Puttputt maru

My air pump using an old nicad battery died lately. I am looking for a good replacement for my jets.


What do you guys use now that:

1) Uses a rechargeable lipo for power
2) Is compact and light
3) Works great for you
4) Provides fast fill up at the pressure range we need?
5) Not a put it together taping bits and pieces from the part bin type of gizmo.

Thanks

TonyBuilder

My Feedback: (11)

Sears has one that is like a cordless drill, (craftman) that's what the jet guys use at my field!

TB

felker14

My Feedback: (50)

Check this thread for good information. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-j...-guys-use.html

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

$20 Slime portable from Walmart. Cut the lighter plug off and added a Deans plug to use 1000-1300mah LiPo battery that fits into the top compartment. Small, light, one battery lasts all day or all weekend, and much lighter that my old 12v gel cell brick.

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

Ive used the craftsman air pump for the past 3 years. Lipo battery is optional but I already had the cordless drill that used the same battery and charger..

PaulD

My Feedback: (39)

This unit is my favourite set-up. I power it with a 3s3200 Lipo that I strapped on with Velcro. Made an adapter for the hose and cut the led "power" indicator so it doesn't drain the battery.

its fast, quiet and easy to carry, handle, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/VIAIR-85P-Por...ords=viair+85p

paulD

Puttputt maru

Thanks guys based on this thread and others I will go for the Craftsman air pump it seems like the easiest and more reliable set up.

I wonder why they do not sell them as a kit with battery and charger, being a Makita guy I will have to buy charger and battery too.

Puttputt maru

One question. Most of the air pumps need an adapter from the end made for tire inflation to the small hose we need. How do you do it?

And
<Only fools do not change their minds> I will be going for a Ryobi unit which is similar to the Craftsman since I already have a battery for it from my edge cutter. I guess only fools do not change teir mind set

bcovish

My Feedback: (8)

A lot of people use a needle to inflate footballs/basketballs, cut the tip off of it, roughen up the needle a bit and install the fill hose to it and use safety wire to secure the hose.

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

I have a Robart one way fill valve that I lock into the air chuck on the compressor.. It has a nipple To attach airline and the other end of the airline has a fitting to match what is in the airplane.

Puttputt maru

Perfect that is what I have been using but I never thought of cutting the tip off, I just fitted the hose over it using the preexisting holes. Cutting it short will probably make it more long lasting as it tended to brake at its base easily.

Puttputt maru

That sounds even better. Can you post a link to the valve you are using? Does it fit in the tire end of the hose?

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

Here is a link but it's quite a bit more expensive than I recalled. Still, I've had the one I'm using for years now so I guess it isn't a big problem. I used this to replace the football needle which was constantly breaking at the most inopportune time.

Basically one of these to connect to the air compressor and one in the airplane..

http://robart.com/collections/air-sy...lve-fill-chuck

Puttputt maru

Thanks Wayne, nice to know they will fit the same as the football needle AND won't break as easily.

By the way I went to homedepot and saw this from Ryobi:
https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.1...001002835.html

which I will use instead of the Craftsman. Identical but for the fact that I already have a battery for it from my edge cutter.

Thanks again all for the help.

Terry Holston

My Feedback: (1)

Less expensive too.

TonyBuilder

My Feedback: (11)

I need a blower more then a drill so the Ryobi looks like a great choice!

TB

Springbok Flyer

I have been using one of the original Ryobi cordless inflators since 2006. I replaced the batteries with 10 x 3300mah Nimh ones in 2007. I simply charge the pack directly onto the contact points of the battery pack. When the current battery setup no longer last for the 15 to 20 fills I need over a normal weekend, then I will put a 4 cell Lefe pack inside the battery pack casing - and hopefully get another 10 years out of it.

As for the tubing connection; I found that Clippard mini threaded barb nipple connectors had the same thread and was the same size as the original pump fitting - so I simply replaced it (directly onto the pump, without the hose) with such a fitting. This allowed me to use our common airline tubing for the purpose and adding whatever I needed on the plane end. In order to prevent the tubing slipping off after extended use (it has been on there for 10 years now) I lock wired it in place. To stop the tubing breaking from continuous bending directly after the nipple I slipped some tight fitting silicone fuel tubing over the airline which was then pushed over the lock wired setup and left about 50mm (2") longer after the fitting.

Cheers,

Jan

Puttputt maru

Thanks SF. I am not familiar with the Clippard connection you mentioned but will have look at the thread match with what I have. Getting rid off the big black original tube is a good idea if possible.

karl hibbs

My Feedback: (6)

I have the Ryobi and it has worked like it should. The gauge seems to be accurate, I cross checked it with 2 other gauges. It was on sale for 20.00 so how could I not try it.

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

No necessarily. My local Sear hardware store had the Craftsman version on sale for $20 recently. Home Depot had the Ryobi on sale for a similar price at the time. In both cases they are the compressor only with no battery or charger. Ryobi offers package deals with an additional tool plus battery and charger for about $100 and when I got mine I got a nice drill, battery, charger and compressor for $115. It's all a matter of being in the right place at the right time or what other tools you may already have on hand that you can share battery packs with..

TonyBuilder

My Feedback: (11)

Ryobi is $24 right now at HD!

TB

mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

I Love The Craftsman one, It great warrrenty, good gauge, quick fill, and the best part is its made to go to 150psi, so when you fill your tanks to 110-115 you are not stressing it out. I used to use a $20 from Harbor Freight, was fine until I got into jets.

TonyBuilder

My Feedback: (11)

Good point, my harbor freight pump died after one year!

TB

TTRotary

Guys, just use a foot pump. Avoid all the hassle.

cmp3cantrj

" A put together" - as you put it almost always seems to work better than an off the shelf unit - because you can use a high quality lipo (and can acquire spare batteries anywhere) and your own high quality charger.

Off the shelf units almost always suffer from the following:

1) LIpo protection circuit is built into the battery - forcing you to use their own brand batteries - which are rarely anywhere near the quality of what you get from a model supplier.

2) LIpo protection circuit is built into the battery - forcing you to use their own charger/ power supply - which are rarely anywhere near the quality of what you get from a model supplier - and does not give the level of information about the state of the battery that you get from the charger you probably already have.

3) LIpo protection circuit is built into the battery - forcing you to use their own brand batteries and power supply/charger. If the company goes out of business or simply changes supplier then replacements will become unavailable. This recently happened to me with a lithium batteried drill I bought from Maplin - the charger died and the guy in the shop said - sorry we don't do that one anymore and we don't have a suitable power supply available - try the internet!

If you do get a new one then a big brand is essential to ensure support is available - Ryobi is probably the best choice esp. if you already have bought into their system.

However I would check out the voltage of your old NiCd powered unit, solder a Deans plug (or whatever you use) to the contacts and plug in a suitable voltage lipo (about 2500 mahr - 4000mahr will last many sessions).

Attach it to the pump will 3M dual lock "super Velcro" and away you go.