12v pump for inflatable- any good?

You still need the foot pump. The 12v centrifugal blower/ pump or mini-siren is used to annoy the neighbours and leave the dinghy in a distressingly soft condition.
It does not have enough pressure to open the valves in the chamber , so you have to inflate with the valves open. On removing the pump it goes down until you close the valve and begin pumping with the foot pump.

I reckon to be able to inflate a Redstart in about 7 minutes by foot pump. With the electric pump it is not much quicker, but it is more fiddly. If you have an air deck then the electric blower is far too feeble.
 
At that sort of price its worth a try. But it wont get it up to the right pressure. You will just have to finish off with the foot pump.

Looks very similar to one I've used. Certainly takes out the hard work and is quick too. (Redstart with the old style valves)
 
I doubt very much if it'll be up to the job. It may get you half way there, but I'd put money on the flubber needing a top up to keep it from folding up when you lean on the oars a bit.

OTOH, it's only the cost of a couple of pints, so it might be worth a try. Prove me wrong & I'll by buying one as well!
 
IMHO not worth having. I have a cheapo electric pump, and it barely produces enough pressure to blow air past the Avon valves. On the rare occasions that I bother with it, I leave the valves pressed in and partly inflate that way. In fact, the foot pump is almost certainly quicker overall.
 
I've just sold my Redstart and it used to take me no more than 2 minutes to pump up using an excellent Bravo foot inflator. The Bravo series can be used to suck all the air out of a rubber dinghy, which is very useful, too.

Really cheap elec pumps are not beefy enough to deliver the right p.s.i., so you end up having to foot pump them any way .That pump looks a bit too cheap for full pressure.

The LVM is probly the best 12v one around but a bit pricy unless you can find one on fleebay.
http://www.lvm-ltd.com/products/pumps/hi_speed_inflator_12v_lvm110/iid_548/index.htm
 
Yeah I thought that it could be worth hooking up to get the job started whilst I change my oilies or whatever.
How much would I need to pay to get something a bit more substantial?

FYI the reason I'm considering being so lazy is that I'm ditching my running mooring due to vandalism and will have to pump up the Avon every time I go to the boat- which I hope will be most evenings through the summer.
 
There is another consideration: cheap electric air-pumps save no time, but deprive you of beneficial exercise!
I kid you not!
 
Yeah... well... I have to row a couple of hundred yards so reckon I'm getting just enough exercise, thank you /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I got one when buying the ringo. About £15. It inflates the 2.3m dinghy very fast, (Less than 2 minutes maybe) to about 90pct, but you need to finish off with the pump.. well, for 200 yards rowing,you might not, actually. So I reckon, with the two together, you are looking at 5-7 mins..?
Maybe ask when of the places selling doughnuts/ringos etc.
 
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I've just bought myself a 2nd hand avon redstart and since I'm planning on rowing everywhere am going to give myself a break and buy an electric pump. Don't want to buy something that isn't up to the job, though.
Will this sort of thing do? It's very cheap...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Weekend-Leisure-Mi...%3A1|240%3A1318

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I juse a standard Sevylor 12v pump for doing mattresses / lilo's etc. and it pumps it up to just short of hard. The last bit I do with normal foor pump (actually I bought a vertical dual action pump that is FAR superior to any single action foot job).

I paid about 6 quid for my pump. It may not be fast, but it works - and to Forethought of G - I do not need to manually open any valves on my Redstart to use it.

(i do have same pump in rechargeable form as well - but battery is shot ... works same).

Photo here is another I bought that wqorks as well ...

DSCF0460.jpg
 
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Yeah just seen that Plastimo do one for about £70... that's more than I paid for the dinghy!!!
This sort of thing any better??
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Car-Tyre-AIR-COMPR...%3A1|240%3A1318

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Forget car tyre inflators - they have pressure but no volume. You will be there for a year waiting for it - that's if the motor survives that long.

For me 6 quid and a few hand pump strokes after suits me fine. I am not about to waste 60 or 70 quid on a LVM / other jobbie.
 
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LVM is expensive but very good mine now 20 yrs old.
especiaally good @ de-flation ( better than Gnu-Labour ) the dinghy goes flatter than a witches tit

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My 6 quid job ... connect to other end and it also deflates dinghy very nicely. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I have one of these......

http://www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog/CU15159.html

You probably wont like the price, but it really is the dogs bollocks of dinghy pumps! You can pre-set the air pressure going into the tubes, and the floor and keel too if you have them. I wouldn't be without it It's very quick too, about 4 minutes to pump up a 2.3m inflatable! Works in two stages, high capacity low pressure air first, then switches automatically to high pressure air to the level you have pre-set.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'll try one of the dirt cheap pumps plus a half decent hand pump. I wouldn't set out without a hand pump anyway in case I found I had a leak! No electrics on my boat!
If the electric pump can do the bulk of the work that saves me time/effort whilst I get changed into oilies. A few strokes by hand to finish off the job (oo-er) is no problem.
 
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LVM is expensive but very good mine now 20 yrs old.
especiaally good @ de-flation ( better than Gnu-Labour ) the dinghy goes flatter than a witches tit

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Totally agree!

Our LVM is one of the best things aboard, and inflates either of our inflatables (Avon Redcrest and a cheapy) in less than two minutes. We do still give about four/five pumps with the foot pump to harden up the tubes/floor, but we definitely recommend them if one is using an inflatable on a regular basis.

Pricey, noisy, but very good!
 
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