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Suunto D3
- Thread startermiles
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Miles, the D3 measures temp, but it does not reach the temp on the bottom quickly enough to be accurate while freediving. We spend enough time on the surface to be accurate, but if I want to know the bottom temp, I take it off and leave it down there for 5 or so minutes. The "Dive Manager" software used with the D3 records 3 temps for each dive. The "max depth" temp, the "end of dive" temp, and "air temp". I'm not sure how it gets the air temp. Maybe when it first enters freedive mode.
I think you'll like the D3,
Jim
I think you'll like the D3,
Jim
Rolando,
I believe you'll find the best price at ScubaStore.com. Here's a direct link: http://www.scubastore.com/idioma-pais/language.htm
Scott T.
I believe you'll find the best price at ScubaStore.com. Here's a direct link: http://www.scubastore.com/idioma-pais/language.htm
Scott T.
Last edited:
Thank you Scott, I appreciate your help. That is a good site with reasonable prices. I just bought one from a guy that was selling a Mosquito on another web-site. Apparently he has an extra one and this one is brand new and never used. I paid $250 (shipping included). It looks like I may have got a deal.
Which do you use? It looks like the Mosquito has more features than the D3, although I don't scuba.
Which do you use? It looks like the Mosquito has more features than the D3, although I don't scuba.
Rolando,
I don't have any computer right now. But recently, I started paying attention to my Citizen depth guage/chronograph watch and I've seen good benifit just from that simple piece of machinery. So, I'll probably look into getting a D3 as soon as I have some extra funds.
Scott T.
I don't have any computer right now. But recently, I started paying attention to my Citizen depth guage/chronograph watch and I've seen good benifit just from that simple piece of machinery. So, I'll probably look into getting a D3 as soon as I have some extra funds.
Scott T.
I don't recommend getting a D3. They always malfunction. I haven't heard of anyone who had a D3 that didn't malfunction. The stinger, on the other hand, never malfunctions. Never heard of anyone who had a stinger that malfunctioned. Mosquito seems in-between. I have heard of a few which malfunctioned, and others which seemed to work well.
Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
My two cents ... as noted, I'd take the water temp recorded by any Suunto wrist-attached computer with a grain of salt. I agree that the rapid descents and ascents of freediving probably prevent it from getting a valid reading at depth, but even my scuba friends think their Suuntos read a little hot. On a local dive board we've taken to reporting temps as "59 F Suunto degrees."
If the choice is beween a Mosquito and a D3, I'd choose the D3 for either freediving or scuba. In freediving mode it records data twice as often as does the Mosquito. For scuba, the D3 has a true gauge mode, whereas the Mosquito has air/nitrox modes. All of my serious scuba friends use an instrument in gauge mode and plan their profiles before the dive without relying on a dive computer.
But I agree that the Mosquito and D3, being made mostly of plastic, seem to be more prone to failure. I had a Mosquito that went belly-up after I'd had it about a year (shortly after I took the Performance Freediving clinic -- probably couldn't handle the wild depths I was suddenly achieving ;-) ). But it was quickly replaced without hassle under warranty. I've had a D3 for about five months now, and no problems yet. I've taken to being a little obsessive about running them through freshwater rinses after being in the ocean in the hopes that this will cut down on problems. But as Eric F points out, the Stinger is a much more solidly built instrument.
If the choice is beween a Mosquito and a D3, I'd choose the D3 for either freediving or scuba. In freediving mode it records data twice as often as does the Mosquito. For scuba, the D3 has a true gauge mode, whereas the Mosquito has air/nitrox modes. All of my serious scuba friends use an instrument in gauge mode and plan their profiles before the dive without relying on a dive computer.
But I agree that the Mosquito and D3, being made mostly of plastic, seem to be more prone to failure. I had a Mosquito that went belly-up after I'd had it about a year (shortly after I took the Performance Freediving clinic -- probably couldn't handle the wild depths I was suddenly achieving ;-) ). But it was quickly replaced without hassle under warranty. I've had a D3 for about five months now, and no problems yet. I've taken to being a little obsessive about running them through freshwater rinses after being in the ocean in the hopes that this will cut down on problems. But as Eric F points out, the Stinger is a much more solidly built instrument.
Eric F.,
Thanks for the opinion. If I ever get any extra money, I'll investigate getting a stinger. I can definitely see the benefit to freediving (and yes, even spearfishing) of owning such a devise.
BTW, I got an Elios 3mm low-density Heiwa neoprene wetsuit smoothskin outside/open cell inside on the way. Please feel free to keep imparting your valued words of wisdom anytime you feel so inclined. Thanks!
Scott T.
Thanks for the opinion. If I ever get any extra money, I'll investigate getting a stinger. I can definitely see the benefit to freediving (and yes, even spearfishing) of owning such a devise.
BTW, I got an Elios 3mm low-density Heiwa neoprene wetsuit smoothskin outside/open cell inside on the way. Please feel free to keep imparting your valued words of wisdom anytime you feel so inclined. Thanks!
Scott T.
