What to do when you no longer trust your computer ....

[H2Andy]

no computer (or bottom timer) should fritz out on you. a single failure is not
acceptable in my book.

i have had an Aeris Atmos 2 for a while now, and have never had any problems
with it. simple, reliable, cheap... love it

i don't carry a back-up b/c i don't need it. if for whatever odd reason my
Atmos 2 fritzes on me, i carry an additonal watch so i'll know how long i've
been diving. i will then ascend slowly, and do a long, long, long, safety stop close
to the surface.

if i can demtermine my max depth, i will treat all my bottom time (not counting
the ascent) at the deepest depth and do a standard table dive for the next dive.

if for some reason i can't do this, then i'll have to use whatever info. i have
available to plan a safe table dive.

if i can't, then there goes my day of diving.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Both my computers died on the same dive. Battery died on my Cochran Commander and my Oceanic Versa Pro had the pressure tranducer crap out.

It was a wall dive I was guiding. I defaulted to my wristwatch for a dive timer and relied on experience gained over numerous dives at that site to know my depth. (THAT particular sponge is at 92ft... THIS sea fan is at 87ft... the top of the wall is no deeper than 56ft...etc)

Now I've got a digital depth gauge in my pocket and I'll have to wait for by Oceanic computer to get back from warranty replacement.

 

[PaulChristenson]

no computer (or bottom timer) should fritz out on you. a single failure is not
acceptable in my book.

i have had an Aeris Atmos 2 for a while now, and have never had any problems
with it. simple, reliable, cheap... love it

QUOTE]

With you getting into cave diving...you'll want that second computer...


Paul in VT
using an Aeris Elite which was my primary and have an Epic on order to become my new primary

 

[H2Andy]

With you getting into cave diving...you'll want that second computer...

hmm.... not necesarily.... lots of awesome cave guys down here carry only
one computer. there really isn't a need for two. and if you don't need it, don't
take it with you. my intro instrctor (soon to be apprentice instructor)
carries only one computer, and he's been diving longer than i've been
alive... well... not really.... a long time though)

you're right, though, in that i will get a DIFFERENT computer (i am already
crying for the Atmos 2, which i love). but they be expensive... so...

alas...

 

[spectrum]

Quote:
Originally Posted by spectrum
I don't have my computer yet. I decided long ago that I will retain my current depth, pressure and time instruments. If I'm on a dive intensive trip I would consider strapping on a rental back-up computer as well as trip insurance.

Such in the nature of underwater electronics in an adventure sport.

Pete

I kept my Oceanic Data Max in my console when I upgraded to a wrist Versa Pro.

You'd be better not wearing one than using a rental. A computer user needs to study and know the manual well, know exactly how to use the computer, especially with Nitrox repetitive dives, etc.

Trip insurance has its place - I always do it on out of country trips, but I do hope you have Dive Insurance, i.e. DAN or similar.

The rental computer as mentioned is a form of "trip insurance" For the types of diving we do most of the time one computer let alone 2 is hard to justify. Please forgive the questionable punctuation, I was eating breakfast.

Purchased trip insurance is a whole other issue and I agree it's worth covering your travel investment.

I have no doubt that I can master the essentials of operating a rented back-up. I agree some briefing and manual review is in order. The concept of rented computers is nothing new and I have enough geek in my blood to trust myself on this.

As for DAN we joined 1 hour after certification. I appreciate your hope.

Pete

 

[Tigern]

I made the decision to always have guages. I plan on upgrading my computer to air integrated but I will still keep my 3 guage console as standard equipment. I guess it is my time on a submarine that has instilled mindset of having a backup. I also start the stop watch on my G-shock when I dive so that I have a bottom time if my computer were to fail. I also like the fact that I don't have to end my dive just because my computer craps out. To me it's all about the bottom time and having the backups ensures that I get as much as possible!

 

[scubafool]

Andy, concerning cave diving, and especially applicable when doing dives that are expected to include a decompression obligation, don't you consider whatever method you use to calculate deco stops as a neccesary item? Therefore, shouldn't you seriously consider carrying a backup?

 

[Storm]

I just started diving with an older Genesis Resource comp (factory checked and calibrated this year), but I do back it up with a good dive watch (St Moritz), SPG/analog depth gauge and, this may make some laugh at me but what the heck, I also keep my dive table slates in my BC pocket.

As I was trained, as we all wereI believe, to dive plan without a comp, I'm still in the habit of setting my watch before descent, and I log, on my wrist slate, the dive plan and profile for that dive.

If the comp goes bye bye on me , then I still have all the info, and back ups necessary to make a safe ascent, and safety stop.

I've been told, by more expereince3d divers, that this situation would still require suspending the rest of the planned dives for 24hrs, and I plan on sticking to that rule.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

<snip>.........I've been told, by more expereince3d divers, that this situation would still require suspending the rest of the planned dives for 24hrs, and I plan on sticking to that rule.

Ya got a buddy with a timer doncha?

Certainly the safest way to do it to be sure, but personally I wouldn't be sitting out if I knew the time(s), and wanted to do the next dive

 

[Storm]

Ya got a buddy with a timer doncha?

Yup my wife....and she's got the same type of computer, watch, SPG, redundant depth gauge, and HER copies of the dive tables in her BC pocket.

What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

If it was a straight up and down profile, and not a multilevel dive, I agree. With the information that I log, the watch, and tables, I could continue with the next dive, providing it was another up and downer. I'm still working on multi-level dive planning, so in my case, if either one was a multi-level, I'd be spending the rest of the day, drinking lots of water and working on my tan.