Pressure gauge reliability

[CT-Rich]

After a lively debate about whether the SPG will be replaced by a Wireless Air Integrated computers, I am curious how many people have actually experienced failures of either type of gauge. Feel free to post your tales of terror, and keep in mind that this is not scientific and does not necessarily contradict your blind faith in your preferred technology.

 

[tbone1004]

seen gauges fail, but always noticed before the dive started, have used both, keep hoping WAI will be come cost effective and start to make sense but as of now it doesn't.

The important thing is to roughly calibrate your SPG's regularly. I keep a pressure checked with a big ass analog gauge for verifying that everything is behaving itself and check once a year.

 

[Bob DBF]

The only actual failure I've seen was another divers SPG face plate whizz past me over 40 years ago.

I have taken a couple of old ones out of service when the were not performing properly during testing. It wasn't off much, but I don't believe in mechanical devices magically getting better on their own. I had a couple of vintage gauges I picked up flood because their seals had deteriorated over the years, but they read pressure perfectly even when flooded, this was the only issue I've had underwater. Because I pick up used gear when the price is right, I'm not surprised the failure rate is higher than on what I see with gear I have purchased and maintained myself.

I still have my SPGs from the late '70's early '80's that still work perfectly for me today.

I have not had any AI experience, and believe that like everything else the failures are talked about way more than the successes. I don't use one because they are more expensive than my budget, and I probably have enough SPG's to last me as long as I continue diving. If I won the lottery, I'd probably pick one up and use it without an SPG as long as I was NDL diving.


Bob
-----------------------------------------
There is no problem that can't be solved with a liberal application of sex, tequila, money, duct tape, or high explosives, not necessarily in that order.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I assume you're aware of previous threads/polls on this:

http://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/poll-pressure-gauge-failure.278916/

See also:

http://www.scubaboard.com/community...ate-of-failure-a-spg-or-a-transmitter.407111/

http://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/spg-failure-frequency.188492/

http://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/anyone-here-sticking-with-analog-gauges.196515/

http://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/brass-spg-reliability.341050/

 

[Bennno]

I've had leaky 'hose to SPG' connections but I'm not sure I would consider it a SPG failure. You lose such a small amount of gas that I have yet to turn a dive because of it. So, technically that would be a failure but not really, right? So, what would you consider to be a failure?
I would say, I haven't had an actual failure.
IMHO, it would be more interesting to see how many people had 'real' SPG failures like stuck needles.

 

[2airishuman]

I've run the thought experiment of carrying two with manifolded doubles, one on each post. I'm a little surprised that's never done.

My experience with analog pressure gauges in other environments is that, eventually, they all start to stick.

 

[CT-Rich]

A stuck needle would qualify as a failure. That is why l included whether it cause you to turn a dive. Most failures. (I think are caught before getting in the water)

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

In 45 years or so of diving, I have never had an SPG fail. I have retired a few as they became rusted and old; but, never had one fail. I have never had AI or wireless fail either.

 

[PfcAJ]

I've run the thought experiment of carrying two with manifolded doubles, one on each post. I'm a little surprised that's never done.

It doesn't provide any benefit.

 

[tbone1004]

I've run the thought experiment of carrying two with manifolded doubles, one on each post. I'm a little surprised that's never done.

My experience with analog pressure gauges in other environments is that, eventually, they all start to stick.

unnecessary on doubles and can complicate things. Even in a cave, if a failure occurs, you just exit. You either have enough to get out or you don't, and you sure as hell aren't doing anything except getting out if you have a post failure.
The complicating bit that our good friend AJ didn't feel like explaining is this, and he'll yell at me for saying it because I'm not GUE trained but I don't care

GUE/DIR setups do not put a D-ring on the right hip. This is because the canister light goes there and serves double duty of retaining the long hose. If you put an SPG on the right post, you have to put it somewhere. You can't put it on the right hip because then you have to ensure that it isn't crossed with the primary hose for long hose donation and there's no more room on your right hip because of the canister. So you bring up right shoulder, which is another potential location for it, but again, you have to ensure that it isn't crossed with the primary, and then it can become a catch hazard if you are in low bedding planes and you can't stay far enough above the line. You could put a super long hose on there and run it over to your left hip, but then you have another SPG down there and no real way of verifying which one is which if they match.

When I dive I/D's I actually run them down and clip to the shoulder D-rings on rather short hoses, but that isn't compatible with their philosophy, and since they largely set the standards for backmount doubles diving configuration, you won't see double SPG's any time soon.

I have seen SPG's stick, but the weren't being taken care of and had salt water at some point get into the bourdon tube because someone was careless with rinsing. The failures that you see all the time are those two itty bitty o-rings on the spools, and those leak all the time. Putting a second SPG on when you don't have to is just asking for trouble.