[Dave Crampton]

Thought I'd start a list of questions and answers, for the Classic KISS as I have just got one and not yet having done the course wondered about a few things.

I turned on the two cylinders and then turned on the displays. The first and second displays were very similar and showing correct O2 percentages but found the third display showing -0.001. Does anyone know what causes this?

I put in new cells on Sunday. as well as new batteries. The back lights work fine. I dived it on Sunday with Digger for an hour and everything was great. I've had the unit stood up, since then so no water should have got into any of the cells.

Thanks

Dave C

[Dutchy]

I forgot which one is which but you can check it easily...
So either you have a shortcircuit or no connection at all.

Remove one of the cells for a display that does work and when the indication matches you'll have the open connection situation. If that is the case you may have oxidized contacts. or or broken wire. (Either the long lead or the connection within the electronics housing)

If it doesn't match you have a short circuit....

[prharris]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Dave Crampton)

Thought I'd start a list of questions and answers, for the Classic KISS as I have just got one and not yet having done the course wondered about a few things.

I turned on the two cylinders and then turned on the displays. The first and second displays were very similar and showing correct O2 percentages but found the third display showing -0.001. Does anyone know what causes this?

I put in new cells on Sunday. as well as new batteries. The back lights work fine. I dived it on Sunday with Digger for an hour and everything was great. I've had the unit stood up, since then so no water should have got into any of the cells.

Thanks

Dave C

It can be a bit of damp in the housing or a poor cell connection.
To avoid the former, some people suggest taking the adjuster plug out and presurising the loop to blow dry air through.
I've not done this myself and all my solder joints are still shiney, suggesting that the moist ambient air does not find its way into the handsets.

However it does not take a lot of (salt) moisture to ruin a handset, therefore you need to be anal about preventing it. In the video, when Gordon says "tighten with 2 fingers just enough to nip it up" or similar, that's what he means.
Don't tighten the plugs with the force required to undo them as the o-ring and lubricant 'set' so it's always harder to undo that when you did it up.

Try to isolate the problem by swapping cells and displays. If it is the board, then it's a bit hard to repair, but you have nothing to lose by soaking it in freshwater and using a hairdrier.

hth
Paul

[Dave Crampton]

Thanks for the help guys,

Off line Digger said when he placed the new cells in the holes on Saturday evening the third one was harder to connect to the connector and suggested it may have come off during the drive home. My car is at the garage with my tools in (should get it back today) so I'll take off the cover and kidney and check the connectors.

I need to also remove the scrubber to let any moisture in the bottom dry out so I'll do that at the same time.

Q) When filling O2 cylinders at a shop as their used exclusively for O2 and nothing else, do shops/filling stations, then still require O2 cleaning every year or is it at the shops discretion? I think this sounds like a numpty question but had to ask. The cylinder ai got with the KISS were tested for me prior to me buying it but the O2 clean stickers date from 2002. I've been offered O2 locally by another Rebreather diver so may take them up on their kind offer occasionally and get get DIL fils from my local club compressor.

Thanks again,

Dave C

[Ben Field]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Dave Crampton)

Q) When filling O2 cylinders at a shop as their used exclusively for O2 and nothing else, do shops/filling stations, then still require O2 cleaning every year or is it at the shops discretion? I think this sounds like a numpty question but had to ask.

If a shop fills a tank without the sticker I'd be more worried about the shop than the tank!

Best to get them cleaned and keep your buttery fingers off the threads of the valve and 1st stage, I've only seen pictures but an O2 fire seems way too scary to not spend a few minutes being careful and a few quid on the tank cleaning/sticker.

Medical science is great but having all your skin burnt off and death are two minor elements they haven't got a solution too yet.

[JohnDuncan]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Dave Crampton)

The first and second displays were very similar and showing correct O2 percentages but found the third display showing -0.001. Does anyone know what causes this?

If a display shows a minus reading then the connecter is on back-to-front (shouldnt be possible) or wired wrong. thats what happened to mine when I replaced the wiring and the displays went back to normal when I rewired them

[Dutchy]

Quote: (Originally Posted by JohnDuncan)

If a display shows a minus reading then the connecter is on back-to-front (shouldnt be possible) or wired wrong. thats what happened to mine when I replaced the wiring and the displays went back to normal when I rewired them

On my SK it's just as easy to have the - as the intended fashion. There's no mechanical restriction. In fact it's how I changed my cells. Try one, reverse one. Try another one. OK, try last one, reverse one more. Anyways with a value that close to zero I wouldn't put my faith in reversing a cell....Calibration is likely to do the same....

[rdmmdr]

you have to have a annual vis any way so don't worry about the o2 cleaning. my first home built resulted in a spectacular fire (IE the drive way burning) . so follow this piece of advice put me on your insurance policy then handle our valves and first stages after a bucket of kfc.

[Dave Crampton]

Hi again,

As one if the display was not displaying anything like the true value (~ -0.01) I thought one of the connectors may have come off during the drive home. I looked at the three conectors and they were all on secure, as there is a type of retaining clip/bulb on the connectors. I tried mking sure all connectors were home. No change. As one of the displays was showing the O/C reading I tried swapping the connectors over for a sanity check. Bingo the Display on the third cell came to life. Swapping back, resulted in the same fault - (~ -0.01) hmm Swapping all three worked. Swaping back didn't. Then I knoticed that one of the wires on Conn 3 was loose. No problem, new crimp. So:

One of the connectors (crimped -third cell) has come away from the wires. I know they're easy to get hold of in the UK, but after a quick look on RSwww.com I found Molex but not the type, from hundreds ofresults in the search. I know there are a few sizes. Can anyone tell me the name, and size of the crimp used to attach to the cells? I'll then be able to get a crimping tool and crimps to replace the loose crimp and have spares if needed. There is a Maplin's in Cambrridge, so a ref to the name on their site wouldbe usefull.

Also has anybody tried soldering the connectors? I thought of tinning the wires and then criming to the tinned wires. Has anybody done this before? Is it advisable or not?

Cheers,

Dave C

[RobPot]

The crimp connector is a Molex 08-56-0110.
Have a look at Bruce's faqs for the Shearwater for more info.

Cheers

Robert