VT pro pressure reads low

[donnyb]

Aloha Oceanic:
My hoseless VT Pro reads about 300 psi lower than any analog guage I put on my tank.
Can something be done about this?

Mahalo,
donnyb

 

[donnyb]

Anyone else having this problem?

I talked to the dealer & they said they had heard of this before, on a few computers.

Doug, any ideas?

-Don

 

[phillyrob]

Anyone else having this problem?

I talked to the dealer & they said they had heard of this before, on a few computers.

Doug, any ideas?-Don

My six year old DataMax Pro Plus just started doing the same thing. My LDS said the pressure module is going. They said for $385 I could trade it in to Oceanic and get a refurbished one that is under warranty and is just like new. Oceanic, and the other manufacturers don't do single problem repairs. They just swap it out for a refurbished unit. I just bought a new VT3 and I'll eventually bring in the Pro Plus in for the swap to have as a back up.

 

[Dive Junky]

Doesnt seem worth the expense. You should be diving with an analog SPG along with your VT. This way you will always be able to have a backup and something to compare it too. At least it doesnt tell you have 300 psi more than whats in your tank. JK.

 

[phillyrob]

Since I have the new VT3, my only real choice is to pay the money or just toss the ProPlus. Maybe I can get my LDS to take the ProPlus off of my hands for something else I could use. I could use a 3 mil suit for travel.

 

[donnyb]

Or, you could switch to uwatec & be done with the problems...

I have owned 4 or 5 models & 6 or 7 different serial #s of Oceanic computers and
I seem to have a 2 year (or less) life expectancy on each one.

Every time I have a problem it seems they try (and succeed) to get me to trade in my old computer (or sender) for a newer model, for a fee.

I have only gotten one truly free replacement, the one having this low pressure reading now. They begged me to switch to the new VT Pro because the new sender used a different battery and assured me it would not lose signal nearly as much as the older one.

Now I find it reads incorrect pressure, and may indeed have done so all along. I assumed I was just getting short fills. Since I do not have air consumption problems I just went along with it, but it was pointed out to me recently in Indonesia by my guide.

Why can't they stop making junk? Why do I keep throwing good money after bad?

 

[Doug Krause]

donnyb, sorry for the late reply here - I guess I have your last post to always remind me to respond to posts in a more timely manner. Living in Hilo with 2k + dives and reference to an Oceanic computer with old transmitter (12 year old+ model) tells me you've put a lot of time and miles on your gear. The VT Pro has been discontinued for 3-4 years - how many dives do you have on it? When did you last have it inspected?

If fixing this problem is of interest to you, I would be more than happy to make it as painless as possible - should you choose, PM me, I'll have it sent directly to my attention.

In the event that others suspect the same problem (the unit may very well be out of calibration - but keep the following in mind):

First, one of the biggest misconceptions regarding diving equipment is that analog pressure gauges are more durable or accurate than digital. Think about all of the pressure gauges out there - those ones that are calibrated at the factory, then slowly but surely lose accuracy over time. It seems that the only time anyone realizes that there just might be something wrong with their trusty spg is when it's filled with rusty water or the needle has fallen off.

Should you suspect that your air integrated computer is reading inaccurate pressure, you have to consider the instrument you're using to compare it to. Second, most if not all digital pressure devices build in some sort of reserve. It's a whole lot better than reading a bit off in the other direction.

 

[donnyb]

Sorry for the rant Doug. But I'm a little frustrated with Oceanic computers.

As many have posted on this board, customer service has been great, and I have 5 reg sets with no complaints whatsoever.

My first hoseless computer was a Data Trans Plus in 1998. Still IMO the best display interface ever. Perhaps a bit bulky for some, but I liked the big numbers & letters.
Over time, I had numerous problems with the loss of signal. I addition, we have had additional problems with several "hockey puck" computers. Each time it was solved with money and an upgrade.

In March of 05 your guys convinced me that the new sender version with revised battery would solve my issues so I coughed up the cash and paid for a replacement sender. By December 05 I was back with more problems & your guys convinced me to warranty upgrade to the VT Pro at no charge. That computer system has 217 dives on it. Other than reading low, it does work fine. And as others have pointed out it is better to read a little low than the other way round. Perhaps as you say, it is just a reserve.

After my experience in Indonesia (approx 300 psi diff on HP tanks) I was curious. When I got back home I did a comparison. On my LP steels I was consistently 180 psi low using 3 different SPG's, one brand new Scubapro, one at the LDS, and one old Oceanic.

So, I started the thread to see if anyone else was experiencing this, and to find out if it was an issue needing a fix. If so, what could be done? I am not really concerned about 180 psi but as I said I have had a lot of troubled history with Oceanic computers.

If there are only a few of us with this situation, then all the better.
If it is true of other brands then it will be something to understand & communicate.

So Doug, Can you explain why the # of dives has an effect on a solid state electronic device?

And, why do these things seem to have a 2-3 year life expectancy? What causes them to act up & fail so much?
Thanks in advance.

 

[phillyrob]

I love Oceanic gear. I own a Zeta and a Gamma II, two DX4s', a Chute 3, my DataMax ProPlus and I just bought a VT3 which I have yet to get wet. I've compared the DataMax to a few other gauges, including my new VT3. It does come up about 200 p.s.i. short. But that's O.K. It's six years old with hundreds of dives on it, and it's worked flawlessly. I'll just 'retire' it to only shore dives where p.s.i. isn't really a concern. I can't wait to get the VT3 on a Jersey wreck !! SOON !!!!

 

[Doug Krause]

donnyb - I don't think that you'd find a whole lot of people on this board or anywhere else that finds that their dive computers - Oceanic's or anyone else's that has an average life expectancy of 2-3 years. You've no doubt had issues along the way - but it is certainly not the norm.