Uwatec Aladin Pro battery life

drbill · Mar 1, 2006

I've owned my Uwatec Aladin Pro for about five years and have done well over 1,000 dives with it. This weekend it stopped functioning and gave the "Err" message in the lower left. Unfortunately I had gone into deco at the time and had to plan a safe ascent with just my analog depth gauge.

My LDS (who I trust implicitly) asked what my remaining battery life was. I checked it last wekend and it was 39%. He says it is probably just a dead battery. Had I known that they could die that "prematurely," I would have carried a backup computer when it dropped below 50%.

I'm wondering what experience other owners have had with the batteries on this computer. Is it normal for them to indicate such a high percentage of remaining battery life and then fail? I was told when I bought it that they can function down to 10% remaining battery life.

It has been a great computer and I will get the battery replaced and probably use it as a backup.

mahjong · Mar 1, 2006

I dive the Sport and love it as well. When my battery life reached the low 50% area, I decided to send it back to Uwatec for battery replacement, as I had heard a couple stories of these computers (Pro and Sport) crapping out below 50% but well before 0%. Uwatec was fantastic and replaced my battery, but they also explained to me that it was their policy NOT to replace any battery until it reached thirty something % (forgot the exact number). So, I have heard a couple stories such as yours, and it does appear that Uwatec deems it prudent to change the battery well before 0%--indeed, at thirty something %, though they also seem quite confident that the batteries should always make it to thirty something %. Your battery--if it was the battery that went dead--cut it mighty close. Mahjong

Lead_carrier · Mar 1, 2006

thinking about selling it before I register it, but from my experiences with other dive computer and electronics. Once that batter drops below 50% they will start dropping fast. Especially if the water is cooler, that will drain a battery really quick. If it drops below 40%, I wouldn't trust it for anything other than easy, shallow dives.

drbill · Mar 1, 2006

Received an answer from Uwatec (Johnson) to my question as to why the battery went at 39%. The battery life is determined by a mathematical table rather than a direct measurement of the actual voltage. Wish I'd known that ahead of time! It was probably programmed by graduates of the New Math!

mahjong · Mar 2, 2006

So your battery actually--voltage-wise--went dead, but the mathematical table still gave you 39%? I'd love a bit more detail on that mathematical table--on what exactly is battery life measured/calculated? I wonder as well if Uwatec can reprogram that table, as they told me, after changing my battery, that my Sport should be good for at least 5 years or so given average/regular use, which I believe is about half the life estimated in the manual for the original battery. Maybe they are now adjusting the mathematical table to be more conservative--or at least I hope this is the case, rather than that they are now using weaker batteries.

drbill · Mar 2, 2006

Yep, Mahjong, have to wonder about the original mathematical table used to estimate battery life... especially since I was told by the sales person that it was pretty accurate.

By the way... quit outbidding me on SP X-Tek equipment on E-Bay (just teasing ya, you saved me a bit of money by doing so!).

Teddy_diver · Mar 2, 2006

My husbands computer got the ERR message on with 70% battery life left!! Of course by the time it got to Uwatec to have battery changed it had drained down to practically nothing. This is the second we I know of that has gone at approximately this %.

He now uses a VR3 for his technical diving and the Uwatec Aladin Pro just for teaching or diving recreational - usually with me! I have the Uwatec Aladin Pro Ultra and no problems as yet, currently at 78%

Nomad · Mar 2, 2006

It is powered by a $5.00 watch battery.
Although I only made about 80 dives with that computer last year, I consider dive computer battery replacement as part of my annual maintenace. Although I coud easily replace it myself, I have my diveshop do it (for free) to reduce my liability in case the computer floods on the next dive.

I'm not sure I understand the reasoning behind diving on the same battery for several years until it finally drops dead in the middle of a dive.

Is the battery for the Aladin Pro really that expensive?

drbill · Mar 2, 2006

The battery for the Aladin Pro is not user replaceable and requires sending it into the manufacturer for replacement. That ain't cheap (although I'm willing to pay it for life support equipment). If the shop could do it I'd be happy to let them do it more frequently.

However, when I bought the dive computer, I was told that I could trust the remaining battery life indicator and wouldn't need to consider changing it until it neared about 10%. I hardly consider 39% to be close to 10%. sales hype? I don't think so since it was actually a friend working at the shop who recommended it and sold it to me.

dbg40 · Mar 2, 2006

5 years??? 1000 dives??? My prime did'nt get through one full season! At least I can change the battery myself, but still think it was WAY too short for battery life. I hope the battery was defective in some way. Time will tell.

Uwatec Aladin Pro battery life

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