Mares Icon HD - deco stop on 3m

[Ihtiander]

After deco-dive my Mares Icon HD NR offer me to make one or two deep-stops and before safety-stop ask me to go to 3m depth to make deco-stop. Why deco-stop must be completed on the depth higher than depth for safety-stop ??? Every time I must explain to the guides that my computer ask me to do that. Is it so strange algorithm or something wrong with settings or firmware ?

 

[Grocio]

Hi Ihtiander,

Have you tried to read the instructions manual? It's available online.

 

[Ihtiander]

Of course. There is nothing written about possibility to change that. So that is algorythm or something with computer.

 

[Grocio]

Perhaps you haven't read it carefully. At page 17 it says the safety stop is "carried out between depths of 6m / 20ft and 3m / 10ft at the end of a dive prior to surfacing". You can thus stay at 3 metres to perform the safety stop.

Or not?

 

[Ihtiander]

Yes it is. That mean that I will be only one diver, who will stay higher than others before to come to the surface. This is small problem comparing with other one - it is much harder to stay on 3m depth with empty tank.

 

[Grocio]

That's right: it's difficult to keep neutrally buoyant at 3 metres with little gas left in the tank (or tanks). You may wish to do a buoyancy check with a nearly empty tank next time, to avoid the inconvenience in future dives.

By way of aside, I find it somewhat odd that you do deco dives without being familiar with your dive computer and ignoring how to maintain neutral buoyancy during the deco stop, honestly. After reading your two posts I got the impression that you're doing deco dives without the necessary knowledge and experience.

Dive safe!

 

[DevonDiver]

I'm confused... are you talking about deco stops or safety stops?

Decompression stops start at 3m and then downwards, as necessary, in further 3m increments. That's standard for any computer. If you were in deco, all computers would initially advise a 3m stop.

If, however, you weren't in deco... then the computer wouldn't indicate any depth at all. It'd merely switch to a safety stop count-down once you reached 6m on ascent. The 3 min count-down would continue for as long as your remained within the 6m-3m range.

If you were doing a deco stop, when everyone else is doing a safety stop, then there are more significant and serious diving issues that should be addressed.

 

[admikar]

Maybe you should consider deco stop as a "ceiling", which means you should not go above that. While doing safety stop at 5m, your deco will be probably cleared. Once I went into a deco, so computer tells me to hang at 3m for some time. While ascending, deco cleared, so only safety stop.

 

[DevonDiver]

Maybe you should consider deco stop as a "ceiling", which means you should not go above that..

Just maybe? LOL

Without even going so far as to discuss the need for training in order to safely complete decompression dives... there is absolutely and unequivocally a need for understanding of the issues and consequences involved.

Decompression sickness isn't some rare and hypothetical notion mentioned only in textbooks.. it's a very real consequence of diving aggressively and beyond your skill and knowledge threshold.

 

[Ihtiander]

I'm confused... are you talking about deco stops or safety stops?

Decompression stops start at 3m and then downwards, as necessary, in further 3m increments. That's standard for any computer. If you were in deco, all computers would initially advise a 3m stop.

If, however, you weren't in deco... then the computer wouldn't indicate any depth at all. It'd merely switch to a safety stop count-down once you reached 6m on ascent. The 3 min count-down would continue for as long as your remained within the 6m-3m range.

If you were doing a deco stop, when everyone else is doing a safety stop, then there are more significant and serious diving issues that should be addressed.

I'm confused too, cause only me from all group incl. guide, forced to go higher than others after we all spend same time on same depth and confused guide ask me why I doing that.