VR3 Spectrum C4 failure

Pawel Szopinski · 31st May 2008, 21:22

This is the very first time I have experienced problems with my VR3. During the last 2 months the computer was absolutely spot on and became an invaluable tool since I have gone closed-circuit.

However, today's shallow dive in a quarry has risen a number of concerns over its stability and robustness.

I was clocking something in the region of 55 minutes and coming back to the surface from a dive to just about 22m when the VR3 decided to restart itself. It was pretty much looking like the battery lost contact as it showed the logo and asked to set the date etc.

I obviously lost all the dive and deco info which made me realise how important it is to have a backup computer or at least a gauge with a timer and tables or dive plan on the slates.

I normally write down the entire plan on the slates, but in the past I have dived few times just on the computer as most of us have done it and this scares the hell out of me now as at the time I did not have any backup with plenty of deco ahead of me – good old Suunto.

Anyway, without going into the whole debate why I was diving without a backup - a buddy with a computer/gauge/timer/whatever, what could have possibly caused the crash? The battery as well as the computer are brand new. I have also just opened the battery compartment and all contacts are in mint condition.

Any ideas?

Tienuts · 31st May 2008, 22:48

It's most likely a battery issue. We have seen this many times - the batteries need to be the smaller UK sized AA's or you have to trim the case off using a razor blade from any other AA battery.

Lancer4545 · 31st May 2008, 23:32

It sounds to me like you have a battery contact problem. Either a bit of muck/corrosion on the contacts or the battery it's self.

You didn't say if you were using Alkaline or Lithium cells. If you are using Lithium cells be careful that the cell slides easily into the compartment cap as some cells I have seen are slightly larger in diameter and bind up when fitted causing a bad contact or sometimes not reaching it at all.

See how that goes.

I dive with 2 VR3s a Suunto D9 (gauge mode) and carry a spare VR3 in case one or both fall over.........It's the times when you need it that it makes carrying them around all worth the while!!!

Regards,

Lance

Outlaw · 1st June 2008, 07:56

Quote: (Originally Posted by Lancer4545)

It sounds to me like you have a battery contact problem. Either a bit of muck/corrosion on the contacts or the battery it's self.

You didn't say if you were using Alkaline or Lithium cells. If you are using Lithium cells be careful that the cell slides easily into the compartment cap as some cells I have seen are slightly larger in diameter and bind up when fitted causing a bad contact or sometimes not reaching it at all.

See how that goes.

I dive with 2 VR3s a Suunto D9 (gauge mode) and carry a spare VR3 in case one or both fall over.........It's the times when you need it that it makes carrying them around all worth the while!!!

Regards,

Lance

i agree with you Lance,

but i think the question here is if he was using a lithium battery or the normal AA 1.5 volts. i've had a lithium and have heard that they don't contact very well, or when cold they "get smaller"?????? so i once too had my computer switch off and lost all data.

since then i went with normal AA 1.5 volts and nothing happened ever since. have you noticed since the introduction of those 3.6 lithium batteries there are many complaints over the VR3s or is it my idea....

Spyros

quinnw · 1st June 2008, 08:05

Last year my VR3 switched off at 63 meters. Re-started at 50 meters with a new dive. Sent back to Delta P for a service - pressure transducer caused the problem.

tdzao · 2nd June 2008, 19:18

This problem is why the battery in the X1 is soldered directly to the circuit board. Of course this makes battery changing much more complicated, but in our mind, reliability was the first concern.

Eric Fattah
Liquivision Products

Craig69 · 3rd June 2008, 12:12

Pawel,

I think it might have been you I was talking to at Stoney on the 31st - I too had had a VR3 failure although mine was due to only 2mins notice between the 'Low Batt' warning and the computer shutting off altogether.

I had a similar problem to you the first time my VR3 came back from a service. It kept switching itself off and on throughout the dive. I cured this by removing the battery (overnight) and then putting the battery back and setting it up again. Since I did this I haven't had a problem again but I've got to say that although I really like the computer it is the piece of kit that I have the least faith in.

Wol · 3rd June 2008, 13:47

I swapped onto Lithium batteries recently - I found that you get next to no warning that they are running low. Have others found this?

