closed valve in the bail out bottle

[divad]

That is how I was instructed to do it through GUE training.

I learned it thru PUG training.

 

[Thalassamania]

I learned it thru PUG training.

That's why you're gonna die.

 

[divad]

That's why you're gonna die.

LOL
Yes, because I didn't pay attention to the rest of it; just the part I wanted to hear that suited my immediate purpose. Still, I'm not dead yet. Maybe I'm just practicing.

 

[DandyDon]

I sling the bottle on my side, so would be able to detect any sort of free flow, as well as be able to easily see the SPG.

I can't imagine why you wouldn't want it "turned on" when you hit the water. If I or another diver need the gas in the bottle, I'd like to be able to get it as quickly as possible.

Exactly. I don't need an OOA diver grabbing my pony reg, finding it closed, then going into panic. I announce to my bud and anyone else who will hear me on the boat that if they're OOA, they can grab either my yellow second stage or my pony reg, purge and breath - I'll understand, no signals needed. I also add that the Manta mouth piece in my mouth is not coming out, so don't try to grab it.

I do keep the adjustment tight, not fully open like Rich - as mine will free flow on fully open at the surface.

Additionally, I don't want it charged, closed, then bump to cause an accidental purge & lose of pressure, allowing water in. Just had the pony reg valve rebuilt. :blush:

Too bad we can't agree on this, but I'll keep doing what works well for me.

 

[ClayJar]

I keep mine closed and charged. If I'm diving solo and someone ambushes me and starts grabbing random regs, they'll have a working one at least by the second try, and if it's a buddy of mine, they know they can grab my "octo" or yank the reg out of my mouth if it comes to that.

Perhaps it's helped by having a full SPG on a normal HP hose, but bumping the purge valve only knocks off a few hundred PSI off the closed-valve pressure on my pony rig. As long as I'm not holding the purge (which is rather hard to accidentally hit on my rig), I'm not going to drop it to zero before I have a chance to give a quick twist to the valve to bring it back up to full pressure.

 

[String]

If its slung then valve closed, system pressurised.

If its backmount and cant reach the valve, on all the time obviously.

 

[wallacm]

When I dive with stages or deco gas, i charge them and turn them off. But when i dive with those, i drop them so they have a chance to fall and could make it free flow. But if you dive with it slung on you at all times I dont think there is anything wrong with keeping the valve on

 

[divad]

Exactly. I announce to my bud and anyone else who will hear me on the boat that if they're OOA, they can grab either my yellow second stage or my pony reg

Or your funny hat.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hello All;

I dive with a bailout bottle for any dive deeper than 30'. I sling the bottle and tuck the regulator using DiveRite retainers which works great. Now my question is: I met a person that advised me to have the valve closed during the dive but pressurized. This is to avoid a free flow and loosing gas without knowing it. What do you think?

You want to charge the reg with pressure before you enter the water, i.e. turn on, then off. During the dive you should periodically repressurize the reg, again on, then off.

That keeps the reg pressuirzed if it's lost a little gas, and it also keeps the reg, hose and 2nd stage adjusted to the pressure for depth your at, not the surface. Lastly it gets you in the habit of finding and cycling the valve, and practicing deploying and breathing from the reg.

I'm not a big fan of pony bottles period, but the ability to read the gauge, and cycle the valve are compelling reasons to sling the pony and not hard mount it to your main cylinder.


Tobin

 

[DandyDon]

You want to charge the reg with pressure before you enter the water, i.e. turn on, then off. During the dive you should periodically repressurize the reg, again on, then off.

That keeps the reg pressuirzed if it's lost a little gas, and it also keeps the reg, hose and 2nd stage adjusted to the pressure for depth your at, not the surface. Lastly it gets you in the habit of finding and cycling the valve, and practicing deploying and breathing from the reg.

Cool, he did say: "I met a person that advised me to have the valve closed during the dive but pressurized. This is to avoid a free flow and loosing gas without knowing it. What do you think?"

I'm not a big fan of pony bottles period, but the ability to read the gauge, and cycle the valve are compelling reasons to sling the pony and not hard mount it to your main cylinder.

I learned that one the hard way once. Really, really bad.