Suunto Novo Pro - battery change

[Alan Browne]

Last year, diving Roatan, a fellow Quebecer lent me his backup computer for the duration. Also lent me his wicked powerful flashlight on a night dive that he didn't attend. On return I sent him a couple 18650's and charger as he was challenged to keep his battery charged. I digress.

About a month ago I wrote to him and asked if he'd sell me his backup (see post title) and to my delight, he agreed.

Playing with it (aka learning) it kept saying "Battery OK". I didn't find the battery voltage level (at that time).

I decided to replace it. The local dive shop said, over the phone, sure, $20 (Canadian) for the battery, O-ring and new screws. "Great" I said, put one asside for me please.

Then they went on about them doing the service with a sealing test and pressure check and depth gauge verification - for more bucks of course (all tolled, another $35 or more). I checked out a video on how to do it and it looked fairly straight forward.

So I declined the additional service.

I picked up the kit yesterday, and again got the pitch over the testing, and declined again.

Without any rush it took about 10 minutes to do. And I mean I really took my time. I cleaned the cover with alcohol and filtered water too. After 5 minutes, the seal seemed to have "settled" so I got in another almost quarter turn. Not sure if that was necessary. Probably not. (And in setting up the computer I then found the battery voltage indicator... wish Suunto would display that along with the "OK" message).

Anyone else do this?

It occurs to me that I might be able to jury rig a test using a compressor and box with a plexiglass cover. Should easily be able to get it to 2 bar over sea level. But of course I don't have a calibrated reference so that would be pretty useless. (Comparing it to a console would just be the Chinese watch problem).

 

[tridacna]

Zoops are no problem. 10 minutes is about right. D4i and D6i computers are trickier.

BTW you don’t need new screws. (Gotta justify $20 for a $2 battery and 10c o-ring, I suppose).

 

[Zef]

For those attempting the battery change on the Zoop and Vyper Novo computers, I have heard the 3 screws holding the cover on the back are easily stripped...recommend using a good quality, snug fitting T-6 torx driver for them.

-Z

 

[BoltSnap]

It occurs to me that I might be able to jury rig a test using a compressor and box with a plexiglass cover. Should easily be able to get it to 2 bar over sea level. But of course I don't have a calibrated reference so that would be pretty useless. (Comparing it to a console would just be the Chinese watch problem).

If you are going to pressure test the computer, it has to be done with the dive computer submerged in water otherwise you may damage the pressure sensor.

 

[Alan Browne]

If you are going to pressure test the computer, it has to be done with the dive computer submerged in water otherwise you may damage the pressure sensor.

Not sure why that would be so, but IAC was thinking that I'd have water in the tank and I'd pressurize it with air.

(This is all very theoretical as I'm too lazy to go to that much effort esp. if I don't have an accurate reference.)

 

[Alan Browne]

For those attempting the battery change on the Zoop and Vyper Novo computers, I have heard the 3 screws holding the cover on the back are easily stripped...recommend using a good quality, snug fitting T-6 torx driver for them.

-Z

Got the torx, no issue. What I don't have is a small torque wrench - or for that matter the correct torque setting.

 

[Alan Browne]

Zoops are no problem. 10 minutes is about right. D4i and D6i computers are trickier.

BTW you don’t need new screws. (Gotta justify $20 for a $2 battery and 10c o-ring, I suppose).

Indeed. Canadian dollars mind you. Really the only part that's important is the O-ring. That battery I can get from an electronics shop near work.

 

[BoltSnap]

Not sure why that would be so, but IAC was thinking that I'd have water in the tank and I'd pressurize it with air.

(This is all very theoretical as I'm too lazy to go to that much effort esp. if I don't have an accurate reference.)

If you don't know what you are doing and why, don't do it.

Air molecules are much smaller than water molecules and will find their way into the computer when the dive computer is pressurized in air.

 

[Alan Browne]

If you don't know what you are doing and why, don't do it.

Air molecules are much smaller than water molecules and will find their way into the computer when the dive computer is pressurized in air.

As I said, I was going to put water in the tank in any case.

The real missing link is a test standard. W/o that, the whole thing is pointless.

So when I'm diving I'll compare it to several other consoles/computers and see what's what.

 

[tridacna]

Remember that Dive Computers are designed to withstand water pressure from the outside. The water exerts an even force on the case and o-ring. This is what seals the unit.

If you pressurize a DC in air and there is a leak, you will be increasing the amount of air and pressure inside the computer. If you depressurize it quickly, the only thing keeping the case together are the tabs, screws or thread. This rapid decrease in pressure can cause a catastrophic mini-explosion when the air is released.

I test by pressurizing inside a pot, then lowering into water, decreasing the pressure slowly and watching to see any small bubbles.