Pony Bottle Reg.

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ffde31

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Otisville, Michigan
What brand regulator (1st/2nd) do most use on a pony setup? Do you include a gauge? How long should the hose be? Any idea where I can read-up on this subject on the web?
 
I use an old SP regulator. 36 inch hose. No gauge. If I need to start breathing from the pony, the dive's over anyway.
 
I hear you -- I don't use the gauge actively, it's for pre-dive checks, kitting up, making sure I have a clean fill before going in. Playing with it (practice) at times, it's nice to verify my consumption when I've switched over to it, bechmarking.
 
For a pony, I would not recommend an SPG other than a small button gauge on the first stage. If you have a full fledged SPG on it, it encourages you to delay aborting the dive and aborting the dive is what it is all about if you have to resort to using a pony.

A button gauge is adequate for prev dive checks, is very light weight and low profile and poses no significant snag hazard etc.

I use Scubapro MK 3's on my deco bottles. A simple unbalanced piston design is ideal for pony use as it is as simple as a first stage design can get and is very reliable. A design like a Scubapro MK 2 Plus or Mk 3 or an Aqualung Calypso is more than adequate for use at depths down to 130 ft.

I prefer either an adjustable second stage or a second stage with an adjustable flow vane as they make it easier to prevent unintentional gas loss. Another option is to carry the pony as a stage bottle in which case after entering the water you can turn the valve off until you need it.

Hose lenght depends on your configuration. 40" works great when carrying it like a stage bottle, while a normal 30-36" lenght octo hose usually works well if you are back mounting the pony.
 
DA Aquamaster:
For a pony, I would not recommend an SPG other than a small button gauge on the first stage. If you have a full fledged SPG on it, it encourages you to delay aborting the dive and aborting the dive is what it is all about if you have to resort to using a pony.
If someone does not have the dicipline to take care of safety first.........they should not be diving? On the other hand I personally like to know where I am at, so a normal spg would only work for me.
 
Pony tanks are certainly used differently by various divers.

Before the surge of available mixed gases, they were usually just small air only bail-out bottles.

Now they are frequently in use as deco stage cylinders.

The intended purpose makes all the difference in the choices of tank size, placement and regulator configuration. It might pay to get some traing first or at least research it thoroughly.

You might start with this current thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=134397

Chad
 
If a smaller tank is used as a deco bottle............then definitely I would want a normal spg on it........and have it big enough so that my buddy can read it too.
 
ffde31:
What brand regulator (1st/2nd) do most use on a pony setup? Do you include a gauge? How long should the hose be? Any idea where I can read-up on this subject on the web?

I use a Zeagle Envoy on my pony bottle, with the button pressure gauge. It's not as cheap as the cheapest regs out there, but it breaths very well, even at depth. When you're OOA at 120' do you really want a reg that breaths like hell but saved you $50? Also, it has the "dive/pre-dive" lever on it, so I can leave it in pre-dive setting and prevent freeflow. Like others have said, hose length depends on how you mount/carry it. I currently mount my 19 cu ft pony upside down on the primary tank with an x-bracket, and the I wear the reg bungeed around my neck, so a 40" hose is perfect for this. Coincidentally, this is also a good length if I want to switch and sling it like a stage bottle.
 
Since I shoot video, I am basically a solo diver. I where a small pony slung. I use a Dacor Viper since there is no up or down position. To keep things compact I have reg and gauge hoses short.

 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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