Pony SPG a necessity?

[carrielsal]

Dandydon, what's to understand? The pony is for emergency use only, not to extend dive time. If you either didn't check the pressure on the surface or didn't plan your gas management, it doesn't matter if there is an SGP on the pony or not under water. Either it has enough gas or it doesn't.

 

[wrybosome]

Have you ever had a real CESA? (...) I/we will then review computer demands vs changing air supplies. Even if my beneficiary doesn't recognize what size I am carrying, s/he will be more comfortable seeing 2,000 or more pounds than 500, or not knowing.

I haven't. Practiced once from 20' for OW and once from 45' in the quarry.

So I read your point as being the SPG is a good tool to plan for the needs of someone you're donating to.

OK, maybe I'm being pointlessly cheap. Thanks everyone!

 

[carrielsal]

My pony isn't for anyone but me. It's attached to my primary tank in the back with the regulator bungeed around my neck. If I have a buddy out of air, that's what my octo is for.

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, if the question in your mind was whether you should spend money to do it right or not - you were being too cheap.

Dandydon, what's to understand? The pony is for emergency use only, not to extend dive time. If you either didn't check the pressure on the surface or didn't plan your gas management, it doesn't matter if there is an SGP on the pony or not under water. Either it has enough gas or it doesn't.

And I may not understand. That happens at times.

The question I would try to answer in the has enough gas or it doesn't department would be for what? Does it have enough for a slow ascent with stops as compared to computer(s) demands or do I/we need to get a sky view ASAP, then deal with missed stops? An excited diver can go thru air faster of course, and I like to monitor whatever is being used by me/us. If there are two divers involved, regardless of which reg we donate and which we keep, I want us both to monitor both spgs to watch supplies as they deplete.

Do you have a spg on your pony?

 

[carrielsal]

Do you have a spg on your pony?

I do have a button gauge on it, only because it makes it easy to check on the surface. But I don't understand why you think it's important to be able to check it underwater. If you plan on being able to share your pony under the water, you should have taken into account the gas consumption rate of you and your buddy on an emergency ascent.

 

[DandyDon]

Ok, now I understand you; put us down as disagreed. Consumption rates change and I never know whom I will share with anyway.

 

[Garrobo]

What awakefi said.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Yes Tim you are being cheap. And I can say that. What did you have on the 30 cu ft bottle I had you sling during your AOW course hmmmmm? Just messing wit ya. But yeah depending on the bottle and what you plan to use it for a button gauge MAY be just fine for now. But when you go on and decide to perhaps upgrade to a bigger bottle you'll want the larger gauge anyway. If you look around many of the button gauges sell for near 40 bucks. You can get them cheaper but when a full size one can be had for 20 more and you want to be sure how much air you have at 90 feet in a dark quarry that bigger gauge will seem like a small expense. BTW still trying to determine if Dutch is a go on the 10th or maybe the 11th. A few things coming up that may need attention.

 

[H2O 70]

Do you use an spg with a pony that you're only carrying for emergency reasons like an loa situation? If so, why? It seems simple enough to check your fill before the dive.

I've read through all the posts so far and you've been given some good advice. How would you check your air on the pony before the dive? Hook up your regular reg to it, pressurize it, check it, depressurize it and then hook up the pony reg?

I would frankly think this would get old after a while. Spending the dollars for an actual SPG or a button gauge seems like good money for just making your life easier, not to mention safer.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I took my pony to the dive shop the day I arrived at a busy resort last month so it would be filled when they ran the compressor the next morning. Didn't happen, but I did get it moved up for a fast, hot fill to 2500#, finally got it full the next day, then left the reg on it and carried it all week - with a little less everyday as things happen even if you don't use them. I don't want to remove the reg, put my main reg with spg on, check, then remove and replace everyday, much less every dive, but I don't want to KNOW...!

By the end of the week, it was down to 2500 or so but with a 19cf tank and the easy diving we were going, I felt okay with that. My spg did flood on the second or third day but they had a dive shop that sold them. Got one for $60. Simply plugging it never was an option in my mind.

Yep, me too, except I screwed up badly with a backmount once so I sling. Sometimes in front as it's easier to don; sometimes off to the side.

Have you ever had a real CESA? Drama is pretty common then. If I encounter another or another diver with one, I want it easily known how much is in the pony and how fast that changes. I explain on the boat: anyone can grab my pony reg at any time without asking; I will understand and cooperate fully. If that happens, once I/we establish comfortable breathing on the pony, I/we will then review computer demands vs changing air supplies. Even if my beneficiary doesn't recognize what size I am carrying, s/he will be more comfortable seeing 2,000 or more pounds than 500, or not knowing.

If I/s/he has a loaded computer, I/we will use all the air possible in slow ascent and long SS. If I/we are in the green, then getting the ascent done speeds up some. Murphy is never far away.

Sure, but I don't understand.

Being able to see the pony bottle pressure underwater does provide some distinct advantages. If you dive with a slung bottle, then you should be able to read the guage and potentially use that data to your advantage.

On the other hand, if you back mount the pony bottle (which has a number of advantages and disadvantages) in order to read the pressure underwater, the diver would have to run an additional long hose and pressure guage and this added complexity would need to be offset by the utility of being able to read the pressure underwater. For me, I don't want an additional hose hanging off my tanks.

I should pretty much hear a significant first stage leak on my pony and with the pony second stage on a necklace around my neck, I should be able to detect a significant freeflow from the pony, so I trust that when I check the pressure before the dive it will pretty much be there if I need it. Not a perfect system, but one I am willing to risk my life with.


In any regard, we agree that the pony reg should have some type of guage, if for no other reason, convenience.