Bravo pump questions.

[jellyworm]

I ve unpacked my new Honwave t38ie today and tried to inflate it using a Bravo BST 12 pump. With the pump there are a number of little white plastic adapters but despite one of the adapters that is the correct diameter for the valve, the pump is not inflating to anywhere near the correct pressure.

I ve read up and see that the valves are Halkey Roberts type.

Questions.

1. Am i correct in that I should unscrew the valve centre so it releases the spring to inflate the tubes ?

2. Do I need a Halkey Roberts adapter for my pump so that the valve opens correctly with the adapter connected ?

It seems that the pump is having to work against the non return valve and that is causing the Bravo to kick out well below actual pressure....I can't get any higher than 0.2 bar. The pump should inflate to 0.8bar ?

Help please

Dave.

[stray]

If the boat is only inflating so far, it sounds like the high pressure part of the pump is not kicking in. Have you set the pump up for the right pressure?

[stray]

The centre part (yellow) NRV is keep most of the air in till you get the cap screwed on, which is the main seal.to deflate the sib, just push it down and turn it a 1/4 turn.

[Fenlander]

>>>just push it down and turn it a 1/4 turn.

Isn't that the deflate position??

>>>1. Am i correct in that I should unscrew the valve centre so it releases the spring to inflate the tubes ?

Yes you turn it about quarter turn so it pops out into the spring valve position. The other position is for when you deflate the boat.

Re valve fitting... Had this issue with my Honwave. The white plastic adaptors with the Bravo do not fit the Honwave valve properly. Best option for me was to order a spare Honwave pump hose from the dealer. This came with the correct end fitting and I connected it to the end of the bravo hose which is a bit short anyway.

Job sorted for about £12.

[jellyworm]

Thanks everyone.....I think I ve also been a bit of a muppet too
I thought the bravo was cutting out when it changed 'tone' but thanks to youtube I see that is just the pump switching from high volume to high pressure....durrrh !

Tomorrow is another day, so I'll drag it all out and try again....plus I ve ordered the correct Halkey Roberts adapter now as well.

Thanks for the replies.

Dave.

[philpot]

If push comes to shove, you normally can use the white adapter with the cross brace which will pump up to full pressure but they have a habit of bursting out as soon as you walk away.
The correct adapter is the way to go.

Phil

[jyasaki]

I modified my HR adapter with a wire cross-piece that opens the valve when inserted. Cross- drilled the adapter, and press-fit the bit of wire. Wire was a bit of .050" or so SS, inserted just above the locking lug tangs (I eyeballed it and it came out about right.)

jky

I should say that the modification was specifically for the Bravo 12HP; the bulk-fill turbine stage won't kick in unless you have free flow through the valve. The piston stage will still work (assuming you have the pump set to a pressure higher than the valves resistance), but would take forever to fill (and probably wear the pump out pretty quick.)

[stray]

the boat looks good fully pumped up jelly. What wheels have you got on the front?

[jellyworm]

Yes I had another go with the bravo today and taped on the white adapter until the HR adapter arrives. Got the deck up to 0.8bar very quickly.

The wheels are courtesy of a kayak c-tug, I ll see how they go.





Working on a seat now that will hopefully sit inside ......I'll post up some pics when done.

[cantona]

How are the transom wheels? Do they wobble like hell in the sockets? Mine had a silly spring loaded pin that located in a hole in the sockets, useless! I have drilled thro the socket and fitted drop nose pins, still wobbles though. Next step is new sandhopper wheels about 3 times as wide in the hope that it will make the wheels more stable.

Cantona

[jellyworm]

Mine had spring pins for holding the wheels on the stub axles, but drop pins that are 6mm dia. The wheels do wobble a bit which is why I m going to try and utilize the c-tug as a nose dolly.

I ve also got a trolley for the motor, as I intend dragging the sib and motor seperately when launching, which should take some of the strain off the launch wheels....I hope !

I splashed out on one of these, because of the large dia wheels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TbshyXtTpI

[Biggy]

With the Honwave wheels..
I found that most of the play was actually on the wheel axle rather than the transom mounts.
I dropped of the R clip, slipped the wheel off, cut some light plastic (pop bottle will do) and sleeved the wheels, greased it all with marine grease, re-fitted the wheel with an extra fibre washer on, then the R clip just finished it a treat.
Very little wobble now and the wheels run beautifully !

[claretcass]

No do not loosen the valve as when you get it to the correct pressure when you uncouple the hose the pressure will drop dramatically.
I have the Bravo 12HP pump with similar circular white adaptors. I also have a 3D lightweight tender and an excel tender both with Halkey Roberts valves. You will notice one end of all the adaptors are all the same size, this is the part that you insert into the valve with the valve closed. Select the adaptor with the bar across that when inserted forces the valve open as the pump starts, remember the noise of the bravo pump when it starts is high volume low pressure which is fine for tubes (2.9-3.2psi) and will automatically stop once at the pressure is reached. If you then alter the setting on the pump ready to pump up the air floor (8.9-9.2psi), the pump will start high volume low pressure for a while and then change to low volume high pressure before eventually stopping at the right pressure.
Just had 3 days on Ullswater with my SIB and the Bravo pump worked fine taking about 13 minutes to pump up my 2.9M 3D superlight tender.
Hope this helps.

[jellyworm]

All sorted now thanks.....been out a few times now and set up time is around 20 minutes from stopping the car to dragging her to the water.
Thanks for all the replies.