Sensors and electronics act up - any help appreciated

mattmexico

yo

I have a weird thing going on with my sensors, possibly electronics and was wondering if anyone had similar problems, issues or experiences. I am using APEKS 2 electronics.

1 - twice in the last days the starting screen of the primary handset had black streaks in it and showing weird random characters. The operation of the unit is not affected though. It was the first time this happend.

2 - on my secondary handset the cel number 3 is degrading over a period of 3 diving days from a healthy 11mv to 8.5mv then 8mv then 7.4mv, now it looks like 3mv. When taking out the cel # 3 and check with a volt meter it shows a healthy 11mv. A new sensor shows the same low mv. The primary handset shows 11 mv for cel # 3 as well. No water in battery housing, conectors, no water traces to be seen under electronics, cables seem to be in great condition. Bending the cables, even the exterior cables leading to the secondary handset do not show effect, as of possible cable break.

If I am not mistaken the cables from the sensors to the electronics carry the signal for primary and secondary handset sensor mv and Po2 display. In the main electronics the signal is then split up to feed the primary and secondary handset seperate. Am I having an electronic problem here .... or did the Gremlins finally moved in ?

greetings
Matt

__________________
N 20' 37.617'
W 87' 04.693'
www.andreaswmatthes.com

heyydude

Hey Matt,

Leon (to my knowledge) uses a similar LCD to the one we use, albeit with a third-party serial data converter. Any time you get weird characters or streaks means one thing: Water.

Same with degrading mV output - generally speaking, water can cause an increase in the resistance across the leads.

Everything you described in your post sends up red flags. DO NOT DIVE this unit - send it back to Leon to have it diagnosed and fixed/replaced.

In the HH (which is in your Optima) the proximity of the electronics to the LCD (they're bolted together) means that they'll usually die together. The Meg has the control electronics located in the Head with the Serial Data sent out via the cable (which carries the push-button info back to the electronic module) - that means that one can die before the other, or (worse) "start" to die.

You got a warning here, with the funky characters. This is corruption of the data stream - this can happen either in your wrist unit, or the Head.

Again, talk to Leon and get this looked at pronto.

Kevin Juergensen
Juergensen Marine, Inc.

mikedive

Hey Matt,

Just before I left from Playa I was diving Mayan Blue with Pietro and I had something similar.
Everything start with a low battery warning on my primary on the safety stop after the first dive and I decide try swap the batteries between primary and secondary for the second dive and the electronics got crazy with funny screens, the first was full of characters (all the letters and symbols I can remember was there), after that another showing like a security alert and start show many screens counting up like screen 3, screen 4..... if I remember was going up to 13 or 16. Each one of those screens counting up was showed with differente letter style from the others.
I called Steve at ISC asking for advice and before I send my unit back I replace batteries and......... just worked fine!!!!!!!
Try place 2 new batteries before you send your unit to ISC.
Cheers,

__________________
Michael Silva Netto - Rebreather Clube do Brasil
rebreathertraining@gmail.com

jradomski

Mike I agree weird characters COULD be low batteries, but STREAKS, blotches ect are a symptom of moisture in the LCD itself..

Matt,

Its my strong recommendation to take the Meg technician class, it will give you a better idea how the system is assembled and places to look for and correct some troubles.. I know the firts connection I would check if I was getting bad sensor readings on a single handset..

__________________
Joe Radomski
CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer
ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10

All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.

mattmexico

yo

Thank you gentlemen. I have changed batteries and sensors but still have the dragging sensor in the secondary handset. My thought about the streaks are water as well, as much as I do not like it.

Unit is not fit for diving and the head will go to ISC next week.

Thank you all for your time and response

greetings
Matt

__________________
N 20' 37.617'
W 87' 04.693'
www.andreaswmatthes.com

mattmexico

yo

I got the following mail from Steve Stolen, ISC - VP. Hope this helps anyone having similar problems....

Greetings
Matt

.......Back to the problem with the streak lines on the Primary display, did it
clear up after powering down, wait a minute or two, then power up again?
Sometimes there is a timing problem between the APECS electronics
computer and the computer in the display for its serial data. Wnenever
this gets out of sync during power-up, screwy graphics or sometimes no
data appear on the screen and won't go away until power cycled.

The minute wait is to allow the power supply capacitors to discharge far
enough to allow the processors to do a full cold start. If the wait time
is too short, then all that will happen is the processor returns to the
same state, not reset itself...........

__________________
N 20' 37.617'
W 87' 04.693'
www.andreaswmatthes.com

Genesis

Is it just me or does a system that doesn't know when its batteries are critically low and warns you before they get to the point where the system acts up sound kinda foolish to folks?

I have an intermittent issue on the K1 where the display won't come up on a cold start once in a while. I know where it is and its tough to solve (because its not in hardware I designed - its in the commercial serial converter I'm using) but its an all-or-nothing deal - if the display starts, then it starts - if not, then not - and its a prototype. I wouldn't accept that on a production unit and IMHO neither should anyone else!

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
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schford

*Thought Police* Keep it on topic please - once again you are going completely off topic - if you want to start a new topic start a new thread.

As an aside - the Meg displays battery voltage and checking it is part of the standard pre dive checks.

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Genesis

Stuart, two prior comments in this thread had to do with this problem being caused by both low batteries and the factory advising the OP that they consider it "normal" that the head and handset might get out of sync on powerup.

How is commenting on those two items "off-topic"?

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

dive2dive2000

YES IT IS IT IS OFF TOPIC BECAUSE MATT POSTED A PROBLEM HE IS HAVING AND ASKED Rebreather World MEMBERS IF THEY HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME OR SIMILIAR PROBLEMS AND ANY SUGGESTIONS ON CAUSE OR HOW TO FIX. INSTEAD OF ANSWERING THE QUESTION YOU POSTED AN ASSUMTION THAT HIS ELECTRONICS ARE OF SUB-STANDERED QUALITY, HOW FOOLISH YOU THINK HE AND EVERYONE ELSE IS AND HOW EVERYONE ELSE BUT YOU HAS SUB-STANDERDS. TELL ME KARL NOT COUNTING BENCH HOURS HOW MANY CCR IN WATER HOURS DO YOU HAVE, PLEASE GIVE BREAK DOWN ON WHICH UNITS AND DEPTHS? OH AND PLEASE IF I MAY BE SO BOLD TO ASK, "WHAT MAKES YOU SUCH A CCR ELECTRONICS AUTHORITARIAN?

Stuart, Matt and Rebreather World sorry for the hijack and rant. (please start a new thread Karl Denninger "The CCR Electronics Authoritarian")

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Safe Diving,
Martin

"but what's the fun of getting what you need, instead of what you want?"