My Suunto Vector read -24,000 ft

[John H Swanson]

Gee I didn't think I went that far downhill

Has anyone had this happen? I tried to reset the altitude but the normal setting button it only lets you change the altitide by a few 1000 feet either way. I think it got screwed up on the airplane as it was flassing between -24000ft and the correct (pressurized cabin) reading of about 7,000 ft. I'll be calling the Customer Service dept when they wake up, but was looking to see if it is a common problem.

Thanks,

John

 

[WildPeaks]

John

Iv'e had mine on a flight before and never had a problem.
Just for kicks, what does the barometric pressure read? That's where the info for elevation comes from. (the pressure in relation to sea level) Which is why you need to adjust at known elevations due to changes in the weather.
Try adjusting it in steps. wait a while...... & repeat.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Not exactly the same, but I've had by Timex Helix tell me more than once that I'd gained over 1,000' of elevation in one minute as I *descended* a mountain! The next minute, it 'corrected' itself, with an outrageous drop, and returned to normal.

 

[John H Swanson]

The baromteric pressure reading is blank - no value.

The Suunto customer services person thinks that the sensor went bad. He said to look at the temperature reading as an indication. If this reading is very incorrect then it's probably the sensor,

Just FYI, for watches out of waranty the policy is to charge for repair. The minimum cost is $55 and the maximum cost is $85. If they can not fix it, you get a new (factory second?)watch for $85. And in my case I previously had the watch replaced under this policy and the replacement watch lasted just 2yrs and this is the one that is now broken.

JHS

 

[KMartman]

The baromteric pressure reading is blank - no value.

The Suunto customer services person thinks that the sensor went bad. He said to look at the temperature reading as an indication. If this reading is very incorrect then it's probably the sensor,

Just FYI, for watches out of waranty the policy is to charge for repair. The minimum cost is $55 and the maximum cost is $85. If they can not fix it, you get a new (factory second?)watch for $85. And in my case I previously had the watch replaced under this policy and the replacement watch lasted just 2yrs and this is the one that is now broken.

JHS

Interesting...I have had mine now for 2+ years without issues...I have a friend that has had his, without fail, for about 5 years I think...

M

 

[WildPeaks]

John,

I'd put my diplomatic shoes on, If you will, and make a good case to them for another watch at n/c.
Unless you're very careless, which I'll assume otherwise, your not getting a fair shake.
One other option, if you still have proof of purchase, is to take it back to the original dealer & let them know. If it was purchased at LL.Bean, EMS, or REI, they have a 100% satisfaction policy. I bought mine at Beans for that reason. Yes, I paid a little more & had to have green, but I know I'll have no problems bringing it back if I'm not satisfied for any reason.

 

[ChrisB]

Ems?

John,

Just a thought...

If you bought it at EMS or REI you might try the full-satisfaction, happy-happy return policy.

I'd be surprised if they did not make good on it and go after the manufacturer.

BTW - I have a Sunto that acts a bit strange in the cold. Display selection buttons don't work.

cb

 

[paul ron]

Analog is the only way to go.

Ah yes, digital strikes again. It seems digital equipment is too delicate for the outdoors where your life can be at risk. People are relying on GPS and digital this n that far too much. They are only as good as your weakest battery and much too sensitive to moisture to be reliable enough to fully trust. With that false sense of security, you tend not to take backups to reduce weight and redundancy. That one time you forget to change the batteries is when you'll need it most. Take a spill in the brook and your electronics are useless.

I have an old Peet Brothers 88 temperature compensated altimeter, purely analog, no batteries and very reliable for 25 years now. It has been so reliable, if I see a sudden drop in pressure, I run for my life, it's going to storm, it's definitely not the batteries or the sensor going crazy. As for elevation, it reads at 20' increments which is more than enough for what I need it for and it generally not more than 100' off. It's max ele is 18,000' more than I will ever need. I couldn't afford the Sunto which is good to 24,000 but I doubt Hillary and I will ever be hiking together.

 

[dms]

Analog rules!

Paul, I have an old Thommen altimeter, and it always is more accurate than my hiking friends' digital models regardless of brand. No batteries, no buttons, no modes, just open your eyes and read it!

 

[paul ron]

That is the one I couldn't afford. I think they were about $200 back in the 70s when mine was only a week's pay. I have been very happy with mine anyway.

What is the worst your's was off by? What I find is the weather has a great influence on the error, not a falult of the altimeter. It takes me a few hours to get where i am going so things do change in that time but most times it is spot on.

