When your computer gets stored in cargo bay at 30,000'

[Pinecube]

Were they the same model/year computer? How far off were the depths? How deep were you when you compared them?
It is common for computers to show slightly different depths the deeper you go. My analog SPG and wrist-mount computer are typically off by a couple of feet at depth.

 

[redacted]

The air travel should not be expected to cause such a problem. Your experience may just have been a case where the travel server to reveal an existing DC incipient defect.

 

[Flutter]

Yes, we bought the same model (Suunto Gekko) at the same time, when we were both certified. We have compared NDT while diving numerous times, while shore diving, at depth with no significant disparity - maybe 1 or 2 min from the other. (We dive within 5' of each other, almost always. When my husband is filming, I find a nearby coral head & hunker down behind it until he is done).

When we first noticed the disparity, on our latest Coz trip - at the end of the dive, while on our SS, one computer read 14' and the other 19' While side-by-side (unusual for us). So when we were at 25' or less, the variance was about 5'. When we first noticed it however, at depth, one computer read 55' and the other read 70'. At that time, NDT read 105 mins on one computer, and 29 mins on the other. . So one of us was thinking, "time to get a little shallower if we want to stretch out our dive time" and the other was thinking, "All is good. No worries". Which is how we caught the error - 1 diver wanted to go a little shallower & the other is questioning "Huh??? We have LOTS of time! What are you talking about????" Our hand signals were flashing back and forth, to say the least.
(And what complicated it a little, is that the 1 computer that was reading, "no worries!" was the computer for the 1 of us that uses less air, and so tends to dive maybe that 5' deeper than the other diver occasionally (looking under bluffs, down into holes, creature hunting, etc) & we needed to think over - "okay, did we DO ANYTHING on this dive - one of us - that might have CAUSED this disparity, and the computers are actually JUST FINE??" ).

We were certified in 2008 & so our computers are 8 yrs old. It may just be normal "wear & tear" & time for new computers. We are so much "if it aint broken don't fix it" mentality-people, that if it can be repaired, we would do that for "back-up" computers & still get 2 new ones for future diving. And yet, wanted to give a "Heads Up" to anyone else, if the cargo hold travel caused the problem (which everyone here seems to negate), and we just didn't know. . . Thanks again, for your thoughts & ideas.

 

[Trailboss123]

Thanks for the input. We have console units, but are looking at wrist units this time around. Our consoles were Suunto Gekkos (which always worked well for us). This time we are looking at Zoops (because we are familiar with the "set up") or something else reliable with Nitrox settings. Does anyone have other wrist computer brand suggestions? We dive Nitrox. Our batteries were in our computers and new. Good for the season.
Gopbroek, you may be right about the pressure in the cargo hold being at whatever the plane interior was at. After some thought, my husband agreed. If the computer somehow got bumped while in the cargo area (although it was totally surrounded by my clothing/soft items in my luggage), can anything be down to reset it?
Thanks.

I am a big fan of the Oceanic VT 4.1- Here is a link: A bit more expensive than the Zoop, but you also get a transmitter and can do away with a hose, if desired: http://www.leisurepro.com/p-ocnvt4c...r-transmitter-with-pc-download?discontinued=t

 

[undrwater]

Many sensor issues with those computers.

 

[Flutter]

Trailboss123, thanks. We will check them out. undrwater, any suggestions?? We shore dive Nitrox mainly so shallower than 107'. Not tech/wreck/ice certified. We will be purchasing 2 computers, so unexpected "Merry Christmas", to us, I guess. $$$$ (We have another trip booked end of Jan). Escaping the Midwest US minus double-digit F temperatures!

 

[Bob DBF]

We were certified in 2008 & so our computers are 8 yrs old. It may just be normal "wear & tear" & time for new computers.

Ah Ha! My DC had issues around that time frame as well, it would not turn off, sent it in for service and it has behaved since. Normal "wear & tear" catches up with everything, sometimes I don't feel so good. If you can have your DC serviced, it would be cheaper than a new computer or you could have an inexpensive backup for your new one.

If you have an old battery, all bets are off, as the computer can act weird with low current flow, even though voltage check will say the battery is OK. I wouldn't expect that to be the case with yours unless you had keep turning the display on because it kept hibernating.


Bob

 

[gopbroek]

Trailboss123, thanks. We will check them out. undrwater, any suggestions?? We shore dive Nitrox mainly so shallower than 107'. Not tech/wreck/ice certified. We will be purchasing 2 computers, so unexpected "Merry Christmas", to us, I guess. $$$$ (We have another trip booked end of Jan). Escaping the Midwest US minus double-digit F temperatures!

FYI, here is a stocking stuffer suggestion, 2 day Prime shipping and Oceanic still supports and warranties them:
https://www.amazon.com/AERIS-Person...TF8&qid=1481884589&sr=8-2&keywords=Aeris+a300

 

[bamafan]

Does Suunto not service their computers? Shearwater rebuilds theirs for $150. I have a Predator and a Petrel 1. The Predator started getting 2-3' variations in the depth and I sent it to Shearwater and about a week later it was back. I would consider customer service on my next purchase.

 

[Flutter]

Update - we ended up replacing my computer with 2 new Suunto Nuovo computers, one for each of us. Our lds advised us that 8 yrs (nearly 300 dives) with my previous Suunto Gekko computer couldn't really be faulted by care, maintenance (done annually by them), or warranty. They called it eventual wear & tear - specifically, "death via a self-diving" re-occurrence (the depth sensor had simply worn out). Apparently, it occurs somewhat frequently with "older" computers & they recommended replacement of my entire dive computer (rather than attempt repair). Since it seems only a matter of time before my husbands "old" computer also dies, we also purchased a simple, "old-school" analog depth gauge, as well. We hope to be proactive, hopefully with a simple, reliable instrument to compare our 3 computer depth gauges that we might pick up any future Significant depth discrepancies earlier, rather than later. . .