Do I need gauges if I use an Air Integrated Computer?

[tflaris]

Just purchased my own equipment I picked up 2 Smart Z's new and reasonably priced. Do I need gauges as a back up? Are they required by dive charters? Should I just buy a pressure gauge or get the whole setup including a compass. Pretty new to diving so be gentle!!!

As an Instructor when diving with an Air Intregrated Dive computer I do not carry an analog backup. Here is my thought on this:

If your air integrated Dive Computer fails as in complete shutoff you will have no means to track your no decompression time or your no stop time. Therefore unless you are wearing a backup time piece and depth gauge and have either reviewed your dive tables before the dive or have water proof dive tables on you if would be very difficult to proceed with the dive safely.

If the wireless transmitter fails but the rest of your dive computer remains function the above situation would not apply.

But in either case I would call the dive and head back to the boat. Reason being unless you are extremely familiar with the workings of the Smart Z and know without a shadow of a doubt that it would continue to provide you with accurate dive/deco information you could be putting yourself in a dangerous position.

Some divers would argue to use their buddies dive computer as backup and continue the dive. People do this on a regular basis but can be dangerous also unless the 2 divers have exactly the same profile. Any thing else is S.W.A.G.

Scienctific Wise A_ _ Guessing

Just my 2 cents

Hope this helps.

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

one of my nicknames is redundant ron ...

if you can remain streamlined and not all squirrely with your equipment, why not have a backup everything?

a gauge backs you up in determining how much gas you have, seems pretty important to me ... but many of us carry back up reels (finger spool) back up cutting devices (in various places to reach with both hands or even teeth) back up masks (should a strap break or a mask be "removed") back up lights (3 total so you have 2 primaries and dont need to abort your dive if/when following "standards") back up regs (octo) back up bottom timer (even a citizen watch works) back up gas (sling bottle, pony bottle, which has another reg as well)

just my own opinions.

 

[mjarrardjr]

You can never go wrong with a redundancy system that doesn't rely on electricity...

 

[shoredivr]

I carry spare batteries but I'm not really too worried about that - doesn't hurt but any modern computer has a pretty reliable battery indicator and should give you plenty of warning if the battery is fading. It's likely at the point it starts to indicate low you can finish your average trip or dive series just fine.

That just hasn't been my experience.

I had a computer (user-replaceable battery) with 150 dives on it crap out half way through a dive: it wasn't a battery issue, it was the modern computer itself. End result was no information, just a grey screen at approximately 60 ft. Too bad if it was AI, eh?

On a different dive, my other modern computer (non-user replaceable battery) was showing 51% battery charge when it went into error mode at the 20 ft stop. This time it was the battery. Guess it didn't like the 42 degree water.

I'm glad I had a bottom timer and SPG along on both those dives.

 

[Capt Mo]

I had a Suunto intergrated system and don't know how many times it failed on me as far as pressure readings. Seems they are only good for a meter and with my gorilla arms and having it on a set of doubles right hand post was a little to far and it would fail at the least oppurtune times. You can never go wrong with a PSG hooked directly to your reg rather than relying on wireless.

For those of you nay sayers the Suunto and remote unit was sent to the factor, tested and had new batteries but still failed one last time before the unit was quickly sold.

 

[Pearldiver07]

I had a Suunto intergrated system and don't know how many times it failed on me as far as pressure readings. Seems they are only good for a meter and with my gorilla arms and having it on a set of doubles right hand post was a little to far and it would fail at the least oppurtune times. You can never go wrong with a PSG hooked directly to your reg rather than relying on wireless.

For those of you nay sayers the Suunto and remote unit was sent to the factor, tested and had new batteries but still failed one last time before the unit was quickly sold.

Do you mean "failed" (as in permanent) or "lost contact" (as in temporary)? I had this lost link problem with my Oceanic AI (hoseless) so frequently that I did a dive trip with my arm mostly twisted behind my head to regain signal. That one got sold promptly after the trip.

I now dive a Smart Tec, and the previous one was a Aladin AI. Both would keep the signal while I was walking on the boat after taking off the scuba unit.

I do have to say that I ALWAYS use an SPG when planning on deco. And I also put a second Xmtr on the reg on the other post of my manifold. Oh, and I also carry a bottom timer if it's a solo dive. I believe that if it is necessary to my finishing the dive, I will have redundancy - period.

Well, that's my 2 bar....

 

[ScubaDocER]

I think that a back up analog gauge should intuitively make sense. I LOVE my Aeris data mask. I think it's the greatest newest tool out there. During a dive, I had the battery compartment flood on me and the entire unit shut down. Fortunately, I had an analog gauge and my Hyperaqua land watch that I always wear and I was fine. Aeris said it was a design flaw and the sent me a new one without a problem. I put the transmitter on the right side to stay connected with the mask and the SPG hose on the left side as it is normally routed. Instead of taking away the SPG, I just add the transmitter. This assumes that you have 2 HP ports. Not all 1st stages do. All this combined with a simple watch that tracks depth and time and you have a redundant system. While I love the latest gadgets that come out, safety should never be compromised. Electronic gadgets will fail. Not a matter of it but when. Batteries die. A fact of diving life. Dive safer and smarter and have a back up system when that occurs.

 

[jbrians]

Pilots have been flying with a lot of redundant instruments for years. SOP is to terminate the flight if any of them fail.
Years ago, we had 1 reg and 1 tank. Then we added extras like an SPG, octo, pony bottles and the list goes on. What's next in order to be "safe". Sure, we like to be prepared sometimes "overkill" comes to mind.
I've had an SPG flood out and quit. A mask strap has snapped and yes, even once, the "J" valve tripped and I came up.
No big deal. Mind you, I wasn't in a cave.

 

[siikik]

... You can never go wrong with a PSG hooked directly to your reg rather than relying on wireless....

I disagree. Both an AI computer, transmitter/computer combo and a typical SPG can fail. I do agree it is more likely that a computer will fail, but all can.



Ken

 

[RAWalker]

I disagree. Both an AI computer, transmitter/computer combo and a typical SPG can fail. I do agree it is more likely that a computer will fail, but all can.

Let me add that a SPG can work yet not be accurate which can lead to a hazzardous situation since the diver has no way of knowing and a 500 psi reading could be empty. The AI pressure transducers tend to be prone to all or nothing types of failures. More often when the transmitter fails it is simply a low or dead battery. The other common transmitter failure is a flooded battery compartment.