Hey Nick or any other Gates longtime users out there,
Take a look at the attached to see what a complete 'numpty' I've been today. Managed to shear off the connecting 'stump' of the monitor cable to the housing of my Gates. Duhhhhhhhh. So the question is do you reckon its OK to dive as is with that little stump left in the bulkhead flange or not? Also what if I remove it? Has anyone ever dived without a monitor connected to the ext. monitor connection shaft and NOT had any negative results??
Cheers,
Mark.
Thanks for the PM. Problem solved.
Mark.
Mark,
Before I went over to L & M, I have dove with Gates housings for about 15 years. Had about 7 different Gates housings. It is perfectly safe to dive without the monitor connection. While I have never broken off the piece as you did, it will not hurt it to dive that way since, sans monitor, there is no real connection to anything.
Steve B)
Oops, I've been using those connectors for years on the Gates monitor, Amphibico lights and even a heated undersuit and I've never seen one snapped like that.
Can't you just push the little stump back out from the other end? There is a hole right the way through the socket on mine. Maybe spray some silicone spray on it first and waggle it about so it penetrates.
They do get very stiff and I always put lots of silicone grease on mine and handle it very gently as i'm plugging and unplugging it.
Eventually the cable will also fail from fatigue at the other end where it goes through the gland. There is no strain relief (curly wurly bit) on mine and just the movement over the years eventually caused a conductor to break. I was able to shorten the cable a little on mine and re-solder the contacts inside the monitor. It was a bit of a delicate operation but worth bearing in mind if you don't want to send the monitor off to Gates or a service agent.
I hear you Nick but Marks housing is only about a year old, maybe two. It shouldn't have snapped. Then again, he was probably testing its strength by standing on it or maybe even skipping rope.
Steve B)
Ah, I've been busted, but the skipping is part of a very intense fitness program......honest!
I'll have to send it off to Gates. Been in touch with John, no other option. Takes a bit of getting used to now diving and having to peer through the viewfinder again.
