Annual Service for Dive Computers?

[flfishhead]

Made the jump to dive computers about a year ago (after many years of "Dive Table" diving), and now I'm hooked. But now I have a question about annual "servicing". Just talked to a fellow at one of the LDS's that handles my brand of computer (Oceanic). He said that unless the computer shows signs of malfunctioning (which mine is not), about all he would recommend is changing the battery. If the computer does malfunction, they would have to send it back to tha company for "repair". So now I'm wondering. Do you guys who have used computers for years have them serviced annually or what? Any thoughts?

 

[mat4ov]

My LDS basically said the same as yours - unless you see an issue, just keep the battery fresh.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

What would you be servicing? Soak/rinse it well in warm fresh water after use, let it dry completely, then store it somewhere without any crazy temperature swings. If there's a battery compartment oring, make sure that's kept clean and free of damage/stuff that could interfere with sealing. Beyond that, not much to do with electronics.

 

[socaljohn]

I have been wondering that also after getting an email from Aeris saying to keep the 2 yr warranty, I had to get it serviced. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Steve_C]

I replace the batteries each year on both computers. That is it. Except for the time I flooded one because I replaced the battery wrong myself.

 

[KeithG]

Annual service? Never. Service? never as you likely get better value by buying another (new or used) working computer if yours goes wonky.

You only need to replace the batteries if you dive a lot or frequently. I Only replaced the batteries once the low battery indicator came on since my old datasport would still do over 25 dives after that. So new batteries only happened every 3 or 4 years.

I got longer battery life by removing them between trips. No use burning battery with he computer sitting on a shelf for a few months.

15 years later it was still going strong when I sold it. Never serviced. Original o ring still in great shape.

 

[Peter69_56]

[FV][/FV]Had my oceanic pro Plus computers for 7 years and only ever replaced the batteries myself. My Petrel is a simple effort in replacing batteries too. My personal opinion is that the "yearly service" requirement to hold a warranty is a way of capturing more money from you for something not required. The offer of free parts is simple, most yearly services don't need the parts thus the manufacturer gets away scot free. You pay the labour cost to the LDS who says they have checked it and its fine 1 hr labour thank you very much.

I must admit its a great marketing ploy to attract the interest of LDS to sell the manufacturers gear as both the manufacturer and the LDS make money (which is why they are in business after all). My opinion is people who generally take that option are new to diving. I have had my gear for 8 years and have had all my original regs serviced once when I noticed a reg beginning to slightly free flow and I was going to an area with no servicing ability.

All my second hand gear is serviced on purchase then after that only if required due to an issue. I think when you dive a lot you get to know your gear very intimately and sense when things are not quite right thus requiring a service. Things like leaking fittings and hoses are easily seen can be replaced by the user if you have reasonable skills before they become a big problem. For those who don't have that ability, go to a LDS and get it serviced, if you are a person who loves lifetime warranty then get it done yearly but recognise that after about 2-3 services you could have bought some new gear for the same price (and then have 2 sets of gear).

I would not beat the LDS about the head over yearly servicing, but I personally think its at the extreme edge of being anal about your gear. The only criteria though I would say is LOOK AFTER YOUR GEAR. If you fail to wash it, or treat it badly, then expect it to fail. If you see leaks all over the place and do nothing, expect it to fail when you least don't need it to. If you don't give a damn about your gear then do yourself a favour and get it checked yearly.

 

[JimmyboyAAA]

I have 150 or so dives on my Oceanic VT3 with remote transmitter and have never had it serviced. I soak it after each dive and change the battery once a year along with lubing up the O ring. It's a great peice of equipment but I do have a back up pressure guage due to being paranoid.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Even the most impeccably maintained equipment can fail at the most inopportune moments, so I think it important to always dive with some redundancy to these systems. For example: I use a digital wireless AI wrist-mount computer, but back it up with a hose-mount SPG/depth/comp console, plus a backup bottom timer. As far as service is concerned, at the very least a thorough cleaning and detailed inspection for damage or wear should be done before and after each dive. I usually end up changing batteries about ever other year, unless I'm doing a lot of diving, but always make sure I have plenty of fresh batteries and/or any extra parts I might need like O-rings, covers, etc. I lube any O-ring seals before every trip, and also try to vet any off-season firmware updates, and things of that nature, well in advance of a trip.

One area I personally always keep a close eye on is the condition of the strap. Losing your otherwise well maintained computer on a dive because of strap failure is a pretty depressing place to go while on that big trip you've waited all year for. I keep my computer bungeed to my wrist for a little extra security.

 

[the_shadow]

The only thing you, or your LDS basically, can do is to change the battery, make sure the o-ring of the battery compartment is in good shape, and make sure the outside is clean (no salt deposits on sensors etc). Your LDS won't be able to do anything if a sensor is off or something like that. The only parts of your gear that should be looked after on a regular basis are your tanks and regulator set (and BC inflator, depending on the brand and the quality). Wetsuits, drysuits, masks, computers, weight belts, they all will fail in the end because of wear and tear, but nothing that yearly servicing will prevent.