Do you dive with your pony valve turned on? Off?

[LeadTurn_SD]

On works fine for the diving I do; you need to evaluate the pro's & con's for your particular diving and how you rig the bailout.

I sling my Al 30 "pony" (rigged like a stage bottle), so I can clearly see the stages and gauge, so I am not overly concerned about undetected air loss.

As others have said, the most important thing is to practice with it. I wet-breathe it (and all my 2nd stages) before descending on every dive, and also test it at least once during the dive, typically during the bubble check and again when I reach max planned depth. This gives me peace of mind that it really will work as advertised if I need it for real.

Best wishes.

 

[macado]

Off but charged to mitigate risk of gas loss.

I periodically turn valve on/off during dive to keep it "charged" in case I accidentally bumped regulator and purged gas.

 

[BrewsKampbell]

Off and charged here as well.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

What is a slide-check ?

One of these, between the second stage and the end of the LP hose: Omni Swivel Isolation Valve
If I have to bail out, I do not want to be turning valves but the gas must be there. Thus, the added failure point and cost of the in-line shut off or slide-check are worth it to me. They're also handy when you're carrying a bunch of bottles slung around you and don't feel like constantly having to refresh charges while scootering.

 

[MasterChief D]

Off but charged.

Additionally, once I reach the max depth for the dive I open & close the valve to ensure the pressure in 1st & 2nd stages equalises with the ambient pressure.

 

[whitefang21]

One of these, between the second stage and the end of the LP hose: Omni Swivel Isolation Valve
If I have to bail out, I do not want to be turning valves but the gas must be there. Thus, the added failure point and cost of the in-line shut off or slide-check are worth it to me. They're also handy when you're carrying a bunch of bottles slung around you and don't feel like constantly having to refresh charges while scootering.

Eureka "If it fails you loose the gas completely?"

 

[JohnN]

Eureka "If it fails you loose the gas completely?"

Wouldn't that be a double-point-of-failure scenario? I don't think you want to start down that rat hole. . .

 

[Colliam7]

Would love some instruction here on best practices for handling a pony bottle. If it matters, I will be starting some Tec training in a month or so.

When I started using a pony, I used it in the 'charged but off' mode, primarily because that is what I was told I would do in tech training. I practiced quite a bit with gas switches (backgas to pony, and back again). From tech training onward, I continued the practice with deco cylinders. I teach that method, as well. Before this thread I was not familiar with the slide check aka Shut-off Valve, but now I want to get one to evaluate the device.

 

[uncfnp]

Slung bottle but pony a 13 cf. Sufficient gas for me but conscious of even a small gas loss so charged but off with intermentent crackes, just after splash and during dive to ensure continued pressure.

Same procedure for my deco bottle too.

 

[raftingtigger]

On, but all my stage/bailout/deco regs have slide-checks now so gas loss is not really a concern. Before the slide-checks, I was in the 'charged but off' camp.

Don't forget if you choose to use a slide-check (aka an inline shut-off valve) you MUST have a pressure relief if the first stage fails. An inexpensive first-stage OPV does the trick. (Which I'm sure Dr. Lecter does have).

I used to have the inline shut-off on my pony but have since decided I prefer 'charged and off' if diving with a buddy, and 'charged and on' and bungied to my necklace if diving solo for the following reasons:

1. With the inline shutoff there is NO first breath, with charged and off there is.
2. When diving with a buddy I use a regulator that has a long-hose and a bungied alternate.
3. When diving solo I use a BM regulator with a single long-hose and no alternate. My pony regulator replaces the bungied alternate (the pony second is on the necklace) and the valve stays on. This is the same configuration when I'm diving a single BM and left SM independent doubles.

I know there are several people on the board here that will 'take issue' with my doing it this way (eg. not always having it one way), but I have thought long and hard about this and this works BEST for ME. YMMV. I do check my pony spg often and also check the status of the valve at the same time.