Continued VT-3 Issues

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Jarrett

Contributor
Messages
760
Reaction score
0
Location
DFW area
# of dives
50 - 99
First of all, I like the majority of the features on this computer, but there are a couple issues that are quite annoying to deal with when diving it. My main two complaints with this computer are:

1. Link loss

I have the transmitter on the right side of the reg and the computer on a retractor on my right shoulder D-ring. So at any time, the computer is no more than 24 inches from the transmitter. Almost any time I get near a metal object underwater, the computer losses link. I guess this is understandable, but the main issue is any time I hold the computer in my hand for more than 10 seconds (usually safety stop) I lose link. This adds up to a fair bit of link loss on each dive. This is my first hoseless computer, so I don't have a baseline. Is this to be expected at this point with hoseless technology or does this sound wrong?

2. Excessive/repeating alarms

I love how configurable this computer, but the alarms are driving me crazy. The last 15 minutes of each dive now is me constantly hitting buttons trying to make the computer quit beeping at me. Sometimes hitting the buttons will stop them, some times not.

Here is my configuration:

Gas 1,2,3 Air
DFLT off FO2 50
Aud On
Max Depth 120
Elapsed Dive Time 3:00
Dive Time Remaining: 00
Max Tissue Load: 7
Max PO2 1.60
Turn Pressure: 1000psi
End Pressure: 300psi
Safe: 5:00 @ 15ft
Cons Off
Samp: 30

On my second dive today, I received multiple turn pressure alarms after dimissing them. I also started receiving low dive time alarms, low air alarms, link loss alarms, etc. I know I have the ability turn off all alarms, but I would rather not. These are the things I would like to be alarmed on:

When I get near my "go up" pressure (say 700psi, non repeating alarms)
When I go deeper than 120 feet
When I am nearing my NDLs (non repeating alarms)
If my tank was turned off/lost of pressure for some reason underwater (I am assuming the VT3 does this like the Atmos AI?)

Is it possible to get just those alarms on this computer?

If not, I would like to make a recommendation for future revisions of this computer. Permit the ability to chose which alarms will be on and which will be off. And which of those alarms will be repeating and which are one time alarms.

Overall, does this sound like normal activity for this model of computer?
 
Jarett,

You'll find that you need to "play" with the location of your unit in relation to the transmitter, primarily based on what equipment you use. Particularly, where the transmitter is placed. Since the signal goes out in an arc, if the transmitter is not placed in a quality position (every reg is different) you might have repetitive link loss.

For example: My Zeagle Envoy 1st stage has a port directly behind my head (don't know if it's high or low). If I were to use that port, I would have terrible signal losses from the transmitter. The same applies to regs that have 90 degree ports on either side. Since it puts the transmitter perpendicular to your computer, the arc may go out away from the computer.

The best all around ports are the ports that have an angle to them, toward your shoulder a little. This puts the shoulder (which ever side you use) inside the transmission arc at all times and should limit link losses. Well, that's been my experience with the unit anyway.

Repetitive alarms:
If you have link loss (if memory serves me) you'll get an alarm that will come on after the link is not re-established. It is supposed to continue until you push the "acknowledge" button, then it should deactivate the alarm until a link is established.

Your "deco" alarm will activate once you hit decompression diving levels. I believe it stays on until you acknowledge as well.

You may want to adjust your "end pressure" alarm. I've been trained in VIP and we try to stress that tanks return w/ no less than 500 psi. This helps not only ensure air for safety stops, but it helps ensure that if there is any minor leakage of air from the tank that moisture is unlikely to get into the tank. I have my end pressure set for 800psi which allows me some room for a safety stop.


Without knowing the parameters of both dives in your post, accurate information on the alarms can not be posted. Also, if you have the software and the beta-ware posted by Oceanic on scubaboard, use it. Look at the graphs from both dives and see if there was anything unusual about dive patterns etc.
 
Thanks Diversdown. I'd like to hear Oceanic's take on the computer's performance as well.
 
Sounds like the unit is driving you a little nuts for sure.

The transmission issue, other than an actual bad unit, some divers just seem to have worse luck with it and others nothing but good links. Position is critical, unfortunatly without seeing you in the water and where everything is sitting it's hard to comment beyond the suggestions you have already recieved.

On the alarms.




The key with the alarms is you can acknowledge them but need to correct the situation for them not to come back.

Can you send the data file from that dive so we can look at it?

Best,

Chris
 
cerich:
Position is critical, unfortunatly without seeing you in the water and where everything is sitting it's hard to comment beyond the suggestions you have already recieved.

<---- Sure, here I am right there :)

cerich:
Can you send the data file from that dive so we can look at it?

Absolutely, what are the steps to retrieve that data for that dive specifically?
 
export, select the dive and send as a file attachment to my email that I will PM you now.
 
I am curious to see your ascent rates. I know when I got bent I was unaware of how my ascent rates effected the accident I had. I really thought I was going as slow as possible. My dive log showed otherwise. I often hear people's computer alarms because they raise there arm up, or if they wear it as on a retractor on a shoulder area are unaware that even those movemnets can effect the outcome. Even just raising your upper body up from horizontal to vertical in a quick motion would have an effect, setting off an alarm. I still have not used my VT3 on any dives yet so I can not comment on if this is normal or not. I have sold about 10 units so far and no one has complained.
 
Chris/Debra, I emailed my last dive file to the both of you. Thanks for looking at it, I'm interested to hear your thoughts.
 
Looking at the file, I am surprised at the amount of link loss. 29 lost link entries out of 123 total. If I am calculating correctly, that's about 25% of the time or 15 minutes out of an hour underwater when I was unable to find out how much air I had left. I certainly didn't notice it that much down there, but there were several times I did notice seeing the link loss stated on the screen.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom