How much do you use Air Integration?

[abyss_scuba]

How many of you use an automatic transmission? I use air integration, like Knackas said it is just another tool, not much to it. I don't think it is going to kill me since I check my air every so often, have a pretty good idea how much air I am going to use and can always end a dive if my computer died anyway. If you are not checking your air at an interval that you are comfortable with then it doesn't matter mechanical, air integrated or hour glass.

 

[Kevrumbo]

How many of you use an automatic transmission? I use air integration, like Knackas said it is just another tool, not much to it. I don't think it is going to kill me since I check my air every so often, have a pretty good idea how much air I am going to use and can always end a dive if my computer died anyway. If you are not checking your air at an interval that you are comfortable with then it doesn't matter mechanical, air integrated or hour glass.

The more apt car analogy is "do you really need a trip computer to figure out how many miles you have left on your current amount of gasoline in your tank. . ." --if it's part of your car's convenience package, great! But it's all simple rote arithmetic and you can figure it all out in your head with practice & experience.

The same goes for gas management in pre-dive planning as well as adjusting & recalculating on-the-fly as needed . . . you don't need an Air Integration Computer.

 

[TSandM]

I wonder why the OP deleted his original question?

I rarely use air integration. I do gas planning, and usually carry a ridiculous oversupply. Checking a gauge at intervals is not that difficult, and I can do my own "air time remaining" calculations. But I HAVE had the opportunity to do some testing on an air-intergrated wrist computer (the Lynx) and I have to say that it's just pleasant to look at my wrist, instead of pulling up the gauge. Not necessary, but kind of nice.

 

[FM1520]

bottom timer and SPG. keep it simple and low $$

 

[altaskier]

The more apt car analogy is "do you really need a trip computer to figure out how many miles you have left on your current amount of gasoline in your tank. . ."

I happen to have a car (Prius) that shows miles per gallon averages at five minute intervals. I like that info, since it lets me see the effect of different driving habits, temperatures, and traffic and road conditions have on fuel efficiency.

Much in the same vein, I have an air integrated computer and I like seeing how my SAC varies over the dive and under different dive conditions. Yes, I know how to calculate it myself, but the download of tank pressure versus dive time lets me see how much I lost my cool (or not, as it turned out) when my buddy started to ascend the slack line from the stern, rather than the taught line from the bow of a wreck to the dive charter, in the midst of a sailboat regatta overhead... And how much air I went through helping someone else sort out buoyancy in a new dry suit.

 

[Kevrumbo]

If environmental conditions or physical exertion force me to use up more breathing gas within a certain time interval (5 or 10 minutes), and when I look at my SPG it reads 30% delta or more than I expected to read given rough conditions/exertion --then I know it's time to abort & thumb the dive.

I don't need an Air Integration Computer to tell me this or confirm the situation for me. . .

 

[fnfalman]

I use air integrated computers every time I dive. Still alive and kicking.

---------- Post added May 29th, 2013 at 09:26 PM ----------

Not necessary, but kind of nice.

A lot of things in diving are not necessary, but nice to have.

 

[diverrex]

I'll make up for others I use an Atomic Cobalt on a hose as my primary and a VT3 horseless as a backup. But I don't really look too much at remaining gas time.

 

[Colliam7]

How much do you use Air Integration?

Like TSandM, I wonder why the content was deleted. But, since others have commented on the question, I will contribute, in the context of the thread title - 'How much . . .'

I USE AI on every dive where I remember to connect my transmitter to a first stage. I don't NEED it at all. My SPG is my primary pressure monitor. But, I like being able to glance at my left wrist from time to time, and check pressure in addition to dive time and depth - particularly if I have several deco bottles clipped to my left hip, along with my SPG. It is easier to look at my wrist, than to unclip, read, re-clip. So, it is a matter of convenience.

When I periodically re-calculate my SAC rate, I like the slightly greater precision that I get with a digital gauge vs the analog SPG. Does that make any real difference - probably not, but I like it.

I bought my first computer - Suunto Vytec - for its multi-gas capability. I didn't buy a transmitter until 5 years later, when I picked up a used one on eBay. I subsequently moved to a HeLO2 which also accepts input from the transmitter as well. If the synchronization fails, it isn't an issue - before entering the water I have planned my run times and depths (and written them down for deco dives), and determined the required gas supply. So, wireless AI isn't a 'failure point' for me, at least not one of consequence. When there is a failure, it has always been a failure of synchronization. I have not had the experience of significant discordance between my SPG and my computer, except for the occasional sync problems at low cylinder pressures.

I very much agree with many of the comments and concerns in the context of using AI INSTEAD of a SPG. I never do that, and recommend against it. But, as a convenience feature, I see nothing wrong with it.

 

[James R]

I have an AI computer with transmitter. No failures after years and hundreds of dives. I use it in single tank and doubles too. I do not use the transmitter if diving sidemount. For single tank diving I don't have a brass/glass SPG, but I do use one with doubles.

AI for me is simple. I don't need it, but I do like having it. My next computer won't have it, though.