!!!WARNING!!! Solenoid stuck open scenario.

Mephisto26

Meg goes crazy...

This story is to warn you guys in case something similar should happen to you.

I was on a cave dive here in Mexico, at a routin check I realize that the backlight on the primary handset istn't working...strange since there are brand new batteries inside. Anyway I check the voltage status and both, load and no load is above 7,0...even stranger...so I scroll fwd to the backlight options and there is written low bat...now that is really strange. In this moment I realized that on the main screen the ISC logo is gone...so I decide to turn the dive since I was about an hour away from the exit. On the way back I concentrated on the noise of the solenoid sice the batterie status wasn't really clear as explained above. After about 10min suddenly the injecting didn't stop...I turned off the o2 tank and vented gas since I was close to hit the ceiling...dil flush wasn't necessary due to the very shallow depth and the PO2 only got up to 1,4.
After I stabalized myself I checked again the prim Handset and suddenly the backlight went on and the Handset restarted like somebody switched the electronice off and back on. Everything seemed to work perfect again, but when I reopened the O2 the solenoid was still stuck open. And again the Handset restarted. In this Moment I decided that it was time to exit and so I controlled my PO2 with opening and closing the O2 tank valve.
About 5min away from the exit when I again opened the O2 tank suddenly there was no O2 flowing...so the solenoid wasn't stuck anymore but was working again, injecting when the PO2 droped under the SP. But the backlight of the handset was again not working allthough the system monitor showed that both load and noload voltage was still above 7,0. And again on the backlight options was written low bat.
So I exited the cave safely without having switched to bail out and also stress level and task loading wasn't that high so I took all reels out.

Back home I disassembled the unit and everything looked perfect, usual amount of moisture and dry battery comparments...

I restarted the unit and guess what, backlight is working and voltage is above 7,0...

Seems like AI haunted my electronics...Anyway, I will testdive the unit tmrw in the pool and if there is only as much as a twitching I'll send it to ISC...

In case that happens I would need some help...anyone of u guys comes soon to mexico??? I need to find a way to send it with somebody to the states and get it back later...any help would be very appreciated since it is kinda hard to send stuff from mexico and get it back here...

Hope my nightmare can help somebody out there...I will have to go through a long Meg less time and have to go through all the stress of sending the head to ISC...

Greetings from Playa del Carmen,
Patrick

michael

hi Patrick

Scary story.
I'm glad to hear you completed the dive and returned safely.
Please hold os posted with any new info in this matter.

Regards
Michael Bering

Decodiver

Patrick, forget the pool test, send it back to ISC and get it looked at, what version electronics is it?

What is the pool test going to tell you?

That it works ok?

You have more than adequate evidence to prove to yourself that your electronics should be Centralia bound.

Give Leon a call, he will want to know about this.

Cheers,

Dave Cooper.

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CCR900

Please send it back to the factory, these types of unexplained electronic problems never show up in controlled environments they wait until you are 1 hour in a cave to cause you problems.

Dive safe, glad you dealt with the problem safely.

Rgds

F

Bobmac

Hey Patrick,
I'm glad to hear that you're ok. I have to agree with everyone else, send your rig back to ISC. Whatever the problem is isn't going to go away.
Cheers and looking forward to diving with you.
Bob

Amarok

PM sent ref getting it out
KB

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Skipbreather

Hi Patrick-

First things first- thank Goodness you’re OK. Good job recognizing the problem & crafting a workable solution to get you out of the cave w/ an intact loop & O2 to spare. Sounds like your training served you well.

I agree 100% w/ the others- get you head back to ISC PRONTO. No one cares more about quality than Leon & company and they most surely won’t let the mystery go unsolved. Be CERTAIN to send the battery pack that was installed with head.

Reading some of the clues:

>There was a genuine low battery warning given by two sources (no backlight and text); however don’t know if both are triggered by same logic branch in code. Keep in mind system is designed to keep firing solenoid after backlight is commanded off.

>Solenoid was open but eventually closed w/o input from you. Consider that perhaps some bug caused a continuous ‘OPEN’ command to be generated. That would have resulted in a sustained load on battery much longer than intended as a continuous trigger current was sent to solenoid, thus causing a transient low voltage condition.

>New batteries were installed. Would have plenty of electrons to support holding a solenoid open if above was the case.

>Handset was essentially turned off then on again. Could be caused by any number of conditions, but if this was the first/ one of the first/ dives with new pack consider possibility of intermittent internal fault in one cell, or a poor wiring connection (solder or crimp).

Some questions:

>Was this the first dive w/ new batteries?

>What type cell are they (AA alkaline, C Lithium, 9 v alkaline, etc)?

Again, good job on recognizing the situation & getting out safely. Be sure to let us know what the problem turns out to be.

Ken

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UWSojourner

Patrick, glad you're ok. The kind of scenario none of us hope to face.

Please do send the rig to ISC.

I'd be interested in 1) depth where solenoid remained open, 2) setpoint, and 3) version of electronics.

Please let us know what you learn.

Amarok

Anyone heading down to Playa area first week of June?. I can bring Patricks unit out around May 18th and get it to Leon's but need someone to try to get it back to him??
KB

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Mephisto26

So to answer some of your questions:

#1) I didn't test dive the unit, went cave diving oc instead...sad but true. Will send the unit on the 18th with Amarok

#2) The software is Apecs 2.01k

#3) depth was around 13m or 43ft

#4) Was AA alkline Batteries.

#5) No, not first dive with new batteries.

#6) Sp was 1,0

Now a question of my own, is anyone of you coming down here in like june or smth??? Please let me know...thx.

Thx also for all your concerns, it made me change my mind about the test dive, it's just hard sometimes to face the reality...I guess I was just hoping...

Well I hope I will not go cold turkey all this time without my meg...

Greets,
Patrick