Bravo SuperTurbo cutting off early

urbanbiketech · 17 August 2009, 20:30

Hi all,

My Bravo SuperTurbo pump went to crap this weekend. It's cutting off at way too early a pressure. For example, it cut off even before getting my main tubes up to 3.4psi.

Is there a user-serviceable pressure guage in there that I could tinker with?

Thanks,

Vince

gibbo500 · 17 August 2009, 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanbiketech

Hi all,

My Bravo SuperTurbo pump went to crap this weekend. It's cutting off at way too early a pressure. For example, it cut off even before getting my main tubes up to 3.4psi.

Is there a user-serviceable pressure guage in there that I could tinker with?

Thanks,

Vince

I have the BST HP and had the same problem, took it back to the dealer and he tried on a few boats and worked fine. I think the problem was the hose was leaking at the adapter or the connection to the pump. I will refit and clamp it tight with jubilee clamp.

MikeP · 17 August 2009, 23:16

I have to say that ours blew up (literally - smoke and everything!) on the second tube (ie, within a couple of minutes of using it for the first time). This is just our experience, so I'd not like to comment in general.

urbanbiketech · 17 August 2009, 23:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by gibbo500

I have the BST HP and had the same problem, took it back to the dealer and he tried on a few boats and worked fine. I think the problem was the hose was leaking at the adapter or the connection to the pump. I will refit and clamp it tight with jubilee clamp.

But wouldn't that just mean the pump would keep going forever because it couldn't get the pressure high enough to trigger the auto-stop? Mine cuts off too early.

gibbo500 · 18 August 2009, 07:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanbiketech

But wouldn't that just mean the pump would keep going forever because it couldn't get the pressure high enough to trigger the auto-stop? Mine cuts off too early.

Thats what i thought but the shop tried with two of their hoses and it worked fine.

gibbo500 · 19 August 2009, 15:47

I have just realised why my BST HP pump is cutting out early. The battery pack is not holding full charge so therefore not enough power to run the pump. Tried on the boat battery and works fine.

urbanbiketech · 20 August 2009, 03:07

Darn, mine is running off a gigantic deep cell at full charge. I'll try a new hose, but I'm skeptical. Anyone know of if Bravo has repair representatives in Canada?

Quickflash · 21 August 2009, 06:27

I have the same problem, the battery is fully charged and there is no leaking from the hose. The pump reduces its airflow/pressure as soon as it meets resistance such as slightly blocking the hose, as soon as you remove the resistance she works fine. So she pumps air but without any pressure. I have no idea where to get service, maybe I'll just open her up myself and see if there is anything visibly broken.

jyasaki · 21 August 2009, 16:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanbiketech

Darn, mine is running off a gigantic deep cell at full charge. I'll try a new hose, but I'm skeptical. Anyone know of if Bravo has repair representatives in Canada?

Don't know about Canada, but one of the more friendly US retailers made it clear that any warranty work involved returning the unit to Italy (and you know about their postal system...)

jky

Easyrider · 22 August 2009, 12:09

It could be that their hose adaptor holds the valve open when pumping and yours doesnt-ie its the air pressure from the pump pushing the valve open. You can drill a hole and insert a piece of metal coathanger across the diameter of the hose adaptor so it pushes the valve open.

You could try pumping it up with whe valve in the deflate position and see if it reaches the correct pressure.

MikeP · 24 August 2009, 22:59

Can I check with other users...

You plug the hose into the valve, and then hold the ON button down for a couple of secs to get it going; then, it does its stuff and when it meets the 'up to pressure' mark, it starts emitting a horrible loud noise that causes you to jump across the boat and hit the off button ASAP ??

I was kind of led to believe it just shut down when it was up the set pressure mark.

Leapy · 25 August 2009, 06:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeP

I was kind of led to believe it just shut down when it was up the set pressure mark.

It does...the pump is two stage...firs stage is high volume, low pressure...second stage is low volume, high pressure. The 'horrible' noise you hear is the second stage cutting in. Hang in there, after a short while the 'horrible' noise stops and you're at pressure

MikeP · 25 August 2009, 09:32

Gotcha! That explains about a hundred things.... maybe I should have read the instructions more thoroughly.....

Leapy · 25 August 2009, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeP

.... maybe I should have read the instructions more thoroughly.....

It's a bloke thing

thornbackflound · 19 October 2009, 18:19

So are the Bravo any good? if mine blows up well ive only lost a fiver ,lol

Leapy · 19 October 2009, 18:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by thornbackflound

So are the Bravo any good? if mine blows up well ive only lost a fiver ,lol

Got no issues with mine. Dial a pressure, switch it on, it switches itself off, plug it in to recharge. Easy-peasy

thornbackflound · 19 October 2009, 19:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leapy

Got no issues with mine. Dial a pressure, switch it on, it switches itself off, plug it in to recharge. Easy-peasy

cheers mate ,ill se how quick it pumps up if wk end ok weather wise, Does the hose go inside? or out side of the hole for inflate and the deflate seems to be blocked by a black disc? how would that work i got instructions just not sure

Leapy · 19 October 2009, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by thornbackflound

cheers mate ,ill se how quick it pumps up if wk end ok weather wise, Does the hose go inside? or out side of the hole for inflate and the deflate seems to be blocked by a black disc? how would that work i got instructions just not sure

Mine pumps up the 2.9m Seago SIB at about 30 seconds per chamber (of 3). The second stage (high pressure, low volume) runs only for about 5 seconds.

There are two stubs...one marked for inflate, the other for deflate. In both cases the supplied plastic hose is an easy sliding fit over the outside of the stub.

Both stubs, if you peer down them, have non-return valve mechanisms so that things don't try and flow in the wrong direction.

I'm away from tomorrow (Falmouth/Fowey/Manacles

)...PM me if you want my mobile number...the pump is going with me if you have further questions.

thornbackflound · 19 October 2009, 20:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leapy

Mine pumps up the 2.9m Seago SIB at about 30 seconds per chamber (of 3). The second stage (high pressure, low volume) runs only for about 5 seconds.

There are two stubs...one marked for inflate, the other for deflate. In both cases the supplied plastic hose is an easy sliding fit over the outside of the stub.

Both stubs, if you peer down them, have non-return valve mechanisms so that things don't try and flow in the wrong direction.

I'm away from tomorrow (Falmouth/Fowey/Manacles

)...PM me if you want my mobile number...the pump is going with me if you have further questions.

Excellent info there ,many thanks ,if i have any probs i will Pm you

MikeP · 20 October 2009, 14:22

I'd better add an update to this thread, as we got our replacement BST pump and have been very happy with it. The one that blew up must have been a fluke.

What we do now is run the BST into one tube, and a cheapo Aldi special 12v pump on the other tube. When the BST has done one tube, I then move it to the other tube to finish inflating. Gets us in the water a wee bit quicker and avoids having to worry about fully inflating one tube against a deflated tube (which is detrimental to the baffles).

So, all in all, Bravo Superturbo gets a thumbs up here.