Vyper air fail

[Rusty Nail]

This is the second time my viper air has shown "fail" instead of reading my pressure. Had I not had a backup SPG yesterday I would have had to call my dive. I thought once I hit the water it may start working...it never did. I'm going to give it one more shot this morning. It worked fine on the first tank, the problem started when I switched tanks, it never picked it up. Any suggestions?
I am seriously considering the Atomic Cobalt. I like the way it just hooks up in a LP port and no transmitter. Can anyone tell me how they like their Atomic Cobalt? At the moment I am very disappointed in my Vyper Air

 

[Sevenrider860]

The Atomic Aquatics Cobalt is an awesome computer, but not perfect. I am on my second computer in 18 months. I also have the Vyper Air Black and a Hollis DG03 being used in the family. Both have had times where the pressure has not been picked up. The Cobalt connects to the HP port not the LP. It would connect to the same port as your SPG. The Cobra 3 also directly connects to the HP port and would be similar to the Vyper Air if you wanted to stay with the Suunto line.

 

[greatlakeswreckdiver]

My Vytec will do the same thing from time to time. The only way I seem to be able to get it constantly to work is to make sure I bleed the regulator to 0 PSI, get the Vytec in the mode it is looking for the code, and then put it next to the transmitter and turn on the tank. I do this just before putting the tank on and jumping in. If I do it too early, it seems it goes to sleep and then I have to use my SPG which I always carry because I just don't trust wireless AI.

 

[Scott]

When you swapped cylinder did the Vyper Air show the cylinder pressure?

After swapping the cylinder did you walk away from the cylinder and or happen the put it in dive mode?

What I have found is once the kit is pressureized I need to leave the Vyper in close proximity (attached to the bc) to the transmitter otherwise I recieve a PSI fail. Don't energize and then walk away, as in back to the vehicle for more gear.

You can close the cylinder valve, purge the reg, wait a moment, make sure the Vyper is very close to the transmitter (read next to it) and then reenegerize, you should have a PSI reading. That can be done at the waters edge with your buddy.
Resetting the code takes less than 30 seconds.

 

[Rusty Nail]

I seriously think it's a defective computer.. 2 dive masters and 2 instructors on the boat all looked at it and agreed something wasn't quit right.. I went ahead and bought the Atomic Cobalt this morning and got three dives in with it today. I really like it! I hope my dive shop will take the Vyper back, it's less than a year old.

 

[gizmo1972]

im guessing your local dive shop will just replace it under warranty!
ALL computers whatever the make have quirky air intergration hence the need for a single spg on the reg set up.

 

[Earl Grey]

I've had generally good results from my Vyper Air. i've had the same 'fail' during dives from time to time. I know divers love wireless so they can ditch their SPG, but I always have one as a redundancy ( I know my SAC pretty well also, so have a general feel for what I should have in the tank regardless). That said, as others mentioned above, the Vyper can be finicky. When I had the fail error it was always an issue of not syncing properly just before the dive. Every time I have re-synced before a dive (set the computer for the dive, re-pressurize or turn on the tank, and then be under water before the computer goes back to 'surface mode') I have had no issues. If you are happy with the Cobalt, that is the most important thing.

 

[gekodivebali]

Tried air integration on Suunto computers, including D9 and Vyper Air. Did not work satisfactorily. Added an SPG due to fails as described by op. Killed many transmitters (replaced under warranty) since even a single drop of water in the first stage will be pushed into the electronics. When warranty ran out, I gave up on wireless air integration.
Hose connected computers like the Cobra 3 make more sense if you like the gimmicky information.
Analog SPG is still more reliable and it may help you become a better diver by giving you incentives to plan your dives. Including gas management.

 

[Doc]

Analog SPG is still more reliable and it may help you become a better diver by giving you incentives to plan your dives. Including gas management.

Do they still make those? Sounds like a great idea.

Chicks don't dig them, though.

 

[gekodivebali]

Do they still make those? Sounds like a great idea.

Chicks don't dig them, though.

Chicks love better divers!