Gear problems
7:22 AM
I went to the local dive shop yesterday to pick up some gear for an upcoming trip. Its a new shop and owner is very helpful. I left a camera that I no longer use with the shop to try to sell. Hopefully it sells and I can put money towards some more new gear I want. My problem I have is with a Uwatec Alladin computer I bought a few years ago from a buddy of mine. Its battery died on me a couple of years ago in the middle of a dive. Luckily I was only in 20 feet, in very familiar waters, so I was comfortable finishing my dive knowing my dive time and bottom time were well within my no decompression limits.
When I took the computer to get the battery changed I find out that since my buddy hadnt bought it through a dealer (he bought it on line) that the free battery change wasnt covered and it was on me. I agreed and asked how much. The cost to ship the computer to manufacturer and have them do it in the hundreds of dollars! I was rather torqued off to say the least. Now I have a six or seven year old computer that I was completely satisfied with but costs more to have a new battery put in that it is worth. I could scrap it and buy a new , more modern computer for less than what I paid for this one. Somehow I dont feel that should ever have to be the option for something so simple as a battery change. I have an older Oceanic Prodigy computer that has and still works just fine and all it needs is a $2.00 battery from Walmart that I can change myself.
Although it has been a couple of years since all this happened I still look at the Uwatec sitting on the shelf, lifeless, and get aggrevated with it. It was suggested to me recently t0 take it apart to see if I could do it myslef. I took the back cover off and discovered a sealed compartment that has to be cut apart. I stopped short of tearing into it but I just might after it sits a while longer. I'm still holding on to a glimmer of hope that I can save it somehow.
Now I know I will never buy a piece of electonic dive gear that I cant service myself! I dont care how good of a piece of equipment it is. My Prodigy will have to suffice for my upcoming vacation or rent a Nitrox capable computer if I dont want to use air! Hopefully before my NEXT trip I can upgrade my BC too.
When I took the computer to get the battery changed I find out that since my buddy hadnt bought it through a dealer (he bought it on line) that the free battery change wasnt covered and it was on me. I agreed and asked how much. The cost to ship the computer to manufacturer and have them do it in the hundreds of dollars! I was rather torqued off to say the least. Now I have a six or seven year old computer that I was completely satisfied with but costs more to have a new battery put in that it is worth. I could scrap it and buy a new , more modern computer for less than what I paid for this one. Somehow I dont feel that should ever have to be the option for something so simple as a battery change. I have an older Oceanic Prodigy computer that has and still works just fine and all it needs is a $2.00 battery from Walmart that I can change myself.
Although it has been a couple of years since all this happened I still look at the Uwatec sitting on the shelf, lifeless, and get aggrevated with it. It was suggested to me recently t0 take it apart to see if I could do it myslef. I took the back cover off and discovered a sealed compartment that has to be cut apart. I stopped short of tearing into it but I just might after it sits a while longer. I'm still holding on to a glimmer of hope that I can save it somehow.
Now I know I will never buy a piece of electonic dive gear that I cant service myself! I dont care how good of a piece of equipment it is. My Prodigy will have to suffice for my upcoming vacation or rent a Nitrox capable computer if I dont want to use air! Hopefully before my NEXT trip I can upgrade my BC too.
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