Gauge redundancy

[Diver Dennis]

Peter, I just got a D9 AI and I'm using my Cobra as a back up computer and pressure gauge. I'm still not completely comfortable with wireless AI.

I did use a Cobra and a mini SPG and depth gauge with a mosquito back up computer.

 

[captain]

If you feel comfortable without gauge redundancy and you monitor them and are experienced enough to detect that one has gone goofy you thumb the dive. If you feel you need redundancy to dive and one goes bad do you continue the dive without redundancy or thumb the dive. If you really feel you need redundancy you should thumb the dive which is the same as you would do with no redundancy.

 

[sasscuba]

If you feel comfortable without gauge redundancy and you monitor them and are experienced enough to detect that one has gone goofy you thumb the dive. If you feel you need redundancy to dive and one goes bad do you continue the dive without redundancy or thumb the dive. If you really feel you need redundancy you should thumb the dive which is the same as you would do with no redundancy.

That reply has a bunch of redundancy

 

[Diver Dennis]

I would be taking at least 2 computers on a trip so I use both. If one crapped out I would continue the dive with one and then change to the analog gauges in my dive bag on the next dive.

 

[Charlie99]

Analyze what you need to safely complete or abort a dive.

At any point in a dive, you should have enough air for both you and your buddy to safely abort the dive, so if your SPG suddenly fails, you should know that you still have enough air to safely end the dive.

Similarly, you should be monitoring your decompression status. If you have chosen to stay within NDLs, at any given point of the dive you should know where you are with respect to NDL. A failure of your computer shouldn't be a big deal.

Just think a bit about what sort of diving you are doing, and what redundancy you need, if any.

 

[Gamehunter]

I like the idea of redundancy so I dive with a versa pro for my primary and have my
suunto stinger for a back up anlong with a spg in my second high preasure port. Looking
to replace that with a EPG in the near future. I also have a redunant air supply called
an octopus and a pony for those nice deep dives. Better Safe than Sorry!!

 

[texdiveguy]

In both my sport and tec diving I carry only one analog SPG. I carry 1 wrist computer and dive watch/bottom timer for sport diving and I wear 2 identical dive computers for tec dives.

 

[Jason Ooi]

I carry citizen dive watch, depth timer and VR3 for tec dives

 

[Skinsfan1311]

I have a small SPG w/depth gauge on that I clip off on my right shoulder D-ring...very unobtrusive, along with a wrist computer.....

 

[BarryNL]

I really like this board being so helpful and active
I came across another question:
How many of us use gauge redundancy?
E.g. I use analog SPG, lt wrist compass and wireless computer rt wrist (just don't have transmitter for now , but for tank pressure I would use both )
Do I need an extra bottom timer/depth gauge and where do I put them?

Generally, equipment set up is a case of balancing risks. In the case of bottom timer/computer there is no extra risk involved in carrying a spare but a high risk in the case of failure so it makes sense to carry a backup.

In the case of the SPG it's more complex - the addition of a second SPG (or electronic device) adds another failure point to your system and the benefit of a backup SPG isn't that great - basically, if it fails you end the dive; if you don't have enough air to get back to the surface then having a guage to tell you so isn't really much help. So, just one SPG.