Author Topic: CO2 or Electric for airing flats? (Read 4546 times)

worncog · « **Reply #25 on:** April 29, 2017, 06:13:24 pm »

Recommend against CO2. Limited application and too much volume to fill. Bicycle pump is a good tertiary tool, but would not use as primary.

My go to kit is ropes, glue, and a Motopump Mini Pro pump. Have had several pumps, and more flats than I care to remember. Ropes slathered in glue work. Mushroom plugs are unreliable, the fancy Dynaplugs are cute, but will not fill most punctures larger than a small nail. And yes. I own one of each of the noted kits. The Motopump is pricey, but fills a 180/55R17 in less than four minutes to 42 psi. My previously carried Stop-n-Go took more than 18 minutes to fill a 170/60R17. I purchased the Motopump while rallying, where that extra 13 minutes was pretty significant. Now, I plug in the pump and store the rest of the tools while it inflates. My last flat repaired with a worm and glue only took about ten minutes to repair and return to the road.

I also carry three tire patches and tire irons. I had a tire flat sideline me with a DNF in Texas Rally after the largest nail known to man skewered my rear tire and left me with a hole that the last seven worms I had would not seal for more than five miles. YMMV.

http://www.ldriders.com/tire-repair.html

seagiant1 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 29, 2017, 07:17:00 pm »

Quote from: handyman on April 29, 2017, 06:13:24 pm

Recommend against CO2. Limited application and too much volume to fill. Bicycle pump is a good tertiary tool, but would not use as primary.

My go to kit is ropes, glue, and a Motopump Mini Pro pump. Have had several pumps, and more flats than I care to remember. Ropes slathered in glue work. Mushroom plugs are unreliable, the fancy Dynaplugs are cute, but will not fill most punctures larger than a small nail. And yes. I own one of each of the noted kits. The Motopump is pricey, but fills a 180/55R17 in less than four minutes to 42 psi. My previously carried Stop-n-Go took more than 18 minutes to fill a 170/60R17. I purchased the Motopump while rallying, where that extra 13 minutes was pretty significant. Now, I plug in the pump and store the rest of the tools while it inflates. My last flat repaired with a worm and glue only took about ten minutes to repair and return to the road.

I also carry three tire patches and tire irons. I had a tire flat sideline me with a DNF in Texas Rally after the largest nail known to man skewered my rear tire and left me with a hole that the last seven worms I had would not seal for more than five miles. YMMV.

http://www.ldriders.com/tire-repair.html

Hi,
I've been riding motorized 2 wheel vehichles since 1965......

I've NEVER had a flat on one, but......

You just scared me!!!!

Oh, yea, I carry an Airman Pump that plugs into the cig liter socket!

worncog · « **Reply #27 on:** April 29, 2017, 10:09:27 pm »

Quote from: seagiant1 on April 29, 2017, 07:17:00 pm

Quote from: handyman on April 29, 2017, 06:13:24 pm
Recommend against CO2. Limited application and too much volume to fill. Bicycle pump is a good tertiary tool, but would not use as primary.

My go to kit is ropes, glue, and a Motopump Mini Pro pump. Have had several pumps, and more flats than I care to remember. Ropes slathered in glue work. Mushroom plugs are unreliable, the fancy Dynaplugs are cute, but will not fill most punctures larger than a small nail. And yes. I own one of each of the noted kits. The Motopump is pricey, but fills a 180/55R17 in less than four minutes to 42 psi. My previously carried Stop-n-Go took more than 18 minutes to fill a 170/60R17. I purchased the Motopump while rallying, where that extra 13 minutes was pretty significant. Now, I plug in the pump and store the rest of the tools while it inflates. My last flat repaired with a worm and glue only took about ten minutes to repair and return to the road.

I also carry three tire patches and tire irons. I had a tire flat sideline me with a DNF in Texas Rally after the largest nail known to man skewered my rear tire and left me with a hole that the last seven worms I had would not seal for more than five miles. YMMV.

http://www.ldriders.com/tire-repair.html

Hi,
I've been riding motorized 2 wheel vehichles since 1965......

I've NEVER had a flat on one, but......

You just scared me!!!!

Oh, yea, I carry an Airman Pump that plugs into the cig liter socket!

