Dive-Rite Duo Failure

[chrisch]

I had the Apeks model (they are all made by Seiko) replaced 4 times under warranty and all went wrong. I ebayed the last one while it was still new. The latest batch (3rd) are the most reliable serial number starting 5 or higher.

I wouldn't have another. Not even for free thank you.

Chris

 

[aquaoren]

LOL... You'll be happy to learn that my dive friends all signed a pact many years ago that if one of us croaks diving, the rest of us will retrieve the sorry bloated corpse and drop it in the middle of the highway, thereby giving the appearance of a traffic fatality. I appreciate that this plan has a few flaws, but so far, we haven't needed to put it into effect....

Aquaoren, looking at your profile pic, you're all tricked out in the gear, and practising your shut-down... You've never been diving on your own? I'll pick you up sometime on the way through Cow-town... Moo-U is my alma-mater!

You guys should really spend a little time poking around the "Solo" forum. You might be surprised at what's going on in there....

I admit to have done couple solo dives also but this was in a previous life.
Drop me a line when you're in the area and we'll grab a beer or something together and can talk about DIR Vs. The world...

 

[utdivermatt]

So I was about to pick up the Duo new, but now am having second thoughts. Any chance the majority agrees these problems happened on older models, and the newer ones hae the bugs worked out? While I am glad to see they have such great support, I would rather not have to use the support in the first place.

 

[chrisch]

... Any chance the majority agrees these problems happened on older models, and the newer ones hae the bugs worked out?...

Want to trust your life that is the case?

Chris

 

[utdivermatt]

Not yet from what Ive read. I am just trying to find a good computer that I can use for any type of diving I get into in the future (much more tech stuff than where I am now). I dont want to buy one now and have to replace it because my diving is beyond it. Any suggestions to fill that out for aroudn that price?

 

[leadweight]

From what I can tell, there was a revision and things improved after that. After all, Seiko makes these. There is not one brand of computer out there that never fails. Suunto, the industry leader just recalled every D9 and D6. That is why a lot of divers carry two.

Not only the technical divers, but especially on liveaboards. Most liveaboard captains will beach you for a day if your computer breaks and you were not carrying a backup. (I believe this to be unreasonable because there are less extreme alternatives, there are probably as many different opinions on this as there are fish in the sea.)

 

[TheRedHead]

Not yet from what Ive read. I am just trying to find a good computer that I can use for any type of diving I get into in the future (much more tech stuff than where I am now). I dont want to buy one now and have to replace it because my diving is beyond it. Any suggestions to fill that out for aroudn that price?

Uwatec Aladin Smart Pro would be a contender

http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/Cate...rt_0/Filter_3=2003&1=1997/UTCASMPW.html?Hit=1

Suunto Vytec and D9 (both more expensive)
Nitek He
Cochran (very expensive)

I'm looking too and the 3-gas computers are very expensive.

 

[bladephotog]

Yes, but the case looks different. Thre may be minor diferences in capability. I believe the Cressi allows 1.6 PO2 on mix 1, but I am not sure of some of the others. Early Quantums only went to 1.4.

Yup, my Tusa allows 1.4 on gas 1 and 1.6 on gas 2. It's a really sweet computer to use. Very easy to read UW and easy to operate. I will be using it in gauge mode for deco dives along with an OMS bottom timer.

 

[H2Andy]

Want to trust your life that is the case?

Chris

i'm sorry, i think that's a bit dramatic

if a diver trusts his life to a computer (i.e. computer failure could kill him) he or
she has no business in the water

none of the reported Duo failures have resulted in casualties anyway.

that said, would i knowingly buy a computer that is known for a series of failures?
no. who wants the hassle?

 

[Stoo]

...if a diver trusts his life to a computer (i.e. computer failure could kill him) he or she has no business in the water...

At the risk of starting into the earlier discussion again, I think it wise that anyone diving below 30' should wear either a backup computer or at least a watch and carry tables... whether they are with a buddy or not.

The Duo is a nice little computer, but as I said earlier, I have many hundreds of dives on Aladdins without a glitch. (My only Aladdin death was the result of me driving over it with the front wheels of my Yukon... then the back wheels. Then my boat trailer wheels to add insult to injury.. :shakehead ) I just wanted the multi-gas capability. Aladdins battery replacement requirement is ridiculous now. Up here in Canada, I have heard of guys paying as much to replace the battery in the Aladdin as they would for a new computer...