Couple questions on a pony bottle for bail out

[Sonic04GT]

The valve is not really obscured. It's not as open as it was in the prior configuration but it's not bad.

I intend to dive the pony with the valve wide open at all times. The Hollis 212 second stage appears to have a great dynamic/venturi adjustment.

I read on the DIR site not to use the handle as a handle. I tried it for the heck of it and it stretched a little just doing it once.

As far as the hose routing, that was a careless mistake not tucking the other part of the hose under the elastic band. It does seem like the second stage is held better when the elastic is placed over the handle, rather than under. I'll try it a little more and see what works best.

 

[lowviz]

... I read on the DIR site not to use the handle as a handle. ...

Just rename the 'handle'. *dunsel*

 

[dumpsterDiver]

The valve is not really obscured. It's not as open as it was in the prior configuration but it's not bad.

I intend to dive the pony with the valve wide open at all times. The Hollis 212 second stage appears to have a great dynamic/venturi adjustment.

I read on the DIR site not to use the handle as a handle. I tried it for the heck of it and it stretched a little just doing it once.

As far as the hose routing, that was a careless mistake not tucking the other part of the hose under the elastic band. It does seem like the second stage is held better when the elastic is placed over the handle, rather than under. I'll try it a little more and see what works best.

Do you understand how and why you might want to work the valve on and off for each breath from the pony bottle?

 

[Kharon]

One other tip - I found that the reg on my pony would sometimes freeflow if it were finely tuned. I detuned it just a bit and no more freeflow ever.

 

[Sonic04GT]

Do you understand how and why you might want to work the valve on and off for each breath from the pony bottle?

Are you referring to a freeflow situation?

I understanding feathering just enough to keep breathing, yet conserve gas, and modulating the valve open/closed. Beyond that, no.

 

[JohnN]

Do you understand how and why you might want to work the valve on and off for each breath from the pony bottle?

Given that the pony is supposed to be reserved for emergency situations (e.g. catastrophic failure of your back gas), are you really trying to bring up a double point-of-failure scenario?

 

[Sonic04GT]

Given that the pony is supposed to be reserved for emergency situations (e.g. catastrophic failure of your back gas), are you really trying to bring up a double point-of-failure scenario?

Hey, ya never know. I slipped in the shower one time and on the way down, bracing myself, I flung the valve all the way to hot. That sucked.

Here's how the pony valve looks anyway.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Given that the pony is supposed to be reserved for emergency situations (e.g. catastrophic failure of your back gas), are you really trying to bring up a double point-of-failure scenario?

I prefer back mounting of a pony. If someone wants to sling it, I think it is more cumbersome, but it is most definitely safer. One of the attributes that make it safer is the ability to manipulate the valve. Someone could have a primary tank failure or just run low on gas .... and then when switching to a pony experience a free flow, which is not particularly rare. I guess I am contemplating a double failure.

 

[uncfnp]

Hey Sonic. It's been almost two weeks. Have you had a chance to get it wet yet?

 

[Greg_Vic_Diver]

I'm confused. Why does one even need a pony bottle?

If you are worried about having enough gas - plan the dive (gas management) always leaving enough reserve for you and your buddy to reach the surface sharing gas

If you are worried about redundancy, double up your tanks with a manifold. You can then solve a problem and have access to all your gas if one of your regulators fails.
This works even better for when diving with a buddy who has a gas issue - you can donate a working live reg to your buddy to avert an emergency and then use your back up regulator. No mess, no fuss handling a slung bottle. I've seen emergencies where an undeployed, slung bottle wasn't working when a diver needed it most...