Figured out the Suunto Vyper Air issue my LDS talked about...

[sshrum]

I had posted that a LDS had informed me that the Vyper Air had a problem that would cause it to go into Gauge Mode from Air mode mid dive and would not let you go back into Air mode.

No one here nor Suunto's support knew anything about it.

I just ran into it but this should never normally happen.

We were doing our first pool dives and my watch was on channel 20 (remember this). We were doing our out of air exercises. My instructor closed my tank valve and I depleted the pressure in the lines. At this point the watch reports FAIL. After re pressurizing the lines, the watch continued to read FAIL. I think I know why:

The transmitter is turned on by pressure, off in the absence of it. When the instructor killed my air and the pressure was released, the transmitter turned off. When she reopened the tank, the transmitter changed channels as I was able to (after the dive) reconnect to it but it was on channel 2.

Normally, I don't think most ppl will allow their tanks to go that low to have it reset on them mid-dive. However, this is an issue in that the transmitter is switching channels. It should stay the same, IMO.

I guess it's just Suunto's way of allowing you to change the transmit channel.

JMTC

 

[Nitro91]

so do you just change the channel back to 20 to fix it?

 

[sshrum]

There is no way to "set" a channel on the watch; just clear it. From what I can tell, the transmitter will select a random channel when it is pressurized/turned on. Just need to make sure you clear the old channel and re-pair with the transmitter after changing tanks (or losing/regaining enough pressure) and such, I suppose.

 

[smorneau]

My SPG does not have that problem!

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

 

[Eville]

The issue of the channels changing actually comes from the tank being turned on too quickly. The sudden blast of high pressure air will make the transmitter change channels. I had this happen to me on the surface one time. I had a good pressure reading when I setting up my kit on the boat ride out. Once we got to the dive site, I turned everything on again and I couldn't get a pressure reading. I had to repair the computer to the transmitter. I talked to my LDS about it and they said they had been sent a memo from Suunto noting they were aware of this issue.

 

[Hatul]

It's a good idea to get a small backup SPG on the second HP port of your reg clipped to a D ring for glitches like this. Then you can continue your dive.

It's also handy when setting up to check your pressure as at this point I'm not wearing the wrist unit.

Adam

 

[MRTdiver]

Perhaps this may help since I have a Vyper Air and used to deal with air integration. This is what I surmise happened...

In your case when the valve was shut off and you breathed out the remaining air and the transmitter lost all pressure. After a minute the computer will read "FAIL." So the computer & transmitter need to be "paired," again. To do that re-pressurize the system, but the computer & transmitter need to be in close proximity to receive wireless data. So I would reach my computer wrist back toward the first stage where the transmitter is mounted so they could "pair" again. Once they established a reconnect I was gtg. I think the code may change on re-connect, not sure.

Myself... now I don't use the transmitter and the old brass & glass SPG is great. No issues. Never have to change a transmitter battery, never have to wonder if the pressure reading is correct. Never worry about dropped reception signals.

My SPG does not have that problem!

 

[Hatul]

Perhaps this may help since I have a Vyper Air and used to deal with air integration. This is what I surmise happened...

In your case when the valve was shut off and you breathed out the remaining air and the transmitter lost all pressure. After a minute the computer will read "FAIL." So the computer & transmitter need to be "paired," again. To do that re-pressurize the system, but the computer & transmitter need to be in close proximity to receive wireless data. So I would reach my computer wrist back toward the first stage where the transmitter is mounted so they could "pair" again. Once they established a reconnect I was gtg. I think the code may change on re-connect, not sure.

Myself... now I don't use the transmitter and the old brass & glass SPG is great. No issues. Never have to change a transmitter battery, never have to wonder if the pressure reading is correct. Never worry about dropped reception signals.

Since I got my AI Galileo Sol I would not go back to the old system. I think it's safer to have the tank pressure and computer display in one place and I get the benefit of having the computer work out my remaining bottom time (Air Time in the Vyper Air). And as I mentioned above the reliability issues can be dealt with by adding a small SPG on the second port.

Adam

 

[NCadiver]

IF you read the manual maybe you will understand your dive computer.

 

[sshrum]

@ Ncadiver: Before I even bought the comp, I read the online manual, posted ?s here about it, asked 4 different LDSs, even called Suunto support on this very issue and no one had an answer so due diligence was taken. There is nothing in the manual that indicates that the channel that the transmitter selects can be reset by an abrupt pressure introduction which is what seems to be occurring (I'll play with this some more once I get my tanks back). All I could find that is remotely in line to this was: "Slowly open the cylinder valve fully and pressurize the regulator. The transmitter starts transmitting when the pressure exceeds 15 bar/218 psi."

But feel free to prove me wrong: http://www.opensea.ru/_data/documents/0000447/Instr_Suunto_Vyper_Air_eng.pdf

As I indicated above, this is not really a normal situation and won't warrant discussion in the manual...but it happens. So far, the transmitter has stayed on the same channel as I don't blast open my tanks.