mending cracked tubing on manual blood pressure cuff

I have a long-used manual blood pressure cuff. This is the kind with a rubb= er tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube run= ning from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the ru= bber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are f= ine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought = to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a p= roduct if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Tha= nks

Reply to
fprot74
Loading thread data ...

Don't even bother trying to coat the tubing with "goo".

Instead, go to a big-box pet store and buy some aquarium tubing. They come in various lengths. The shortest length will be more than long enough to replace your existing tubing, and it will cost far less than any glue or epoxy that could be used to repair your cracked tubing.

formatting link
Aquarium tubing is a pretty close match to what you need. You can even get brass and plastic fittings for aquarium tubing so you can join your existing tubing with the new tubing.

formatting link

Reply to
Home Guy

tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks

Try Shoe Goo. ^_^

formatting link
formatting link
TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Don't even bother trying to coat the tubing with "goo".

Instead, go to a big-box pet store and buy some aquarium tubing. They come in various lengths. The shortest length will be more than long enough to replace your existing tubing, and it will cost far less than any glue or epoxy that could be used to repair your cracked tubing.

formatting link
Aquarium tubing is a pretty close match to what you need. You can even get brass and plastic fittings for aquarium tubing so you can join your existing tubing with the new tubing.

formatting link

Reply to
Home Guy

What Home Guy says is exactly what I would recommend.

Reply to
hrhofmann

tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks

If the tubing is cracked in one spot. it soon will be in others. Considering the end use, do you want to risk false readings?

Replace the tubing. You can probably find suitable tubing at a hardware or auto parts tore.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks

If yours it's so old the rubber is cracking, gotta wonder how accurate the gauge still is. New ones are $19.95 at the big box retailers. Knock yourself out!

Reply to
Douglas C. Neidermeyer

Thanks Home Guy-- I'll try what you recommend. Even though the tubes are integrated with the air bladder (they're sort of "one piece"), I think I can cut and splice in new tubing by using those barbed plastic fittings.

Reply to
fprot74

Rubber tubing is easy to find. One step easier would be to email the mfg and see if CSR will send a freebie.

Reply to
Norminn

I should have mentioned...

I would bet that even though the rubber tubing has cracks - they're probably just on the surface. Your problem is most likely the air bladder (the hand squeeze bulb).

It has an internal check-valve that is probably leaking.

Try this: Squeeze the bulb to build up some pressure and then fold the rubber line tight (bend it over on itself) so you create an air-tight seal. See if the line holds the pressure (no pressure drop as registered on the dial guage). If it holds pressure, then the problem is on the other side of where you pinched the line - the part going to the bulb.

Reply to
Home Guy

I did find a Internet price on a manual unit $14, plus postage. Most sell for $40 or more. Look on target.

The problem, the hoses go into the cuff. I would have to try and rip the thing apart, but the ball needs replaced too.

I once bought a cheap wrist unit, does not work on me. The electronic models are cheaper than a really good manual unit.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

Good quality pharmacies that cater and are usually located near hospitals that also sell wheelchairs and crutches do sell very good quality rubber hoses. In fact when I need to work on a fountain I stay away from the garbage quality hoses that major hardware stores sell that kink and crack. I just go to a good pharmacy.

Reply to
recyclebinned

I didn't even see one on rite aid, and I get 20% off. I expect cheap chinese stuff to crack. I bought one about 20 years ago for about $30' cheap back then. Mine is cracking, but still works. Just ordered $15 backup from target. Leakage will not affect accuracy. As long as you can get enough pressure. Yes you can spend hundreds on a good manual unit, even more with a mercury type.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

I agree. If you can't find the fittings, you can probably take them from the old hose.

If you somehow can't use aquarium or other new tubing for some reason, no goo will work but silicon tape would probably work.. It's 7 dollars or more a roll, but it does things nothing else will do, and it will have lots of other uses. . You stretch it 3 times its length or more before you put it on and it contracts after it's on, and after a couple days melds into itself while sticking to what ever it surrounds. This used to be hard to find but here it is.

formatting link
I have a bicycle pump someone gave me where hte hose connection at the pump was taped, just with black vinyl tape, the replacement for cloth electrical tape. I've had it 15 years and he had it before that, and pumped bike tires up to 60 pounds and finally a couple weeks ago the tape burst. I'm pretty sure 50 pounds of pressure is several times 240 mm of mercury, so even vinyl tape would be strong enough but the silicon tape will adhere to the existing hose better.

Well one review says it won't stick to PVC which might well be true. Never tried it on PVC.

Anotehr says it sticks and can't be unstuck. I've never had that prolblem because I've never done artwork with it. I wrap it around and always get it right enough the first time. If the direction is off, I point it in another direction before I wrap more. It folds and works fine.

I did try this for my garden hose and it burst. I think house water pressure is a lot more than 240 mm or mercury also. Maybe someone here can convert one to the other.

Reply to
micky

tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks

Not that it would work in this case -- it won't -- but it's intereting t hat harware stores have GE silicone cement in white and clear, but if you want it in black you have to go to an autoparts store.

Reply to
micky

I have fine blood pressure but someone gave me a used automatic one, probably a cheap one. Some night after the grocery pharmacy closes I'm going to go compare its reading with the grocery store's reading.

not that the grocery store is right, but it's something to do.

Reply to
micky

To second Doug's comment, especially if your unit uses an old fashioned aneroid meter with a round face and a needle. If you have a real antique with a mercury column, it will be accurate, but now illegal to possess in many jurisdictions. The digital/electronic sensors are supposed to be more accurate and durable than the aneroid meters, but it's hard to find any long term definitive studies that evaluate that.

I recommend that you contact the office of your regular family physician and ask if they would do you a favor at no charge. You want to bring your own device to the office and have the nurse or tech check your BP with both their office meter and with yours, sequentially, on the same arm. If the two readings differ by more than about 6mm Hg, after at least one repeat measurement with both devices, I would invest in a new home unit.

Reply to
Peter

With the tubing failing, and other parts soon to follow. Might be best replace the entire unit. I don't think they are designed to be repaired.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

formatting link
.

If the tubing is cracked in one spot. it soon will be in others. Considering the end use, do you want to risk false readings?

Replace the tubing. You can probably find suitable tubing at a hardware or auto parts tore.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Might not have been designed to be repaired, but I can remember the hospital stocking tubing for the purpose. Been a while, before "disposable" came along. We had nice (cold) stainless steel bedpans and enema cans, too. Cleaning hypodermic syringes and needles was a real drag :o)

Reply to
Norminn

The new disposable, probably cheaper in the long run. And less risk of transferring infection.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

formatting link
.

Might not have been designed to be repaired, but I can remember the hospital stocking tubing for the purpose. Been a while, before "disposable" came along. We had nice (cold) stainless steel bedpans and enema cans, too. Cleaning hypodermic syringes and needles was a real drag :o)

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.