Bought a $200 underwater comms unit and it crapped out on dive 3

I picked up one of those cheaper through-water communications systems from a guy on Craigslist last fall. Thought I was getting a steal at $200 compared to the $800 OTS units. First two dives in the Puget Sound it worked fine, clear audio and everything. Third dive down at about 60 feet on a bridge inspection job, it just went dead. No static, no warning, nothing. Had to finish the shift using hand signals and tug lines like a rookie. Emailed the seller and he ghosted me of course. Spent another $150 getting it looked at by a repair shop and they said the internal seals were corroded from the start. Anybody else get burned by buying used comms gear instead of just saving for the good stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahpark8d agoTop Commenter

Cheap gear always costs more in the long run, same as everything else in life.

grant.luna8d ago

@noahpark makes a good point but there is a bigger issue here nobody is talking about. That seller knew the seals were bad when he sold it to you. Scuba gear is safety gear, not something you gamble on used from a stranger on Craigslist. A lot of those cheaper comms units are built with substandard o-rings to cut costs, and diving in cold water like Puget Sound makes them fail faster. You probably saved money on the unit but lost it on the repair plus the risk of not being able to talk to your partner. The hand signal and tug line backup is fine but when you are 60 feet down on a bridge inspection, comms keep everyone safe. Next time just buy new from a shop that stands behind the product.

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