Crazy to use a Mares Puck as my SPG on a pony bottle?

[alanchang]

No. Please don't. It's way too long and It's just not ideal for a stage or deco tanks. Also, button SPG is Okay for PONY but not ideal for STAGE or DECO or BO bottles. If a pony is used it means the dive is within the recreational limit but it's okay if the gauge isn't completely readable. (Cus you're bailing out on those tanks and if used correctly, even AL40 or 30 should be enough for you to ascend using the normal ascend rate and complete all your safety stops and potential DECO. If it is a technical dive, normal SPG should be easier to use. Some divers prefer the button SPG but I find a regular SPG more readable underwater.

 

[LI-er]

It's not crazy at all. I used to dive with my pony gas monitored via a button spg on a thin hose ziptied to my BCD inflator hose but found it difficult to see. I now use a transmitter and wrist computer to monitor my backup pony, I want to know there's gas in there if I need it. Especially when I use the pony to extend my dive. The advice you're receiving to the effect of "As long as there's gas when you check it prior to the dive then it's all good" is really only correct if you dive with the valve off and/or you don't use the pony to extend your dives. Otherwise there could be loss of gas during the dive and you'd be clueless until you needed that breath.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

I'm diving NJ this summer and redundancy is mandatory. The last time I rented the tank + reg, the reg lacked an SPG and the reg looked pretty beat up. I didn't think much of it at the time (checked pressure at the dive shop), but really lost confidence in the setup.

I'm planning to move to doubles eventually so I recently bought a doubles reg set, and configured one to be used on my main single tank, and the other to be used on the pony until I've had some doubles training. I got a button SPG for the pony reg, but now that it's in my hand I'm not sure how readable it'll be at depth.

But then I realized that I have an old but working Mares Puck AI computer... the hose is longer than I'd need, but I think I can wrap and bungie it to the tank. That in theory would give me a 2nd backup computer too. Or is this just overkill?

View attachment 795593

…whatever seems safe and practical for you.…set it up how you want it, then dive it in a controlled environment or a training facility pool to see how well it works. For me…too many gadgets to keep track of….

 

[MidOH]

Scuba is supposed to be fun. Go for it. If it sucks, get a button guage. Some people have no guage on their pony, just what their whip read, during fill.

The Dirp Guoeys freaked out, because someone put an extra inflator hose on their left stage bottle. (spare drysuit source) Doesn't seem like a big deal to me.

 

[mje113]

I ended up going with a button gauge. It did all I needed it to do for a pony.