Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
 
Old 23 May 2020, 20:29   #1
Member
 
Country: Canada
Town: Toronto
Boat name: Gaia
Make: Own
Length: 10m +
Engine: Inboard
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 5
Bravo foot pump

Hi

New to this forum. I have a new Saturn dinghy with a high pressure floor. Unfortunately the Bravo pump I have will not pump to the required pressure and has air coming out of thee middle Port. It is brand new. Is this a known problem? As I am now in the Rio Dulce I cannot return it or have it fixed but hate to take it apart before I quoting from the community.

Jim sv GAIA
__________________
GAIA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 May 2020, 07:08   #2
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Waterlooville
Boat name: Tickler
Make: Halmatic P22
Length: 6m +
Engine: Inboard Diesel 240HP
MMSI: 235115642
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,777
RIBase
Welcome to the forum.

Foot pumps won't deliver the pressure you need for the air floor. A foot pump will deliver about 4 psi and the air floor will need 11 psi (depending on flavour of floor). You'll need a stirrup type pump like they use for SUP's or an electric pump.
__________________
GuyC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 May 2020, 12:44   #3
Member
 
Country: Canada
Town: Toronto
Boat name: Gaia
Make: Own
Length: 10m +
Engine: Inboard
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by GuyC View Post
Welcome to the forum.

Foot pumps won't deliver the pressure you need for the air floor. A foot pump will deliver about 4 psi and the air floor will need 11 psi (depending on flavour of floor). You'll need a stirrup type pump like they use for SUP's or an electric pump.
Well that would make me look pretty foolish but sorry, not so. I may have asked about the wrong pump. My Bravo 9 foot pump delivers 4.4psi with the central port closed and 14.7psi with the central Port open. Problem is air comes out of the central Port and I believe that is not right.

It is new to me. Normally I would put some soapy water in but hesitate to do that because the little clips on the valves might corrode hence my question to the group.

Jim sv GAIA
__________________
GAIA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 May 2020, 13:19   #4
RIBnet admin team
 
Fenlander's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Cambridgeshire
Boat name: Nimrod II
Make: Aerotec 380
Length: 3m +
Engine: Yam 15 Tohatsu 9.8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,847
Air is supposed to bleed from the central port when in the HP mode... as much as it seems against logic that’s how they work. I’ve had six air floor Zodiacs with this style pump.

You pump as much as you can in LP mode until it gets really hard to pump. Then take out the plug and continue with the air bleeding from the port. It makes it easier but I tend to double my speed in the HP mode or it takes ages.
__________________
Fenlander is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 24 May 2020, 14:59   #5
Member
 
Country: Canada
Town: Toronto
Boat name: Gaia
Make: Own
Length: 10m +
Engine: Inboard
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fenlander View Post
Air is supposed to bleed from the central port when in the HP mode... as much as it seems against logic that’s how they work. I’ve had six air floor Zodiacs with this style pump.

You pump as much as you can in LP mode until it gets really hard to pump. Then take out the plug and continue with the air bleeding from the port. It makes it easier but I tend to double my speed in the HP mode or it takes ages.
Ahh many TX for the comeback Fenlander. So I need not worry that something got into the flapper valves. It is brand new after all.

Good to know. Puzzled though why but that is not as important. A 4 psi floor is less effective. My reason for joining bore fruit. I will be back.

TX again

Jim sv GAIA
__________________
GAIA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 May 2020, 15:48   #6
RIBnet admin team
 
Fenlander's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Cambridgeshire
Boat name: Nimrod II
Make: Aerotec 380
Length: 3m +
Engine: Yam 15 Tohatsu 9.8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,847
As I understand it the pump has two chambers that total 6.5lit per pump stroke. As it gets to around or just over normal tube pressure of 3.5psi most adults can’t pump the pressure much higher at that full capacity. Taking out the plug vents the larger chamber leaving you pumping just 1.5lit per stroke from the smaller chamber which is manageable up to the 15psi or so of a hp floor.
__________________
Fenlander is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 24 May 2020, 17:07   #7
Member
 
Country: Canada
Town: Toronto
Boat name: Gaia
Make: Own
Length: 10m +
Engine: Inboard
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fenlander View Post
As I understand it the pump has two chambers that total 6.5lit per pump stroke. As it gets to around or just over normal tube pressure of 3.5psi most adults can’t pump the pressure much higher at that full capacity. Taking out the plug vents the larger chamber leaving you pumping just 1.5lit per stroke from the smaller chamber which is manageable up to the 15psi or so of a hp floor.
Brilliant! That makes sense and more 'work' of course. TX, I cam stop wondering.

Jimsv GAIA
__________________
GAIA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 May 2020, 19:14   #8
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Retford
Boat name: Spy-sea-one
Make: Excel 435
Length: 4m +
Engine: Suzuki Outboard/25/4
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 7,518
RIBase
Get an electric pump bud and have a beer whilst it does the work
__________________
jeffstevens763@g is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 May 2020, 19:32   #9
Member
 
Country: Canada
Town: Toronto
Boat name: Gaia
Make: Own
Length: 10m +
Engine: Inboard
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g View Post
Get an electric pump bud and have a beer whilst it does the work
Nah, I need the exercise 😊
__________________
GAIA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 May 2020, 18:34   #10
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Retford
Boat name: Spy-sea-one
Make: Excel 435
Length: 4m +
Engine: Suzuki Outboard/25/4
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 7,518
RIBase
Walk to get the beers nice and steady
__________________
jeffstevens763@g is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 22:01.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.