Ways to break a DistoX

Juan

Active member
Slip while holding the DistoX and cushion your fall with the hand holding it. Horizontal legs then read -87deg and compass is 90 degrees out.
It was later realised that when the DistoX was misbehaving, a tap on the side brought it back into line with all the readings correct (checked out with a previous survey and compass and clino).
 

menacer

Active member
Juan!!  :cry:

as long as another tap on the side make it go out again though.  :confused:

Is this the first distoX/pacharan related accident...??
 

SamT

Moderator
Had a similar thing with mine... I mean the Eldons.

Thought I was going crazy as the readings seemed well out, then a minute or two later (an perhaps an un-noticed tap) it all seemed OK.

Heard tell of someone who dropped one in a pool. Got back to camp, dismantled, dried, re-assembled - got disto and clino working - but compass never worked again (or visa versa - cant remember).

I think the secret trick with DistoX's, as a well known speleo shop keeper dvised me.. is just be really really bloody careful with them.

seems like sound advice to me.
 

Juan

Active member
No names for this one -

Put the batteries in the wrong way around - this is ?300 worth of fatality.  :( :eek:
 

graham

New member
In the middle of the underside of the A3 is a hole where a tripod screw may have been fitted. This is a weak point in a box and it is a good idea to protect it with some sort of covering.
 

menacer

Active member
Juan said:
No names for this one -

Put the batteries in the wrong way around - this is ?300 worth of fatality.  :( :eek:

OMG!  :eek: :thumbsdown: :cry:

You need the services of a true geek to repair the circuit board now me thinks.
Arise true geekers of the interwebcavingsukdom and show yourselves....
 

graham

New member
Might I say at this point that Beat Heeb has repaired/replaced both the board with the potentially faulty chip and a second board that was damaged in transit with no problem whatsoever.

Thanks to him, my club now has two working DistoX units.
 

exsumper

New member
you should also be careful with the calibration, the first one we made had halloween rift heading directly to wookey 25, now the calibrations sorted everyone we make has proved to be super accurate.
 

SamT

Moderator
One of the lads for some unknown reason decided to take his apart again for a look see, somehow managed to rip the wires off where they had been soldered to the A3 board. Unfortunately, this ripped the tiny  little pads right off the A3 circuit board, so now there is nothing left to solder the wires back onto .

The distoX bit is still OK and he informs me a new A3 is in the post....

"You eeeeiidiot"
[/ren&stimpy]
 

Bob Smith

Member
As part of my work i often do track repairs (for aerospace) so i may be able to repair the board just PM me if you're interested
 

SamT

Moderator
cheers bob - could well be interested, J has ordered a new one, but I may have his old one off him and see if I can repair.
 
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