Rebreather World - View Single Post - Optima/Hammerhead Primary Handset Failure During Dive?

SCUBAbear · 18th March 2008, 01:29

Please don't take this as jumping to conclusions, but is this possibly what may have lead to Mike's problem on Saturday near Pompano?

Having worked in broadcast electronics over the years, I have truly come to not trust molex style connectors. After many missed top of the hour news casts on a radio network, All molex connectors in the cart playback machines were eliminated. Misfired newscasts went to near zero after that modification.

I had 3 failures with my oxy 2 last year and every time it was due to the 3 pin molex connector that connects the 2 o2 sensors to the circuit board. After the 3rd failure, the female molex connector got cut off and the leads soldered directly to the pins on the O2 sensors. Haven't had a problem of that nature since. It is scary to think what all in the world relies on this style of interconnection.

Electronic connections in the type of gear we are using is further troubled by the moist / salty environment we use it in.

18th March 2008, 01:29	#18 (permalink)
SCUBAbear New Member Current Rebreather/s: Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ne Florida Posts: 3	Re: Optima/Hammerhead Primary Handset Failure During Dive? Please don't take this as jumping to conclusions, but is this possibly what may have lead to Mike's problem on Saturday near Pompano? Having worked in broadcast electronics over the years, I have truly come to not trust molex style connectors. After many missed top of the hour news casts on a radio network, All molex connectors in the cart playback machines were eliminated. Misfired newscasts went to near zero after that modification. I had 3 failures with my oxy 2 last year and every time it was due to the 3 pin molex connector that connects the 2 o2 sensors to the circuit board. After the 3rd failure, the female molex connector got cut off and the leads soldered directly to the pins on the O2 sensors. Haven't had a problem of that nature since. It is scary to think what all in the world relies on this style of interconnection. Electronic connections in the type of gear we are using is further troubled by the moist / salty environment we use it in.
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