Diving with Pony Bottle on or off?

[wolflegresley]

For a pony bottle that is meant as bailout gas I will always have the valve turned on...and I mean 100% on - none of this 3/4 turn business. When I need to go for my emergency air, I want it to be ready to go immedatley. I will always breathe wet from it for 2-3 breaths at depth to ensure there are no issues. Oh and I sling my bottle

 

[Yoyodyne-88]

Back mounted and on. Never been a problem, and when I've needed it, I needed it fast. When aiding an OOA diver my full attention needs to be on them, not finding my own valve.

 

[RJP]

Deco/stage bottles "charged, but off"
Slung redundant gas "on"

Note, the idea that this makes it ready to go for someone else is a bit specious - for most folks anyway - as the pony would not be the reg you'd donate in an emergency. (Unless, like some folks I've seen who use a pony bottle WITHOUT an alternate on their main tank.)

 

[NWA395]

Slung and ON.

 

[kwinter]

On, period. I see no reason for inline shutoffs for this application. It only adds potential failure points. My bailouts include shutoffs and OPVs because I might still need that gas for something else in the event of a second stage freeflow. But on the pony, you have a second stage and that's it. There is no other function that bottle serves, so there is no reason to isolate the second stage. If it freeflows or leaks, you would shut the valve and be aware of that in case it is needed.

 

[Robert Thompson]

So I prepare for my dive, do all the safety checks, charge both my primary and pony/stage, and turn off the pony/stage. During the dive the first stage of the pony/stage has a tiny leak and loses pressure. We all I'm sure know that the most likely time to lose the oring is while pressurizing the first stage. So now you have an emergency ooa situation and you reach back and charge you pony or stage and Boom...catastrophic gas loss on your backup plan. Also this is not just isolated to the face oring, there are plenty of other failure points that could cause an issue within the bailout reg. The point is if your tank is charged orings are seated and either fail so you can abort the dive or will allow you to use the gear.

 

[scubadada]

Slung and on, it's right in front of me, I can see it and the SPG is right there

 

[Nemrod]

Deco/stage bottles "charged, but off"
Slung redundant gas "on"

Note, the idea that this makes it ready to go for someone else is a bit specious - for most folks anyway - as the pony would not be the reg you'd donate in an emergency. (Unless, like some folks I've seen who use a pony bottle WITHOUT an alternate on their main tank.)

If buddy diving with an aux/pony augmented singles tank rig, I would donate the primary on a long(er) hose and I would go to the auxiliary bottle regulator and I may necklace it. If buddy diving but using my DH regulators, then I would donate the aux bottle regulator and I would have a long(er) hose on it as would anyone with a conventional octopus rigging and it clips into a retainer on my left chest D-ring, same place my wife keeps hers (and she is my primary buddy). There is no reason, an opinion, mine, to tote around three second stages, that provides nothing but additional hoes, rigging and associated failure points. YRMV.

If solo diving with an auxiliary bottle augmented single tank rig, there is nobody for me to donate too, therefore I would certainly not have three second stages most definitely. There would only be my primary and my aux bottle regulator, I might in some cases necklace it (if my primary is a single hose regulator) and in other cases (my primary being a double hose) would have the aux bottle and regulator bungeed and stowed together.

N

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Slung and ON.

If I was a scooter pilot like Dr. Lecter, I would probably adopt his and tbone's solution (ON, but with inline shutoff); or just OFF. The likelihood of a "runaway pony" (undetected freeflow) while blazing along on a scooter would be quite a bit higher compared to the chance of that happening at my normal sedate, turtle-like swimming pace...

But with 3 kids in college and pinching every penny until it squeals these days, no scootering is in my immediate future :depressed:.

Best wishes.

 

[PantherDiver]

Slung and on Always.

Predive check for bubbles, slug allows you to see bubbles, my gauge started leaking and I could feel the bubbles roll up my chest, knowing that it's ready and on.

-I've had to deploy it once for a diver friend who just came up from the bottom of Blue Grotto with 200psi. I was working on buoyancy and finning when I saw him come up he pointed at his gauge and my pony. I thought he was out of air (he said it was getting harder to breathe) I deployed, arm stretched and swam to him as he swam to me. He took it and once we stopped for his safety stop and he signaled he was okay and since we have the same gear I easily hooked the pony to him and he continued to the surface while I finished my dive. I may or may not of remembered to turn my tank on and if I had forgotten then him sucking on a uncharged line may of caused panic and him to bolt to the surface and skip his safety stop. I will admit since I was just at 20 feet practicing my mind wasn't thinking I would need to deploy my bottle for someone else and I can guarentee I would of forgotten to turn it on. Just being honest.