I had only had a couple flats over the years until I started doing competitive rallying three years ago. Then, I started getting flats ALOT more often than one would expect. Burned several dozen brain cells trying to figure out why I had become a flat magnet. It was pretty simple once I identified the problem. I was cutting corners and crossing slashed line sections in an effort to shave a few seconds here and there. And yes, I know it is bad form and I shouldn't do such things, so the peanut gallery can remain calm on that one.

Those 'cut' corners are littered with all the fixins for a flat, and I have modified my behaviors and have not had a flat since.

I have gotten pretty good at flat repair in the process though. I practiced on extra tires and wheels at home and even made multiple attempts at repairs with the mushrooms and the Dynaplugs before finalizing my tire kit. And when I did have a flat on a trip, I would return home and install a tire patch on the inside to prolong tire service life. Overkill? Maybe. But I do find myself out in the middle of nowhere with no cell service on long jaunts. I like the feeling of being able to repair almost all of the deflating moments the road throws at me. I will do my best to NOT be hauled in on a flatbed for just a flat again.

Be prepared, they told me...

Safe travels.

JTX · « **Reply #28 on:** April 30, 2017, 12:00:09 pm »

Quote from: IngolfStern on April 26, 2017, 02:20:26 pm

AH. good. Thanks.

As to the Pelican case. I realized it was a dumb question and then just did a google image search.
I decided to go with a small case (Pelican 1170) for tools and a flat kit since I don't like that big eskimo/dog house look back there (seems also to be dynamically unstable).

Goes off to search for tool kit thread.

Edit: after watching about 20 videos, I am absolutely going with that Dynaplug thingy. I don't see that there's an alternative that's even close. Now I only have to decide whether to carry a pump or some CO2 cartridges.

I keep a green air pump ( the name escapes me ) with a direct battery connection cord handy for it's use ( the 5v accessory will pop the fuse as most of these pump have an initial 7+A surge ) however I've never had to use it on the road fortunately and I hope that continues to be my luck.

The C02 idea requires too many cylinders and is cumbersome. Plus, if I stop to help someone else, now I'm not SOL down the road if I got a nail, too as I'd have used up any C02 I had.

seagiant1 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 01, 2017, 02:41:37 pm »

Quote from: JTX on April 30, 2017, 12:00:09 pm

Quote from: IngolfStern on April 26, 2017, 02:20:26 pm
AH. good. Thanks.

As to the Pelican case. I realized it was a dumb question and then just did a google image search.
I decided to go with a small case (Pelican 1170) for tools and a flat kit since I don't like that big eskimo/dog house look back there (seems also to be dynamically unstable).

Goes off to search for tool kit thread.

Edit: after watching about 20 videos, I am absolutely going with that Dynaplug thingy. I don't see that there's an alternative that's even close. Now I only have to decide whether to carry a pump or some CO2 cartridges.

I keep a green air pump ( the name escapes me ) with a direct battery connection cord handy for it's use ( the 5v accessory will pop the fuse as most of these pump have an initial 7+A surge ) however I've never had to use it on the road fortunately and I hope that continues to be my luck.

The C02 idea requires too many cylinders and is cumbersome. Plus, if I stop to help someone else, now I'm not SOL down the road if I got a nail, too as I'd have used up any C02 I had.

Hi,
I'll have to check it out.

I have a "Battery Tender" hook up straight to the battery.

I guess, I could use that to power an air pump if I set it up that way?

I need to do a what if, and actually run the pump and check it out!!!

JTX · « **Reply #30 on:** May 01, 2017, 03:12:46 pm »

It should work but check polarity.

Also dont just run the pump into the air. Make the pump strain a bit as if it was encountering some resistance. I think the 7a charge fuse in a battery tender would work but i think my pump draws that at minimum.

