Computer dies, why can’t I continue to dive on tables?

[RTee]

Well said TSandM. I find the basic tools such as tables, watch, etc adequate as back-up diving accessories. The only back-up computer I bring on my diving trips is my faithful an HP laptop. It allows me to download the dive profiles from my diving computer, do effective dive planning, download pictures from my underwater camera etc.

 

[northen diver]

this thread sounds like a good argument against using computers altogether

I had been diving computers for about 8 years now and had never had a computer failure or been locked out. I find it hard to believe that I had been just lucky to never had a failure or locked out. I dont consider myself to be the sharpest pencil in the box, but I check my computer battery charge before ANY of my dive trips. Even the local trips to the quarries. I listen and monitor my computer through out my dives on a regular basis. If my computer is beeping on my acsent, I STOP and look at my computer to see what is going on. I do my pre-dive checks to include LOOKING at my computer setting before splashing into the water each time. I periodically re-read my current computer manual (even after owning it for 4 years) through out the year and before taking a big dive trip to to refimilairize myself with it. If I was to get locked out or my PDC quit's due to my negligance, I will take ownership in that, and sit out my 24 hours.

Computers had done nothing but made our lifes easier. I work on semi tractors, cars and transport refrigeration units and computers make the troubleshooting so much eaiser. They had increased the longtivity of the equipment with scheduled maintenance, proper fueling and cleaner emissions. I am by no means a computer genius and I struggle quite a lot on computers, but I'll take a computer any day over dive tables and ECM's over the old points and condensors in our automobiles. Believe me, if I can work a dive computer, just about anybody can, IF THEY WANT TO.

 

[Darnold9999]

What I did.

Diving on a liveaboard after 3 days and 15 dives at Lembeh.

Had a new computer, carrying my old computer strapped to my tank. Said new computer dies on the second day. First dive of the day. Go to the backup computer to find it has flooded some time in the past 6 dives. Reset the new computer by removing the batteries and continued to dive on the new computer, but not particularly relying on it other than as a depth guage and a rough guide re NDL. Used the computer between my ears to keep dives shallower than I would normally and no longer than I would normally on a liveaboard.

Third day the computer dies again on the second dive - almost pitched the damn thing over the side but then I wouldn't get my $ back. Rented a computer for the balance of the trip. Dove the rest of the day again - shallower than I normally would and not longer run times.

I have done a number of liveaboards diving 5 dives a day so am quite aware of how deep I can dive and how long I can be in the water before I run into the limits with respect to deco, nitrogen and O2 so felt quite comfortable just being even more conservative with my diving for a couple of days and going nowhere near any limits. Just stay shallow and normal or shorter dive times.

Would have been unimpressed if I had to sit out 2 full days of diving after spending many days travelling, significant money and arranged time away from work just to do exactly that.

According to the book - not - safe - in my view yes. For everyone - probably not. I think the key to doing this safely was that much of my diving is multi day liveaboard diving so knew that the diving I normally do does not take me close to limits anyway so keeping even more conservative depths was not that much of a risk.