Anybody come across this thing yet? All in one pony bottle.

[sunnyboy]

Seriously, that thing is worse than useless.

I had to do a reg swap last week (changed second stages on a reg set). I have a 6cf bottle for suit inflation, always filled with air (by me). I hooked the reg set up to the 6cf bottle to do some pressure testing - to make sure all connections were good and all that.

Just for fun once complete I turned the supply back on and took a few breaths from the regs to verify operation. I was amused to see how quickly the pressure dropped with each breath, on the surface.

I would hate to have to rely on something that small underwater.

 

[SOFDiver]

Saw these or something just like it at DEMA in the booth of one of those Chinese companies. Not something I would have confidence in. JMO.

 

[2airishuman]

I'm posting a photo of one of my pony bottles. This is an HP13 with stage rigging, a 1st, a button spg, and a 2nd. The first and 2nd are more or less identical to my primary regs.

I have AL19 and HP40s that I sometimes use.

Not sure what practical advantages the integrated setups would have. Maybe if I dove with one I could figure it out.

 

[mi000ke]

I sling a 13cf with no problems. It fits just fine under my left arm/shoulder, hooked to D rings on my shoulder and hip. I also hook the 2nd stage to my left shoulder where it is very easy to access. My SAC rate is normally around .45, so doubling that to 1 from 100' at 30' per second plus 3 min SS comes up to about 6-7 cf, so I doubled it again for good measure, and 13cf was the next standard size up. Hardly notice it's there when in the water.

 

[stuartv]

I sling a 13cf with no problems. It fits just fine under my left arm/shoulder, hooked to D rings on my shoulder and hip. I also hook the 2nd stage to my left shoulder where it is very easy to access. My SAC rate is normally around .45, so doubling that to 1 from 100' at 30' per second plus 3 min SS comes up to about 6-7 cf, so I doubled it again for good measure, and 13cf was the next standard size up. Hardly notice it's there when in the water.

Subsurface says a SAC of 1.0, with 1 min at 100' and a direct 30fpm ascent with no safety stop, requires 8 cu-ft.

1 min at 100' (at 1.0 RMV) is 4 cu-ft. 3 min at 16' is 4.5 cu-ft. So, even if you allow no time at depth after you start breathing off the pony, including the SS still requires 8.5 cu-ft. Plus, don't forget the last 100 psi (?) is not usable, so if the pony is a 3000psi bottle, that's 0.4 cu-ft right there.

13 cu-ft may not be completely useless, but it's so limited, I just can't see myself ever choosing to sling a 13 when I can sling a 30 or 40 instead and it is really no problem at all. However, there is no doubt, my SAC is higher. Normally about 0.6 for relaxed bottom time and a bit lower for deco or a safety stop. Easily 1.0 if I'm working hard or otherwise stressed.

 

[The Chairman]

Supposedly it'll be shown at DEMA.

This is the newest in personal safety equipment
and will be introduced at the DEMA show in Texas this coming October.

It's going to be shown at the DEMA in Texas??? I think that was 2002 or 2003. 2 phreakin' phunni!

A bite valve during an emergency doesn't sound like a good idea. At 6cf, it doesn't sound like much of a buffer. Let's use the amount of gas in 500 psi of an AL80 as the basic starting point: (500/3000)80=13.6cf. This is less than half of that. I dove with a 19 for years, but basic dive and gas planning saw to it that I never ever had to use it. Today, if I'm slinging a bottle, it won't be less than 40cf. Why? It's enough gas for me AND A BUDDY to ascend with a good 5 minute safety stop.

 

[The Chairman]

Looking at the name: "AB2000". I bet it was thought of or developed around 2000. That was a pretty popular name back then, so it's not a new piece of gear but rather turn of the century hardware. But like I said: a bite valve. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[stuartv]

It's going to shown at the DEMA in Texas. I think that was 2002 or 2003.

A bite valve during an emergency doesn't sound like a good idea. At 6cf, it doesn't sound like much of a buffer. Let's use the amount of gas in 500 psi of an AL80 as the basic starting point: (500/3000)80=13.6cf. This is less than half of that. I dove with a 19 for years, but basic dive and gas planning saw to it that I never ever had to use it. Today, if I'm slinging a bottle, it won't be less than 40cf. Why? It's enough gas for me AND A BUDDY to ascend with a good 5 minute safety stop.

i have to ask (not trying to be snarky - trying to learn from someone more experienced): What circumstances do you foresee that could possibly result in you and your buddy both needing to share a pony?

 

[The Chairman]

What circumstances do you foresee that could possibly result in you and your buddy both needing to share a pony?

I have done an air share from stupid deep, where the one buddy ran out and the other buddy was almost out. I didn't have a pony, and on our ascent I was sending vibes to the almost OOA buddy that he was NOT going to run out as I was NOT giving up my necklaced reg. This was a rescue and both of them were horribly bent. The last I heard, they never dove after that incident. Buddies tend to run out of air together. If one buddy is checking their air, they usually prompt the other buddy to do the same. So, if one runs out, the other is probably almost out.

For the record, and it's as much as I'll publish on the interwebs, I was not a part of their dive team, nor were they a part of my class. I share the story only with my students as a study in the power of narcosis combined with the stupidity of an instructor.

 

[stuartv]

I have done an air share from stupid deep, where the one buddy ran out and the other buddy was almost out. I didn't have a pony, and on our ascent I was sending vibes to the almost OOA buddy that he was NOT going to run out as I was NOT giving up my necklaced reg. This was a rescue and both of them were horribly bent. The last I heard, they never dove after that incident. Buddies tend to run out of air together. If one buddy is checking their air, they usually prompt the other buddy to do the same. So, if one runs out, the other is probably almost out.

Sooo.... the real point, if I run out my buddy is probably very low as well, so that's why you would be prepared to air share with a pony. Got it.