di not think that to be vintage. In my mind I have considered things pre-1970 to be vintage and most stuff made before then was brass. N

I have a U.S. Divers chromed-brass oil-filled gauge from 1972. It works like a champ, and sure does look "Classic"!
 
Nemrod:
What would be considered vintage? How old, what era. I note a Aqualung plastic combo was mentioned. I di not think that to be vintage. In my mind I have considered things pre-1970 to be vintage and most stuff made before then was brass. N


A friend of mine (Tom) said it best on another website: "I would consider anything pre-1975 as vintage. Usually once something is 30 years old it is considered to be antique or vintage."
 

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