tank pressure redundancy

[donnad]

hi everyone, husband is trying to decide on gear configuration.........wants an air integrated computer (not hoseless), so what do you use to backup your tank pressure and depth and how do you configure it? thanks!

 

[Charlie99]

One should always have enough air for both you and your buddy to surface safely.

If the AI computer were to fail, you (should) know that you still have enough air to safely end the dive.

Most users of AI computers don't bother with redundant gauges, or at the most just keep an SPG in the save-a-dive kit.

 

[captndale]

It never fails to amaze me that divers will use an electronic device that they have no confidence in. I have made a few thousand dives and never had an spg fail to give me a reading that I could rely on. On the few occasions that I had an spg flood it still worked duiring the dive.
I have only done a score or two dives with electronic gauges and on these I have had them fail a number of times. With that kind of track record, it seems to me foolish to use them at all.

 

[Quarrior]

Get a wrist mount computer and a regular SPG. Save the $$ of going AI.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I solo a lot and use a Suunto D9 AI as well as a Cobra as my SPG. I have over 600 dives on the Cobra since it was new 2 years ago and about 200 on the D9 with no problems. The mosquito I replaced with the D9 did over 400 and my girlfriend uses it now. I do replace the batteries at around 200 dives just for my piece of mind.

 

[ArcticDiver]

Considering that most of us travel to dive sites in airplanes that are fully computer controlled; drive cars that are computer controlled; use commercial power systems that are computer controlled; and so forth it amazes me that someone would distrust a computer.

As far as I'm concerned there is no better gas monitoring system than Hoseless Air Integration with a transmitter on each tank.

However, I respect the desire of some folks not to use the latest and best technology. It is much like other sports where people get more satisfaction from using historical systems rather than the latest and greatest. That is the beauty of our sport; there is room for the modern and the antique.

BUT, in any sport where you personal safety is at stake if you don't trust any part of your gear don't use it. Get something you trust.

 

[Quarrior]

Considering that most of us travel to dive sites in airplanes that are fully computer controlled; drive cars that are computer controlled; use commercial power systems that are computer controlled; and so forth it amazes me that someone would distrust a computer.

Let's see, planes have at least 2 or more backup computers. You won't die if the computer in your car kicks the bucket or you smash the face of it against a rock and flood it. Commercial power systems have so many back-ups I can't even imagine the number.

The one guage I cannot backup with my body/brain is the air guage, so I'll stick with one that I know will not die on me unless the hose get's cut off, at which point I'll be hosed anyway.

 

[diebeste]

The one guage I cannot backup with my body/brain is the air guage, so I'll stick with one that I know will not die on me unless the hose get's cut off, at which point I'll be hosed anyway.

Actually the HP port has a very small opening, so even if the hose to the SPG is cut, you should still have enough air to safely surface, unless you didn't have enough left before losing the hose anyway....

 

[Quarrior]

Actually the HP port has a very small opening, so even if the hose to the SPG is cut, you should still have enough air to safely surface, unless you didn't have enough left before losing the hose anyway....

I guess the pun "the hose get's cut off, at which point I'll be hosed anyway." was lost in translation between American English and SA English.

 

[scubatoys]

The one guage I cannot backup with my body/brain is the air guage, so I'll stick with one that I know will not die on me unless the hose get's cut off, at which point I'll be hosed anyway.

I tell my students, that they should always know within a few hundred pounds, how much air they have left. If a gauge fails, be it electronic or not, by the time the diver sees a blank gauge, they should be able to ball park an approximate pressure based on their SAC, depth, and the last time they looked at it. And while a plane does have redundant systems, I feel so does my scuba gear. If I see I have a malfunction, I signal my buddy, check his air to see if my personal calculations are right (I think all buddies get a good feel, or should get a good feel of their air consumption compared to their dive buddies).

Then we make a slow ascent, do a safety stop, and get out. Actually a lot easier to handle than the computer going out in the plane, car, surgery life support system, etc.

So me... sure, I trust the computer - even the hose-less AI... and soon will be using the hose-less, AI, HUD Mask version. Give me technology over a gauge any day... but I know peoples opinions vary... and that's cool... we sell nice big gauges as well!