Which has a higher rate of failure a SPG or a transmitter?

[PfcAJ]

I think the best thing that SPGs have over transmitters is that if an SPG fails (pick your failure mode, doesn't matter), a replacement can be sourced very easily at dive shops all over the world. Everyone has spgs, hoses, orings, and spools. The same can't be said for transmitters, batteries, or proprietary fittings.

 

[DaleC]

I'm not sure which has a higher failure rate but I'm curious how many AI transmitters will still be in use 40 years from now.

 

[Jax]

In today's world of diving, which has a higher rate of failure a SPG or a transmitter?

Both of these tools can fail, but which one fails
more often. Our experience is the Old reliable SPG.

High Pressure hoses break, gauges stick, flood or dynamic o-rings fail!

We use Galileo Sol dive computers in all our training.

However, our repair dept. has more problems with the SPG's that we service than transmitters.

Well, I'm not an experienced diver or maintainer or whatsit. Just a computer engineer.

I like uwatecs. I like their design parameters. I have five of them.

I wear a backup spg. Transmitters are for fun. I've had one fail, for no reason. ScubaPro replaced it.

 

[beaverdivers]

I have a question for you: Have you sold equal numbers of both?

We have been using UWATEC Hoseless Air- Integrated Dive Computers ( HAIDC ) in our training for both students, DM & Instructors since the late 90's. We have sold HAIDC's 10 to 1 ( SPG ) for the last 15 years.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

We have been using UWATEC Hoseless Air- Integrated Dive Computers ( HAIDC ) in our training for both students, DM & Instructors since the late 90's. We have sold HAIDC's 10 to 1 ( SPG ) for the last 15 years.

Thank you for that information. Without those numbers, I couldn't really make sense of your first post. It sounds like you are seeing greater reliability on the AI computers. I still find that surprising, given the level of complexity as compared to an SPG. Can I ask what the failure mode(s) are on the SPG's you get back in your service department?

I see the computer you mention is around $1280 (online discounter) right now, and I find myself amazed that you have been selling them 10-to-1to SPG's for fifteen years. Given how (comparatively) expensive they are now, and knowing how electronics get cheaper as time goes by, what was it like fifteen years ago?! Or were they relatively similarly priced?

I had no idea that large a percentage of divers were (and have been) buying AI computers.

Slight tangent, but I have to ask: is that after showing customers a $60 SPG in comparison? And they still choose the AI computer? I guess I'm just surprised because I would imagine most newer divers (who are probably buying a lot of gear(?) would balk at the cost at a time when they are needing to buy a whole lot of kit, but I guess not? I can see where AI would be nifty. I guess I need to get with the times here.

Either way, one can carry an SPG/hose in the spares kit.

 

[TSandM]

I can't comment on transmitters except second-hand, but a) they sometimes don't sync, and b) the batteries go fairly quickly, and there is no indicator to tell you when the battery is low.

I can talk about SPGs versus computers. I've had ONE gauge fail in six years, and it didn't "fail". The face leaked, and over a couple of days, enough algae grew in the gauge to make it difficult to read. On the other hand, I've had a Vytec go belly-up (and lose the data on about 20 dives I hadn't downloaded yet). I've had two other computers die, one which began bounce diving to 275 feet in my hotel room, and another which just shorted out and was unusable. So that's three computers to one gauge. I think gauges are simpler, and less likely to fail.

 

[endurodog]

Sounds like there are failures and sucesses on both sides. Does it come down to a personal choice then with no one being "wrong"? I know it sounds weird on SB that someone isn't "wrong", haaaa

 

[Oldbear]

Sounds like there are failures and sucesses on both sides. Does it come down to a personal choice then with no one being "wrong"? I know it sounds weird on SB that someone isn't "wrong", haaaa

I agree Endurodog...It all gets down to personal perference.

I have a car that needs gas quite often to work, but I also have bicycle that is old and reliable...I know the merits and cost savings of using my bicycle. Worldwide, the bicycle is probably the best mode of transportation...simplicity over technology, yet I still buy those expensive techno-riden cars.

 

[leabre]

I can't comment to air transmitters because I never used a computer that accepts one and all my computers are in guage mode. I can comment to SPG's, however. I have owned 5 total in the past 3 years. Three of them have champaigned on me and one of them was replaced, other two fixed, and fixed, and fixed again. They each were the same brand that has a dark background to it. The two that have never had a problem are a different brand.

 

[freewillie]

I've seen many threads on SB about how safe AI computers are. In general tends to boil down to type of diving and personal preferences.My personal opinion is I like my AI since helps streamline my configuration. One less hose to worry about and get in the way. I don't do photography, temporary signal loss is not an issue since I don't have strobe flashes. Losing signal for few seconds isn't a big deal. I usually check my spg every 5 min or so, how is a 10 second signal loss going to affect my ability to my ability to monitor my air?Will AI fail more often than an traditional spg, probably. What always amuses me on SB is how tec style/GUE style divers say if we recreational divers aren't diving Hogarthian set, double primary back ups, extra octo's, are not safe diver's. Really?For general recreational style diver's, if I jump in and my AI does not work I simply call the dive. I'm not diving deep, most of my dives are 50 ft or less. I'm using equipment I've dived with multiple times and very comfortable with. I've rented gear and had significant differences between what my computer registered and what my "trusty" rental spg registered. Frankly, after diving with multiple rental spg's, I trust my dive computer and AI much more.