Only 1 HP port now what?

[diversteve]

It is more important to have a backup for depth and time than to have a backup for your remaining gas.

For example, suppose you are doing a dive to 80', have decided that you will end the dive when you get to 1000psi and your spg fails 20 minutes into the dive. You now have to ascend slowly to 20' and stay their for 3 minutes. Wouldn't it be nice to have a timing device and depth gauge for this? Knowing your air pressure is really not all that important since you know you have enough to do the safety stop and surface (assuming you didn't go below 1000psi before calling the dive).

I respectfully disagree. If we assume an unexpected computer failure then the tank pressure could be unknown at the time. I'd rather know if I have sufficient air remaining to complete the bailout or if I have to signal my buddy that I may need assistance. I can gauge my ascent rate by staying below my bubbles - even way below them if I know I have the gas left and where I dive (warm, tropics) I can pretty accurately gauge 15' when I get there. And can mentally count 3 minutes. Plus a safety stop is a suggestion, not a requirement (well, maybe it is now...) for the 1st 20 years of my diving I never did one. If you calmly, slowly ascend from depth you can blow past it if necessary. The reason you'd be ascending too quickly from depth is a fear that you don't have the gas needed for either scenario.

I'd much rather know I have the gas...

 

[stuartv]

Sorry like I said I'm kind of new to this stuff. Anyway I am buying a gauge combo with depth and pressure. I always bring a watch on vacation so I can use that if need be. This way if the computer dies again I can still dive my own gear

Just curious, how much is a SPG/Depth console going to cost you? I am actually in the same situation as you right now. I have an Atom 3.0 with wireless AI and I have no other gauges. I've been looking at adding an SPG just in case the AI part fails.

I have debated getting a combo SPG/Depth console, but it looks like an SPG by itself (with a HP hose) will be a little over $100, and a combo with depth would be well over $200.

A backup PDC (like, for example, the Oceanic BUD) would be $200 or less, so I've been thinking something like "SPG + backup DC for a little over $300 versus SPG/Depth console for $230 or so. Hmmmm..... Decision, decisions..."

If you go with just SPG/Depth, then that means that if your computer does die, you'll have to plan subsequent dives using dive tables. Are you planning to do it that way? If you go with a SPG and a backup computer, you would not be stuck relying on tables. And if your plan is to rely on a buddy's computer for calculating your NDLs, then you may as well rely on it for depth and bottom time, too, and just buy a SPG only. None of which is safe, in my (very inexperienced) opinion.

Or, like I said before, you could just plan that if your computer dies you'll rent a regulator set that includes a console with a dive computer. That would save you from spending any money at all now and only cost you $5 - 10 per day, most places, I think, if you do end up having to rent.

 

[nimoh]

I respectfully disagree. If we assume an unexpected computer failure then the tank pressure could be unknown at the time. I'd rather know if I have sufficient air remaining to complete the bailout or if I have to signal my buddy that I may need assistance. I can gauge my ascent rate by staying below my bubbles - even way below them if I know I have the gas left and where I dive (warm, tropics) I can pretty accurately gauge 15' when I get there. And can mentally count 3 minutes. Plus a safety stop is a suggestion, not a requirement (well, maybe it is now...) for the 1st 20 years of my diving I never did one. If you calmly, slowly ascend from depth you can blow past it if necessary. The reason you'd be ascending too quickly from depth is a fear that you don't have the gas needed for either scenario.

I'd much rather know I have the gas...

If you were checking your gauge every 5 minutes or so during the dive and it was always above 1000psi, then the last time you went to look at it, it wasn't working then your pressure is not unknown but rather you know you have enough gas to surface safely. This (IMHO) is much easier than guessing your ascent rate by looking at bubbles or maintaining a stop based on how far from the surface you think you are.

 

[diversteve]

I have debated getting a combo SPG/Depth console, but it looks like an SPG by itself (with a HP hose) will be a little over $100, and a combo with depth would be well over $200.

Except for these:

Aeris Max-Depth Console at LeisurePro $99
Genesis 2 Gauge Compact Console, Imperial at LeisurePro $105
Oceanic Max-Depth Combo Gauge Old Style at LeisurePro $110
TUSA Double Gauge, Imperial (SCA-230) at LeisurePro $115

 

[Luis H]

Here are a couple of more reasonably priced 2 port HP adapters. They have two different configuration. One may be more convenient than the other in different applications.

XS Scuba High Pressure Port Adapter 1 to 2 HP Port at LeisurePro

HP 90 Degree Swivel - 2 Ports - Northeast Scuba Supply Store

 

[diversteve]

If you were checking your gauge every 5 minutes or so during the dive and it was always above 1000psi, then the last time you went to look at it, it wasn't working then your pressure is not unknown but rather you know you have enough gas to surface safely. This (IMHO) is much easier than guessing your ascent rate by looking at bubbles or maintaining a stop based on how far from the surface you think you are.

It's not a guess - bubbles travel at 60fpm or less. Which used to be the standard until (I believe) PADI changed it in the 90's to 30fpm. Tiny bubbles still don't travel faster than that. Stay below them and you're fine. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ad...ascent-rate-monitoring-using-air-bubbles.html

I personally don't have any trouble telling when I'm around 15' either - occasionally I've stopped and then looked at my gauge or computer - I dive with both (non-AI). Or just before my computer beeped indicating 15' and the start of the stop. Maybe it's different in MN but where I dive there's often visual clues - like the hull of the boat or the mooring rope. Often it's brighter/warmer also. Or there's something floating on the surface nearby.

But there's no way I can tell if I have any air left without a gauge. Assuming your stress level - and air consumption - is higher due to the failure situation you're in - which would you rather know? You can miss off your safety stop and likely survive - divers have been not doing them for decades until more recently. Plus you can also surface then go back down to around 15' and complete one - not recommended but it's an option.

OK so take a diver who is surfacing due to computer failure. Maybe they're just a little stressed over it...Now throw in the uncertainty of whether they have enough air left to make it to the surface - safety stop or not - or need to plan for an OOA/air share somewhere along the way. IMO most people would want to know if they'll need to - looking at a depth gauge is never going to provide that info.

 

[stuartv]

Except for these:

Aeris Max-Depth Console at LeisurePro $99
Genesis 2 Gauge Compact Console, Imperial at LeisurePro $105
Oceanic Max-Depth Combo Gauge Old Style at LeisurePro $110
TUSA Double Gauge, Imperial (SCA-230) at LeisurePro $115

Nice! Thanks, Steve.