New Oceanic VT3 Dive Computer

[Dan Watkins]

By the way, for anyone who is looking for cheap additional transmitters for the VT3, Leisurepro has a batch of used/refurbished transmitters at almost half the price of new ones right now. At that price, I'm going to spring for one for my pony bottle.

 

[fl-diver]

I think it is important to set and confirm your mix before every dive with Oceanic comps. If you set default o2 50% off you will get default o2 21%. Depending on the type of diving you are doing, you could end up falsely in deco on 2nd or 3rd dives.
I had this happen once and I was very confused. I knew I shouldn't be in deco but my computer was yelling at me.
I always check and confirm right before I hit the water.

 

[Dan Watkins]

If you set default o2 50% off you will get default o2 21%.

That is only true if your last gas was set to 21% or after a 24 hour period when the VT3 shuts off. It will default back to air.

Between dives with the 50% O2 turned off, the GAS percentages remain to whatever was last programmed. So if you just dove with 30%, it will remain 30% for the next 24 hours unless changed. It won't go from 30% to 21%.

 

[mcadams130]

I just bought the VT3, but I'm thinking about returning it. The FO2 setting for transmitters 2 and 3 have to be set higher than the FO2 for transmitter 1 (and 2). Additionally, on transmitter 1 the FO2 for dive 2 and later, must be equal to or greater than that for dive 1. That means that I can't make a NITROX dive followed by an air dive. Has anyone found a work-around for this feature? Does anyone know why Oceanic included this feature on the VT3? Thanks!

 

[Bonnie&Clyde]

AWESOME THREAD!!!!! You just made it easier for me to play with my VT3!!!

 

[eli homza]

I just bought the VT3, but I'm thinking about returning it. The FO2 setting for transmitters 2 and 3 have to be set higher than the FO2 for transmitter 1 (and 2). Additionally, on transmitter 1 the FO2 for dive 2 and later, must be equal to or greater than that for dive 1. That means that I can't make a NITROX dive followed by an air dive. Has anyone found a work-around for this feature? Does anyone know why Oceanic included this feature on the VT3? Thanks!

Actually I did a couple back-to-back dives in Key Largo in June where the first dive was NITROX (FO2 30). The second dive was air, so I just reset the FO2 to 21 (equivalent to "AIR") and it worked fine. I am assuming the the computer "read" the dive as an air dive in terms of dive table computations. (Most of the dives were pretty shallow (20 - 25 feet), so it never really created a potential DECO situation.

Eli

 

[Dan Watkins]

I just bought the VT3, but I'm thinking about returning it. The FO2 setting for transmitters 2 and 3 have to be set higher than the FO2 for transmitter 1 (and 2). Additionally, on transmitter 1 the FO2 for dive 2 and later, must be equal to or greater than that for dive 1. That means that I can't make a NITROX dive followed by an air dive. Has anyone found a work-around for this feature? Does anyone know why Oceanic included this feature on the VT3? Thanks!

Not being able to change FO2 to a lesser number after a dive is absolutely incorrect. I have dove a leaner mix on subsequent dives. Just remember, you have to wait until 10 min after your last dive before you can change ANY settings. The computer considers any dives made within the 10 min period a continuation of your existing dive. After 10 min you can re-set any of the FO2's, even back to 21% if you want.

I do agree that having to set GAS2 and GAS3 to the same or richer mixes than GAS1 is a limitation, but the intent is you are supposed to switch to richer gasses for deco. For me I might be diving a single with Nitrox, but have an air filled pony bottle and if I had to switch, I would like the computer to calculate my nitrogen loading. However, there is a workaround to this limitation.

Let's assume I have EAN32 in my main tank and air in my pony bottle.

You set GAS1 to Air, and GAS2 to your EAN32. If you are using a transmitter, make sure you punch in your main transmitter S/N to GAS2 instead of GAS1.

The computer automatically makes you start out with GAS1, but after you desend 5 feet and the computer goes into normal dive mode, immediatly do a gas switch to GAS2 (which is your richer EAN32 main tank), and simply dive on GAS2. If you had to later switch to your bail out air mix, you just switch back to GAS1. It is working the gas switches backwards.

 

[mdvaughn]

I believe this default is common in today's dive computers. My React Pro has the same feature, and a survey of other divers with various models indicated that this is something the manufacturers seem to be doing. And it also seems that all the divers are turning off that default.

 

[philmayer]

I just bought the VT3, but I'm thinking about returning it. The FO2 setting for transmitters 2 and 3 have to be set higher than the FO2 for transmitter 1 (and 2). Additionally, on transmitter 1 the FO2 for dive 2 and later, must be equal to or greater than that for dive 1. That means that I can't make a NITROX dive followed by an air dive. Has anyone found a work-around for this feature? Does anyone know why Oceanic included this feature on the VT3? Thanks!

I've never heard of this. Have you contacted Oceanic Service about it?

 

[RonFrank]

The FO2 setting for transmitters 2 and 3 have to be set higher than the FO2 for transmitter 1 (and 2).

Explain to me where your primary gas mix would have a higher O2 content than those used for stage bottles on transmitters 2/3. I assume this is for deco diving, and stage bottles are going to contain a high O2 content, yes? So what is the problem again?

Additionally, on transmitter 1 the FO2 for dive 2 and later, must be equal to or greater than that for dive 1.

This is not true, certainly not for my Aeris Epic, and I doubt it for ANY Oceanic or Aeris product. In fact, I'd go so far as to say not true for any manufacture as it makes no sense whatsoever.

I can dive 36% on dive one, 21% on dive two, 32% on dive three, and 21% on dive four. In fact I've done this more than a few times. You just need to change the mix before each dive.