No such thing as a Pony Bottle

[mrdre]

The biggest issue I have with back mount is if the the pony starts leaking (for whatever reason) and losing air, the diver won't know it. The diver will think that there is a spare air while there is isn't. Another issue is if the diver forgot to open the valve on the pony.

With slung pony the diver just needs to practice a little clipping/unclipping it, breathing from it and know its boyancy characteristics. Usually it will be couple of pounds negative when full and couple pounds positive when empty.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

The biggest issue I have with back mount is if the the pony starts leaking (for whatever reason) and losing air, the diver won't know it. The diver will think that there is a spare air while there is isn't. Another issue is if the diver forgot to open the valve on the pony.

With slung pony the diver just needs to practice a little clipping/unclipping it, breathing from it and know its boyancy characteristics. Usually it will be couple of pounds negative when full and couple pounds positive when empty.

If those are your concerns then the pony can be mounted upside down and kept off. It can not leak air if the valve is off. The issue of leaving the valve off is also addressed with this configuration.

 

[mrdre]

If those are your concerns then the pony can be mounted upside down and kept off. It can not leak air if the valve is off. The issue of leaving the valve off is also addressed with this configuration.

Yeah.. true.. That will do. I was also thinking about some SPG on some short hose clipped somewhere where I could see.

 

[Storker]

I have long understood that DIN is standard fare in Europe. I suspect that like a lot of things, yoke regs were an American "invention" ... kind've like McDonalds and Walmart ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Well, if you start searching the classifieds here, you'll probably stumble over a kit consisting of more or less obsolete gear after a while. More often than not, the reg is yoke. Also LDSs and dive centers have facilities for filling yoke tanks. So I guess yoke regs was the standard also on this side of the pond sometime before I certified.



--
Sent from my Android phone
Typos are a feature, not a bug

 

[AfterDark]

Hopefully, this is only a little off the topic here. But it doesn't really make a difference in the purpose of the bottle whether it's slung or hard mounted on the tank correct? And: What preferences are there between slinging a "pony" or mounting it to your main tank? I'm very interested in getting a redundant air source myself.

Personal preference mostly as long as the 2nd stage can be reached. May also depend what you want to do with it. I mostly sling a pony when I'm buddy diving for my buddy not me although if I need it I'll use. I don't use an octo so the pony is to be handed off and my buddy and I can make our way to surface together.

Back mounting has it's drawbacks but as DD posted mounted upside moots that issue. My slung pony configuration consists of an inline on-off valve w/ a OFV on the 1st stage. Those SP 109s free flow as soon as they hit the water!

For solo diving I use mostly IDs I have three different size tanks to double up because one size doesn't fit all!

 

[Kharon]

If those are your concerns then the pony can be mounted upside down and kept off. It can not leak air if the valve is off. The issue of leaving the valve off is also addressed with this configuration.

I keep my pony on for two reasons. Least important is if the 2nd stage purges I could get a flooded 1st stage. Most important is if I have an emergency where I need the pony I don't want to be side tracked by finding the valve and turning it on. I want to grab the pony 2nd stage and breathe and deal with the problem. I have no idea why people turn the pony valve off. It doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Akimbo]

… I have no idea why people turn the pony valve off. It doesn't make any sense to me.

It is a pretty simple trade-off, the risk of leaks that could reduce the contents when you need it versus instant availability. One option is to install an SPG but then you have to monitor it too. Personally, I am very comfortable with the short time required to open a valve-down back-mounted bailout valve.

Although some people might think that is a normal procedure for commercial divers, it isn’t quite correct. The HP bailout valve is normally open keeping the first stage pressurized and a valve on the hat or mask at IP pressure is the On/Off.

 

[redacted]

I keep my pony on for two reasons. Least important is if the 2nd stage purges I could get a flooded 1st stage. Most important is if I have an emergency where I need the pony I don't want to be side tracked by finding the valve and turning it on. I want to grab the pony 2nd stage and breathe and deal with the problem. I have no idea why people turn the pony valve off. It doesn't make any sense to me.

With practice come confidence. Confidence in your gear and procedures is a very good thing.

I chose a fairly small pony so it could travel with me when I want. So gas loss is a concern. I charge my slung pony reg and then keep the valve off, monitoring pressure during the dive. If pressure falls below about 1500 psi, I operate the valve to recharge it. With practice, it becomes second nature. I have had pony reg problems that could have resulted in fairly large losses of gas.

 

[Kharon]

... I have had pony reg problems that could have resulted in fairly large losses of gas.

My pony reg had a tendancy, when held in a skum ball to free flow, on splashing. I de-tuned it a bit and it doesn't do that any more. I could have also drilled a hole in the skum ball. Where my pony reg is held, any free flow is immediately obvious.

 

[Doppler]

My pony reg had a tendancy, when held in a skum ball to free flow, on splashing. I de-tuned it a bit and it doesn't do that any more. I could have also drilled a hole in the skum ball. Where my pony reg is held, any free flow is immediately obvious.

Charge hose, turn handwheel off, jump in, recharge hose when doing bubble-check, turn off again, dive.