What if...? Computer Issues

[Cave Diver]

The following post is one of a series of threads resulting from a collaboration between [user]Bubbletrubble[/user] and myself.
We have divided the What if...? idea into a series of topics and posted the main thread as a sticky here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...514-what-if-what-do-when-things-go-wrong.html

Please Read The Following Bullet Points Carefully!

• Our intent for this discussion is to get newer divers thinking, not spoon feed them the answers.
• We're going to ask that the more experienced divers don't just jump in with responses to every scenario.
• Instead, we want this to be a two part exercise for newer divers by doing the following:
  • Quote a given scenario and
  • (1) discuss what they would do given the situation
  • (2) talk about how to avoid getting into that situation in the first place.
• Then the more experienced divers can give follow up comments on insights on those answers.

Anyone is encouraged to a post new scenario for discussion, but please follow the instructions above when answering and keep it relevant to the topic.

Computer Issues
* What would you do if your computer stopped working during a dive?
* What would you do if you exceeded your NDLs (table or computer)?
* What would you do if your buddies computer went into deco but yours still showed NDL time remaining?
* What would you do if you were gearing up on the boat and realized you forgot your computer and no one had an extra?

 

[TexasKaren68]

* What would you do if your computer stopped working during a dive?

Finish the dive using my watch and depth gauge, knowing what my limits were because they'd been discussed/planned before the dive. Then I guess I'd be stuck at the surface for 24 hours Then I'd be using tables for the rest of my trip unless someone has a spare computer.

* What would you do if you exceeded your NDLs (table or computer)?

Well, if I had a computer, I'd do what it told me to do which would probably involve a series of stops on my way to the surface. Then I'd stay at the surface for the recommended time after that.

* What would you do if your buddies computer went into deco but yours still showed NDL time remaining?

Do whatever my buddy's computer says to do. Always follow the more conservative computer.

* What would you do if you were gearing up on the boat and realized you forgot your computer and no one had an extra?

Be very thankful that I studied how to use tables and my eRDP, brought a waterproof watch and have a depth gauge. If I'm joined at the hip to my buddy, hopefully his computer is in working order but I thought everyone was supposed to use their own.

 

[rubixcube]

* What would you do if your computer stopped working during a dive?
Ascend using either my buddies computer or pressure gauge/time device, and completing a 4-5 minute safety stop in case of a fast ascent. Avoiding this is a simple matter of taking care of the computer, if properly maintained any malfunction will have been beyond my possible prevention.
* What would you do if you exceeded your NDLs (table or computer)?
Do what the table/computer tells me to do as far as stops are concerned, preventing this one should be obvious :mooner:
* What would you do if your buddies computer went into deco but yours still showed NDL time remaining?
Follow their computer, gas allowing of course. The last thing I want to do is to abandon my buddy in such a situation and it won't hurt me anyway. See above for avoidance.
* What would you do if you were gearing up on the boat and realized you forgot your computer and no one had an extra?
There's always good old fashioned dive tables.

Prevention involves having thorough knowledge of the computer, and good packing/

 

[Cave Diver]

Be very thankful that I studied how to use tables and my eRDP, brought a waterproof watch and have a depth gauge. If I'm joined at the hip to my buddy, hopefully his computer is in working order but I thought everyone was supposed to use their own.

There's always good old fashioned dive tables.

Are you in the habit of carrying dive tables on your trips/dives with you?

 

[TexasKaren68]

Are you in the habit of carrying dive tables on your trips/dives with you?

I'll let you know after my first trip. I only just finished OW, close to home. I actually do plan to carry them with me though, so yes. I want to learn how to use them properly and I can't do that if they're sitting on my kitchen table while I'm in Kaua'i.

 

[rubixcube]

Are you in the habit of carrying dive tables on your trips/dives with you?

I will be making an effort to take them, after all a 5" by 4" piece of plastic doesn't take up that much space.

 

[a22shady]

What would you do if your computer stopped working during a dive?

