Reliability of Hoseless Computers?

I know many divers are apprehensive about going hoseless because of reliability issues. Too many "was diving when my computer went blank" stories.

Please share your good/bad experiences with hoseless (transmitter type) computers.

When I owned a scuba shop, I would try out new equipment that I sold or was considering selling. I had, more than once, both hose and hoseless air pressure monitoring devices fail during dives. As a boat captain, I see these devices owned by my charter customers fail all the time. In the thirty-five years I have been diving, I have had mechanical SPG's spring leaks, leaks in the hoses, suffer broken face plates and just flood for no apparent reason but I have never had one fail to give me a reasonably accurate reading of my gas pressure during a dive. Even when broken, a mechanical SPG will still work until the internal mechanism corrodes to the point that it fails completely. You have plenty of time to change out a broken or suspect gauge between dives. Why use an electronic SPG when a simple mechanical one is so reliable?

To add to what Captain Dale says, I think the hoseless computers are an answer to a problem that doesn't exist. I dive with a wrist mounted computer and a 2" brass SPG clipped to my left waist. My set up is half the cost of an entry level hoseless computer and every bit as useful.

I'd use your hard earned money on something else. Of course, this is my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt.

They are very reliable, I've had mine for 6 years now and it's never failed me. What's the downside. You lose your pressure reading you end the dive and go up. I think reliability is based on owners knowledge and understanding of how to make it work

DM

616fun:

To add to what Captain Dale says, I think the hoseless computers are an answer to a problem that doesn't exist. I dive with a wrist mounted computer and a 2" brass SPG clipped to my left waist. My set up is half the cost of an entry level hoseless computer and every bit as useful.

I'd use your hard earned money on something else. Of course, this is my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt.

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I tend to agree the only thing is...computer on the wrist, spg on the hip and then a compass on a retractor - info all over the place. I think one of the nicest features is looking in one spot.

Although, as a mechanical engineer, simple-stupid simplicity and reliability are primary goals. So it's a trade.

I have 2 wireless AI computers and have no complaints about them whatsoever.
As for mechanical SPG although they will work until they corrode even when they seem to be perfectly sound their accuracy is suspect. The only time you know for sure they are accurate is when they are calibrated. A short time later they are out of calibration. There are many stories of a gauge reading 500 psi and the diver was OOA. the opposite can would go unnoticed reading zero and having air left in the bottle.
Electronic transducers are far less prone to this type of problem.
Also the technology is maturing for wireless AI and many of the stories are of models that are outdated. Today's state of the art wireless AI dive computers are highly reliable.
Just remember nothing is perfect and you should be prepaired based on that.

akscubainst:

I think reliability is based on owners knowledge and understanding of how to make it work

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Not really. I wore out 3 hoseless computers (batteries wore out) and two transmitters during my rec diving days and finally gave it up when the transmitter no longer worked. I had nothing to do with its reliability other than making sure it was rinsed. I've seen newer hoseless units that did not work as well, mostly due to transmitter problems.

They're okay toys for rec diving, but too costly and overkill for most divers.

Batteries die on all computers and if you have a transmitter the battery is going to eventually die on that as well. I wouldn't call that "Wore out" .

Given that I have a $2100 computer on my rebreather, a $1000 computer for rec diving isn't all that costly. If your serious about diving then you're going to have some expensive toys.

This isn't a rec vs. tec discussion nor was it a question about what the OP could afford. It was someone asking if hoseless computers work well and are they reliable, and my answer is yes they do.

I have an analog guage that reads 200psi High, The manufacture refuese to replace it because that is within specification.

DM

I presume we're talking about hoseless integrated computers? That little word was left out.....

I am fully with Captndale. I both sell the things (or I used to) and I have people with them on my boat. There may be some good ones - RAWalker is a case in point - but as a breed they're a lot more trouble than they're worth. Diving with a large group with constant beeping from computers that have lost their signal is very wearing!

I've had all sorts of equipment in my time, and I still use lots of different gadgets. My preference now is a wrist-mount computer, non-integrated, and a mechanical SPG. After all, how often do you need to look at your SPG?

I now believe in simplicity above all else underwater. The more complicated the gear the more failure points there are. Even if that's only a dead battery, because of course you need batteries in both the sender and receiver.

A friend has a computer that can read quite a few tank sensors, and he's tried using that facility. He just ended up so confused he had no idea what tank he was reading the pressure of, and that's now becoming a significant safety issue. These things are a solution to a problem that simply doesn't exist.

runway1:

I tend to agree the only thing is...computer on the wrist, spg on the hip and then a compass on a retractor - info all over the place. I think one of the nicest features is looking in one spot.

Although, as a mechanical engineer, simple-stupid simplicity and reliability are primary goals. So it's a trade.

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Actually not. My compass is on my wrist, right next to my computer (Suunto SK7 in a DSS wrist mount). That way navigation is easy. I'm not fumbling between devices or flipping a console over because the SPG is mounted on the opposite side of the compass (this makes NO sense to me...). The two pieces of information I need to successfully navigate are right there together.

Therefore the only thing in a different location is the SPG. It's very streamlined and the hose isn't hanging out. If I need it, I can easily unsnap the bolt snap (even in heavy neoprene gloves for winters in sunny Indiana ) and check my pressure. I have some friends that clip it off to a d-ring on the chest, that way all they have to do is look down and the pressure is right there.

Again - my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.