what to get checked on a used computer

[duoderf]

My dad just bought a used computer off ebay, got a fairly decent deal, anyway he brought it to a local dive shop and when my dad asked them to check/service it the guy pops it out of the console and imediatly says that the battery was changed 2 months ago and it's good, then doesn't want to do anything else. My father finally talks him into pressure testing it for depth acuracy.

Is there anything else to look for?

 

[Bob Vincent]

Did he get a owners manual? It should have a self test that confirms if everything is ducky. Pressure testing it? Do they have a bench pressure chamber? Do they repair the brand your father has? (authorized)

If he wants it as if it was new, I'd send it back to the factory to be checked. They'll make sure its working to parameters and replace the battery. Then he'll be more at ease.

 

[BidAndDive.com]

I agree with Bob Vincent. I wouldn't take the chance and do a dive without it being checked by the factory.

 

[SNorman]

I bought a used computer and just did a smoke check by turning it on and going through all the menus. Then I took it diving and verified it was reading correctly compared to a buddy's computer. I'll leave it as-is until it doesn't work right then I'll send it in for service.

 

[Charlie99]

I agree with Bob Vincent. I wouldn't take the chance and do a dive without it being checked by the factory.

With a used computer, I wouldn't bother doing more than comparing depths with my buddy -- both at about 10' and at something considerably deeper, and checking to make sure that it is keeping time correctly. And then, as always when using any sort of computer, I compare its calculations to my crude mental deco tracking to catch any sort of gross errors.

You are less likely to have any sort of undetected software or deco algorithm problems with a used computer than you are with a brand new computer that is a newly released model.

If the depth and time are correct, then the computer will generate the same results for deco calculations that it alway has. An error in reading the depth is the key thing to watch out for.