Second stage for a pony - looking for recommendations
- Thread starter brtlmj
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I agree, the 109 is very hard to beat. Very easy to service with readily available parts. I'm not sure where T-bone bought the rubber parts for his reg either, but www.vintagedoublehose.com has diaphragm covers and exhaust tees for $15 bucks each AND they are made from silicone so they should last a very long time. Diaphragms almost never go bad, but if you happen to damage one, they sell for about $12 so that's $42 for almost all new rubber. Perhaps he has a very expensive mouthpiece.
Another vote for the 109
Full disclosure and shameless plug. One of my hobbies is buying, refurbishing, and reselling these regulators along with a few others. I chose the 108/109/BA/G250ies and the first stages that typically come with them for the ease of service, parts commonality, durability, and very high performance.
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@halocline
That's a screaming deal on that one! I got all of the seconds I have for free, and probably had 2-3 main diaphragms that were OK, but I think I was in for about $80/second stage. Duro poppet conversion, new spring, exhaust T, exhaust diaphragm, inhale cover, inhale diaphragm. It's still pretty cheap for a second stage and I don't regret it at all and will likely continue to try to find a few more *especially the lefty's, need a pair of those if you and @couv know where some are hiding*, but I'd much rather have some that came looking like the one you posted a pic of. Mine are unfortunately nowhere near that pretty
That's a screaming deal on that one! I got all of the seconds I have for free, and probably had 2-3 main diaphragms that were OK, but I think I was in for about $80/second stage. Duro poppet conversion, new spring, exhaust T, exhaust diaphragm, inhale cover, inhale diaphragm. It's still pretty cheap for a second stage and I don't regret it at all and will likely continue to try to find a few more *especially the lefty's, need a pair of those if you and @couv know where some are hiding*, but I'd much rather have some that came looking like the one you posted a pic of. Mine are unfortunately nowhere near that pretty
halocline
Contributor
The left handed ones are usually much more expensive. Thank you sidemount divers.....
A bit of a controversy, but I recommend that your pony regulator be charged but turned off. Even a detuned reg can free flow, and you are less likely to notice it if it's slung (or even worse, tank mounted). Since it's a small tank, it can drain in less than a minute without you noticing it. If the valve is shut off, then that can't happen.
Yes, I know that people worry about being panicked and not remembering to turn it on in an emergency, but that's really something that you could address with training, and you absolutely SHOULD practice with your pony regularly if you are going to carry one.
Finally, remember what the pony is for. It is for two combined errors - buddy separation and a catastrophic loss of your back gas (e.g. burst LP hose). You shouldn't need your alternate gas source otherwise.
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@halocline I have never and will likely never advocate lefty regs for sidemount. It doesn't make any sense to me since it forces a regulator to cross under the diver in a single file exit if used on the opposite side *i.e. long hose with a left regulator with the tank on the right means it crosses. If on short hose then the long hose is on the left with a normal reg and it crosses. If it is used on the left side, then you risk the reg getting pulled out of your mouth in a restriction as well as dealing with extra jaw fatigue from the hose.
I use lefty regs for deco bottles. I hang my O2 bottles on my right, following left lean right rich, and use the reversed second stage as an extra identification that it is what I think it is if in 0 viz. Keep hunting for me and let me know if you come across a pair!
@doctormike why that route vs. an inline shutoff?
I use lefty regs for deco bottles. I hang my O2 bottles on my right, following left lean right rich, and use the reversed second stage as an extra identification that it is what I think it is if in 0 viz. Keep hunting for me and let me know if you come across a pair!
@doctormike why that route vs. an inline shutoff?
Sure, that's a reasonable option, it's just something that requires another purchase, and assembly, and a potential failure point. I have one on my bailout donation reg (because I also have my own bailout reg on and necklaced, but that's beyond the scope of this discussion).
But for a relatively new diver who has never used a pony, learning to open a valve is probably not a lot harder than learning to throw the shutoff switch.
Caveeagle
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I have been using a Poseidon Cyklon on a slung Al40. I am pretty sure mating an apex 1st stage to a cyklon 2nd is pretty common with U.K. Sump divers, but you need to be aware of the need for higher intermediate pressure. @~160.
For me, the advantage are: ..that the 2nd stage lays very nicely against the neck/shoulder of an AL40 and creates a very compact package that's very easy to deploy. And even in zero-viz, there is no way you will confuse a cyklon with some other reg if using a richer blend of oxygen on a pony/stage. It can also breathe fro either side, so sharing gas in awkward positions can be made easier.
I am sure somebody will pipe I. "Poseidons are expensive"
I have bought working cyklon 2nd stages for $50. Just have to keep an eye out.
For me, the advantage are: ..that the 2nd stage lays very nicely against the neck/shoulder of an AL40 and creates a very compact package that's very easy to deploy. And even in zero-viz, there is no way you will confuse a cyklon with some other reg if using a richer blend of oxygen on a pony/stage. It can also breathe fro either side, so sharing gas in awkward positions can be made easier.
I am sure somebody will pipe I. "Poseidons are expensive"
I have bought working cyklon 2nd stages for $50. Just have to keep an eye out.
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