Ed Palma
Contributor
How crazy do you guys find this idea: my depth gauge got busted and I kept getting the same replies from the LDSs I went to... meaning you can't repair depth gauges (in general). Since my gauge was now considered dead, i thought i'd do a little autopsy on it. I opened it up, and sure enough, the pressure element was totally corroded through. Examining its anatomy, it made me realize how remarkably similar their internals are with regular water pressure gauges (okay, they ARE the same!). I came to 2 conclusions:
1. some gauges CAN be repaired if their only problem was a blockage of the pressure sensor. I've seen some really crusty depth gauges. People tend to forget that the sensor can be partially hidden by the console, so they don't get to rinse it out. If they took their gauges out once in a while and gave it a good soak in some cleaning solution (ie vinegar), and in some extreme cases, drill out the debris (carefully) to allow the passage of water into the sensor.
2. in cases (like mine) where the corrosion extended to the pressure element, I made the mistake of trying to graft the pressure element of a gauge into the rest of the depth gauge I had. I tested it by placing a syringe into the pressure sensor and it detected pressure changes! unfortunately when i tested it out in a (15ft) pool, it wasn't sensitive enough to detect that. So then I thought why not just use a regular water pressure gauge (rated to 80 to 100 PSI), retrofit it with a lot of silicone sealant to make it water proof, and just use that? Therefore, my next attempt will be to retrofit a regular gauge for diving.
As to knowing the depth from the reading, the gauges I got (USG gauges) have readings both in PSI and kg/cm2. since 1 kg/cm2 is for all intents and purposes almost 1 ATM, and a ten meter change in depth is about a 1 ATM change, then using the kg/cm2 gauge is like having a depth gauge in meters!
I know, I know. Why don't I just get a regular REAL depth gauge. The answer is "yes I will get a depth gauge and a computer even", but this is still more fun!
I'll let you know how it turns out.
1. some gauges CAN be repaired if their only problem was a blockage of the pressure sensor. I've seen some really crusty depth gauges. People tend to forget that the sensor can be partially hidden by the console, so they don't get to rinse it out. If they took their gauges out once in a while and gave it a good soak in some cleaning solution (ie vinegar), and in some extreme cases, drill out the debris (carefully) to allow the passage of water into the sensor.
2. in cases (like mine) where the corrosion extended to the pressure element, I made the mistake of trying to graft the pressure element of a gauge into the rest of the depth gauge I had. I tested it by placing a syringe into the pressure sensor and it detected pressure changes! unfortunately when i tested it out in a (15ft) pool, it wasn't sensitive enough to detect that. So then I thought why not just use a regular water pressure gauge (rated to 80 to 100 PSI), retrofit it with a lot of silicone sealant to make it water proof, and just use that? Therefore, my next attempt will be to retrofit a regular gauge for diving.
As to knowing the depth from the reading, the gauges I got (USG gauges) have readings both in PSI and kg/cm2. since 1 kg/cm2 is for all intents and purposes almost 1 ATM, and a ten meter change in depth is about a 1 ATM change, then using the kg/cm2 gauge is like having a depth gauge in meters!
I know, I know. Why don't I just get a regular REAL depth gauge. The answer is "yes I will get a depth gauge and a computer even", but this is still more fun!
I'll let you know how it turns out.
