Itiwit Air Pump Modification (to run from 18V Makita battery)

[Fenlander]

That pump looks really interesting, almost defying the laws of physics re output vs size vs claimed 25min battery life.

Someone (who hasn't just bought a Ryobi inflator) should buy one to test.

[Brinormeg]

Flextail do sell some cracking little pumps. Maybe not the cheapest though!

We had one with an inbuilt lamp we used for camping, blowing up air matts and deflating vacuum bags against damp conditions, holidays travel etc
Great bits of kit and battery lasted great.

Does anyone know if the Aldi/Dewalt/Ryobi tools are directly compatible with any other brand battery?

I’m in the 18v Dewalt camp, with numerous 5mah batteries and tools, but I do find them a bit on the expensive side for my amateur use.

[chipko]

You could always go down the battery converter route.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196571561039?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=qypvbya1t_g&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=jjUJZMnI St-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[Brinormeg]

Originally Posted by chipko

You could always go down the battery converter route.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196571561...mis&media=COPY

Yeah....we can easily try that option if none of the cheaper products are a directly compatible.

[Brinormeg]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

That pump looks really interesting, almost defying the laws of physics re output vs size vs claimed 25min battery life.

Someone (who hasn't just bought a Ryobi inflator) should buy one to test.

Bit of a review at the start on the flextail for sleeping pad and lighting

[chipko]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

That pump looks really interesting, almost defying the laws of physics re output vs size vs claimed 25min battery life.

Someone (who hasn't just bought a Ryobi inflator) should buy one to test.

Ok Mr F you knew I’d take the bait, didn’t you

Well we’ve got more pumps than fingers, slight exaggeration, but this looked pretty cool so ordered one direct from Flextail USA and it arrived the other day. Forty five quid delivered including splashing out on the optional storage case.

Very impressive as a nice to have gadget although not sure how much use it will get. We may carry onboard to do the bulk inflate of towables and some large docking bumpers on our hard boat, as the included adapters will fit Boston and speed valves found on these. Also a Halkey Roberts style adapter will connect straight onto one of the included adapters.

Here’s a short vid of it making light work bulk inflating a Trem boat roller.


https://youtube.com/shorts/u9HIoms3H...9PGyt6KPCBLT-v


In summary we don’t need one but really like it. It’s a cool bit of kit.

[chipko]

For comparison a Ferrex 20v air pump, allegedly far more powerful, inflating the same boat rollers. Faster than the Flextail but not by a lot.

https://youtube.com/shorts/-iBQNIDWZ...ni09ZYXXQNTg6x

Also a pic of the Flextail with a Halkey Roberts type adapter attached.

[Steve509926]

Good comparison chipko. Lot of power in that little flextail.

[Fenlander]

That little Flextail pump is impressive. Might not pass the "Remind me why you needed that" query from Mrs F though.

However this is war, I have the same roller and when I get back from town the de-luxe model Ryobi is getting a test.

[Fenlander]

So... my new supposedly extra high volume Ryobi takes just 14.95 seconds to inflate the roller from vac'd flat. Impressive.

[Fenlander]

However the older Ryobi takes under 3 seconds longer which given it supposedly only has 40% of the output of the new one doesn't equate.

I reckon they're over egging the output level of the newer one.

Still good results from both.

[chipko]

Jeez! Amazing inflation times Mr F, reckon both your Ryobi’s are the kings of mini air blowers.

Having a lazy afternoon today so thought might try a few other pumps on the Trem rollers as they’re a mutual benchmark for us. Quick fag packet calc. estimates these rollers are around 73 litres in volume, so the times for all my pumps are fairly disappointing. Even our flagship Genovo GP80BD, the fastest pump we’ve ever owned, can’t match your Ryobi’s. .
Just goes to show all claimed pump outputs are highly suspect.

The pumps below are a mix of single and two stage units but as only inflating to minimal pressure (less than 0.05bar) then the compressor phase not really kicking in on the Waveline, Bravo and Genovo, except for the Sevylor which is only compressor mode.

49s Flextail Max Pump 3 500 l/m
49s Waveline 250/70 l/m two stage
43s. Sevylor 190 l/m single stage piston
38s Ferrex Air Pump ? l/m
30s Bravo BST12 450/? two stage
24s Genovo GP80BD 500/? two stage

Of course the high volume low pressure air blowers are only good for initial bulk filling so can’t really be compared to the pumps capable of 0.8 to 1.0 bar

[chipko]

As fairly underwhelmed at the inflation times to 0.05 bar for these low pressure pumps and two stage units in fan mode thought I’d try without the back pressure caused by the one way valve inner on the Boston valve. Of course with Halkey Roberts type valves the inners are depressed open during inflation on adapters with the centre pin reducing back pressure.

Inflating the same Trem rollers with the inner held open results much more in keeping with claimed outputs in low pressure fan mode. The Sevylor is slower as piston mode only from kick off so not so affected by back pressure;

8s Genovo GP80BD
10s Bravo BST12
14s Ferrex Air Pump
15s Hi Gear camp bed pump (£10)
16s Flextail Max Pump 3
25s Waveline WL-7Pro
38s Sevylor

[Fenlander]

That's interesting. So I'll get best speed with the Ryobi on the Bombard tubes as the standard adaptor has a cross bar that opens the valve, but on the floor the pump goes straight onto the valves without them held open so that will be a bit more restricted. Still the Aerotec floors are so quick anyway with the Bravo due to their low volume I'd probably not bother with an initial Ryobi blow.