Hiya
I use a D3, and recently had to lend it to an interested dive shop in another city for a week, they wanted a trial before ordering a batch from suppliers. I was given a Stinger to use whilst my D3 was away, and I missed my D3 greatly ! I do'nt Scuba, so find no need for Deco. tables etc etc, my D3 has been reliable and simple to use.
I think what Frank O'Donnel said is Key...ALWAYS rinse your dive watch in fresh water after a dive ! It is, after all, probably your most expensive piece of dive gear !!
Cheers
Jeff
I use a D3, and recently had to lend it to an interested dive shop in another city for a week, they wanted a trial before ordering a batch from suppliers. I was given a Stinger to use whilst my D3 was away, and I missed my D3 greatly ! I do'nt Scuba, so find no need for Deco. tables etc etc, my D3 has been reliable and simple to use.
I think what Frank O'Donnel said is Key...ALWAYS rinse your dive watch in fresh water after a dive ! It is, after all, probably your most expensive piece of dive gear !!
Cheers
Jeff
electronics + water = problems
My first D3 gave out on me, but the company gave me a brand new one to replace it. Ironically, my Stinger gave out on the exact same day! I sent it in for a battery replacement and now it works fine.
In the past, I have had problems with other Sunnto computers. I had one, I think that it was called the Solution, that gave out on me over 2 dozen times!!!:head I sent it back to the factory four times, if I remember correctly, and the totally replaced it twice! Having a computer quit on you when you 45 minutes into deco is not fun, and probably one of the main reasons that I switched to a DIR dive system using only bottom timers.
When Sunnto came out with their first diving watch, the Spyder, I bought one and could only get 44 dives out of it before I had to send it back in for battery replacements. I upgraded to the Stinger under one of their trade-in programs a couple of years ago, but the trade-in cost me more than my D3!
I still prefer my D3 to my Stinger, for both free diving and scuba diving, because of it's timing features. For Free diving it has a nice surface interval timer that counts in seconds, not minutes. For tank diving, I really like the bottom timing feature that also goes in seconds, not minutes. This comes in very handy when doing deep stops. Being able to count your deep stops from the second you get on level, as opposed to waiting for another full minute to start them, can save you a LOT of time when coming up from a deep dive in cold water.
Just because I have had troubles with the D3 in the past in no way would make me want to get rid of it- it's too nice of an instrument. Just remember that anytime you put electronics in water your going to have a problem eventually- don't even get me started on flooding strobes and cameras.:vangry
Sunnto also isn't the only one who has had problems. One guy I used to teach with had his Monitor 2 (dive computer) reading 311' while he was still in the pool! If you check into any of the stories on this site you'll find out that Uwatec has had more than A little trouble with their stuff recently. It's all part of the experience.
Just my $0.02
Jon
My first D3 gave out on me, but the company gave me a brand new one to replace it. Ironically, my Stinger gave out on the exact same day! I sent it in for a battery replacement and now it works fine.
In the past, I have had problems with other Sunnto computers. I had one, I think that it was called the Solution, that gave out on me over 2 dozen times!!!:head I sent it back to the factory four times, if I remember correctly, and the totally replaced it twice! Having a computer quit on you when you 45 minutes into deco is not fun, and probably one of the main reasons that I switched to a DIR dive system using only bottom timers.
When Sunnto came out with their first diving watch, the Spyder, I bought one and could only get 44 dives out of it before I had to send it back in for battery replacements. I upgraded to the Stinger under one of their trade-in programs a couple of years ago, but the trade-in cost me more than my D3!
I still prefer my D3 to my Stinger, for both free diving and scuba diving, because of it's timing features. For Free diving it has a nice surface interval timer that counts in seconds, not minutes. For tank diving, I really like the bottom timing feature that also goes in seconds, not minutes. This comes in very handy when doing deep stops. Being able to count your deep stops from the second you get on level, as opposed to waiting for another full minute to start them, can save you a LOT of time when coming up from a deep dive in cold water.
Just because I have had troubles with the D3 in the past in no way would make me want to get rid of it- it's too nice of an instrument. Just remember that anytime you put electronics in water your going to have a problem eventually- don't even get me started on flooding strobes and cameras.:vangry
Sunnto also isn't the only one who has had problems. One guy I used to teach with had his Monitor 2 (dive computer) reading 311' while he was still in the pool! If you check into any of the stories on this site you'll find out that Uwatec has had more than A little trouble with their stuff recently. It's all part of the experience.
Just my $0.02
Jon
D3 warranty?
How long is the warranty on a D3? Where do you have to send it, if your in the U.S., to get it fixed or replaced?
Thanks,
Steve
How long is the warranty on a D3? Where do you have to send it, if your in the U.S., to get it fixed or replaced?
Thanks,
Steve
My mosquito quit working about a year ago. This was about 1.5 years after the purchase. I didn't have the receipt for it and i had bought it from scubastore. Anyhow Suunto could say from the serial number that the computer is not very old and they replaced it for free. I would think that the policy should be about the same on D3, so no need to worry about warranty problems.
br.
Tuomo
br.
Tuomo