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Scuba Forum / Scuba Equipment / September 2004USD Matrix computer cracking
I've got a US Divers Matrix, one of the Pelagic "hockey puck" computers. Its probably got 400 dives on it. Low battery yesterday got me taking it out of the console and while checking/cleaning the battery door/seals I noticed the base of the clear housing is cracking. It appears that the whole bottom is screwed into the top. There are cracks along this threaded portion in both directions. There appears to be a black band below this (seal) and so far no water has gotten into the unit that I know of. The battery compartment was dry and clean and it functions fine. If I hadn't looked at it carefully I wouldn't have known it was there. Is this a known problem or just a fluke? Anyone get a replacement or upgrade for a great price from USD? I haven't contacted them yet but plan to. My wife's Sherwood Resource (same Pelagic manufacturer) died recently. In contacting Sherwood I was told by the technician there that they have a lifespan of about 400-500 dives. Hers didn't leak, it just quit working. I don't think it had cracks. They did an "upgrade" to a newer similar unit for a decent price but not a jumping for joy price ($175). Fritz > I've got a US Divers Matrix, one of the Pelagic "hockey puck" computers. > Its probably got 400 dives on it. Low battery yesterday got me taking it [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Fritz As far as I can remember, there are two main suspects for the cracks. First (and most likely) is a clumsy technician that pried out the instrument improperly while doing regulator service. The second is exposure to aerosols. I recall that there is something in aerosol (such as silicone spray) that causes some plastics to craze or crack. Check with USD and see if they have any suggestions for you. Good luck!! Just my $.02  SignatureRay Contreras =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Webmonkey for: http://www.ossystems.com http://www.bobs-garage.com http://www.rayzplace.com Main Office: Aqua Lung USA 2340 Cousteau Court Vista, CA. 92081 Phone: (760-) 597-5000 Fax: (760) 597-4900 view map Aqualung Customer Support Department: support@aqualung.com Request a Catalogue: Click here to make a catalogue request. This is a common problem with the Matrix and any other Pelagic computers with the same case. (Oceanic, ...) It is caused by interaction of the clear plastic and an oil substance in the boot. The plastic becomes brittle and cracks under the pressure of the o-ring seal. US Diver no longer repairs these because they ran out of parts. Keep using it until the seal fails and it floods. From time to time, some brands offer a tradein, so save this for future use. USD may offer you a tradein for yours now. (rayc, I expected a better explanation from you. It is not caused by prying it out of the console) > I've got a US Divers Matrix, one of the Pelagic "hockey puck" computers. > Its probably got 400 dives on it. Low battery yesterday got me taking it > out of the console and while checking/cleaning the battery door/seals I > noticed the base of the clear housing is cracking. SignatureTerry Brady tbrady@fred.net http://www.brassanchor.com Brass Anchor Scuba Center, 519 E. Church St. Frederick, MD 21701 Phone 301-663-9363 Fax 301-694-8947 Subscribe to store/club list by writing tbrady@fred.net List of used & new clearance items at http://www.brassanchor.com/used I did call Aqualung (USD). I could just tell the customer service person on their side kind of wilted when I explained my problem. As you said, no parts, no repair. No pro-rated trade-in available. I'm trying an experiment. I filled the cracks, including the interface area between the bottom and top, with epoxy and put a band of fiberglass around the side. This is after drying the unit in a warm spot for about 48 hours. I put batteries in last night and all seems normal. I guess I'll see if it keeps working. I wish I would have looked more carefully at my wife's. I just assumed the electrics failed. Thanks for the info. Now I can point the problem out to other people. Fritz Very common with this computer. My wife had two of them crack like this and it had nothing to do with the service technician at all. One of them started cracking right after the very first dive with it. USD replaced one under warranty and the second was traded in for another computer. The LDS I work at stopped carrying these and other Pelagic gauges because so many were failing like this. I see that USD now uses the Suunto gauge having given up on the stuff from Pelagic. Scott Signature------------------------------------------------------------------ Scott F. Migaldi, K9PO MI-150972 PP-ASEL-IA Are you a PADI Instructor or DM? Then join the PADI Instructor Yahoo Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PADI-Instructors/join ----------------------------------- Catch the wave! www.hamwave.com "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." - George W. Bush ------------------------------------- > I've got a US Divers Matrix, one of the Pelagic "hockey puck" computers. Its > probably got 400 dives on it. Low battery yesterday got me taking it out of the [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Fritz I just checked my wife's. A Oceanic Data Plus2 (Nitrox, 2-button, slightly different construction but appears to possibly of Pelagic manufacturer) shows 2 minor cracks. It kind of has a step-down base area. A newer Genesis ReSource (almost identical to my Matrix) is