Question Air Hog

[Boarderguy]

Has to be, if I have a first stage failure no problem. I didn’t say complete redundancy I just said closer to true redundancy.

It is very popular to use h-valves in Europe from what I understand.

H-valve (I have an M25 H on a non DOT compact AL 100) would work for your own personal tanks that you know the maint history on. That wouldn't solve anything with having a bad tank when using a dive op and their tanks. The pony alleviates that potential issue and gives 15 minutes ish of clean air. For travel just breathe out down on your last scheduled dive prior to leaving and knock the valve loose. When you arrive put the valve back on and get it filled. Same process for coming home.

 

[Edward3c]

It is very popular to use h-valves in Europe from what I understand.

In 40+ years diving I’ve never seen a H-valve. Common no.

I dive with a 3Lt side slung pony. It’s my get out of poo cylinder, not something I use during a dive.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

In 40+ years diving I’ve never seen a H-valve. Common no.

I dive with a 3Lt side slung pony. It’s my get out of poo cylinder, not something I use during a dive.

Available yes.

 

[SlugLife]

What do you do when your dive buddy is an air hog? Do you share air to extend the dive?

NEVER. I dive SideMount, with 2 tanks with a 7ft hose, and even I would never do such a thing.

Problems may include:

• You're effectively tied to your body.
• Your own air is being burned through faster than 2x your normal rate.
• You could easily get your "mental math" wrong. You have 1000psi in the tank, meaning 500psi until the end of your dive, right? Nope, your buddy is burning through your air too at an absurd rate, and you may only have 150 psi left of usable air.
• The hose between you and your buddy could become an entanglement hazard.

Your options are:

• Shorter dives
• SLOWER dives.
• A different dive-buddy
• Getting your buddy to use a bigger tank.
• Solo-diving (with appropriate training and redundancy)
• Aiding your buddy in improving their air-consumption, such as encouraging them to go slow, monitor their breathing, improving their buoyancy, appropriate weights, etc. Only do this though if you actually know what you're doing and won't anger your dive-buddy by offering too much advice.