Bail-out bottle question.

[dumpsterDiver]

I wear mine back mounted and on. With the pony second stage around my neck on a bungi, it would be hard to not notice a free flowing second stage.

 

[salth2owannabe]

Noticing the free-flow - not an issue, pretty obvious, like you said. I was using my 6 cu ft and a couple of quick free flows and it puts a dent in your air supply fast. Hoping to avoid that issue all together. I guess I just wanted to be convinced that leaving my valve off wouldn't flood my 1st stage. (I was also hoping to avoid the "well just sling a 19 or 40" comments)

 

[Meng_Tze]

Several things to think about.

If you need it in an emergency; do you have the time and mindset to turn on the valve?
Can you see/hear a freeflow?
What effect will a purge/short freeflow of the second stage have on your gas volume (think very small bottles here)?
How much 'flooding' will you allow/can your first stage handle?

These questions will help determine if you want to keep things open or closed during the dive.

Me personally if I were diving a pony bottle, the reg would be tucked on the bottle and the valve would be open. This way any diver can come and get that reg; it would always have gas flowing. In a scenario where a buddy can come grab the reg, it would make no sense to bungee that. Unless of course you put two regs on there.....

There are no hard and fast rules, but of course you/anybody need to be able to get to the reg quickly, have enough gas and actually have it (the gas) available.

 

[sheck33]

Just curious here, I assume you dive a single tank? Why do you need a 'pony bottle' ? Your backup gas is in your buddy's cylinder if you have do your gas management properly. If you really need more gas you should be diving doubles. I used a pony for a short while until I realized that it is not a solution to any problem and creates more problems than it solves. A pony makes your whole rig unbalanced. If anything, carry an extra cylinder as a stage tank clipped to the left hip and shoulder D-rings so you at least have proper access to the tank. Proper gas management eliminates the need for a 'pony' bottle. Just an idea.

 

[jeraldjcook]

Just curious here, I assume you dive a single tank? Why do you need a 'pony bottle' ? Your backup gas is in your buddy's cylinder if you have do your gas management properly.

In an ideal world, all buddies would be as attentive as DIR buddies (no slam intended, those guys are attentive) but that's not the case. On vacation, on a cattle boat, you're stuck with who you are stuck with. I've been paired with more than one person who sounded good on the boat and then proceeded to do his own thing underwater. In the end, I'm responsible for my own welfare so I plan on being prepared.

Several things to think about.
If you need it in an emergency; do you have the time and mindset to turn on the valve?
Can you see/hear a freeflow?.

It's this line of thinking that caused me to sling my 19cf. I can keep the valve on and quickly identify any freeflows. The bail out is only for emergencies and even if I lose a couple of cf, I can still make a safe accent from recreational depths.

 

[terrillja]

Just curious here, I assume you dive a single tank? Why do you need a 'pony bottle' ? Your backup gas is in your buddy's cylinder if you have do your gas management properly. If you really need more gas you should be diving doubles. I used a pony for a short while until I realized that it is not a solution to any problem and creates more problems than it solves. A pony makes your whole rig unbalanced. If anything, carry an extra cylinder as a stage tank clipped to the left hip and shoulder D-rings so you at least have proper access to the tank. Proper gas management eliminates the need for a 'pony' bottle. Just an idea.

I dive singles (for now) and also have a 30cf pony. It was required for my wreck course. Also if I get instabuddied, I want to know that I can detach my pony and give it to them, rather than trust that they can make a controlled ascent while on my octo.

As for being unbalanced, a 30cf pony sis something like 1lb negative. If you can notice that 1lb, be my guest. I can't.

 

[waterpirate]

Truly there is no good argument for not carrying a redundant adequate gas supply. In the case of most it is in the form of doubles, for single tank divers it is a pony or stage.
I am curious what other problems it adds?
I just switched from hp120's to lp120's and considered dithcing my pony in place of an H-valve. After thinking it through with the help of a friend, the H-valve does not provide seperate redundant supply. I chose to continue slinging my pony, valve on.
The discussion I had yesterday also bore out the fact that once you are underwater each of us must live or die by the rules we impose on ourselves.
As for valve on valve off, I used to dive valve off. The reasoning for valve on is one hand, one step deployment in emergency situation.
My .02
Eric

 

[james croft]

I sling a pony on my left side clopped off to chest and hip d-rings. usually a 19 CF. I really dont notice it is there. I keep it charged as I can see the guage and reg if it should free flow.

 

[texdiveguy]

When I dive with my 19cf slung pony bottle I charge the line prior to the dive/turn off the gas and feather it on & off every once in a while during the dive....this comes from my training and experience as a mixed gas diver....just a natural for me.

 

[RonFrank]

Just curious here, I assume you dive a single tank? Why do you need a 'pony bottle' ? Your backup gas is in your buddy's cylinder if you have do your gas management properly. ....... A pony makes your whole rig unbalanced. If anything, carry an extra cylinder as a stage tank clipped to the left hip and shoulder D-rings so you at least have proper access to the tank. Proper gas management eliminates the need for a 'pony' bottle. Just an idea.

Some folks dive solo. Some folks get assigned buddies that are not reliable so just like solo diving.

The point of redundant air is not because one has poor gas management, it's there in case of equipment failure.

My 19CF pony tank mounted is not even noticeable, and hardly unbalanced. My buddy carries his slung, and he reports no issues from a trim/balance standpoint.

Gas management does not eliminate the potential of equipment failure. I generally don't carry my pony diving with buddies I know, but I do use it on most wrecks I dive over 60', while on vacation.