Stupid question? Why not an AI computer and Analog Pressure gauge in the same console

[LowVizWiz]

I am fairly new to diving and on the advice of my open water instructor purchased a wrist computer and analog gauges. He said the wireless AI computers have too many problems and that in his opinion an analog pressure gauge is a necessary piece of diving gear. I am happy with my arrangement but have been wondering about the AI computer. My question is: would it be possible to make a 2 puck console that has an air integrated computer and an analog pressure gauge back up, using the same high pressure hose? Without understanding the engineering required to make such a tool it seems like it would make a diving gauge with the extra AI information and analog safety redundancy built in.

I think you and your instructor are talking about two different things. Or at least that's what I can infer from the bolded sentences above.

If you are running a wireless AI computer, the transmitter goes directly on one of the high pressure ports on your regulator (although some people run the transmitter on a 6" hp hose) and the spg would go on a separate hp port.

If you are running an air integrated (AI) console computer, it does not use a transmitter and connects to the high pressure port of your regulator via a hose. Connecting an spg to that same hose, if you were able to achieve this, would not provide you with redundancy should the hose burst or otherwise become compromised.

FWIW, I've used wireless AI for many years with a few different computers all on the same transmitter and the only failure I have experienced was when I failed to change the battery after 2 years of using the transmitter causing me to lose the air pressure information on my wrist. I continued the dive with my spg.

Diving locally I could get away without using a back up spg as I know my consumption, the typical profiles and always dive with a lot more gas than I need . Worse case scenario I miss a dive or two go home fix the problem and I'm ready to dive the next weekend. Diving elsewhere, I would not want to miss any dives due to a failure and the extra hose of a back up spg has never been and issue to me.

 

[mrdre]

The wireless transmitter has yet to fail on me. I don't connect it to the first stage directly; I use a short hose for two reasons: someone won't grab it trying to lift my tank and I won't twist it underwater thinking it's a valve.

 

[claymore]

I have a wireless AI computer which I wear on my wrist and I wish I was as lucky as some of the othere wireless AI users. I have had enough sync and lost signal problems that I would not dive without an analog SPG for backup. After using the AI comport on my wrist for A year or so I moved my other computer to a bungie mount and put that one on my wrist also.

I find checking the computers for depth, time, temp and air pressure are much easier on the wrist/forearm, just lift my forearm up and look down, than reaching down and looking at the Console. I find it really handy for monitoring assent rate and watching depth at safety stops without having to hold on to a console.

 

[muzikbiz22]

1 wireless transmitter, 2 different wrist dive computers that I rotate usage (depending on my mood), 1 each 1.5 inch glass n brass" SPG (for redundancy). 100's & 100's (if not thousands) of dives, tens of thousands of dive travel miles, and not a single one of these "mythical wireless failures" that everyone loves to put out there. Let me up the game a notch and address another one of these other "urban legends/wives tales"; all of my hoses are MiFlex, and again, never had a failure.

 

[RJP]

The wireless transmitter has yet to fail on me. I don't connect it to the first stage directly; I use a short hose for two reasons: someone won't grab it trying to lift my tank and I won't twist it underwater thinking it's a valve.

I dive AquaLung Legend regs on double tanks, so I position the reg so that the transmitter points down, parallel to the neck of the tank. Completely out of the way in terms of bonking it on anything and impossible for anyone to grab.

PS - I find that if you dive double steel 119 tanks, you never have to worry about someone trying to lift your tanks.

:d

 

[DENLASCUBA]

I have switched over to wireless but even when I had an AI I still had a small pressure guage tucked in my BC in the event of a failure I could atleast still monitor my air supply during ascent, or of the AI hose had a leak again I still can monitor the reaming pressure.

If you do not have enough HP ports on your 1st stage you can purchase a splitter from XS Scuba.

 

[mrdre]

I dive AquaLung Legend regs on double tanks, so I position the reg so that the transmitter points down, parallel to the neck of the tank. Completely out of the way in terms of bonking it on anything and impossible for anyone to grab.

PS - I find that if you dive double steel 119 tanks, you never have to worry about someone trying to lift your tanks.

:d

Sometimes good DMs try to help you climb the boat I so hate when they touch my valves or any other equipment. I'd bite them if I were a dog.

 

[RJP]

Sometimes good DMs try to help you climb the boat I so hate when they touch my valves or any other equipment. I'd bite them if I were a dog.

When I travel, the first thing I do when I get on a dive boat is explain to the crew how the term "buddy" is usually used on a New Jersey dive boat...

:d

 

[scubafanatic]

Since this thread has elements of a 'poll', I'll chime in:

(right side) AI 'hosed' Atomic Cobalt (with custom stainless steel 'braided' HP hose)

(left side - using HP port-splitter) Highland SPG (with custom stainless steel 'braided' HP hose), and AI transmitter

(left wrist) dive watch and wrist-mounted AI computer

 

[dmoore19]

Data Mask on face, OC1 on left wrist, BUD clipped on right chest D ring. Extra transmitter in dive bag along with the SPG.

I have loaned the SPG to another diver who had some unknown problem with theirs. Never had a transmitter failure. Since I only get 2 trips per year (generally) batteries are changed and extras are in the dive bag.