Pony bottle 19 vs 30 cf, and clipped on left side of BP/W ?

[Roger Hobden]

Thanks for picking up my error. I did mean left and left. Corrected my post above.

Now it is much clearer. Thanks a lot for the advice.

 

[Cyborg Pirate]

I will also agree. Go with the 40. I had no intention of ever going the tech route. So when I asked a very similar question to yours.... I was not smart enough to listen to others advice. I went with a Al30. It works great! However I don't ever use it anymore, it sits and does nothing while I have Al40's and Al80's that get used for deco bottles all the time. I shoulda went with the Al40 to begin with and not wasted my money on a 30. That being said. The Al40's sling and dive far better then the Al30....

 

[DogDiver]

Use neither. Instead use a single steel 120 with an “H” valve. Now you have your redundancy all in one simply package.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Roger Hobden

You did not state what your pony is for. You can easily calculate your gas requirements using your RMV and the dive characteristics. I'm a solo diver and dive a pony as redundant gas for a rec dive. I can easily ascend from any rec dive with an AL19, that's what I dive with.

Good diving, Craig

 

[uncfnp]

As you can see there is no one right answer. Pony bottle threads are prehaps one of the hottest topics on SB.

Are you wanting it for travel? Solo dives? Strictly recreational?

For us the 13 works very well for travel and is enough for a safe ascent and stop. Its also easy to whip from another bottle when we arrive at our destination if no readily available shop for fills.

But the 19 gives a little extra safety margin, especially if events have left us witha less than full tank and for Eric it slings a little better.

For simple redundancy on everyday dives anything larger is just overkill for us, more weight, takes up more room on a crowded boat, and not easily filled by whip.

We have 13’s, 19’s, and a 30. The 30 is strickly for deco. The 13’s are travel ponies and the 19 for local dives.

Clipped left side to leave,your right side/arm free (hunting, photography...)

You can adapt most any BCD to sling a tank but the BPW is golden.

 

[Wookie]

Use neither. Instead use a single steel 120 with an “H” valve. Now you have your redundancy all in one simply package.

Well. Except your gas supply. Which kind of negates the whole redundancy thing, ya think?

 

[Cyborg Pirate]

Well. Except your gas supply. Which kind of negates the whole redundancy thing, ya think?

Exactly! Rare, but I have seen it x2 now. Valve oring lets go. 1x on the boat and 1x at roughly 15’

 

[uncfnp]

Here is a pic of Eric in Cozumel with the 13cf.

 

[doctormike]

Use neither. Instead use a single steel 120 with an “H” valve. Now you have your redundancy all in one simply package.

Where is your redundant gas supply? The only reason for carrying a pony bottle (as opposed to a stage, deco or bailout bottle), is in case of a catastrophic gas loss. It's not a substitute for situational awareness (i.e. "running out of gas"), so we are talking about a blown LP hose or unstoppable free flow. This can drain your tank pretty quickly, even if you feel comfortable that you can shut down one of the valves behind your head in an emergency....

 

[Roger Hobden]

Hi @Roger Hobden
You did not state what your pony is for.
Good diving, Craig

Diving solo to a maximum of 10-20 metres in the small lake (no currents, visibility 7 m, variable temperature, etc.) beside the family chalet. The pony is just in case of an unpredictable catastrophic malfunction of the primary air supply.