Electic inflatable pumps

I use a high speed electric pump. It can't be run via a 12volt 'ligter' type socket as the wiring probably isn't up to it, so it has to be connected to a battery.

I connect mine to a booster battery pack, which I use as an emergency starter battery pack. I've never used it (the battery pack) for my boat, but I have started the odd Mobo with it.

It works very well and inflates my dinghy in about 2 minutes, just like it says.

I've also used it to inflste the sponsons on RIBs even though I coudn't get an air tight fit at the valve.
 
Two choices when it comes to pumps:
- spend £70 on a LVM which will do the job all in one go.
- spend £5 on a cheapo pump which will do most of the work, then use the foot pump to do the last ten strokes or so and finish it off.

Personally I was quite willing to save £65!
 
Robwhelton said:
Two choices when it comes to pumps:
- spend £70 on a LVM which will do the job all in one go.
- spend £5 on a cheapo pump which will do most of the work, then use the foot pump to do the last ten strokes or so and finish it off.

Personally I was quite willing to save £65!
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Aldi's pump for £5 has been working for me for several years. Very quick but needs finishing off with the foot pump. Rated at 120W so Draws about 10 amps from my Cigarette outlet, OK as long as the engine is running
 
Robwhelton said:
- spend £5 on a cheapo pump which will do most of the work, then use the foot pump to do the last ten strokes or so and finish it off.
Click to expand...

I dont want to brag but I have two cheap ones. One is run on 4 expensive torch batteries. Then I saw one which plugs into the cigarett lighter socket. Then I bought one of these adaptors which you can plug a cigarett lighter plug into which has 2 battery clamps so that I can use it on the boat or from the front of my car.
 
A cheapo electric one is an advantage if you regularly inflate- and deflate, its good at that too-, but you do need a few pumps with the footpump to get the pressure up.
If its just start and end of season, I wouldnt bother. Unless its a massive tender, a decent footpump works pretty well.
 
I've inflated a 2.7m Zodiac by lung power a couple of times - made me go a bit giddy!
For boats with an inflatable floor you might need a considerably higher pressure - 12 psi as opposed to the normal 5 psi - so you need to check the pump capability. For such duty you need a powerful inflator pump (and the power supply to supprt it) or a double acting foot pump, or a combination of a less powerful pump and a double acting foot pump.
 
Robwhelton said:
Two choices when it comes to pumps:
- spend £70 on a LVM which will do the job all in one go.
- spend £5 on a cheapo pump which will do most of the work, then use the foot pump to do the last ten strokes or so and finish it off.

Personally I was quite willing to save £65!
Click to expand...

Actually there are more choices. We have one of these.
This is the d**s b******s!

Blows up the dinghy and the inflatable floor to high pressure.

The biggest advantage is that at £130 it enables you to save even less money.

Seriously though, are electric pumps worth the money. The answer has to be no, unless you find manual pumps so exhausting you cant row the dinghy for some time after pumping it up..
 
So not a straight forward problem. The dinghy is 5 compartments with high pressure keel so the worst case possible it seems. The idea of dragging the dinghy out of a locker and inflating effort free in minutes sounds good but from what has been said is not going to happen. Back to the drawing board or at least working out a stowage arrangement on the stern as on the previous boat. Thanks for the replies.
 
I have one of these. Since I clip it directly on the battery I haven't measured the amps it draws, but the spec says max 25 Amps.

It does as it says - i.e., inflates my Avon Redstart in 2 minutes. That means less than 1 Amp hour. I'm always struggling for amps on my boat, but this isn't a serious consumer as it is used for such a short time. It also enables you to deflate the dinghy completely very quickly

Despite being a power miser, I'd never be without it. I hate blowing up dinghies by hand/foot.

It pumps the dinghy hard enough to row, but it is actually better if you harden it with a foot pump after.

I suspect that a less powerful pump will make a difference to how hard you can get the dinghy, but not so much to the overall power usage, as it'll just take longer. However, there are probably a lot of factors influencing efficiency, and someone more expert may contradict me.

