sdctlc 0 #1 April 24, 2006 OK, STUUUUUUUUPID broken search function, or I probably could have found this already. I have a Conceptus toung switch that caused me a huge hassel this weekend. Probably under 50 jumps on it and the stupid this started acting intermittently and by the end of Sat was completely usless... IT SUCKS... Is the bite switch better?? I am shooting a XT and have been going fne with the switch on still jumps. Does Conceptus show any love in a situation like this?? I was VERY UNHAPPY this weekend as it was a problem Scott C."He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dokeman 0 #2 April 24, 2006 Conceptus switches come with a lifetime warranty I think. I had to send my tounge switch back a few weeks ago and their service was great. They sent me out a brand new one the same day they got mine back. Havent had any problems with the new one yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #3 April 24, 2006 lighten up man...... the switch broke???? or.. you broke it???? they ARE delicate you know.........a good reason to have a 'back-up' handy... conceptus has always been very responsive to its' customers and neither they nor their products "suck"..... ps........life is often FULL of problems.. anticipate such things,, and deal with them.. I hope you didn't make a public scene and bum out the tandem students around you.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #4 April 24, 2006 Quote lighten up man...... OK, OK... I said it sucks not they suck or the switch sucks. Though the switch I HAVE sucks I sent them a mail to find out what to do.. Yeah I know things break but I hate when that bastard "Murphy" sticks his head in and it breaks at the wrong time that is what gets me. I guess there never is a right time but some times are better then others Scott C."He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
base935 0 #5 April 24, 2006 Um, their switches do suck. And all the great customer service won't do crap when you are sitting there after the first load Saturday with a broken switch. I had one of their bite switches for about 20 jumps, until I started getting jolts of electricity in my mouth. Then it stopped. Cut the switch off and made my own with a micro switch and some heat shrink tubing, and that worked great! Until the original plug into the camera went out. So it turns out that neither end has any sort of quality. From the people I've talked to, it seems like Paragear selling crappy items for $40 or $50, just because they can. And the quality is always lower than a poorly made homemade one...Gravity Research Institute Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #7 April 25, 2006 I managed to bite through a switch using my canine tooth on accident last year. I also punctured a hole in the tongue switch membrane and it stuck in the on position after that. For both of the mistakes I got a free replacement. The mistakes were totally my fault and they still replaced them. I jump the tongue now, but I carry the bite with me so if it craps out in the plane I can hot swap it and be happy still Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linestretch 0 #8 April 25, 2006 Scott, you are sorta a smart dude, MAKE YOUR OWN!!!! I'm STILL on my original I made several years ago....and yes, I have a back up that I have not needed yet. Total cost for 2 switches was 10 bucks at the most. (figure out how to do the search on here...I have pics of what I made and how to make it)my pics & stuff! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #9 April 25, 2006 QuoteScott, you are sorta a smart dude, MAKE YOUR OWN!!!! I'm STILL on my original I made several years ago....and yes, I have a back up that I have not needed yet. Total cost for 2 switches was 10 bucks at the most. (figure out how to do the search on here...I have pics of what I made and how to make it) LOL, me smart how can you possible confuse lazy with smart????? No ur right I should really make one up... I am sending this one back.. They wrote me and are sending one to replace it... smart, you really you must be thinking of someone else... Scott C. I will track those pics down you noted"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airgord 1 #10 April 25, 2006 Scotty you must have a strong tongue............ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #11 April 25, 2006 "He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lister55 0 #12 April 26, 2006 I agree that the quality on the tounge and bite switch is not good. The membranes are to susceptible to damage. I have had both type of switches crap out on me right in the plane. It is very aggrivating. Now take the blow switch. The mechanism that triggers the switch is not anywhere near your mouth. You can do anything to the tube you can think of in your mouth and you cant hurt the switch itself. I would advise anyone who makes or buys a switch that they get one that does not have the triggering mechanism in the part that will be in your mouth. