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

Drmike · 6th May 2008, 10:36

Quote: (Originally Posted by SCUBAbear)

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.

crudded up molex certainly can corrupt the cell output signal. Ive seen this on my old inspiration and on Prism connectors. Ive seen cell outputs drop quite uniformaly (not to zero as Joe suggests) but enough of a drop to display say 1.0 when actual loop ppo2 is 1,3. Same can happen on othe connectors too its just a lot easier to whip crud off jack plug type (whicH are oodles better IMHO properly potted and unlike molex waterproof

6th May 2008, 10:36	#25 (permalink)
Drmike RBW Member Current Rebreather/s: MK 15.X Ouroboros Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Home Build Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 3,378	Re: Optima/Hammerhead Primary Handset Failure During Dive? Quote: (Originally Posted by SCUBAbear) 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. crudded up molex certainly can corrupt the cell output signal. Ive seen this on my old inspiration and on Prism connectors. Ive seen cell outputs drop quite uniformaly (not to zero as Joe suggests) but enough of a drop to display say 1.0 when actual loop ppo2 is 1,3. Same can happen on othe connectors too its just a lot easier to whip crud off jack plug type (whicH are oodles better IMHO properly potted and unlike molex waterproof __________________ Cave diving is a sport Wreck diving is a sport Diving in general is a sport 'Rebreather diving' is not a sport its the delusional obsession with a highly dangerous and often inappropriate piece of equipment
(Offline)