Ronniemu
Contributor
I own a Sherwood Wisdom dive computer with a compass. There is an air bubble in the compass which I don't recall being there. Does anyone know if the air bubble is a defect with my compass? THANKS, Ronnie
Is my compass defective?
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ChrisA
Contributor
Ronniemu:
The compass should not have air inside of it. So yes, this is a defect. But the question is, Does this defect effect it's operation? I had a compass with a small air bubble once and the bubble helped me to know when I was holding it level and might have been actually helpfull. But the air means some of the fluid has leaked out and maybe some more will leak out over time.
mfalco
Contributor
There is an air buble in every liquid filled compass I've ever seen.
sasscuba
Contributor
mfalco:
Ditto
mfalco
Contributor
I think it is to help you know if it is level or not
The Kraken
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While a "small" bubble may be construed by some as a "defect", I perceive it as an additional gauge . . . one for making sure that your compass is level and is not being impeded in its movement by being tilted too greatly.
Most compasses, when new, won't have a bubble. Changing pressures, just like nitrogen coming out of one's system when surfacing, will cause microscopic bubbles to combine and create a larger bubble.
It's really to your benefit. When using your compass, make sure the bubble is somewhere near the center of the window and you can be assured that your compass should be rotating freely.
the K
Most compasses, when new, won't have a bubble. Changing pressures, just like nitrogen coming out of one's system when surfacing, will cause microscopic bubbles to combine and create a larger bubble.
It's really to your benefit. When using your compass, make sure the bubble is somewhere near the center of the window and you can be assured that your compass should be rotating freely.
the K
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the K
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Charlie99
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It's a defect when it gets big enough that,when trapped underneath the rotating compass card, that it forces it off to one side and make it stick.Ronniemu:
So far I've replaced one compass where the bubble had grown to the point it was unreliable, and the replacement has developed a bubble which continues to grow.
Test it by tilting the compass on the side and working all of the air up into a bubble. Then flip it back rightside up suddenly, trapping all of the air under the card. If it works, you're still in business. Get a new compass module if it no longer rotates smoothly.
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