all4scuba05
Contributor
is there a problem with mounting the pony on a tamer bracket "upside down"?
upside down pony?
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jim T.
Guest
There are lots of posts/threads concerning this via a search. I haven't dove with one but the general crux is that as opposed to slinging it under your arm, having it mounted on your tank, upside down, limits/eliminates your visual checking for leaky o rings, unheard failures, possibly getting to your valve quickly to shut down a free flowing reg. and having to have an extra hose/spg as opposed to an on tank spg.
Some folks here like to mount 'em upside down and feel comfortable with it. The majority seem to prefer slinging them.
I'm considering buying a pony system and I'm weighing the choices and will try to dive with both set ups to see what I feel ok with.
Hope that helps until more experienced divers respond.
Some folks here like to mount 'em upside down and feel comfortable with it. The majority seem to prefer slinging them.
I'm considering buying a pony system and I'm weighing the choices and will try to dive with both set ups to see what I feel ok with.
Hope that helps until more experienced divers respond.
mack50md
Contributor
Been debating the same pony questions for months (bracket vs. sling, yoke up vs. yoke down, etc...). I picked up a 30 cu ft Luxfer over the winter. Read a bunch of threads on this topic as JimT pointed out in his post.
I decided to try a sling first. Cheap to rig with hardware and rope I had laying around. Near zero investment. The arguement to go sling was pretty convincing to me. Went with the DIR stage deco instructions.
I'll give it a try in the quarry when it warms up a bit. If it doesn't work out, there's always the option of going the expense of a pony bracket later. If I want to go bracket, I'll decide which end is up on the bottle when I get to that point.
I decided to try a sling first. Cheap to rig with hardware and rope I had laying around. Near zero investment. The arguement to go sling was pretty convincing to me. Went with the DIR stage deco instructions.
I'll give it a try in the quarry when it warms up a bit. If it doesn't work out, there's always the option of going the expense of a pony bracket later. If I want to go bracket, I'll decide which end is up on the bottle when I get to that point.
RICHinNC
Contributor
All4.....with some on this board there is a problem with just using a pony.
I mount mine upside down so that I have no problem reaching the valve. If it should start to free flow it can empty out pretty quickly. I do not use a sling as in my opinion it is not to be handed off. If someone needs air, I have an octo. It is ONLY an emergency bail out bottle. If you or anyone else wants to sling it....go for it.
The main thing you need to be careful of is that you mount it high enough so that when you lay your rig down on the primary tank....the valve of the pony isnt banged.
I use a ponease bottle mount because it is so easy to take off and put on as it mounts on the cam straps of the bcd....not the tanks. That is key when I go off somewhere and use rental tanks.
Now get ready for all the flames.
pm me if you have questions.....here is the url to my mount...
www.sea-lutions.com/ponease
I mount mine upside down so that I have no problem reaching the valve. If it should start to free flow it can empty out pretty quickly. I do not use a sling as in my opinion it is not to be handed off. If someone needs air, I have an octo. It is ONLY an emergency bail out bottle. If you or anyone else wants to sling it....go for it.
The main thing you need to be careful of is that you mount it high enough so that when you lay your rig down on the primary tank....the valve of the pony isnt banged.
I use a ponease bottle mount because it is so easy to take off and put on as it mounts on the cam straps of the bcd....not the tanks. That is key when I go off somewhere and use rental tanks.
Now get ready for all the flames.
pm me if you have questions.....here is the url to my mount...
www.sea-lutions.com/ponease
I run my 30 cuft pony with valve up locked and loaded! Its on its live and I have a long hose straped to tank,and 2nd hangs under my chin.
I cant screw with finding a valve behind me if I have a major melt down.If a pal has a meltdown he gets reg and with a [snap] tank too!
I would sling it but with video or camera stuff its just one other thing in the way,with it on the tank its neat and clean.
If your good at valve drills do it, if not dont,
my 2 cents
Dive safe,
Brad
I cant screw with finding a valve behind me if I have a major melt down.If a pal has a meltdown he gets reg and with a [snap] tank too!
I would sling it but with video or camera stuff its just one other thing in the way,with it on the tank its neat and clean.
If your good at valve drills do it, if not dont,
my 2 cents
Dive safe,
Brad
OP
all4scuba05
Contributor
My problem is that slinging it has its downs. One is that I have no D-rings available on my BC to sling it to. I was thinking of tank mounted for that reason. But upside down for easier valve access. Its true that with it in the bracket I can't read the pressure gauge mounted the first stage. But I don't mind having a gauge on a hose instead. I have the habit of checking my main tank's pressure every 2 to 3 minutes. Which means I'll be checking both just as often. Two hoses coming from main tank and two from pony is not a big bother to me.
mike_s
Contributor
I've seen some valves that don't have the stems on them. If you're using an upside down pony you'd definately want a stem on the valve I'd think just in case any moisture got in your tank, that it wouldn't get in your valve and then regulator. just a thought.
OP
all4scuba05
Contributor
thats the part I wasn't aware of. Thanks.
daniel f aleman
Contributor
Depends on the dive profile. But:
I sling a 19 cf air pony upside down on my left (whether on a Knighthawk or a BP/W) with a k-valve and a full second stage on a 36 inch hose. It can be removed with one movement, and handed off to another diver...
I sling a 19 cf air pony upside down on my left (whether on a Knighthawk or a BP/W) with a k-valve and a full second stage on a 36 inch hose. It can be removed with one movement, and handed off to another diver...
RICHinNC
Contributor
I guess I go against the grain for some on guages too. I at first had a guage on my pony and found it a $50 waste. It really told me nothing and the accuracy was doubtful. At the end of a dive day I just have my pony topped off and I know it is always ready to go. I top it off because I test it prior to each dive and I will breath on it for a while on the last dives deco. To use a well known phrase around here.... I think the guage is a def failure point especially if you are going to rig it upside down on some kind of mount versus slinging it. It is only a matter of time before you bang and break the guage while removing or donning your rig.
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