Button Pressure Gauge. Is it safe?

[Hou s4m]

Hi,

The other day i saw one diver using this button type gauge connected to the first stage with a pressure hose replacing the usual-sized gauge we normally use. I was wondering if its safe. I went to my LDS but they don't carry the item and advise me against it on grounds that its not safe, later offered me one of the singe gauge on sale. at that point i'm not sure if it was a technical advise or was it marketing.

I google it and found the application of these button gauges is "straight onto the first stage or for pony bottle system". The set up i saw looks kinda neat with this small gauge that can be tucked away in the BC when there's already an air integration to the dive com.

Breaver mini

this is about the size of the gauge. nice and clean.

 

[DevonDiver]

If working, it's safe. I've seen a few fail.. and I'm inclined to believe that they are more failure prone than 'proper' SPGs.

 

[The Chairman]

They are fine. I've seen one fail after they dropped the tank on it.

 

[Hou s4m]

Nice to know. I handle my gears carefully. If there's no real technical threat I'll be ordering one pretty soon.

 

[DevonDiver]

For the difference in cost, versus potential lifespan, I think they can be a false economy compared to a regular spg.

If it's a cost factor, do note that many SPGs are horrendously over-priced.

Novice divers may not be aware that most of these gauges come from the same factory (Thermo, in Italy). Scuba equipment companies then brand them with different face plates... purely cosmetic. However, that cosmetic branding can result in a 200% price difference between a generic gauge and a premium manufacturer gauge.

 

[redacted]

Nice to know. I handle my gears carefully. If there's no real technical threat I'll be ordering one pretty soon.

Order 2 or 3. You will save on shipping when they fail. They are bnot well sealed.

 

[The Chairman]

Nice to know. I handle my gears carefully.

They're great on a pony bottle. Compact and out of the way. I tried them on my Sidemount as a backup to wireless transmitters. I eventually took them off. I've yet to have any fail on me, and they had the snot knocked out of them from time to time.

 

[DevonDiver]

They are not well sealed.

Yeah, most of the failures I've seen were from leaks between the glass and the housing. Seen this 4 or 5 times so far.

I bought 3 once.. to trial them on pony or argon cylinders. All 3 had failed in under two years, with what I'd consider 'light' usage.

These failures aren't 'unsafe' per say. They will, however, ruin a dive/trip at some point. Assuming, of course, that you'd apply prudence and abort/cancel the dive when you notice your SPG is bubbling/flooded.

In contrast, I still have a 2.5" Scubapro heavyweight brass-and-glass gauge that's kicking ass after 20 years (they don't make them like that anymore...).

I mostly use smaller 1.5" plastic-faced gauges nowadays. They tend to last ~24-36 months on average... but that's diving full time and scraping around in wrecks, where my kit gets hammered hard. I consider them disposable.

 

[Bryan@Vintage Double Hose]

I bought 12 of them for an idea/project I considering doing but when I tested them against known accurate gauges the varience was far beyond acceptable and I returned them.

 

[northernone]

I agree they may be false economy, cheap and won't last decades. However I'm fond of them.
Destroyed two so far (tank sat on one and the bag drag claimed the second) neither resulted in gas loss, just stuck needles.
They are the only gauges I use. Got around 3000 hours bottom time (rough numbers) on them.

I plan my gas conservatively so I've not minded a potential -+ accuracy. Full is always full. Checked them at 1500psi against a shop gauge (perhaps accurate?) and between 1450-1550psi. At 300psi it can be 200-400psi. Still higher resolution than I plan.

Two tips, a mirror makes them easier to see at awkward angles (great for ccr bubbles checks too) and secondly a short chunk of soft hose to form a bezel helps protect the faces when I'm cave diving. Both tips learned on this forum, so thanks guys.

Regards,
Cameron
P.s. Did I mention they are harder to read maskless?