Throttle 8 · « **Reply #31 on:** May 01, 2017, 03:24:29 pm »

Quote from: mattchewn on April 27, 2017, 08:45:35 pm

Something else to consider when buying a cheap electric pump;
These pumps ( most of them anyway),are not made to last through a lot of use. They are made to sell to a lot of people who will put them in the trunk and forget about them. After what I would consider minimal usage ( some less than 30 minutes of actual usage, NOT CONTINUAL but in total) many of these pumps have failed miserably. There is a reason they are so cheap. I have personally seen several of the Slime pumps crap out at the worst possible time after very little use. I will never buy one of them. I have a electric compressor that I converted to run off of a LiPo battery pack. I have inflated more tires than I care to think about and it has hours and hours of actual use on it with no issues so far. It is 4 years old now. I did get it for 30$ from HF as a field use for RC aircraft landing gear and it has served all of its' life inflating tires big and small instead.
I feel like I have already gotten my $$$ worth and it still works perfectly.
Matt

Matt is spot on. I always carry a cheap pump in my truck. A couple years ago I got a flat in the middle of nowhere. I fixed it an used the cheap pump to re-inflate. I should have stopped and let it cool when I got to halfway on the 35" Mickey Thompson; but I was impatient, so I did it in one shot. Just as it was about finished, it started making a noise that can only be described as what a Mariah Carrey orgasm would sound like. That was the end of that pump. These pumps are cheap and have a short lifespan---even shorter if you don't let them cool for 10 minutes after every 10 minutes of use--lol!

JTX · « **Reply #32 on:** May 01, 2017, 09:08:29 pm »

Haha. Man talk about a visual i didnt need today!

dlama · « **Reply #33 on:** May 04, 2017, 04:29:24 pm »

CO2 has no usable benefit to me in motorcycling. 12V Electric compressor all the way. BTW DynaPlugs are sucky. The DynaPlug air pump is pretty good. The plugs and handle look cool but they don't work in the real world. Too small and finicky. Save your $$$ and frustration on the road and buy a Regular T-Handle kit w tire plugs and a less expensive but decent 12V air compressor. This will get you down the road. Any decent small electric air pump made for autos or motorcycles will get you out of many unplanned flat events. You've got to simulate and practice a flat scenario to decide how you are going to address the issues before they come up.

First, get a power drill and make a hole in your front tire.

Just kidding... but if you let all the air out of your front tire and used CO2 cartridges to try out the method you would see right away the electric pump is the ONLY way to go. But practice!

1. Power cord compatible? Is it long enough?
2. Air hose compatible? Is it long enough?
3. Is there a light and a gauge on the pump?
4. If I drop the pump will it break? Should I test it before long trips?
5. Take it all out of the package and rig it up. Does it work in the garage? Pump up your tires to specified pressures. Yes? It will work on the road.

This brings ups the general practices of touring riders in general. Some are anal retentive and some just try to go on luck.

I like to plan the trip and lay out the items and look at the maps for days and weeks. It's part of the fun for the wife and I to get ready to go for 2-3 weeks on the road. I approach it more like taking a trip in an airplane. Better safe than sorry when you are "flying".

Others just crank the bike and take off. To each his own...

4Bikes · « **Reply #34 on:** May 04, 2017, 04:37:35 pm »

I bought a DynaPlug kit on an impulse buy at Cycle World because they were on sale. If I actually had a flat, I don't think I would try one and would just go with the tried and true sticky worms. I did do this DynaPlug test, on a tire before I changed it out. I think the big issue with the DynaPlug kit is reloading the tool.

WANDRNG · « **Reply #35 on:** May 04, 2017, 05:29:10 pm »

Quote from: 4Bikes on May 04, 2017, 04:37:35 pm

I bought a DynaPlug kit on an impulse buy at Cycle World because they were on sale. If I actually had a flat, I don't think I would try one and would just go with the tried and true sticky worms. I did do this DynaPlug test, on a tire before I changed it out. I think the big issue with the DynaPlug kit is reloading the tool.

Used a Dynaplug to fix three separate flats on the Concours now (1 kit for all with a set refill plugs).
- 1 time the day before last years bun cooler on a tire with 42 miles on it - plug lasted the 3000 mile trip and back plus 3K local stuff
- Year an a half ago 1 plug into a tire that went another 4K
- 2 weeks ago 1 hour into the CA Coast Campout put 2 plugs in 1 puncture - still going strong

I did use a little astringent between the 2 plugs/1hole when fixing the Campout flat to ease the reloading of the second plug into the handle.

All told, 15 minutes per flat to find, plug and Slime pump the tire back to proper pressure - all have held, and the kit is packed and ready for this years Bun Cooler trip.