Pawel Szopinski · 3rd June 2008, 14:58

Quote: (Originally Posted by Craig69)

I think it might have been you I was talking to at Stoney on the 31st - I too had had a VR3 failure although mine was due to only 2mins notice between the 'Low Batt' warning and the computer shutting off altogether.</p>

Yup, that was me. As far as I can remember both you and your buddy were on CK.

Quote: (Originally Posted by Craig69)

I had a similar problem to you the first time my VR3 came back from a service. It kept switching itself off and on throughout the dive. I cured this by removing the battery (overnight) and then putting the battery back and setting it up again. Since I did this I haven't had a problem again but I've got to say that although I really like the computer it is the piece of kit that I have the least faith in.

So do I, it's really disappointing as once you get the grip of, it's a really nice and useful piece of equipment.

I'll try it, but first I will try to change the battery and remove the film around it as some people suggested.

Lancer4545 · 3rd June 2008, 20:31

Quote: (Originally Posted by Pawel Szopinski)

Yup, that was me. As far as I can remember both you and your buddy were on CK.So do I, it's really disappointing as once you get the grip of, it's a really nice and useful piece of equipment.

I'll try it, but first I will try to change the battery and remove the film around it as some people suggested.

It's like any other piece of equipment you take along be it a torch, your rebreather or a computer.

Ever had a cell failure in your unit.......That's why most units have 3 or 4 cells and use voting logic.

Take Backups and never rely on just one.

