Vyper Air Ascent Rate Indicator

[airizzy]

While researching for a new computer I read that the Vyper Air does not monitor the ascent rate in gauge mode. What's that all about. I know that I am new and I don't have any plans to dive with any gas but air and nitrox any time soon, but what if I did want to use gauge mode to dive heliox and I wanted to use my $1100 computer to keep track of depth, time, and tank pressure. Wouldn't I also want to know my ascent rate? Please fill me in if I am missing something here.

 

[popje]

While researching for a new computer I read that the Vyper Air does not monitor the ascent rate in gauge mode. What's that all about. I know that I am new and I don't have any plans to dive with any gas but air and nitrox any time soon, but what if I did want to use gauge mode to dive heliox and I wanted to use my $1100 computer to keep track of depth, time, and tank pressure. Wouldn't I also want to know my ascent rate? Please fill me in if I am missing something here.

I have to confess I don't exactly know what you mean by Vyper Air... I had a Vyper a few years ago and I'm now using a Vytec. However, I know that Suunto computers either have a Freedive mode or a Gauge mode. Freedive mode I think is rather self explanatory. Gauge mode is similar as it works as a bottom timer and so if you want to freedive with it, you don't really want it beeping at you constantly. Suunto's start beeping if you exceed 12m/s or if you are consistently over 10m/s for more than 3 seconds if I recall correctly.

If you're mixed gas diving, you will plan for different ascent rates depending on depth and gas which might exceed Suunto's beeping limit as well. Btw, unless you're very rich or commercial or military diving, you probably will be using trimix and not heliox.

 

[airizzy]

Like I said, I am new to diving. I still have a lot to learn. I have no plans to take a mixed gas diving class but if the opportunity did present itself I would like to know if I could use my computer as a bottom timer. Suunto seems to have put a lot of thought into their new dive computers so there must be a reason for not monitoring ascent rate in gauge mode. I just don't know that reason.

 

[NCadiver]

popje: They vyper air is there new computer.

airizzy:With helium, we must go up more slowly than nitrogen. They don't know with gas you are using.

 

[DiveNav]

......With helium, we must go up more slowly than nitrogen.....

How much slower?

Alberto (aka eDiver)

 

[popje]

How much slower?

Alberto (aka eDiver)

I think that depends on a lot of factors. Other than the obvious depth/time, there's also bottom mix, travel mix and deco mix. Whether deco is being done on a helium mix or a nitrox mix is an important consideration also. You should post this question in the Tech/Trimix forum. But if I'm not mistaken, the absolute max ascent rate for trimix is no more than 9m/min.

ps... Typos in earlier post that I can't seem to edit... Ascent rates are metres per minute. Not second... Oops...

 

[ajduplessis]

The DC does not monitor ascent rate in gauge mode. The reason is that gauge mode is used for free diving. Ascent rates are not important for free diving.

If you use gauge mode for mixed gas diving as a bottom timer, it is assumed that you have proper buoyancy.

PS: The max ascent rate for any gas is less that 9m per min. Different gases require different deep stop depending on your profile and not different ascent rates. Ascending to the surface is always slow!!!