Battery Replacement in Uwatec Air X Nitrox impossible

Okay... I was given this computer and I figured that I could sell it. It is an Uwatec Air X Nitrox made in 1998, no recalls on this unit, only had 2 dives on this unit but the battery is dead. Now for the fun stuff!

Of course Uwatec says it must be sent to them for service and battery replacement, I say how hard can it be. So has anyone replaced the battery on one of these computers? Any step by step instructions or is it really that hard?

Next issue, the wireless transmitter battery replacement. I noticed right off of the bat that they have filled the allen keys or torx key slots with solder... Again, how hard could it be to replace the battery in this? Anyone done it?

Now to get up on my soap box and complain.... Why would any company make a computer that it is so difficult to change the battery that it take the manufacturer to replace the battery (besides to make more money)? I have owned a few different computers and never had to send it off and pay good money to change a battery. I think this is a bunch or bull if you ask me.... So now that I am done with my rant what does anyone have to say about this?

Bowtie22:

Why would any company make a computer that it is so difficult to change the battery that it take the manufacturer to replace the battery (besides to make more money)? I have owned a few different computers and never had to send it off and pay good money to change a battery. I think this is a bunch or bull if you ask me.... So now that I am done with my rant what does anyone have to say about this?

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One possibility is that a sealed unit is much less likely to flood. As any underwater photographer knows, every time you open a housing you incur the risk of a flood on subsequent dives. Maybe that risk offsets the convenience of user-serviceable batteries. Six of the seven computers that I've owned were sealed units, including an Air-X Nitrox. I don't find them unduly inconvenient, but I can certainly see how somebody who dives more frequently--or somebody who bargain hunts on ebay--might.

I agree to that point but at the same time it boils down to being meticulous and making certain you do everything right. I have been diving for years and doing underwater photography since 2004 (camera on dive at least 400-500 dives) and I have never had my camera flood but I am very careful every time I seal it up. I have replaced batteries in other computers with no problems. I have rebuilt and serviced regs, tank valves, sidescan sonar towfish units and other things that the manufacturer "required a certified technician" to perform maintenance on with no problems. I have never had a leak. I think that anyone that would even attempt this task would most likely feel that they would be competent enough to check the o-ring and the seal surface to make certain there is nothing that would cause a leak. (now granted I know there are some people out there that should not even replace a simple o-ring on a tank valve without a certified technicians help, lol)

I think that having a certified repair tech doing a job like that is one thing but to require a unit be sent to the manufacturer is overkill.

There has to be someone who has done this task with success...

I'm just trying to decide whether or not I should try this.... Main issue for me I think is what type of battery the computer and transmitter takes (how readily available is it) and also how many pieces will I have the computer in trying to get to the battery... It can't be rocket science.

I was not implying that you couldn't do a battery change. I was just answering your request for a plausible reason why a manufacturer might make a computer whose batteries could not be changed by the user.

Bowtie22:

Why would any company make a computer that it is so difficult to change the battery that it take the manufacturer to replace the battery?

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To hypothesize further, maybe they know that many of their customers have not had cameras on 400-500 dives, and have not rebuilt and serviced regs, tank valves, sidescan sonar, etc. Maybe they realize that many of their customers would rather pay a plumber than change a washer on a faucet. And maybe they don't want to adjudicate warranty claims from a lot of inept mechanical klutzes who only have themselves to blame for their malfunctioning commputers, but still try to get the manufacturer to foot the bill.

Just a theory, though. You ruled out my favorite theory in your original post:

Bowtie22:

(besides to make more money)?

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I didn't think that you were implying that at all....

That is always my favorite theory on things... After all, isn’t it always about the money? lol...

You know, I have decided if I can't sell this computer for anyone I am very tempted to tear it apart myself and see what makes it so unserviceable... If I destroy it, oh well I will never use it for myself anyways so I think it would occupy my time. Then maybe I can post my findings on here and tell people why people should send it off or I find out it is as easy as tying a Velcro shoe then we will all know that it was all about the money....

The clock is ticking now for this computer before it undergoes surgery... I give it 1 week before the surgeon is going to get busy.... haha!!!

You got it for free, right? Do the surgery! This thread might help:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/co...ers/233532-suunto-d9-self-battery-change.html

It describes the battery change of a Suunto D9, which is also not intended to be user-serviceable.

I did search, and came up with this thread.
Uwatec Aladin Air X Nitrox - Scuba Forum - Scuba Diving Forums and Discussion Board
Seems to be you might not be able to get the intended battery change, even from SP.

in the third post

The batteries are no longer available for these computers and so to help customers who own these computers. They have assigned a fixed trade-in value for all Air X-series computers, which SCUBAPRO will apply against purchase price of the replacement model.

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Hope this helps

Kaza

... a 12 yr old computer isn't going to be worth very much anyway, even if the battery wasn't an issue, but at least it will fit very nicely inside a weight pocket.

scubafanatic:

... a 12 yr old computer isn't going to be worth very much anyway, even if the battery wasn't an issue, but at least it will fit very nicely inside a weight pocket.

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LOL

That is too funny and very true.... I really don't care either way if I can get it to work or not, it is all about tinkering at this point just because they say I can't.... Breakin' the law, Breakin the law!!!! A rebel without a cause!

Thinking about it now.... I do have a very close friend that works for NASA as a micro electronics engineer.... I would be willing to bet he could get it to work one way or another. (whether or not him being able to ensure a waterproof seal after that may be another issue) I think I'd still rather rip it apart myself though....

Bowtie22:

LOL

That is too funny and very true.... I really don't care either way if I can get it to work or not, it is all about tinkering at this point just because they say I can't.... Breakin' the law, Breakin the law!!!! A rebel without a cause!

Thinking about it now.... I do have a very close friend that works for NASA as a micro electronics engineer.... I would be willing to bet he could get it to work one way or another. (whether or not him being able to ensure a waterproof seal after that may be another issue) I think I'd still rather rip it apart myself though....

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...ummm, not too sure I'd get NASA involved, they've had some well publicized 'issues' with leaking O-rings, if ya know what I mean!