Suunto Vytec DS Fail

All,

I have recently purchased a Suunto Vytec DS computer. I have dived with it 4 times and have had no problems. I took it in the water today and at the end of my dive got a failure notice from the pressure reading. The gauge read 490 PSI (which was correct) then flashed a fail sign and then started flashing a completely different reading. I have read that the signal between the transmitter and computer often fails when pressure is low. But at 490 PSI? Has anybody come across this before? Is this normal or something I should be worried about? Grateful for any help at all.

hewitt.richard@gmail.com

Thanks,

Richard

Mine gives the fail reading at about 350 psi or so. The computer just says "Fail" and toggles between the last pressure and fail.

Considering that most people reccomend you be on the boat with 500 psi, and technical divers try to get on the boat with 1/3 of their backgas untouched, why are you so afraid to call 490 psi "low" ? I agree, it would be nicer to have it stop working at something a tad bit lower, but 490 psi in an aluminum 80 is about 13 cubic feet of gas (it's early, I might have done the math wrong, someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong!), and that's just two of the 6 cubic foot spare airs, and I think in general nobodyw ould reccomend diving with doubled spare airs....

Dickyhewitt:

All,
I took it in the water today and at the end of my dive got a failure notice from the pressure reading. The gauge read 490 PSI (which was correct) then flashed a fail sign and then started flashing a completely different reading. I have read that the signal between the transmitter and computer often fails when pressure is low. But at 490 PSI? Has anybody come across this before? Is this normal or something I should be worried about? Grateful for any help at all.

hewitt.richard@gmail.com

Thanks,

Richard

Click to expand...

In the manual it says that "If the Vytec is unable to receive a valid signal for more than one minute it will start displaying "FAIL" intermittently with the latest valid pressure reading." The table on p. 16 says to "Activate the transmitter by breathing off the regulator, and recode the wrist unit if necessary." So it could have been a failed reading because it was "out of range" for some reason. Sometimes all you need to do is breath on the regulator enough to get a significant change in pressure while holding the computer closer to the transmitter (up by your shoulder).

As far as low air pressure, I thought it would fail when it reached 145 psi based on the fact that the code is held stored for 2 hrs or until the cylinder pressure goes below 145 psi. In fact, to recode, you must lower the pressure below 145 psi and then within 10-12 seconds raise it above 218 psi.

Hope this helps.

dd

Dickyhewitt:

The gauge read 490 PSI (which was correct) then flashed a fail sign and then started flashing a completely different reading. I have read that the signal between the transmitter and computer often fails when pressure is low. But at 490 PSI? Has anybody come across this before? Is this normal or something I should be worried about?

Click to expand...

My Vytec will occassionally do that when the pressure is in the 500-650 range. I don't think it is anyhting to worry about, at least based on my experience. My Vytec works fine, and this has happened at times over 5 years.

I have never had mine say fail at any pressure - except when I have been doing valve drills and have turned my air off. If it is saying fail then it has lost the signal between the computer and transmitter. I would be concerned if getting it above 200psi.