Backup computer for when your main fails while in diving trip ?

[Pressurehead]

If I had the money I would have 2 Perdix AI, I don't, I have 1, so the backup is a Peregrine and SPG [and a Uwatec bottom timer in my save a dive kit when I travel].

 

[RyanT]

If one is following buddy diving teaching from OW for recreational NDL dives, diving different profiles to your buddy is not taught as a valid method of buddy diving.

How exactly is your buddy supposed to be your alternate air source if you are diving significantly different profiles to make a difference?

It shouldn't be the case, but unfortunately, is very common.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

I have several of these good-ole Palagic pucks that still work perfectly and use these as my back-ups. As a solo diver....and particularly here in the PNW where the vis can totally limit your ability to know where you are in relationship to the surface....... having a back-up if only for depth info is critical. I always carry the back-up.

As far as nitrogen loading, my backup would be totally accurate as it is not Nitrox compatible.......so for NDL dives I would use the back-up just to get me back to the truck.....then sit out 12 hours and start over.

Also, since I typically am diving Nitrox 32 on my primary computer.........and always staying within my personal MOD of 111ft for 32...... I can rely on my back-up air analog puck to get me safely back to the surface in case of a primary failure.

 

[berndo]

So let me get this straight. According to most of the users in this thread giving advice, all rec divers should carry 2 computers on every dive on every trip and otherwise can't keep diving on that same trip safely? Really?

So for the OP it's not enough for them to bring one spare SW, they have BOTH have to have a spare SW and carry it on every dive? Accrding to Scubadada's logic they both need spare computers because the wife couldn't use the husbands spare computer if her's fails as the husbands spare SW doesn't have the exact same gas loading (which is not a thing)?

 

[FishWatcher747]

It shouldn't be the case, but unfortunately, is very common.

Well if you are diving with a horrible buddy I would be more concerned about bringing my own redundant gas source with an independent regulator than the tiny risk of diving his computer and getting bent.

 

[MB NZ]

So let me get this straight. According to most the users in this thread giving advice, all rec divers should carry 2 computers on every dive on every trip and otherwise can't keep diving on that same trip safely? Really?

So for the OP it's not enough for them to bring one spare SW, they have BOTH have to have a spare SW and carry it on every dive? Accrding to Scubadada's logic they both need spare computers because the wife couldn't use the husbands spare computer if her's fails as the husbands spare SW doesn't have the exact same gas loading (which is not a thing)?

It depends, regular buddies on a day trip? My personal opinion is that a single computer for each diver is sufficient. Liveaboard diving and insta-buddy are a different proposition. 3-4 dives per day over a whole week, pushing NDL on a recreational trip. Regardless of profiles on dives, one diver may choose to skip a dive or two, where does this leave his/her "buddy"?

As for spare computers, if running the same algorithm, why wouldn't you carry them on every dive? Nothing to lose. Computers with different algorithms require a bit more thought, but it can still be done.

 

[berndo]

Apologies, I thought the discussion had moved on. Regardless, multi-dive, multi-day diving, night dive finishes at 9pm, morning dive starts at 0700. I wouldn't that confident in switching computers. As for the buddy thing. I was there for him. The reverse wasn't true. I was carrying redundant gas and I'm a solo diver at heart, so no drama, but I wouldn't want to be relying on his computer. Yes, it's wrong, bad practice, against the book, but it is what it is. Lastly, a recreational Suunto computer is going to **** it's pants if you dive a Shearwater, even with a gradient factor of 30/70.

You and scubadada are using some story to counter what I said in response to the OPs question. Again, I'm talking about buddy diving and using the read-out from the buddy's computer for the rest of the day while bringing the spare.
Using the buddy's read out is not blind faith or guess work or unsafe in any way. If your buddy is 10m below you throughout most of the dive, it's not buddy diving.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Historically, I dove two Perdii, one on each arm. I found a brand new NERD standalone earlier in the year when a dealer was dropping SW and liquidating its inventory. (It was a SB thing, just don't recall who offtopofhead.

I'll be doing NERD on reg and Perdix AI on rt arm on trip to Raotan next. I'm kinda glad as that frees up the left wrist to just wear a watch unnerwadder. Probably a 25 year old Seamaster. I like the watch better for time in any case.

Oh, and a third backup of an analogue SPG in the bag. And tables too. Just in case.

If I hadn't gone the NERD route, I might consider a G1, if I was down to one Perdix. It's also wearable as a watch in a pinch (but I really don't like digital watches...)

 

[RyanT]

Well if you are diving with a horrible buddy I would be more concerned about bringing my own redundant gas source with an independent regulator than the tiny risk of diving his computer and getting bent.

Every time I've been on a Caribbean recreational dive trip, I've watched dive teams dive VERY different profiles. On a wall dive, literally one person dives 45', the other dives 75' the whole dive. I don't agree it's good practice, but it appears to be very common.

 

[berndo]

My personal opinion is that a single computer for each diver is sufficient.

Apparently, you're in disagreement with yourself from a page ago then.