Air Integration and Back up gauges

I am contemplating purchasing a Suunto Cobra air integrated computer. I was reading the manual on Suunto's website and they warn that a diver should always have a backup pressure and depth gauge with them when diving the Cobra.

Is this Standard practice? My question is directed to all who use an air-integrated computer. Do you also have a backup console with you on the dive? If so, how do you arrange the extra hose and gauges? This would necessitate a first stage with two high pressure ports.

Thanks for any comments....

Hi Crosing,

I dive with a Cobra and a Stinger but I do not use a backup pressure gauge. In case of failure of the Cobra I'll have the Stinger for depth, bottom time and ascent rate and I'll abort the dive as I won't be able to know how much air is in the tank. However, on diving trips I always carry a pressure gauge in my diving bag. In case of failure of the Cobra is just a question of replacing it.

Take care.

I dove a hoseless AI for a number of years and did not use a backup. The air reading failed once. IMO there is no reason for a backup console unless you are doing the type of diving where you shouldn't have an AI computer anyway

MD

If you browse through the forum you’ll find many different positions on the subject, some of which seem quite radical... :nospeak:

As for my opinion, for casual recreational diving I don’t think you need backup instruments with the Cobra, nor I've ever seen anybody with 2 HP hoses on a single tank.

If you don't trust the air integration computer, then go with a standard SPG and no air integration. It doesn't make sense to me to spend all that extra money for something that gives you nothing but nagging suspicions that it is going to fail and that requires you to make all these radical changes in your gear to incorporate redundancy. I would either trust the AI or go without it..

Like Mechdiver said, I would never use AI if you are thinking about overhead/extended range types of diving.

I dive with a Cobra and think that for recreational diving as defined by diving with a buddy, no penetration and no planned decompression, an air integrated computer is the best option. It provides all of the information you need conveniently in one place. A backup pressure and depth gauges create more problems than they solve.

Your friend’s computer (or SPG, depth gauge, bottom timer, and tables) provides redundancy. Dive the more conservative of the two. If either fails, safely end the dive using the operational one.

If your computer fails during the dive, something I have yet to see with a Cobra, do not switch to backup pressure and depth gauges and continue the dive, this introduces to many chances for human error in a potentially stressful situation, safely end the dive.

What then do you gain from the backup other than the ability to monitor air pressure as you surface? If you’re paying attention to your air consumption prior to the failure, this is not an issue, you know you have enough air to safely reach the surface or you should have been on the way up. On the other hand, a spare SPG adds additional failure points and complication to the setup.

The one thing of value you loose if the computer fails is your nitrogen loading based on multiple dives and neither a backup pressure or depth gauge will allow you to reconstruct that.

Penetration or decompression diving is an entirely different situation since you may not be able to simply end the dive safely.

Most importantly, the computer cannot think for you! It only provides you with information for you to base your decisions on. Invest the time to learn how the computer works; don’t wait for it to beep at you and then try to figure out what it’s trying to tell you. The Suunto web page has a great simulation that takes you step by step through a dive explaining how the computer works.

Mike

You've recieved some good direction here - if the cmputer takes a powder I can't see forging on with just the SPG.

I've been diving another AI (Oceanic DataTrans+) for a number of flawless years. Its been great. I love it.

But I really want to wean myself off of 100% reliance on my computer - so I just added an SPG. They even read fairly close (within 50#) I'm pretty good now at estimating gas usage and gas remaining (usually within a few hundred pounds.)

For me, the SPG brings peace-of-mind (the back up scenario) as well as assisting in the reduced reliance on my computer. Of course, an SPG alone won't replace my DataTrans - but when I get my bottom timer the DT goes into the pocket for a few months then on eBay.

For now, the SPG is there for tactical reasons - I want to become used to relying on IT for my pressure information. Plus, I need to work on clipping and unclipping it...I'm still a yutz with that.

K

If your Cobra quits during a dive end the dive. It is extremely unusual for anyone who uses an AI computer to also have an SPG hooked up. If you get into tech diving yoou will need some different instruments, but that will only be a small fraction of the expense of technical diving.

A lot of people who rely on computers do keep a backup computer with them when diving. I suppose that an AI computer user might want to have a backup SPG as well, but in his dive bag, not on his regulator.

Just make sure your batteries are in good shape and have a spare. Low batteries are the main reason for computer failures.

Some interesting points have been raised in this discussion. I guess I am glad I have a brass SPG and a wrist mount computer after reading this. Brain rot and all.

I don't feel I need a backup for my cinventional SPG so I don't bother to carry a AI. LOL

great - now I need to clean the diet pepsi of my monitor.

Thanks a lot, Mike...