Life expectancy of dive computers?

[Scuba Lawyer]

Thanks, I found out a little about the ML and you are correct about the US Navy tables and the multilevel capability. How does it do on repetitive dives?

Never really thought about it. I used it for years on liveaboards doing 4 or 5 dives a day. Only went into deco a few times and that usually cleared by the time I got to 10'. I usually stayed above 100' and dove deep to shallow with the majority of my dive in 50' or less. I used my ML side by side with my Galileo the other day and the Galileo gave me a higher nitrogen loading than the ML for the same dive. The ML has been a great little computer for me. Takes two watch batteries that last for more than a year and are user replaceable.

 

[scubadada]

Never really thought about it. I used it for years on liveaboards doing 4 or 5 dives a day. Only went into deco a few times and that usually cleared by the time I got to 10'. I usually stayed above 100' and dove deep to shallow with the majority of my dive in 50' or less. I used my ML side by side with my Galileo the other day and the Galileo gave me a higher nitrogen loading than the ML for the same dive. The ML has been a great little computer for me. Takes two watch batteries that last for more than a year and are user replaceable.

The Navy tables used the 120 minute compartment for repetitive dive group designation. I was wondering if the ML did too, and was more conservative for repetitive dives than contemporary computers. The PADI RDP and DSAT were developed using the 60 min compartment and resulted in less conservative repetitive dives.

Thanks for sharing your ML with us

 

[Diver below 83]

Anyway to add a poll to this thread. Would be interesting to see what the average life of users computers were.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I still have a couple of Suunto Solutions which date from 1992-3; and they're still functional; still used for backup . . .

I have one also that I got used--put in a battery and it works fine. The trouble is I can't find a manual, only the manuals for the Nitrox and the Alpha. I have a helluva time accessing the dive logs. The first one is easy enough...

 

[Kimela]

I've got a small but growing collection of classic dive computers. I use them to present to elementary school children annually. If you're willing to part with any of those oldies but goodies, please consider sending them my way .

What I'd REALLY like to do is plan a visit to the Keys and hand deliver it someday. I'll let you know if it's in the cards anytime soon.

 

[100days-a-year]

I've got a small but growing collection of classic dive computers. I use them to present to elementary school children annually. If you're willing to part with any of those oldies but goodies, please consider sending them my way .

I buy all I can, I use them exclusively for anything not trimix. I hope to have a lifetime supply.

 

[Michael Jastrzebski]

In 1992-4 I purchased my first dive computer - a Sherwood, it was right before my first liveaboard trip, something told me to perform some basic test - like submerging it in my neighbor's swimming pool. The pool was 6' deep and it barely registered a dive. But when I pulled it out the display was stuck, frozen, the computer was clearly defective (pressure sensor?). It was barely enough time to arrange to get a replacement before my trip. The new one has been working fine till today, except I just retired it - it isn't Nitrox capable.

 

[Gregory Baynton]

I've had my trusty Suunto Stinger since 2006 and the only trouble I have ever had was last week when it decided to lock out on me after I mistakenly set it to Freedive mode after a Nitrox dive instead of setting it back to Air mode!

What it meant was that I dived on air to 30m for 43 minutes in Freedive mode and the Stinger must have thought I was dead so locked me out. (I wondered why it didn't offer me a safety stop on teh way up!)

Now the manual doesn't mention the computer going into lockdown mode at all, so after a couple of days of ‘No Fly’ and being unable to set the EAN / AIR profile I was just about to go to the dive shop - and no doubt be charged an arm and a leg.

Lo and behold! As the 48 hr period after my dive, the Stinger finally forgave me and reset itself.

So back to normal, but teh real point of this post is that why has no-one else had this issue before and posted about it? And why doesn't Suunto tell you about lockdown in its manual?

Yes this happened to me today before the dive like last night everything worked ok but mid way through the dive I realised I was in free and now I am locked out of EAN/AIR and the no fly symbol is up and the dive alarm tiny little symbol is also up so guess I will have to wait and see how it goes after 48hrs or so, surely there must be a reset proceedure!!!!

 

[BlueTrin]

I've had my trusty Suunto Stinger since 2006 and the only trouble I have ever had was last week when it decided to lock out on me after I mistakenly set it to Freedive mode after a Nitrox dive instead of setting it back to Air mode!

What it meant was that I dived on air to 30m for 43 minutes in Freedive mode and the Stinger must have thought I was dead so locked me out. (I wondered why it didn't offer me a safety stop on teh way up!)

Now the manual doesn't mention the computer going into lockdown mode at all, so after a couple of days of ‘No Fly’ and being unable to set the EAN / AIR profile I was just about to go to the dive shop - and no doubt be charged an arm and a leg.

Lo and behold! As the 48 hr period after my dive, the Stinger finally forgave me and reset itself.

So back to normal, but teh real point of this post is that why has no-one else had this issue before and posted about it? And why doesn't Suunto tell you about lockdown in its manual?

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

My old Pelagic pucks are at least 25 years old and all three still work fine.....but no Nitrox option..