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lister55 0 #13 April 26, 2006 I agree that the tounge and bite switch do not have good quality builds. Actually I think they are fatily flawed in their design. The problem is that the membranes are too easily damaged. Since the membranes can be punctured, thus rendering the switch inoperable, then the switch does not have much of a chance. Now the blow switch has the firing mechanism safely tucked away from the parts that are in your mouth. This is a much better design in that no part of the actual switch is ever in your mouth. If you bite a hole in the tube you can still blow past it and activate the switch. I just dont like the design or the reliability of the conceptus switches. I have spent far more than I ever would have had I just bought a quality product to start off with. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lister55 0 #14 April 26, 2006 I agree that the tounge and bite switch do not have good quality builds. Actually I think they are fatily flawed in their design. The problem is that the membranes are too easily damaged. Since the membranes can be punctured, thus rendering the switch inoperable, then the switch does not have much of a chance. Now the blow switch has the firing mechanism safely tucked away from the parts that are in your mouth. This is a much better design in that no part of the actual switch is ever in your mouth. If you bite a hole in the tube you can still blow past it and activate the switch. I just dont like the design or the reliability of the conceptus switches. I have spent far more than I ever would have had I just bought a quality product to start off with. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linestretch 0 #15 April 26, 2006 can you say it one more time?my pics & stuff! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #16 April 26, 2006 I have more than 800 jumps on Conceptus switches, and they are fine. The customer service is great. I have built several of my own switches, and I'd use either without hesitation, a profesional will always have a spare.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lister55 0 #17 April 27, 2006 Oh, I didnt realize this popsted several times on me. The web site was acting funny that night and kept going down on me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #18 April 27, 2006 and that made you sad? steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 135 #19 April 27, 2006 Quoteand that made you sad?YES, cause it was a bite switch, not a blow switch scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
base428 1 #20 April 27, 2006 For the lazy and cheap jumpers: $16.18 will get you a sealed bite switch from McMaster-Carr. A jumper used to resell them in Parachutist for $25.00 in the mid-90's. Worked fine for me back then, but I now use a custom switch that utilizes the natural up/down movement of my tongue. Link here (product #6944K11)(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcin 0 #21 April 27, 2006 QuoteUm, their switches do suck. And all the great customer service won't do crap when you are sitting there after the first load Saturday with a broken switch. I had one of their bite switches for about 20 jumps, until I started getting jolts of electricity in my mouth. Then it stopped. Cut the switch off and made my own with a micro switch and some heat shrink tubing, and that worked great! I second that. Had both Conceptus switches (bite and tongue) break down, one in a middle of a boogie, where I was taking pictures only after a few dozen jumps. Replacement doesn't do much good if you are in Europe, either. My home made may be ugly, but is so much more reliable Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #22 April 27, 2006 odd, I have had no problems with my tongue switches. I had mmm, probably about 350 jumps of consistant picture taking before my first one started to wear out. I ordered a new one and have no problems. for $35 thats not badMy photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #23 April 28, 2006 I've used both the Conceptus bite switch and tongue switch. I've had to send all of them back multiple times. However, Conceptus customer service is second to none. One email and they will send you a new one same day with a requet to send the old one back. Now I keep two as someone else said, when they bail on you, it is at the worst possible time. It seems the tongue switch fails when the membrame around the switch allows in moisture. Would it be a good preventive measure to put a small balloon over the switch to keep moisture out? Anybody do that? Just curious. steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdsouthsask 0 #24 May 1, 2006 I put a balloon over the end after the first one went on me after only a few days of jumping with it. The replacement with the balloon is going strong still after many jumps. Had to replace the balloon twice so far. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pcalandra 0 #25 May 2, 2006 The moral of this story is? Always carry a spare switch in your jumpsuit pocket. Conceptus is a good company and they make a decent product. Most if us aren't willing or capable of building our own and as far as I'm concerned we are lucky ot have someone interested in providing a lifetime warranty on a fairly small volume item. Stop your whining and buy a spare switch you cheap bastards Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
