Soak peas/beans overnight with a pinch of baking soda. Put beans in cooker with the soaking water. The amount of water depends on how you're going to prepare the beans after pressure cooking. Fill to no more than halfway if the peas tend to foam (like split peas); up to two thirds with others like kidney beans.
Put the lid on without the valve/weight. When it starts to boil (vapor and steam should be coming out of the center vent only and not around the edges. **If steam/vapor is coming out around the edges, turn flame off, remove cover, check that the seal is properly seated, and replace the cover.**
Put the weight on, reduce flame to low (not as low as simmer) and set a timer (I use 1 and 1/2 minutes for small peas and 2 and 1/2 mins for larger ones like chick peas.)
When the time is up, turn off flame and leave the cooker on the hot burner to cool down on its own. The beans will continue to cook. By the time it's cool enough to remove the weight and the cover, the beans are fully cooked.
For the small cooker I have, that's about 12 minutes with a flame on.
I've also cooked smoked pork neck bones in 20 mins vs the 40 mins and more that I saw in some recipes.
I've seen at least one review complaining about having to stick the cover down into the cooker to open and cover it. With a few tries, I've managed to get it in at a minimal angle (see video. Sorry about the poor quality, I was recording with one hand and manipulating the cover with the other).