Spare air

[WarrenZ]

You have touched on a hotly debated topic here on scubaboard. 'Congrats and Welcome to the Club'

Heres my answer, carry as much air as you think you need in your main tank (plus some) the spare air and ponys are for emergency use. So is 19 cf better than 3 cf sure it is, but (and you knew a but was coming) 3 cf is better than nothing. 19 cf is a larger package to bring with you and it does you no good if it is too large to bring on every dive so sometimes I choose to go smaller.

Is the spare air enough to ascend from 130' maybe not but you will run out of air in your spareair reserve much closer to the surface. Providing that you dont have a deco obligation you will probally be able to make it the rest of the way on testicular fortitude and a CESA if you are in deco then 3 cf is not enough but then again so might be 19 cf. I like the spare air for being compact and easy to take with you but at 140' it just is a little on the small side. At deeper depths it is time to start looking at a larger pony especially if you are soloing. But soloing is a debate for another forum so we will leave it at that.

Saddle Up Boys - its time to ride this thread out.

 

[NudeDiver]

Someone on here said they carry their pony on as luggage. On a plane? Carry on? How does that work? I thought cylinders had to have valves removed and checked. Can you really carry a 19cf pony or smaller on the plane with you relatively hassle free??

 

[diebeste]

To SilverS2k:
If you read some more of PerroneFord's postings, you will realize that his way of diving is as far removed from what you have been taught as jumping over a rock is from climbing Everest. Read threads such as "PerroneFord possibly saved my life" http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/search.php?searchid=7430354 for more insight.
Based on the amount of air in a SpareAir, you might as well rebreathe your BC (another controversial topic... If you don't get flamed enough on this thread, try that as a topic...)
The bottom line is that if you need to keep yourself and your buddy alive at 30m, with a panicked SAC consumption, do some micro bubble stops and a safety stop, you will require a lot more air than a SpareAir will give.
Bottom line: You should not run out of air, and equipment malfunction should be covered by your buddy's octo - no spare air required. If not, you are effectively solo diving (same ocean buddy...) and might want to rethink your whole equipment setup and carry considerably more air than a SpareAir will give. Either way, you do not need a SpareAir.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

My whole point, to wrap my thoughts up, - get what is appropriate for the depth and practice with it so you know what works for you. When you know a bail out system will work for your dive plan going into the water you basically take the panic factor out of the equation.

How many situations have you experienced where you HAD to switch to your pony. Stress and panic are two different things, stress is going to occur when something goes wrong it's that "Oh ****" adrenaline rush you get when you are presented with a problem. You can train to deal with the issues and make the responses automatic but your body is still going to respond to the "pucker factor."

One of my staff had a free flow on a 100 foot dive at our local quarry. He switched to his pony (80cf--yes we pony 80's) and his buddy shut his tank down then they communicated the issue to me. I turned the dive and headed shallower. The staff member went back to his primary after it thawed. The primary free-flowed a second time so he switched back to his pony and his buddy again shut the primary tank down. We returned to the ascent line and made the stops with him on the pony. He and his buddy had dealt with the problem as trained/practiced. He pointed out the freshly-chewed-through bite tabs on his mouthpiece (the primary that was free flowing I believe) and said, "Think there was a little stress involved?" I guarantee his SAC rate was elevated, I don't know about doubled but it was definitely elevated.

You're absolutely right, get a pony that is appropriate for the depth and contains enough gas for a "worst case scenario" bailout.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[salth2owannabe]

Nudediver,
I've flown with my pony tank in cary-on without any problems. I put it in my carry-on in a large clear plastic bag with the first stage in another. (I carry on all my regs and computer as well) I print a copy of the TSA regulations on tanks and put it in the bag with the pony.
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/tanks/tsa_scuba.pdf
When they ask about it (which hasn't been very often) you can show them that the tank is empty through the clear plastic bag.
I've never been detained for more then about 30 seconds.
Has worked well for me anyway.

 

[NudeDiver]

Hey, that's cool!! OK, so as I read it, I have to take the valve completely off the cylinder then, is that right? How hard is that to do without special tools and such? Also, isn't that an invitation for nasty stuff to get in there and corrode the tank??

 

[PerroneFord]

Hey, that's cool!! OK, so as I read it, I have to take the valve completely off the cylinder then, is that right? How hard is that to do without special tools and such?

Adjustable wrench. ziplock bag to store the valve, masking tape to cover the hole in the tank.

Also, isn't that an invitation for nasty stuff to get in there and corrode the tank??

What common materials corrode aluminum?

 

[ArthurGerla]

The valve on a Spare Air can be removed by hand

 

[ClayJar]

What common materials corrode aluminum?

Well, mercury disrupts the oxide layer, greatly accelerating the progressive oxidation of the aluminum, but I haven't heard of any thermometer-wielding terrorists attacking pony-bearing traveling scuba divers. :biggrin:

 

[salth2owannabe]

That's a good one! (thermometer-wielding terrorists)

That is why I put it and the 1st stage in a plastic bag. More for fuzzies, lint, dirt, etc, then oxidation. Just tape or rubber band the clearbag tight enough so they can see into the tank. If you put tape over the top you will have to take it out of the bag and remove the tape. My h2odyssey 1st stage can be removed by hand also.