(Of course you can also use it from the car battery when ashore.)
 
nimrod1230 said:
So not a straight forward problem. The dinghy is 5 compartments with high pressure keel so the worst case possible it seems. The idea of dragging the dinghy out of a locker and inflating effort free in minutes sounds good but from what has been said is not going to happen. Back to the drawing board or at least working out a stowage arrangement on the stern as on the previous boat. Thanks for the replies.
Click to expand...

I really think you are giving up too easily - If I can inflate my piddling little dinghy on my piddling little boat with its piddling little batteries, you should be able to get a solution to do yours on your civilised boat and, I assume, more substantial electrical systems. You will, I suspect, have to buy one of the more up-market pumps.

Even if you have to harden up by hand you'll have done most of the job - it really is just a matter of a few strokes by hand.
 
SolentBoy said:
Seriously though, are electric pumps worth the money. The answer has to be no, unless you find manual pumps so exhausting you cant row the dinghy for some time after pumping it up..
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Erm, at £5, yes, they are worth the money. I inflate/deflate my dinghy every time I go for a sail. The electric pump is not only easier, but considerably faster. And you can have the pump working away whilst you get into your oilies.
 
nimrod1230 said:
So not a straight forward problem. The dinghy is 5 compartments with high pressure keel so the worst case possible it seems. The idea of dragging the dinghy out of a locker and inflating effort free in minutes sounds good but from what has been said is not going to happen. .
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Yes there is a solution. As a previous poster said you need the Bravo Superturbo pump. Will pump to airdeck pressures. Connect the hose, dial in the pressure you want and it will pump and cut out when it reaches pressure. We have a airdeck we use in Spain, pumping by hand or even using an LVM pump was hopeless, with this beauty its effortless and to pump up a 3.5. dinghy to pressure takes about 10 minutes total.
Yes they are expensive, but worth every penny. Got mine from Barnet Marine £110 for a cash sale

Does anyone want to buy my LVM pump?
 
I pump my Plastimo slat-floored, hardtail with a cheapo plugged into the socket in the boot of my Honda. The socket is only live with the ignition, so I leave the engine running and don oilies and lifejacket, assemble oars. mount the outboard, etc. and finish off with a few strokes of the manual pump.

Likewise when returning, I keep the boat engine running whilst pumping up the dinghy. Batteries need not be an issue!

Rob.
 
Cheap £5 one has done a job for me ok for 10 years, finish tube 1 off on foot pump whilst tube 2 is blowing up.
I also bought a 2nd hand one at a car boot sale as a backup, but have not needed it yet.

Superturbo Inflator/Deflator 300mb - £129.95
and
Rule High Speed Dinghy Inflator 12 volt Pump - £69.95

No Thanks!
 
Malcb said:
I use a high speed electric pump. It can't be run via a 12volt 'ligter' type socket as the wiring probably isn't up to it, so it has to be connected to a battery.

I connect mine to a booster battery pack, which I use as an emergency starter battery pack. I've never used it (the battery pack) for my boat, but I have started the odd Mobo with it.

It works very well and inflates my dinghy in about 2 minutes, just like it says.

I've also used it to inflste the sponsons on RIBs even though I coudn't get an air tight fit at the valve.
Click to expand...

Maplin have a suitable jump starter battery on offer at £19.99 until 4th Oct (code no A81JW). I have owned one of these for approx 10yrs which I purchased for use with my LVM pump. Its still holding a charge. Could also be used to extend remote use of your laptop has 17ah storage.
 
SolentBoy said:
Seriously though, are electric pumps worth the money. The answer has to be no, unless you find manual pumps so exhausting you cant row the dinghy for some time after pumping it up..
Click to expand...

davidpbo got it right, connect and go do something else.

I broke my leg skiing a year and a half ago. We HAD to buy an electric pump, got a powerful mains voltage unit to use with our inverter. I still do the high pressure floor finish up with the foot pump.

I used to feel it was unnecessary. I also used to be a lot younger!;)
 
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