AL40 for redundancy diving single tank on deeper dives.

[mainedvr]

I realize my previous answer completely ignored your questions. Sorry.


Use a stage kit to mount it onto your body using D rings (if possible).

Get a Luxfer 40cf if you can - characteristics in the water are good.

How you use the bottle is going to be up to you. I am not the one diving - you are.

As others have said a properly configured bottle shouldn't be awkward. You'll have to figure out how to make that happen.

I can't tell you how to dive I can only point you in a direction. Good Luck.

Thanks this is what I was looking for.

 

[mainedvr]

I think based on what you are saying you need to find what works for you and your wife. On a post like this you will probably get 10+ different opinions. They are not right or wrong just different based on peoples preferences and experience. You have a lot of options for this. Are you both going to sling an extra tank? What size? Also I know a lot of people with your type of concern that have gone with a 19CF on an attachment to their main tank so that it doesn't get in the way.

We will probably both carry one, its more for some of the wreck diving here in So Cal we have a few wrecks that are in the 100ft range and viz and current obvioulsy can come into play. We are both competent divers and on some of our post dive debriefings with each other the one thing we thought about was the few times we could see if we lost sight of each other in 10ft or less viz even if briefly and something should arise when we needed to share air a pony bottle would come into use. We don't want it as a crutch we plan our dive and dive our plan, we use computers but also use tables to plan our dive if something should happen to that computer during the dive. Thanks for the input.

 

[Scubatude]

I like a simple stage kit like this one IST Stage Bottle Rigging.

I use Hog D2s with a 2" gauge for my stage/deco or pony bottle. A 40" inch hose is plenty, but long enough to properly deploy.

Here is a pic I just took from the internet that is very similar to what I use and teach.

 

[mainedvr]

I like a simple stage kit like this one IST Stage Bottle Rigging.

I use Hog D2s with a 2" gauge for my stage/deco or pony bottle. A 40" inch hose is plenty, but long enough to properly deploy.

Here is a pic I just took from the internet that is very similar to what I use and teach.

View attachment 375348

What type of tank is that a steel or AL, thanks for the input.

 

[Scubatude]

AL tanks

 

[Colliam7]

My wife and I have been talking about using an AL 40 as a redundant air supply on some of our deeper dives.. . . Any do's or donts? when getting tanks or rigging the bottles.

I have used AL40s (Luxfer or Catalina) or AL30s for years as a pony bottle, slinging them on the left side. I don't really notice they are there. You can use a commercial stage rigging kit (Dive Rite Stage Bottle Rigging Kit | Dive Gear Express®) or make one yourself with a hose clamp, two bolt snaps, some braided cord and a short piece of clear plastic tubing. I prefer a 40" second stage hose and a 6" SPG hose on the regulator (folding the SPG back up and securing it with a piece of inner tube, so it sits right above the vale as illustrated in scubatude's picture). I also keep a short low pressure inflator hose on the pony regulator.

I recommend that you periodically practice deploying (and re-stowing) the second stage.

 

[stuartv]

I use the DGX rigging. $39.

DGX Premium Webbing Stage Strap Kit | Dive Gear Express®

I like it better than the $30 kit that Scubatude posted because the webbing doesn't have any rivets or grommets holding it together. It's just doubled over nylon webbing. I have very high confidence that it will never accidentally come apart.

I have a 1" button SPG on my deco bottle reg. $13

Mini-SPG, { 1 in | 2.5 cm } Face | Dive Gear Express®

I had a "regular" SPG on it and I did not like the way the HP hose was always very bent in order to have the SPG positioned properly. The button SPG is big enough to read and I don't generally have any use for getting a more accurate reading from my deco bottle than what I can get from the 1" SPG anyway. Usually, I just turn it on before getting in and verify that they cylinder is full. I don't need to know if it's 2800 psi vs 3000. But, that's just me and how I use my AL40.

As a deco bottle, I turn it on to check pressure before getting in, then turn it off. Get in. Turn it back on and off again after I'm in, to ensure the deco reg is still charged. If I were using it as a pony bottle, rather than a deco bottle, I would get in, turn it on, and leave it on, so it's ready for use in an emergency.

 

[Landlocked123]

Always dive a pony in my opinion. I don't dive anywhere without one. Then again my average viz is 5-10 feet in quarry diving. It will never hurt you to have extra gas in a redundant backup. It can only hurt you one day not to have it. Had to use mine once and will never dive without it again. Mine is 19 and back mounted but again why not have it. Unless there are specific reasons not to I say use it and I think a 30 is all you need probably. Unless you are deeper than 100 feet in which case all sorts of other things come into play . Even if the pony is there just as a quick source of air while you get your wife's attention etc if she is not exactly paying attention to you. That quick access to a secondary source will put you at ease and give you those 2-3 seconds it would take to get her attention and get on her back gas and then manage the situation. Always knowing its there for you if you need it. And unless you are diving a hard bottom and have no way surpassing MOD on Nitrox.. always fill AIR only in it.

 

[Stoo]

Your buddy is your redundant supply. No need for a pony.

In spite of what some are saying, I think adding some redundancy is a great idea. I agree that a buddy is a great option, but being able to sort out your own problems is the best solution by far.

There is no excuse to run out of air, and the odds of a serious regulator malfunction are minimal, but both still happen. The ONLY downside of slinging a 40 is cost, so if that isn't a factor, then go for it.

In terms of tips, the standard stage hit that you would get from Halcyon or Dive Rite is simple. Pay attention to the sizes of the bolt snaps and be sure that you can manage them with gloves. We mostly wear dry gloves here, so large bolt snaps are helpful.

I didn't notice if you wear a BP/w or a BCD, but obviously you will need a suitable attachment point on both your shoulder strap as well as your waist.

 

[Octopusprime]

There are a couple of questions to think about first how deep are you going? In the case of a catastrophic failure all you need is enough to get to the surface safely. If you buddy is almost ready to ascend when your problem happens did he save enough for you both to surface on their Air? Most divers try to be back on the boat with about 500 psi that is not enough spare air to come up from 100ft. My buddy and i always take a pony when we go past 100 ft. Better safe than sorry.

Size... everyone has a preference but one thing to think about is are you looking to expand your dive training? my local diving has a lot of opportunity for some technical diving and a AL40 would be a great deco bottle also. Could be a deticated Nirtox bottle with 40 or 50% O2 in the future. If you are not looking to expand your diving just get one big enough fo one diver to surface on from your max depth.