Really Interested in a Pony - What size? How to mount? Other questions!

[lowviz]

Latest photos

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REALLY nice! Tidy. If you want to go crazy about it, put something under the stainless steel bandclamp so that the dis-similar metals don't start corroding the aluminum. I use a slit piece of clear tubing from Home Depot. Also keeps the tail from scraping me...

I use reflective house letters to sticker the cylinder. -got 'em at the same place

 

[MrChen]

Good looking rig but how's it diving? Are you satisfied with your choices? Getting comfortable with it?

Dives great. I hardly notice it's there. I am happy with the fine tuning based on feedback from this thread. The most difficult part is getting it rigged up right before jumping in, but I'm getting the hang of it. I clip the lower part first, and then when I'm all geared up, I grab it and clip the top. I had it free flow a my first couple of entries, but with the new 1st stage on, I now have the 2nd better oriented and shouldn't have to even think about it anymore.

I did notice a tendency to feel a tiny bit heavy on the side of the pony and I adjusted this by dropping weight on the side of the pony. In fact, with my steel 120s, I just need a couple of pounds on the opposite side and I'm good to go.

---------- Post added June 23rd, 2014 at 11:51 AM ----------

REALLY nice! Tidy. If you want to go crazy about it, put something under the stainless steel bandclamp so that the dis-similar metals don't start corroding the aluminum. I use a slit piece of clear tubing from Home Depot. Also keeps the tail from scraping me...

I use reflective house letters to sticker the cylinder. -got 'em at the same place

View attachment 187137

This is something I've been thinking about. What size tubing did you use? I have more black bands and considered adding a 3rd to go under the clamp.

---------- Post added June 23rd, 2014 at 11:53 AM ----------

And I'll eventually swap the brass clips for SS.

 

[uncfnp]

This is something I've been thinking about. What size tubing did you use? I have more black bands and considered adding a 3rd to go under the clamp.

I really like lowviz's idea of the slit plastic tubing but I just put a length of left over bike inner tube under mine. Your black bands should serve the same function.

 

[lowviz]

... What size tubing did you use? ...

Chris,

Clear Vinyl tubing. 5/8" (outside diameter) 1/2" (inside diameter). Cut a length and keep trimming it until you get the ends to ~'exactly' meet when wrapped around the cylinder. The piece will have a natural curl. Cut it along the outside so you don't fight the natural curl.

Notice in my pic that the bungee isn't doing anything other than keeping the SPG in place. So when you deploy the secondary, the straps just snug up against the pony and only the bungee is used to stow the secondary, usually at the surface.

Aside: Don't bend the SPG hose in a hard 'U' so the gauge is up by the valve, way too much stress on a high pressure hose, had two fail exactly the same way: starts to bubble fine streams of gas near the crimp connector. That tip was for others, I see you didn't do this. Nice pony!

 

[MrChen]

I haven't been bending the spg hose. I can easily reach it to view it. I have some 1/2" tubing I can cut up. Thanks for the advice.

 

[84CJ7]

Rather than make a new thread I thought I would just add to this one since its relevant.
Could someone post pictures of pony bottle setups actually mounted on a person with a stated size of both the pony and the main tank attached? Specifically 6, 13 and 19 (really want to see how small a 6 tucks in on a person). Preferably stowed rather than something slung out in front.

I am having trouble with size visualization in choosing pony size since what I "need" by the advanced or tech way of looking at the numbers might be bigger (mainly fatter) than I would ever actually bother to carry for most of the rec dives I do and I would rather always have it with me.
Since I don't actually need a pony at all right now, then ANY size pony would be added redundant safety and "big enough" (something people seem to forget).

 

[kwinter]

I really think a 6 is a waste of money as a pony. Great as a drysuit inflation bottle. But any depth that a 6 would be sufficient for bailout could probably be handled by CESA. Yes, it would be better than nothing, but a 13 is still very small, similar cost, and is much more useful. Anything from 13 to 30 would be useful.

For an image of a 6, look at most tech or RB divers who use them for suit inflation.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.

 

[84CJ7]

I really think a 6 is a waste of money as a pony.

That's what has kept me going round and round, though it may be that or not bothering.
When it comes down to it if someone offered me a 3cf spare air for free (a real waste of money) I would take it as even that would allow a comfortably slow straight ascent instead of a max safe speed cesa which is really all I am looking for though the 6cf would provide a safety stop too.
I would really like to have a pony bottle as I already have a spare reg set and love self sufficiency, but when I look at the larger tanks mounted on people I keep thinking I would just use small doubles if I wanted something that big, but I just want to see them mounted on someone to really get an idea of what I am looking at size wise and make sure its not the 30's and 40's I am seeing rather than the 19.

I already pretty well decided that if I am going to go for the 13 I should just get the 19 as they are basically the same diameter and the tiny bit of added length isn't going to be an issue in most mountings. I have considered various mounting options posted in this thread as well though. It would also be more valuable if I get into more complicated diving later.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Rather than make a new thread I thought I would just add to this one since its relevant.
Could someone post pictures of pony bottle setups actually mounted on a person with a stated size of both the pony and the main tank attached? Specifically 6, 13 and 19 (really want to see how small a 6 tucks in on a person). Preferably stowed rather than something slung out in front.

I am having trouble with size visualization in choosing pony size since what I "need" by the advanced or tech way of looking at the numbers might be bigger (mainly fatter) than I would ever actually bother to carry for most of the rec dives I do and I would rather always have it with me.
Since I don't actually need a pony at all right now, then ANY size pony would be added redundant safety and "big enough" (something people seem to forget).

In this video, my 14-yr old son is diving 80 ft with an 80 cu-ft Al tank with a 6 cu-ft pony. I am diving with a steel 108 (or 112?) with a 13 cu-ft pony. See my son on bottom around 30 seconds and onward

Go-Pro: Spearfishing and Jewfish 8-9-12 - YouTube

[video=youtube_share;duERFHCOhGA]http://youtu.be/duERFHCOhGA[/video]

 

[kwinter]

But 13s have so many uses. Travel cylinders for the rebreather. Suit inflation for dives over 75 meters. [emoji5]️

I think anything over a 19 and you are definitely getting into an area where doubles make more sense. So choosing between a 13 and a 19 really comes down to back mount vs sling. I don't think 13s sling very well. Not enough real estate to stuff a decent length hose. Both will back mount well, with the 13 being a little easier to transfer dive to dive. You won't go wrong with either choice, nor will you be "wrong" with either choice of how to carry it. One thing about scuba is that virtually no one is completely satisfied with gear configuration for very long. It's fun to change.

If you get a 6 as a pony, I predict you will not use it for long before it becomes someone's drysuit bottle.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.