More pony posers

[nomis]

Thanks for all the answers on the previous thread everybody. I have now bought a pony from Kent diving and a stage carry strap from simply Scuba. The pony comes with a small pressure gauge, but in an effort to reduce dangly bits I was thinking of getting an Apeks pony contents gauge. Are they any good or is this a bad idea?
Also does anyone out there in YDland have a picture I can see showing someone with a pony side slung, pretty please?

[Dave Crampton]

Obviously advice on Button Gauges will differ with whome you ask. I personally have never used them, but divers I know who have, have said they are not that reliable and can break unexpectedly. This may be because they mistreated their pony gauge but I personally bought a hosed gauge so if I choose to attach my pony behind me I can still see the gauge. My Stage bottle reg also has a hosed gauge. I just used some old tire innertube to hold it out of the way, neat and tidy.

Dave C

[MATTBIN]

What he said.
Is it a 232 or 300 pony, some older 300 buttons failed spectacularly (plus rear mounted you wont be able to read it during the dive, as Dave said)

Matt

[triplefin]

The little button gauges are not very accurate. Like Dave I've got a hosed guage which is stowed under an inner tube band and although I have my pony mounted next to my cylinder on my back I can reach round and easily pull it out to see contents if I am using my pony.

[Lou]

I never had a contents gauge on my pony. I checked it was full before the dive, and then if I needed it, I needed it and knowing how much gas I had in it was not a priority as I was surfacing at best speed anyway.

[triplefin]

Originally Posted by Lou

. I needed it and knowing how much gas I had in it was not a priority as I was surfacing at best speed anyway.

But its very reassuring to see that needle reading 200bar as you go up yr more likely to breathe easy.

[tom]

Originally Posted by triplefin

The little button gauges are not very accurate.

Yeah, they're really just a full/half-full/empty indicator.
There are arguments that you don't need a gauge on a pony as long as you know it's full when you go in. I prefer one though.

Some illustrations that might be useful here: DIR-diver.com - Reg config stages/deco although the bottle used is bigger than your pony the principle is the same. You've probably got a long SPG hose rather than the short one in the pictures, so you could just bungee it along the pony cylinder like the reg hose.

[nomis]

Thanks chaps, I'll stick to the proper gauge then. Picturewise I'm after a diver with a side slung cylinder, so that I can see how it is attached to the bcd. Under the arm, behind the arm, infront of the arm, that sort of thing. Sorry if I appear a bit thick on this, it's because I am!

[Lou]

Attach it from shoulder d-ring, to hip d-ring, so it runs from nipple to kidney

[MATTBIN]

Mine fixes to my wing at the top right D ring by my chest/underarm area, the bottom one to the side of my wing D ring, it then rest under my arm during the dive. I sometimes cradle it.
I think I have pics at home, I'll see if I can dig them out.

Matt

ps I dont have a gauge on mine either, I regard it as a failure point and as long as I know its full when I go in and it doesnt leak, hence having it pressured but off, I'm with Lou in that I'm coming up.

In all the dives I had with it I never once used it in anger. Kit failure is very rare. They should not be used in gas planning though, they are emergency only kit.