How to lubricate plastic air pump.

[micky]

I bought this air pump,

it says on it to make sure its sealing rings are always lubricated, but it doesn't say with what.

No special reason you guys should know, but I'm asking here anyhow and if no one seems to know, I'll hunt for a boating forum.

Also, even though it was sold and shipped by Amazon, it came in a big box labeled all over (4 sides) as 6 units of patio chair covers, and only one side that it was for me. Plus the box (and the pump) was a lot bigger than I expected. I think it's very good that Amazon reuses boxes, but I've never seen it before and I thought something fishy was going on.

Ahh. I see from the box that it's made by the same company that makes the patio chair covers, so it's not Amazon that used a non-conforming box but the original vendor. Made in China, shpped from Seattle.

[Marilyn Manson]

Maybe you need the exercise, but this style is a lot less work, smaller, faster and deflates the object also. No need for lubrication either.

(Lots of brands available, this is just an example)

A wise man once told me:

"If you are working too hard, you are probably using the wrong tool."

[hubops]

8 AA batteries ? and no adapter ... I think I'd be looking for a 12 volt unit with a 120 v. adapter.

Not a 120 v. only unit - Micky might want to take inflatable Annie to the drive-in movie ... :-)

John T.

[invalid unparseable]

That is probably best. I lubed an o-ring once with vasoline and it expanded. Fortunately a heat gun shrunk it as a new o-ring was expensive.

[Oliver George]

Maybe K-Y Jelly?

[gfretwell]

Bigger than the description? (18.5 x 4.75 x 8.75 inches)

[Marilyn Manson]

Like I said: "Lots of brands available, this is just an example."

It wasn't a specific recommendation.

I had originally pasted a link to a 120VAC/12VDC unit and then removed it. Yes, they are available, but you need a power source for that type. I decided to stay within the confines of "portable" since that's what micky bought.

I have a battery operated pump as well as 120VAC and 12VDC pumps.

My air mattress (Queen, 22" high, sweet!) has a built in pump but also has a port for an external pump should 120VAC not be available.

[micky]

I do.

Work is enobling. I hope to do some some day.

Smaller and faster are good. I can't even predict how long it will take to pump this up.

The one I posted deflates too

No need for lubrication either.

I'm philosophically opposed to electical appliances where manual ones will work, and I'm doubly opposed to battery operated. Inefficient use of natural resouces and the batteries will be dead when I need them most, so I'll have to also carry a set of replacment batteries.

Can't run off the car battery because the car won't always be there. I'm told that you can pump the boat up right, and then when it goes in the cold water, it gets somewhat limp. If I do this often enough, I'll know how much to pump it up, but for a while I think I'll need to bring the pump with me in the boat.

[micky]

I guess not, but I think I didn't read that. I usually don't look at the dimensions, partly because sometimes they are of the item and sometimes the box It's annoying. They should list them separately, and if the vendor only fills in one of them, then you'd know which it was.

I went to scout one of the rivers last Sunday and found two kayaks lying in the parking lot with no one around. So I checked them out and one had a smaller pump inside, the size I thought I was getting! Of course the kayak wasn't inflatable so I don't know what the pump was for.

[micky]

I didn't think of that!

You and Bod say silicone grease. I think I have some. Tnx.

[Marilyn Manson]

Did you buy this? Good luck with that hand pump!

In addition, just sitting in a controlled environment will probably result in some "limpness". The material used for most inflatable objects will stretch after the first few inflations, often causing people to think that they are leaking.

The instructions for the last air mattress I purchased stated that it might take

3 "top-offs" before the mattress is fully stretched out.

[Marilyn Manson]

The pump could have been used for Float Bags. Float Bags keep water out of kayaks, especially in rough water.

[micky]

Sounds important. Is this when it's new, or every time you deflate and inflate it?

[Marilyn Manson]

New. Once it's stretched, it should retain it's larger size. YMMV

[hubops]

Back-in-the-day I became a fan of these self-inflating ones - they offer more thermal insulation from the cold ground ; light weight for canoe trips or back-packing ; no pumps required.

John T.

[hubops]

6 lbs ! no way .. Ours are more like this thinner & lighter model :

John T.

[rbowman]

I've got a couple of Therm-a-Rest mattresses. They're pretty good but still need a little artificial respiration to fill out. They pack down better than blue foam.

[rbowman]

1 lb 8 oz.

My older, rectangular model is close to 4 lbs but I could hump more weight 40 years ago. I'm all about ultralight these days.

[hubops]

Thermarest - that's the brand - ours were just rectangular shaped and only about ~ 1 1/2 inches thick. After unrolling it and giving it a while to self-inflate - it would take about 3 good breaths to completely fill it. John T.

[hubops]

Our concerns were weight < for portaging > and ease & comfort. These are ~ the size of 2 loaves of bread end-to-end. - we'd ~ fill the 16 ft. canoe but there was always space for something we needed. John T.