What I also niticed is most of these electronic altimeters aren't as temerature compensated as my old analog is. Maybe because they are worn on a warm wrist under a warm shirt while mine is on my shoulder strap in the ambiant air all the time? ummm....????

 

[dms]

The worse error I have ever had was about 60 feet, but that was an isolated event, most times it's accurate within 20 feet or less. I agree that weather can have an impact, but I've never had a battery failure.

 

[WildPeaks]

I don't suppose you guys bicycle to work? After all, you could run out of gas!

Just kidding. Appreciate all comments & imput. That's what forums are for.

I do recommend a compass & more important, a MAP! Which I continue to see hikers without. I like the altimeter for placing myself on the map. Not essential, but nice.
After many years, I just got a small gps unit for bushwhacking this past winter. I had the map & compass also, but enjoy a basic gps with waypoints that I put on ahead of time.
I am a boater as well and use gps & radar for obvious reasons. However I recommend always having a chart & compass on board and know where you are & where you are heading.
This summer I went against my own rules and had the chart but not out & my compass lost it's fluid and I put off replacing it. Well..... that's when things happen! Both the gps & radar went blank heading back home one day, with fog banks in the area. Either a faulty ground or low voltage?? I had gotten cocky with the electronics & got a nice reminder of why I need the chart & compass out for ALL trips.

 

[DougPaul]

This summer I went against my own rules and had the chart but not out & my compass lost it's fluid and I put off replacing it. Well..... that's when things happen! Both the gps & radar went blank heading back home one day, with fog banks in the area. Either a faulty ground or low voltage?? I had gotten cocky with the electronics & got a nice reminder of why I need the chart & compass out for ALL trips.

Aircraft have an unpowered magnetic compass to back up the gyrocompasses for such occasions. And some pilots have been known to carry a battery-powered hand-held GPS to back up the built-in unit.

Basically, just about anything can malfunction...

Doug

 

[WildPeaks]

Doug,

Yup!
I now take my little Garmin Geko as well to back up the main built-in unit.
I'm glad I learned my lesson in calmer conditions & hope not to fall back into the lala land of complacency.
But like you said, all can fail.

Lots of fun!

 

[JNewell]

We have a pair of the gen 1 Altitechs that have been extremely reliable and surprisingly accurate and consistent.

 

[randomscooter]

It happens in the field, too

I had a similar experience with my first Vector a few years back while climbing Cliff Mtn. At first the errors were small enough that I was fooled into believing the readings, then the thing went out to lunch completely. It was a sensor failure, and EMS replaced it no questions asked.

It is also possible to get similar fluctuations with a properly functioning unit if the holes in the back of the watch get clogged. Mix a bit of sweat with some grime during a bushwhacking hike and presto! the holes are clogged. It can happen, and has to me. The readings fluctuated by a few hundred feet within seconds, and the rate of ascent readout was negative while I was climbing, etc. My solution to this problem has worked very well so far. I cut a 4" piece off the top of an old poly sock for a wristband. I pull it over my wrist, then put the watch on over the sock. This provides a measure of sweat protection. I then pull the sock back over the watch to provide grime protection. The bonus is that the setup is much more comfortable than wearing the watch directly on the wrist.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I have had my Vector for about 6 months now and it's been awesome. My brother has had his for years with no issues, other than the faceplate is scratched badly.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I have a Casio wrist altimeter, but it is garbage compared to my 35+ year old Thomen (+/- 50 ft, but good enough for hiking purposes). My Paulin surveying altimeters (+/- 2 ft) are too large and heavy for hiking, unless I am trying disturb a hornet's nest such as the height of the "true summit" of Owls Head. I never ever reset my Thomen, but simply note its reading at marked points and keep track of the altitude difference, to save wear and tear on the set screw.

 

[skidoc22]

My Suunto Altimax bit the dust during the warranty period and they replaced the guts, Dial and crystal for free. It has worked reasonably well since though errors as much as a couple of hundred feet are not that uncommon when the weather and hence the barometric pressure is changing. I have on occasion shamed an electronics company into at least entertaining the idea that a piece of equipment is inherently faulty and they have agreed to fix it past the warranty period. Good luck

 

[canoehead]

for what its worth ive owned a sunnto for about 8 years now. Ive put many miles on it and some pretty intense route finding days in wheather that was nasty and my watch has always performed like i expect it to. ive said it before its a cool tool for the outdoors.....