Regards,

Lance

31st May 2008, 21:22	#1 (permalink)
Pawel Szopinski Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 113	VR3 Spectrum C4 failure This is the very first time I have experienced problems with my VR3. During the last 2 months the computer was absolutely spot on and became an invaluable tool since I have gone closed-circuit. However, today's shallow dive in a quarry has risen a number of concerns over its stability and robustness. I was clocking something in the region of 55 minutes and coming back to the surface from a dive to just about 22m when the VR3 decided to restart itself. It was pretty much looking like the battery lost contact as it showed the logo and asked to set the date etc. I obviously lost all the dive and deco info which made me realise how important it is to have a backup computer or at least a gauge with a timer and tables or dive plan on the slates. I normally write down the entire plan on the slates, but in the past I have dived few times just on the computer as most of us have done it and this scares the hell out of me now as at the time I did not have any backup with plenty of deco ahead of me – good old Suunto. Anyway, without going into the whole debate why I was diving without a backup - a buddy with a computer/gauge/timer/whatever, what could have possibly caused the crash? The battery as well as the computer are brand new. I have also just opened the battery compartment and all contacts are in mint condition. Any ideas? Last edited by Pawel Szopinski : 31st May 2008 at 21:25.
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31st May 2008, 22:48	#2 (permalink)
Tienuts The man from Nantucket Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 166	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure It's most likely a battery issue. We have seen this many times - the batteries need to be the smaller UK sized AA's or you have to trim the case off using a razor blade from any other AA battery.
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31st May 2008, 23:32	#3 (permalink)
Lancer4545 Closed Circuit Divers Aus Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cairns QLD Australia Posts: 606	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure It sounds to me like you have a battery contact problem. Either a bit of muck/corrosion on the contacts or the battery it's self. You didn't say if you were using Alkaline or Lithium cells. If you are using Lithium cells be careful that the cell slides easily into the compartment cap as some cells I have seen are slightly larger in diameter and bind up when fitted causing a bad contact or sometimes not reaching it at all. See how that goes. I dive with 2 VR3s a Suunto D9 (gauge mode) and carry a spare VR3 in case one or both fall over.........It's the times when you need it that it makes carrying them around all worth the while!!! Regards, Lance __________________ You can run but you can't hide! ISC Appointed Megalodon Dealer for East Australia http://www.closedcircuitdivers.com.au info@closedcircuitdivers.com.au
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1st June 2008, 07:56	#4 (permalink)
Outlaw In search of Law breaking Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cyprus, Nicosia Posts: 627	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure Quote: (Originally Posted by Lancer4545) It sounds to me like you have a battery contact problem. Either a bit of muck/corrosion on the contacts or the battery it's self. You didn't say if you were using Alkaline or Lithium cells. If you are using Lithium cells be careful that the cell slides easily into the compartment cap as some cells I have seen are slightly larger in diameter and bind up when fitted causing a bad contact or sometimes not reaching it at all. See how that goes. I dive with 2 VR3s a Suunto D9 (gauge mode) and carry a spare VR3 in case one or both fall over.........It's the times when you need it that it makes carrying them around all worth the while!!! Regards, Lance i agree with you Lance, but i think the question here is if he was using a lithium battery or the normal AA 1.5 volts. i've had a lithium and have heard that they don't contact very well, or when cold they "get smaller"?????? so i once too had my computer switch off and lost all data. since then i went with normal AA 1.5 volts and nothing happened ever since. have you noticed since the introduction of those 3.6 lithium batteries there are many complaints over the VR3s or is it my idea.... Spyros __________________ CMAS - IANTD - TDI Kamikazi Instrustor Trainer DIRRebreather Team Member ---------------------------- "Once an Outlaw, always an Outlaw"
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1st June 2008, 08:05	#5 (permalink)
quinnw New Member Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Portishead Posts: 40	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure Last year my VR3 switched off at 63 meters. Re-started at 50 meters with a new dive. Sent back to Delta P for a service - pressure transducer caused the problem.
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2nd June 2008, 19:18	#6 (permalink)
tdzao New Member Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 48	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure This problem is why the battery in the X1 is soldered directly to the circuit board. Of course this makes battery changing much more complicated, but in our mind, reliability was the first concern. Eric Fattah Liquivision Products
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3rd June 2008, 12:12	#7 (permalink)
Craig69 Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire (Gods Own County), England. Posts: 123	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure Pawel, I think it might have been you I was talking to at Stoney on the 31st - I too had had a VR3 failure although mine was due to only 2mins notice between the 'Low Batt' warning and the computer shutting off altogether. I had a similar problem to you the first time my VR3 came back from a service. It kept switching itself off and on throughout the dive. I cured this by removing the battery (overnight) and then putting the battery back and setting it up again. Since I did this I haven't had a problem again but I've got to say that although I really like the computer it is the piece of kit that I have the least faith in. __________________ Craig. www.thornebsac.co.uk
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3rd June 2008, 13:47	#8 (permalink)
Wol New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Posts: 30	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure I swapped onto Lithium batteries recently - I found that you get next to no warning that they are running low. Have others found this?
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3rd June 2008, 14:58	#9 (permalink)
Pawel Szopinski Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 113	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure Quote: (Originally Posted by Craig69) I think it might have been you I was talking to at Stoney on the 31st - I too had had a VR3 failure although mine was due to only 2mins notice between the 'Low Batt' warning and the computer shutting off altogether.</p> Yup, that was me. As far as I can remember both you and your buddy were on CK. Quote: (Originally Posted by Craig69) I had a similar problem to you the first time my VR3 came back from a service. It kept switching itself off and on throughout the dive. I cured this by removing the battery (overnight) and then putting the battery back and setting it up again. Since I did this I haven't had a problem again but I've got to say that although I really like the computer it is the piece of kit that I have the least faith in. So do I, it's really disappointing as once you get the grip of, it's a really nice and useful piece of equipment. I'll try it, but first I will try to change the battery and remove the film around it as some people suggested. Last edited by Pawel Szopinski : 3rd June 2008 at 15:12.
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3rd June 2008, 20:31	#10 (permalink)
Lancer4545 Closed Circuit Divers Aus Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cairns QLD Australia Posts: 606	Re: VR3 Spectrum C4 failure Quote: (Originally Posted by Pawel Szopinski) Yup, that was me. As far as I can remember both you and your buddy were on CK.So do I, it's really disappointing as once you get the grip of, it's a really nice and useful piece of equipment. I'll try it, but first I will try to change the battery and remove the film around it as some people suggested. It's like any other piece of equipment you take along be it a torch, your rebreather or a computer. Ever had a cell failure in your unit.......That's why most units have 3 or 4 cells and use voting logic. Take Backups and never rely on just one. Regards, Lance __________________ You can run but you can't hide! ISC Appointed Megalodon Dealer for East Australia http://www.closedcircuitdivers.com.au info@closedcircuitdivers.com.au Last edited by Lancer4545 : 3rd June 2008 at 20:31. Reason: sp
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