Cypres still shows "0" with cutter unplugged.

[psychoswooper 2]

Just FYI, a CYPRES 2 (not sure about CYPRES 1) once turned on, can then have the cutter completely unplugged and still show a Zero, as if everything is good to go.
Why does this matter? Basically just that you should not assume that your CYPRES 2 is actually ready to do it's job just because you have a successful countdown & end up with a zero.
No, your CYPRES cuttter will probably not unplug itself during the course of the day, however, I have discovered a couple of reserve containers (Mirage G-4's in particular) where the interscection of the top rim of the spring exerts a great force right where the attachment point of the cutter unit metal part & plastic part join together. One was completely severed, one was partially broken...meaning a possibility of no electrical impulse to your cutter (no continuity).
In addition to a successful powering up of the unit & normal battery check & 4 year check, I think actually removing the cutter unit out of it's elastic holder to inspect this area is needed. I have heard from other riggers in the field that it is not particulary uncommon to find this piece bent, although I may have come across the 1st that was completely broken.

[AggieDave 6]

What does SSK or Airtek say about this? Or have they not gotten back to you about it? What about Mirage? Have you noticed something like this going on in other rigs as well?

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

[diablopilot 2]

Will it complete the self check with the cutter unplugged, or simply remain in an on status once started with the cutter connected, and then later unplugged when the start up self checks are completed?

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[hookitt 0]

A CYPRES brand AAD with a fired cutter also returns the same results. The connection is rather solid so it's not terribly likely to come undone with with anything other than poor rigging.

I have 2 brand new in the box CYPRES2 AADs at my house right now so I'll check them out when I return.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[riggerrob 558]

It's a bit of a parlor trick, but you can disconnect the cutter and the display will not change.
But I have never been able to convince a Cypres to do a complete start-up routine with the cutter disconnected.

[hookitt 0]

Nope. Rob is correct. It counts down, displays 1111 rather than 1, then shuts off. It will keep displaying 0 if you unplug it after it counts down.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[psychoswooper 2]

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What does SSK or Airtek say about this? Or have they not gotten back to you about it? What about Mirage? Have you noticed something like this going on in other rigs as well?

They have replaced the 2 damaged cutters. I have been told that they were aware of this area getting "bent" but the broken one I discovered was the 1st that was all the way broken, and that they had a similar problem on some "special use rigs" and corrected it by changeing the junction point of the cutter head from the rather "brittle" (my opinion) platisc that is is on CYPRES 2's back to the more flexible heat shrink material that it was on CYPRES 1's.

[psychoswooper 2]

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A CYPRES brand AAD with a fired cutter also returns the same results. The connection is rather solid so it's not terribly likely to come undone with with anything other than poor rigging.

It's not that the connection is coming undone, that would be highly unlikely. It is that the junction point at the very base of the cutter head is bending/ breaking due to the forces of the rim of the reserve piot chute exerting a 90% angle of force against this area.

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[psychoswooper 2]

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What about Mirage? Have you noticed something like this going on in other rigs as well?

I called Mirage, Gus & Ward were both out. Didn't get around to calling back yet. I have only seen it on Mirages so far. But in all fairness we are a very Mirage "heavy" area & I see more Mirages than any other rig. Also the Mirage has an extremely strong reserve pilot chute compared to many others I've repacked.
IMHO I think it is a combination of the hard plastic used at the base of the cutter head, the extremely strong pilot chute, the perfect alignment of the rim of the pilot chute with the base of the cutter head, and the distribution of the bulk of the particular pack job. (mirages having the majority of bulk in the bottom) I think that at the minimum it requires regular inspection of this area and special attention by riggers to not apply any additional force at this juncture during rig closure

[skydivepete 0]

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Just FYI, a CYPRES 2 (not sure about CYPRES 1) once turned on, can then have the cutter completely unplugged and still show a Zero, as if everything is good to go.
Why does this matter? Basically just that you should not assume that your CYPRES 2 is actually ready to do it's job just because you have a successful countdown & end up with a zero.