fine. Fritz Took the "fixed-fiberglassed" Matrix diving this weekend. The unit does the surface count down OK. In the water it just shut down. Back at home on the surface it seems fine again. I am trying some lithium 2032 batteries for the first time. Maybe they don't like them. I'll try some "standard" 2032's. Battery compartment was dry after the dive. Nothing seemed odd except the behavior. I did dry it out in the sun for a day before fiberglassing up the base. The base was up so the screen didn't get sun on it. I'm wondering if this might have been a bad idea. Possibly it got too hot. Fritz FWIW, the first Genesis ReSource computer that I had was repaired after a crack formed in the housing where the back screwed in. After the repair, it cracked and flooded. The computer was replaced under warranty, but now, after taking it out of storage, it just goes through it's surface mode and shuts down. New batteries don't do crap for it and Genesis just says to return it to an authorized dealer. > I just checked my wife's. A Oceanic Data Plus2 (Nitrox, 2-button, slightly > different construction but appears to possibly of Pelagic manufacturer) shows 2 > minor cracks. It kind of has a step-down base area. A newer Genesis ReSource > (almost identical to my Matrix) is fine. > > Fritz I ended up fiberglassing the base of the Matrix. I put new lithium 2032 batteries in and it seemed OK but when I took it diving it would shut down. I replaced those with "standard" silver oxide and it's back working again. Your problem is exactly the same as my wife's old Source, goes through check-out and shut down. I'm not sure if it's some internal life-limit of some circuit or trace moisture that gets in from the cracking and finally takes something critical out. I'm taking the next one that fails apart. Fritz > FWIW, the first Genesis ReSource computer that I had was repaired after a > crack formed in the housing where the back screwed in. After the repair, it > cracked and flooded. The computer was replaced under warranty, but now, > after taking it out of storage, it just goes through it's surface mode and > shuts down. New batteries don't do crap for it and Genesis just says to > return it to an authorized dealer. I e-mailed Genesis on this problem and they will not deal directly with the end user. This is their reply: "It is hard to estimate what the computer is doing and why without have it diagnosed. It has found a flaw in the computer and that is why it is shutting down after the initial scroll. This is a built in safety in all our computers. You can take the computer to any authorized dealer and have them service the unit or there are upgrades available to the newer models. To better understand the options we prefer you do that through an authorized dealer. If you need help finding a local dealer, please reply back with your city and zip code and we would be glad to help." The nearest authorized dealer is not very "near" to me. Genesis used to deal directly with the customer. I don't have anything against dealers making money, but I don't need to drive to a middle man that can't do anything for me. The computer has not been anywhere near water for at least 3 years and is in like new condition. I could understand if it was in use or slammed around. Two sets of batteries and it's still a no go. > I ended up fiberglassing the base of the Matrix. I put new lithium 2032 > batteries in and it seemed OK but when I took it diving it would shut down. I [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > shuts down. New batteries don't do crap for it and Genesis just says to > > return it to an authorized dealer. >I e-mailed Genesis on this problem and they will not deal directly with the >end user. This is their reply: [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] >> > shuts down. New batteries don't do crap for it and Genesis just says to >> > return it to an authorized dealer. My old Matrix started giving me erronious data. At the start of the dive it would quickly go into Deco..... I know I wasn't in anywhere near long enough for it to be real. Luckily, I've always (well at least since computers became fasionable) dove with a backup computer of some sort on me. My advice... it's served it's purpose. Time for a new one! Suspecting that this would happen I do have a backup computer. On my last dive it "booted" and when I entered the dive it shut down. On land it seems to be OK again. I'm not sure what is going on but my confidence is fading. I'm getting a first hand account of computer algorithms. The Matrix (simple air computer) is more liberal than my backup Nitrox computer set to 36%. They would probably be equivalent if set to 40% based on a half dozen comparison dives. Fritz > >I e-mailed Genesis on this problem and they will not deal directly with the > >end user. This is their reply: [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > of some sort on me. My advice... it's served it's purpose. Time for > a new one! I visited an authorized service center and this is what occurred. The batteries were removed and checked with a multi-meter. First off, this is not the way to check a battery. You can't check to see if they have any potential unless they have a load applied. Batteries read the proper voltage. That was it, properly diagnosed as bad and would have to go back to Genesis. Well, no sh.t, my 27 years as an electronics technician got me to that point long ago. I just don't want to have to deal with a middle man. Andy K. |
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