Pony Bottle, On or Off

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It all depends on if the bottle is back mount or slung. Turn it on before you enter the water for back mount and leave it on throughout the whole dive. If it's slung, turn it on before you enter the water and then back off. Checking your pressure for both back mount or if you sling the bottle.
 
Greetings offthewall and you have been busy composing some thought provoking threads. This one is not any different and there will be a bunch of posts I am predicting.
I was trained and practice slinging my pony being a 30, 40, or an 80 cf on my left side.
It is turned on pre-dive and shut down before entering the water. I maintain periodic air checks just like my main back gas supply. I have turned it on several times in free-flow situations just to be sure I was ready to donate. I will not dive without redundant air supply for dives to 60' or greater. I dive almost all cold water and rarely singles past 60'. Free flows are common in my area and we spend time training for them using pony bottles while diving singles.
The biggest issue IMO is training with the configuration you choose and diving with it.
Make sure you are comfortable with turning it on or off, stowing the reg on the bottle or on a necklace. This is vital to performing under a stressful incident.
Always dive safe and to your individual training limits / comfort level.
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!
 
In an OOA situation, the last thing I want to think about while diving solo or otherwise is turning something on. I have over 500 solo dives and feel secure in doing this. It is up to the individual and their comfort zone. There is no right or wrong decision here. If I run out of air with you, I will take your reg from your mouth in desperation, because I know it works. I keep my "back up" in my triangle (so I do know if my second has a prob). Diving my doubles, I do pretty much the same. I always keep everything on. My choice. I do not keep a gauge on my pony as it is for an emergency, not one of my deco bottles. I bought AquaLung LX ACD regs for all my applications. I know people buy cheap regs for deco and redundant air, but why. (not a question). In the end, it is up to YOU. I dive predominately cold water. In the end, it is YOU that is responsible for YOU.
 
For me: if slung then it would probably be pressurized and off. For back mounted definitely on and the second stage on a necklace.

However, I have seen some people back mount the pony upside down and rigged so the valve handle is very accessible and these people often leave the pony bottle off.
 
Valve on back mounted with the spg on a standard length hose and the reg on a necklace. Now I just dive with independent doubles, either two 40's or two 80's.
 
Slung, charged and off. I practice deploying nearly every dive I have it.

Good diving, Craig
 
I sling mine, and leave it on. The valve is within eyesight so I'm not worried about it leaking without me noticing.
 
I have done hundreds of dives with pony bottles as both a solo diver and as an instructor, I mount mine upside down as a back mount.

By mounting the bottle upside down, I can very easily turn it on as soon as I need it.

I turn the bottle on to check the pressure and then off to make sure I can not loose the air that I may so urgently need.
 
For those who dive with the same buddy team or solo, then team protocol or your own decision determines how you deal with the pony bottle.

For OW students, I teach that a "pony bottle" is emergency equipment and should be left on. My reasoning is this: It is crucial that an OOG diver receive gas immediately to avoid a potential furball (e.g. panic or drowning). In a non-solo, unknown buddy (insta-buddy on the boat), out of gas situation, you don't know whether you or an OOG diver will be using the pony (e.g. he grabs your pony instead of your primary). Sucking on an "off" regulator will likely increase OOG diver anxiety, leading to a potential furball (e.g. OOG diver stabs you with his machete while sharks are around to distract you while he steals your primary). Even if the OOG grabs your primary, you may be dealing with a panicked diver--it isn't the time to fiddle with a tank valve or deal with additional tasks that could have been avoided. Therefore, to minimize problems, the backup gas source should be on at all times.

If you're using the bottle to extend range or dive time, it isn't a "pony bottle"--it's a stage bottle. I charge stage and deco bottles, check them for bubbles, shut down, and leave them unpurged.
 
I have done hundreds of dives with pony bottles as both a solo diver and as an instructor, I mount mine upside down as a back mount.

By mounting the bottle upside down, I can very easily turn it on as soon as I need it.

I turn the bottle on to check the pressure and then off to make sure I can not loose the air that I may so urgently need.

Not that anyone cares... LOL... But this is exactly what I do... the poster even sounds like me as far as experience level...

Thanks so much for all the well thought out answers... and for keeping this important post "clean"!
 

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