What about other brands of AADS? Does not happen the same?

[hcsvader 1]

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Just FYI, a CYPRES 2 (not sure about CYPRES 1) once turned on, can then have the cutter completely unplugged and still show a Zero, as if everything is good to go.
Why does this matter? Basically just that you should not assume that your CYPRES 2 is actually ready to do it's job just because you have a successful countdown & end up with a zero.

I just had a cypres fail in the same way. Cutter broke completely off the wires. Have been able to kind of put it back together and start the unit up again and let it go thru its checks. once it has gone thru its checks I have disconnected the cutter where the cable was broken and the display still shows a "0"

I guess it really does not matter whether the cutter is unplugged, disconnected or broken, once the start up check has been done it does not seem that the cypres checks to see is the cutter is still there or not. Even tired to "short circut" the exsposed wires and nothing happened.

Out of curiousity I did the same test with an Argus. turned it on and disconnected the cutter and it still showed "standard" and the display. Would be curious to do the same with a Vigil but don't have one available. Maybe someone could do the test for us. turn it on, disconnect cutter and see what happens.

Both units have been left on overnight with the cutters unplugged to see if anything changes.

We plan to do some chamber and in air testing with units turned on and cutters removed to see if there is any communication between the cutter and control unit after the initial start up tests are completed... or maybe a manufacturer could step in and let us know what these AAD's are programmed to do.

Have you seen my pants?
it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream
>:)

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[CrazyAl 0]

We didn't really do all the "same" testing on the Argus. For instance we did not try shorting out a damaged cutter :) , we did not try "breaking" the cutter off, and we did not hook up an already fired cutter to the Argus like we did the Cypres. I'm not saying the results would be any different, but we should test it under all the same conditions before saying that the same test was done.

I used your video camera this morning to keep documenting the findings and noticed that both units are still on. The Argus with no cutter, and the Cypres with the broken cutter.

I doubt a cutter would become unplugged after the unit has been activated, but anything is possible. I must say that I'm now a big fan of the threaded on style cutters like the Argus one VS just plugging it in like an audio jack. I'm a little concerned that breaking the cutter did not send any signal to the unit, I see this being a more likely issue, but with that said it has not been a big issue so far? It will be interesting to chamber this unit/cutter and see if it has any in flight tests. However if the unit does catch the damaged cutter during the flight, this would only be of use to jumpers that actually check their AADs in the airplane prior to jumping.

P.S.

I hope Joe doesn't read this thread. He may have Cypres banned as well, then there will be no jumping over here.

[theonlyski 3]

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I doubt a cutter would become unplugged after the unit has been activated, but anything is possible.

If a cable is shorted out, it would work in some positions, but moving it even just a tiny bit could disconnect it. Just like old ear phones that one side works if you hold a wire at the right spot.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[koppel 3]

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If a cable is shorted out, it would work in some positions, but moving it even just a tiny bit could disconnect it. Just like old ear phones that one side works if you hold a wire at the right spot.

I used to have a HD Shovel that would sometimes not start on electric but fine on the kicker. It also used to cut out sometimes on left-hand bends but as soon as I straightened it up again it would start again.

Turns out the Earth cable had been routed through a bend and had broken clear through but the two ends were touching except when the pressure on the seat went all the way to the left.

I get frustrated at the number of Cypres units that arrive in the loft with the cables mounted the wrong way around in the retainer pocket.... I guess this serves as a good reminder why its important.

Certainly a new check for us all to do

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[pierre3636 0]

This happend to me as well. Mirage G4 with Cypress 2.

Countdown was 100% fine, when my rigger opened the rig up for a reserve repack the hard black plastic where the cutter connection starts was broken. Moving it severed the cutter completely and the countdown upon switching on the unit went to 1111 and then switched off.

Its a concern.

~ time is ~ time was ~ times past ~

[hcsvader 1]

ine was also in a Mirage G4. The Cypres was used and was being installed in my rig when the cutter broke. I don't know what rig it had been installed in prior.

Have you seen my pants?
it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream
>:)