Atom 2.0 Battery Change nightmare

[DrFatBob]

I've got into a habit of changing the Atom 2,0 battery every year, just as I did with previous DCs, just to make sure I've got plenty of battery life and it doesn't run out half way through a trip.

Anyhow, when I did the first one myself, mid-warranty, after 2-3 weeks I went back to the DC and the screen was blank. I took it down the local Oceanic shop and they instantly replaced the whole DC.

The second one I did outside of warranty, but I thought, hmmm....might be worth getting the Oceanic dive shop to do this in case the same problems occur. Occur they did, but this time I was charged in order to replaced the DC with another refurbished unit. So I paid for the battery change and then paid for the DC change.

So now I've been an owner of the Atom 2.0 for 3+ years and I'm wondering when I should be changing and what problems I will expect again.

I was wondering if Oceanic people on board would give their views? the dive shop I went to had a whole box of refurbed DCs ready for replacement: obviously this is an issue.

Thoguhts, comments? Or should I stop whinging and keep on paying for the problems?

Ta!

[MarineResearch]

I have replaced the batteries on my Atom 2.0 twice and have not had any problems, yet. I don't know if it makes any difference, but I'm in and out of the battery compartment in a matter of seconds.

[flots am]

So now I've been an owner of the Atom 2.0 for 3+ years and I'm wondering when I should be changing and what problems I will expect again.

I was wondering if Oceanic people on board would give their views? the dive shop I went to had a whole box of refurbed DCs ready for replacement: obviously this is an issue.

Thoguhts, comments? Or should I stop whinging and keep on paying for the problems?

Ta!

My first thought is to make sure you're getting a brand new real CR2430 battery from a manufacturer you recognize, and then test it before installing.

Also, if the shop had a box of refurbs, I'd be willing to bet that they're not servicing them properly.

flots.

[Dragon Eye]

I've recently changed my battery- quick and easy with no problems. Most importantly don't touch the inner components of the computer. Battery, seal and back only.

[gnulab]

Do you need to lubricate the o-ring?

[DrFatBob]

Guy, thanks for the suggestions, and yes, maybe the first time I screwed up, but the second time I took it into the Oceanic distributor in my country. Not just a dive shop, but people that supposedly know all about these things. They screwed up.

And the reason the distributor has a box of refurbs is that they have seen this many times before and therefore send the DCs back to Oceanic and they change the insides and send them back, or that's what I've been told.

Is there anyone from Oceanic who can comment on this case?

[DrFatBob]

Do you need to lubricate the o-ring?

The DC had it's battery changed 2-3 weeks before a dive trip and the battery died before the dive trip, i.e. very quickly. And the second change was by the distributor: they should have used all the correct materials and they showed a pressure test reading and it all showed OK: therefore, I believe they did lubricate the o-ring if the o-ring needed lubricating.

[RAWalker]

The DC had it's battery changed 2-3 weeks before a dive trip and the battery died before the dive trip, i.e. very quickly. And the second change was by the distributor: they should have used all the correct materials and they showed a pressure test reading and it all showed OK: therefore, I believe they did lubricate the o-ring if the o-ring needed lubricating.

Yes, The o-ring needs to be clean and lubricated. The Oceanic battery kit comes with a new o-ring.
Using the Oceanic kit insures you get a battery that should work unless the kit has sat on a shelf for a long time.
If the DC failed due to a bad battery a replacement DC wasn't necessary. If it was flooded after a battery change done by a Oceanic dealer that is authorized by Oceanic then it should be warranteed for the battery replacement by the dealer.

[DrFatBob]

o-ring lubrication is not the issue. The DC fails (as in dies, as in blank screen) after 2-3 weeks of a battery being replaced. On two different units.

Don't go down the o-ring route, the DC hasn't even been in any water prior to the DC dying.

This is an issue about how often do Oceanic see this problem. When the battery is replaced correctly, how many DCs fail after 2-3 weeks. This has happened on two different units, and once after the local dealer completed the battery change. This happened after both time using fresh battery replacement kits purchased from the dealer.

[flots am]

o-ring lubrication is not the issue. The DC fails (as in dies, as in blank screen) after 2-3 weeks of a battery being replaced. On two different units.

Don't go down the o-ring route, the DC hasn't even been in any water prior to the DC dying.

This is an issue about how often do Oceanic see this problem. When the battery is replaced correctly, how many DCs fail after 2-3 weeks. This has happened on two different units, and once after the local dealer completed the battery change. This happened after both time using fresh battery replacement kits purchased from the dealer.


Someone, somehow is screwing up the battery change and it's not Oceanic.

The DC lasted for for an entire year on one battery, then the battery was changed and it was dead in a couple of weeks. I have no way of knowing from across the internet what's wrong, but it has something to do with the process or parts used to change the battery.

My suggestion would be to find a shop that had a good record for changing the batteries with few failures, and use them, or send it back to Oceanic when it needs service.

flots.

[DrFatBob]

Thanks flots. Are you a Oceanic rep or just a user?

The reason I ask is that I did take teh DC back to the Oceanic store in Singapore. They did the second battery change. Therefore they should have used all the right stuff and should be competent in doing it.

So my concern still stands: am I going to have exactly the same problem when my current battery needs replacing? How do I get competent service if the local Oceanic guys can't actually do it? What is the cost of sending it to Oceanic in the US?

I've not had a reply from my email/web form I submitted to Oceanic a few months back, and I'm just really worried that if this problem happens again I'm down another $xxx in getting another refurbed unit. I also have to make multiple trips to the shop, which, though Singapore is small, is a bit of a pain.

If flots is not an Oceanic employee, can someone who is an employee make contact?

[flots am]

Thanks flots. Are you a Oceanic rep or just a user?

Just a user.



The reason I ask is that I did take teh DC back to the Oceanic store in Singapore. They did the second battery change. Therefore they should have used all the right stuff and should be competent in doing it.

There's no special reason to believe that any particular service technician really knows what they're doing.



So my concern still stands: am I going to have exactly the same problem when my current battery needs replacing? How do I get competent service if the local Oceanic guys can't actually do it? What is the cost of sending it to Oceanic in the US?

Sorry, I don't have any idea.

All I can tell you is that there are at tens (hundreds?) of thousands of computers with the same or similar design from the same manufacturer, and while some fail after a battery change, it's almost always because the battery change was screwed up, not because of a manufacturing defect.

flots.

[pickens_46929]

As a former owner of Oceanic ATOM 1.0 and 2.0 units, I'll fill you in on what I know.

1) There were firmware issues that drained the batteries faster than normal. Fixing this requires you to send the unit back to Oceanic and they'll update the firmware or send you a refurbished unit to you.

2) You need to make sure you are using a thick CR2430 battery. Even if you use a "decent" branded battery, there's no guarantee it will work. I tried various brands, etc. until I found one that worked and then bought a couple of them. Even at that beware that different lot numbers may have issues as well. It all comes down to whether the battery is thick enough.