Possible stupid idea, more of a thought experiment, maybe..

[willk]

Originally Posted by Max...

…but then I only inflate the blooming thing about once a year!

Oh I hear ya. I'm still Willing, but the Opportunity isn't there...

[Peter_C]

Y'all got some weird phobias. The way I have always filled my boat before departing the house is with a 60 gallon (220L) 150psi (10.3421bar (Seriously?)) air compressor. That is what boat tube pressure gauges are for! Plus learning what correct pressure feels like. Not like the tubes will go zero to 20psi in a matter of seconds. Also use my compressor for bicycle tires. Works great for car and trailer tires even.

I set my scuba regulators to not creep higher than about 140psi (9.65bar). With the Zodiac I would always bring a manual pump, except when scuba diving as I have an awesome "Save A Boat Dive Kit" that has a blow gun and a valve adapter. Pressure gauge for the tubes gets things perfect...

My 5,000psi (345bar) scuba compressor is only used to pump 32% oxygen, so that is what would get used for top ups with the Zodiac. I've been known to run my high pressure scuba tanks at 4,200psi (290bar) *shrugs* far below hydro test pressures.

The current AB RIB always has a manual pump and an electric pump onboard, but I always fill from my garage air compressor for performing repairs, or upon departing for a nice day on the water.

[User name]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

Y'all got some weird phobias. The way I have always filled my boat before departing the house is with a 60 gallon (220L) 150psi (10.3421bar (Seriously?)) air compressor. That is what boat tube pressure gauges are for! Plus learning what correct pressure feels like. Not like the tubes will go zero to 20psi in a matter of seconds. Also use my compressor for bicycle tires. Works great for car and trailer tires even.

Yep, that would be my thinking also.

A little cigarette packet Bolyes Law maths and even a large dive cylinder would translate to only about 2BAR in a typical sized single tube. Still too high, but you'd have to be napping to overdo it, imo. Less risky if the tubes are daisy-chained to all fill at once too.

[Croolis]

So when I asked my diving m8 about this, the first thing he said, when I said my tube inflates to 0.25 bar, is, in that case I mean 1.25 bar.

I spose that's factually correct? 1 bar is sea level air pressure, right? But my tube valve, and my Ititwitwitwattytwat digital pump, go with 0.25 bar. My m8 does love a bit of the old pedantry, it's true.

[User name]

Yep, the 1BAR is a given, unless you're doing it up a mountain, under the sea, or in a vacuum. It's 0.25 BAR over atmospheric pressure.

[Fenlander]

Re the Bravo dual stage HP pumps if you are partial to a nice shade of turquoise this is a very good price under £120...

https://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Bravo_BT...iABEgJt2fD_BwE

[willk]

Originally Posted by Croolis

My m8 does love a bit of the old pedantry, it's true.

Typical BARoom lawyer....

[Croolis]

You know, I went to my sailing club last night to do safety boat duty (reservoirs, not sailed once in nearly a year, lol, have practically forgotten how to do it) and I was in the boat with an old boy who had loads of diving experience. Spent hour and a half being regaled with stories about Scarpa Flow and underwater motorcycles and locomotives in the Red Sea, and being backup air carrier for crazy-arse diving potholers. Was all very interesting .

[willk]

Originally Posted by Croolis

and underwater motorcycles and locomotives in the Red Sea

That will be the Thistlegorm. I dived her back in '91 before the worst of the pillaging began. It was quite a surreal experience - like being in a TV documentary.

[treerat]

We used to have a 3l cylinder on teh boat for this exact job. Had a 1st stage on and a gun effect on the end of a hose.

This gun fitted the inflator hose and allowed us to top up or initial inflate in the morning, only so far, and we used a foot pump for the last few psi as required.

Stopped using it now as new tubes removed the need.

[darrenwest1]

right. a set of scuba regs on the secondary side if low pressure the inflator hose for the BCD is the best option. just make up a hose with a gauge on it. simples. you wont do damage. its no different than any air pump