If my DataMask died I would still have my PSI guage as back-up for Air, I also up till recently dove a second Computer for redundancy (Proplus2). To maintain depth I would stick directly with my Buddy (who dives a datamask, also has PSI guage back-up, and Nitek Duo on every dive. So for me Having a redundancy is key, and a buddy.

*What would you do if you exceeded your NDLs (table or computer)?

If some how I managed exceed the NDL limit and go into deco I would follow the computer as best I could till Air allowed. If completed all obligations I would contact someone of knowledge about it (Shop-dan) and be done diving for the day and watch myself carefully. If I could not complete the obligation Once on the surface I would contact someone (DAN, or First Aid if diving "Dutch Springs" or notify boat captain and basically follow directions from that point.

* What would you do if your buddies computer went into deco but yours still showed NDL time remaining?

Well for me my Buddy is my G/F and I most time unless she is diving doubles always have more Air, So I would stick with her at her stops while she full fills her obligations and donate air if needed to assist in completing. And ofcourse contact someone with knowledge if completed or not.

* What would you do if you were gearing up on the boat and realized you forgot your computer and no one had an extra?

We have had this happen and luckily we always dive with our PSI guage hooked up as a back-up and the dive we were doing was shallow 15Ft. so she followed her buddy her down and up but since the dive was so shallow wasn't a major deal. But if it was a deeper dive and no computer or atleast depth guage avilable then there would be no diving.

I got to say the questions are good I look forward to other answers as well as answers from the more experinced as to what they would do themselves and what if anything different they were tought to do in those situations.

 

[SoccerJeni]

I'll let you know after my first trip. I only just finished OW, close to home. I actually do plan to carry them with me though, so yes. I want to learn how to use them properly and I can't do that if they're sitting on my kitchen table while I'm in Kaua'i.

I want to answer all these questions in this thread, but it's going to have to be tomorrow since it's pretty late.

I just wanted to let you know, I do carry my tables with me, and I do pull them out. First of all, it is waterproof. Second, I'm going to use them for what they're meant for. Of course, it's not going to be the same as having a computer which accounts for the different depths of the dive. But, I want to just glance at the NDL time associated at the depth we're planning to go to.

 

[k ellis]

Are you in the habit of carrying dive tables on your trips/dives with you?

There is always the possibility of asking others on the boat if they had one. Though more experienced divers do tend to shrug off tables there are still quiet a few who carry them at all times maybe in a logbook like I do or perhaps in a gear bag. Chances are better then average that if your on a cattle boat some one has one. on smaller boats the chances deminish greatly but none the less a good possibility someone has some.

Diving is a social sport and we are here to socialize. asking is a great conversation starter too LOL

 

[Charlie99]

Are you in the habit of carrying dive tables on your trips/dives with you?

I carry one sheet of paper. 8-1/2" x 11", laminated. It has everything I've ever needed.

On one side it has PADI RDP table 2, to which I've added a single row of SI times across the bottom from Z to A, and a short 3 line summary of rules. I can read it on a rocking boat without glasses, unlike the miniscule print of the standard PADI SI table. The single row of SI times, when used with one simple addition replaces the PADI SI table. This table also works as a multilevel planner.

On the back side I have
Equivalent Nitrox depths for EAN30 to EAN40. Kind of like the inverse of an equivalent air depth table, but it goes from 10' increments of air depth to the equivalent nitrox depth. Table includes 1.6ata and 1.4ata MODs.

NOAA CNS oxtox time-dose table. Both single dive and 24 hour time limits for ppO2 from 0.6 to 1.6ata in steps of 0.1ata.

A condensed dive table for depths of 35' and 40' to 140'. The multiple lines include PADI NDL;
PADI NDL 60 minutes after surfacing in PG Z;
PADI NDL 90 minutes after surfacing in PG Z;
(these are the two key lines for planning post-computer-failure dives)
EAN32 PADI NDLs
EAN36 PADI NDLs
DCIEM NDLs
DIEM time at depth limits for various ascents, including
5 minute stop at 10'
10 at 10'
5 at 20' + 10@10.

And also on this sheet are the relative empty buoyancies of various tanks, referenced to AL80.

All of the above is in 12 point or larger type.