Suunto COBRA vs. Sherwood WISDOM computers

[scubatoys]

If they wanted an extra margin of safety they should have adjusted the personal settings to be more conservative. By diving 32% EAN with the computer set at 21% the Cobra couldn't track the O2 levels. Although I never want to experience either... I'd rather risk a mild case of DCS than oxygen toxicity. I am 49 and overweight and dive with a Cobra and a Mosquito as a back-up (same conservative algorithyms on both). When in doubt... read the instructions.

That would not be any problem at all as long as they just set a depth alarm - or watch their depth and don't got past 130. Just avoiding the MOD would stop any CNS O2 Tox problems, and pulmonary O2 tox would be impossible diving air profiles on Nitrox. My only questions is if they planned on diving it as an air computer - why buy a nitrox computer - and why worry about how conservative vs. liberal the computer is when you're diving it that way anyway??

I keep getting such a kick out of the liberal vs. conservative thing on computers. Diving a computer is easy. Jump in the water and don't let the big number hit zero. If you want to be conservative... don't let it hit 5. Want to be very conservative... don't let it hit 10.

I've got a car that can do 140.... but I've also got a speedometer - and it is possible to let off the gas when the needle points to 65.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree with you completely Larry. It's well said and makes perfect sense. Of course it also requires the diver take personal responsibility for their actions and to actually think about what they are doing to a tiny degree and perhaps that is why more divers don't look at it that way.

I think the rationale used by computer lemmings who put all there faith in what their computer tells them is that it is safer to be a computer lemming if you use a more conservative computer.

 

[wmspdi]

That would not be any problem at all as long as they just set a depth alarm - or watch their depth and don't got past 130. Just avoiding the MOD would stop any CNS O2 Tox problems, and pulmonary O2 tox would be impossible diving air profiles on Nitrox. My only questions is if they planned on diving it as an air computer - why buy a nitrox computer - and why worry about how conservative vs. liberal the computer is when you're diving it that way anyway??

I keep getting such a kick out of the liberal vs. conservative thing on computers. Diving a computer is easy. Jump in the water and don't let the big number hit zero. If you want to be conservative... don't let it hit 5. Want to be very conservative... don't let it hit 10.

I've got a car that can do 140.... but I've also got a speedometer - and it is possible to let off the gas when the needle points to 65.

Point taken on the CNS O2 tox... although not as serious an issue as CNS wouldn't the pulmonary O2 be off on repetative dives. I guess it's no big deal as long as you checked the PO2 tables. Personally I don't use the "personal settings". If I want an extra margin of safety. I prefer, as you said, to end the dive before the computer says it time to come up. It's easier than playing with the menus and buttons. I do however set the MOD in my depth alarm... just in case. Thanks for the correction. Sign me "still learning".

 

[Chivas]

The Cobra battery lasts forever. I have 54 hours of dive time and still get 4 bars on the meter. Batterys are cheap, very easy to change and I do carry a spare, just in case.

 

[northcoast_diver]

I can only recommend the Suuntos. That is all that I have ever dived with. I love them, and my friends love them. If Sherwood gives you a price break, then I would say that is worth consideration, if you are price sensitive. I am not.

 

[scubatoys]

Point taken on the CNS O2 tox... although not as serious an issue as CNS wouldn't the pulmonary O2 be off on repetative dives. I guess it's no big deal as long as you checked the PO2 tables. Personally I don't use the "personal settings". If I want an extra margin of safety. I prefer, as you said, to end the dive before the computer says it time to come up. It's easier than playing with the menus and buttons. I do however set the MOD in my depth alarm... just in case. Thanks for the correction. Sign me "still learning".

Pulmonary O2 Tox is virtually impossible to get without breathing high O2 deco gasses. I've had weeks on end of 4-5 dives a day all deep - 110 or so on 32 mix (Truuk Lagoon) and we never pushed the O2 levels even into the yellow - yet we were hitting deco by dive 2 or 3 each day.

And if someone is diving air profiles, and using nitrox, your bottom time is limited even more so the Pulmonay O2 issue becomes a non-issue. Try stringing together some dives and see if you can run out of O2 clock without heavy deco... you'll see it's virtually impossible - and it is impossible on air profiles above 130.