which computers have user replaceable batteries ?

[billster]

My Sherwood Wisdom has user-replaceable batteries. It's CR2450 available at Radio Shack, and takes only a couple minutes and a coin to replace.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

All the Pelagic hockey puck computers by whatever name or company all have user replaceable lithium watch batteries that are commonly available at Wal-mart.

I also own a Sherwood Wisdom and agree the battery is widely available and easy to replace. Once you unsrew the cover you just drop out the old one and drop in a new one. If you do it within 8 seconds (which is easy to do) you won't even lose the nitrogen and 02 calculations and can keep right on diving even if you have to replace it in the middle of a live aboard trip.

The battery is also good for a full season of diving by most standards and will probably go 100 plus dives before you have to spend $3.50 on a replacement.

In contrast, Uwatec uses a factory replaceable battery. Battery replacement and recalibration has a dealer cost of around $250 and a suggested retail cost of $550 for their Smart and Air Z series computers. Granted you can get 500 to 1000 dives out of a battery depending on the dive profiles and how much you use the backlight, but it is still very serious money when a replacement is needed. I forsee some very nasty surprises for people who buy the Uwatec computers that will start showing up on E-bay in a few years.

 

[firedogut]

Uwatec uses a factory replaceable battery. Battery replacement and recalibration has a dealer cost of around $250 and a suggested retail cost of $550 for their Smart and Air Z series computers. Granted you can get 500 to 1000 dives out of a battery depending on the dive profiles and how much you use the backlight, but it is still very serious money when a replacement is needed. I forsee some very nasty surprises for people who buy the Uwatec computers that will start showing up on E-bay in a few years.

Uwatec now offers life time battery replacement. When the battery says 0% (there still a reserve left) you send it off to uwatec and they will replace the battery and recalibrate the computer at no cost. you just have to pay the 5 bucks to ship to them. they pay for the return shipping to you.

plus a long battery life

"Based on an average dive time of 60 minutes and a surface interval of 20 hours after every dive the following battery life can be expected :
Number of Dives Per--- Year Dive Computer (years)
50--- 10
100--- 8
150---6
300--- 4"

 

[H2Andy]

Sherwood Logic has user replaceable batteries.

I have one & its a fairly good computer.

i have one too. i love it. very simple and no nasty beeps.

and it's great to go to Radio Shack and get the batteries for under three bucks.

 

[abowie]

My VR3 will run on any alkaline, rechargable or Li battery that provides between 1.2 and 3.6v and it is pretty easy to replace.

 

[ScubaWim]

The Suunto Mosquito also has selfreplacable battery.

 

[jonnythan]

I have an Aeris Savant.. battery is easy to replace, but kinda expensive... unless you know of a place with a lot of old Macintoshes sitting around

 

[Mark Vlahos]

I dive a Cochran Gemini, with dual battery compartments in the tank unit so you have an installed backup set while you are diving. Each of these sets consists of 2 user replacable "AA" batteries (total of 4 "AA" batteries). When purchased new Cochran includes batteries in the unit plus an additional replacement set with O-Rings. The wrist unit is powered by 2 "N" size batteries, again a spare set with O-Ring is included with your purchase. Cochran recomends alkaline batteries for the tank unit but says it will work on almost all types of AA batteries... rechargable, lithium, nicad, etc... Cochran recomends only alkaline for the wrist unit. They also indicate that both the tank unit and the wrist unit will operate for 1000 diving hours or more on a set of batteries. It is also completely OK to replace batteries in the middle of an extended diving vacation if you follow the directions in the owners manual (really easy and straight forward), you will not loose your current nitrogen loading or oxygen toxicity information.

One catch is that Cochran indicates that you should leave the batteries in the unit at all times even for extended storage, the unit never actually turns itself completely off, it is always monitoring altitude. I choose to check the batteries before an extended trip and replace them then if needed. The batteries are inexpensive and really simple to replace, this is not rocket science.

Whatever computer you have if it has user replacable batteries you should have one set with you in your save a dive kit.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Aeolus]

I have an Oceanic Data Pro Plus and the battery can be changed easily, but it does take a tiny phillips screwdriver. The battery is a bit expensive, but I have found that one will last about two years. The only problem is that there is not any indication of how much life is left in it.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Likewise a battery replacement on a Suunto Stinger is a seriously overpriced $120-$150.

The retail price for a Stinger battery change is $60. If you are paying $120-150 for a stinger battery change, you are getting ripped off. However, Suunto recommends a 2yr or 200 dive service, which is OPTIONAL that involves cleaning the battery compartment, changing the orings and testing it. This service (combined with a battery change) would retail for $100-120.
Just wanted to clarify that...

I have had my Stinger for a few years now, and I own a vyper. I love them both, but I do wish the stinger was user replaceable.