An Idea Taken From DIR

[Blitz]

I use a simple theory when solo diving : dive like you are going to run into someone that is having a problem. On shallow(less than 80fsw) dives I carry, around 170 cuft of back gas. If I have my stage (pony) reg around my neck, there is a chance that can grab the wrong reg, then there is an additional few seconds of chaos.

On deep dives I am in doubles with a stage. I never use more than a thousand (again, we are talking doubles, so it is really two thousand)pounds of gas before I start my ascent.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

Fndmylove,

My remark was not intended to be snide. You asked whether other solo divers would do as you do. I answered that they would probably not.

Ok. It's hard to tell when it's simply text, but that was the impression I got. I think it might have been the ... Oh well, my bad.

This is because for many reasons, which have all been set forth in this thread by guys who solo dive, what you have chosen to do does not make sense when "thought through thoroughly".

But what you suggest would not make sense to me, or to the others who have responded to your post, for the reasons they posted, and this explains perfectly why I answered your question by indicating that other solo divers would probably not choose to dive with the configuration you've selected.

Honestly, in my opinion, nobody has given a great reason for why not to do it.

Entanglement: In front of my face? As I said previously, give me a darwin award if I can't get out of it. Again, I need to post a picture, because the way I had it rigged, it rested against my body. My rig has nowhere near the amount of crap I have seen dangling around other divers.

Valve being On: I don't understand this for a solo diver. And this had little to do with the hose/reg setup.

What were the other reasons given again?

I think the best alternate suggestions were doubles, or tank-mount (so that the hose/reg is fixed), but as I said, I like the idea of seeing my redundant system at all times, and this has become priority for me.

You act like the folks here have laid out a strong case for why not to do it, and that it is very obvious why not to. While I have appreciated the responses, I'm not seeing that at all.

Ask a question, get an answer. The fact that you do not like my answer does not make it inaccurate.

I didnt say your answer was inaccurate, it was an opinion so it cannot be right or wrong. All I wanted, was something constructive. I wanted you to say something specific that might help me understand why "probably not".

I'm not going to change a rig that I think makes sense for me, if no-one gives a great reason for why another way is much better. I'm not going to do something just because someone says some other way is better, they have to prove it to me.

 

[in_cavediver]

Valve being On: I don't understand this for a solo diver.

I don't solo often but I dive as if I was all the time.

So, why should you turn off the valve of your slung pony?

First, how I do it (stages, deco or pony):

1) Turn on valve, pressurize system
2) Turn off valve, leave system pressurized.
3) If carrying the bottle throughout the dive, I will occasionally look down and re-pressurize the reg if needed

What does do for me?

1) If I bump the reg an cause a freeflow, I lose only the gas in the reg.
2) If I don't bump the reg, I still have a breath or two without turning the post on so no loss
3) I am protected against the slow seeping leak

The value of 'preservation' of gas depends on the size of the stage/pony and conditions of your dives. If you have a 6 or 13 cft pony, you want to carefully manage that gas. If its a slung 40/45/63/80, then it may be less important. Locations where I would solo dive and carry the buddy bottle, preserving gas is a paramount concern for me, even if its 80+ cft.

As for your rigging of the pony reg as a necklace, all I'll say is to take a carefull look at your configuration and evaluate just how well it serves your needs. You dive it so it has to serve your needs.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

I don't solo often but I dive as if I was all the time.

So, why should you turn off the valve of your slung pony?

First, how I do it (stages, deco or pony):

1) Turn on valve, pressurize system
2) Turn off valve, leave system pressurized.
3) If carrying the bottle throughout the dive, I will occasionally look down and re-pressurize the reg if needed

What does do for me?

1) If I bump the reg an cause a freeflow, I lose only the gas in the reg.
2) If I don't bump the reg, I still have a breath or two without turning the post on so no loss
3) I am protected against the slow seeping leak

The value of 'preservation' of gas depends on the size of the stage/pony and conditions of your dives. If you have a 6 or 13 cft pony, you want to carefully manage that gas. If its a slung 40/45/63/80, then it may be less important. Locations where I would solo dive and carry the buddy bottle, preserving gas is a paramount concern for me, even if its 80+ cft.

As for your rigging of the pony reg as a necklace, all I'll say is to take a carefull look at your configuration and evaluate just how well it serves your needs. You dive it so it has to serve your needs.

What a great post, thanks pal! My solo dives are in shallow OW locations that I know very well. It would be very unlikely that the reg gets bumped around a lot, but for what you do that makes a lot of sense. And this coincides with your last statements.


I check my pony pressure very often, and if I have had an unnoticed free flow (where the bottle has been considerably drained), I'm ascending immediately, with my backgas. The good news is that I don't have far to go (shallow). In a cave, I can see that situation being disastrous, so what you are saying is logical for that situation, I like it.

Perhaps fixing the hose somewhere in the center would reduce the effect the moving bottle has on moving the reg itself. Much like a tension relief used in electrical wiring.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

I think I need to clarify the conditions in which I will be diving with this rig. I'm sorry I didnt do this previously:

Open Water
Shallow (Most < 35 ft. , Never > 55 ft.)
Greater than 5 Ft. Vis
Fresh Water, not much current (For now)

 

[divad]

I check my pony pressure very often, and if I have had an unnoticed free flow (where the bottle has been considerably drained), I'm ascending immediately.

Having the regulator charged and the valve off completely obviates this stuation, ie, it eleminates a problem (trying not to say failure point).

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

Having the regulator charged and the valve off completely obviates this stuation, ie, it eleminates a problem (trying not to say failure point).

I'm definitely having second thoughts about having the valve ON. Let me think through it thoroughly and get back to you guys. I never heard/thought of the charged line idea before. This is what I wanted out of this thread. Thanks!

 

[divad]

I'm definitely having second thoughts about having the valve ON. Let me think through it thoroughly and get back to you guys. I never heard/thought of the charged line idea before. This is what I wanted out of this thread. Thanks!

Not to grind home the point, but with the valve off you don't have montor another SPG or constantly check for bubbles (which could become compulsive). In fact, you don't have to think about it at all. It's just there ready to go.You have more important things to think about and when you need the pony valve on, you won't really have to think about it because you will have practiced to the point of it being automatic.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

-Having the valve off will give you a full bottle when turned on, because now, freeflow can only remove the charged line air.

The following is something I just thought of, I want to know what you think of it:

What if turning the valve on underwater causes a burst disk or o-ring failure? Having the valve ON already, you have eliminated that source of error in a sense. What do you think of this?

Knowing that the valve is on and the system is working properly, might supersede the reasons for having it off for me. I haven't decided yet.

 

[ianr33]

-
The following is something I just thought of, I want to know what you think of it:

What if turning the valve on underwater causes a burst disk or o-ring failure? Having the valve ON already, you have eliminated that source of error in a sense. What do you think of this?

The burst disc is below the valve.makes no difference if the valve is open or closed.

To reduce the risk of O ring failure use DIN tanks. If the hose is pressurised there will be no "shock" to the O ring when the valve is opened so no extra chance of failing.