New Cypres?

[grosfion 0]

About a year ago I got my new rig from Para Gear. It included the container the main, reserve and cypres. At this moment I thought everything would be new. Yesterday I gave the rig to my rigger to do the second reserve pack and he told me that I have to change the battery from the cypres next month...

hmm I thought this has to be done every two years? He explained me that the cypres was already 11 month old when I got it.

Just want to know if it is usual that you might get an old cypres in your new container?

btw: another thing which made me angry is that this store offered a free assembly on every new rig. When my rig was finished the rigger had an accident and they ask me to wait until he is back to work. I already waited 5 month so I told them to send it without reserve pack. Strange that there was no other rigger or packer around and of course no money back....

blues
Marcus

[AggieDave 6]

Battery life varies due to quite a few things. If you manually turn the unit off instead of letting it shut off on its own, it uses more power, if its subjected to extreme heat/cold (extreme would mean staying in a car during a hot day or a cold night), then the battery life suffers.

Read the manual that came with the Cypress, it will tell you what the numbers mean while its counting down after you turn it on. Basically it will tell you the battery level, so you know how things are going and when you will need new batteries.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[PhreeZone 20]

Batteries have to be replaced at two years 3 months at the latest every time, reguardless of the battery reading to remain airworthy.

As for them selling you a unit thats been sitting on a shelf for months... I'd have to say thats a learning experience and a question I'm sure you'll tell everyone to ask before they buy a unit in the future. Some companies stock large amounts of cypres and just sell them as they can and others are always placing small orders to keep fresh units in stock.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Kris 0]

Dave,

Cypres batteries have a life of two years, three months. No later.

It sounds like he received a rig with a Cypres that had been sitting on the shelf for a year. In that case, even though it was new to him, the batteries were already a year old since the initial pair is dated from manufacture date of the Cypres unit they were sold with.

Also, he's due for his first four-year inspection in three years now since he was sold an older unit.


Marcus,

If I were you, I would be contacting the gear store that sold you that equipment and would be raising some hell. You paid for new equipment and that's what you should have received.

Kris
(edited because I forgot about the 3-month rule)

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

Cypres batteries have a life of two years. No later.

Yeah, I know, I mis-read his post and thought that he was saying that his batteries only lasted like 5 months or something. I guess I should just go to bed now...

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[grosfion 0]

Quote

Batteries have to be replaced at two years 3 months at the latest every time,

I thought the +3 month only apply when you need to send the cypres for service (every 4 years) not when you only need to replace the batteries.
M

[slotperfect 7]

Sorry to hear about your dilemma. For future reference, Sky Kat Gear Shop is very good about ordering the CYPRES AADs such that the DOM of each component matches as closely as possible. When I ordered my rig in May, they placed the CYPRES order such that each component arrived within a couple of weeks of each other.

Arrive Safely

John

[kallend 2,148]

Quote

Battery life varies due to quite a few things. If you manually turn the unit off instead of letting it shut off on its own, it uses more power, .

That depends. I believe that if you drive home through hilly terrain with it on it will use more power than if you turn it off, because it doesn't go into standby mode when it senses pressure changes.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[markbaur 0]

Quote

Cypres batteries have a life of two years, three months.

According to SSK, once the battery is installed, it is good for two years, and no more. No + three months like on the 4- and 8-year service.

Mark

[Hooknswoop 19]

Batteries = 2 yrs from date of installation. I think they have a 3 yr shelf-life.

4 yr and 8 yr service = +/- 3 months.

Hook

[councilman24 37]

There is no 3 month grace period on battery life. Some riggers chose to require replacement only if the battery is two years old (from installation date) at time of inspection and repack. Most riggers I know require replacement of the battery if it will become two years old during the 120 day cycle. SSK requires replacement of the batttery "...after 2 years or 500 jumps, whichever comes first." So, in theory I'd be willing to pack a rig with a 22 month old battery if I could ensure it would be changed at 24 months. Since I can't, I require the battery to be changed if it will expire during the cycle. I can't control the 500 jump jump rule. But eventually the cypres won't turn on due to the self test determining low battery level.

Even though the Cypres is not a TSO'd piece of equipment the FAA has held and enforced that a US rigger must follow the manufacturers instructions for an AAD.

I'd contact the seller and ask for some adjustment due to the age of the cypres supplied. As stated above, when ordering a cypres as the Date of Manufacture. A few months old is to be expected.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[markbaur 0]

Para-Gear is the best source for stuff you want yesterday. The trade-off is that for them to ship it immediately, they have to have it on the shelf. As you've found out, that means you sometimes get stale stuff.

I've always found Para-Gear to be agreeable about price negotiation. If it's been a year since your purchase, you are probably out of luck, but for other folks buying from them, ask for a price adjustment based on age and I think you'll get a fair deal.

Mark

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"Batteries = 2 yrs from date of installation. I think they have a 3 yr shelf-life. "

So, why don't gera stores keep the batteries separately and only install them when the cypres is assembled into the rig?
This would surely avoid some of this pain....

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[sdctlc 0]

It has been a year and you probably will not get much satisfaction from Paragear. They can ship ASAP so they have stock.... A year old seems a bit excessive.

If they were offering free assembly and you wanted it sent w/o the adssembly then you probably would not be due a refund. If you were paying for it you may have had a point. I know that nothing is free and that the rigging cost was built into the sale price but still... Was the initial 5 month for custom gear?

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[riggerrob 643]

New Cypri come from the factory with new batteries installed.
Opening boxes and opening Cypri and swapping batteries around would be more labor-intensive than most lofts have the time for.
As for a dealer selling an 11 month old Cypres as new .... the customer deserves some sort of discount.

[grosfion 0]

Thanks for your tip Kris, I went back to the shop and they told me that they don't know how this could have happened.

They will send me a new set of batteries free of charge. I really appreciate this.

Just a hint: next time you are getting a new rig check the DOM when you get it...
blues
Marcus