YMMV

4Bikes · « **Reply #36 on:** May 05, 2017, 11:20:17 am »

Quote from: 4Bikes on May 04, 2017, 04:37:35 pm

I bought a DynaPlug kit on an impulse buy at Cycle World because they were on sale. If I actually had a flat, I don't think I would try one and would just go with the tried and true sticky worms. I did do this DynaPlug test, on a tire before I changed it out. I think the big issue with the DynaPlug kit is reloading the tool.

I should maybe explain this photo. It was before I had my own tire changer, and I was ready to replace the front tire at the dealer by removing it. I drilled a hole above the TPS sensor to simulate a flat, and patched it with the DynaPlug as a test. The part you see in the photo, was from the square I cut out to get to the TPMS to change the battery. Doing this test in the garage is a lot better than trying it for the first time on the Road.

If I remember correctly, the 7 amp? fuse on my battery tender lead blew out when running the Slime pump. Again, it's better to sort out these issues in the garage. I now have that lead fused properly.

WANDRNG · « **Reply #37 on:** May 06, 2017, 01:25:54 am »

I've never used or seen one of these, just saw them on sale today. Have no idea how well they work.

Battery powered with built in PSI gauge
Charges from a 5 amp phone charger (won't blow a fuse)
Approx 8x2.5x2 inches = 40 cubic inches (for comparison the slime pump I have 2.6x6.6x6.8 = 116 cubic inches)

https://www.amazon.com/ENGREPO-Hand-Held-Electric-Portable-Compressor/dp/B01M2ZY5D9

Engrepo Portable Digital Air Compressor for $40 + free shipping w/ Prime
Engrepo Direct via Amazon offers Prime members the Engrepo Portable Digital Air Compressor in Black for $49.99. Coupon code "N6S4FA6M" drops it to $39.99. With free shipping, that's the lowest price we could find by $17. Features include a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, cigarette lighter socket adapter, and LED display.

4Bikes · « **Reply #38 on:** May 06, 2017, 11:22:42 am »

Thats interesting, but the battery option isn't much better than a CO2 since it would likely one fill up and done. I'm also thinking about the battery jump pack I carry. I tried to help a some roofers in a pickup truck. When I pulled out the jump pack it was dead and worthless. Batteries need to be put on a charger probably once a month. I assume the battery inflator would be the same way, and that would be a pain.

WANDRNG · « **Reply #39 on:** May 06, 2017, 04:01:07 pm »

I don't know, half the size of my Slime, can work from it's own lith-ion battery or plugged into my Concours' cig lighter socket (drawing 5A, so avoid possibility of blown fuse)?

If I didn't already have the Slime...

mattchewn · « **Reply #40 on:** May 06, 2017, 09:37:42 pm »

Quote from: WANDRNG on May 06, 2017, 01:25:54 am

I've never used or seen one of these, just saw them on sale today. Have no idea how well they work.

Battery powered with built in PSI gauge
Charges from a 5 amp phone charger (won't blow a fuse)
Approx 8x2.5x2 inches = 40 cubic inches (for comparison the slime pump I have 2.6x6.6x6.8 = 116 cubic inches)

https://www.amazon.com/ENGREPO-Hand-Held-Electric-Portable-Compressor/dp/B01M2ZY5D9

Engrepo Portable Digital Air Compressor for $40 + free shipping w/ Prime
Engrepo Direct via Amazon offers Prime members the Engrepo Portable Digital Air Compressor in Black for $49.99. Coupon code "N6S4FA6M" drops it to $39.99. With free shipping, that's the lowest price we could find by $17. Features include a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, cigarette lighter socket adapter, and LED display.

I read through some of the questions, One guy said the batteries lasted about 10 minutes of use. Probably not the best investment.

Matt

Jerdurr · « **Reply #41 on:** August 02, 2017, 02:38:00 pm »

Guys, I replaced the cable and fuse for 10 amps on the auxiliary (cigarette) port. Which one of the electrical pumps do you suggest I use, and what is the amperage draw?

thanks guys!

JTX · « **Reply #42 on:** August 02, 2017, 02:52:20 pm »

Quote from: JD on August 02, 2017, 02:38:00 pm

Guys, I replaced the cable and fuse for 10 amps on the auxiliary (cigarette) port. Which one of the electrical pumps do you suggest I use, and what is the amperage draw?

thanks guys!

The green slime pump I have needs 7amps.

Jerdurr · « **Reply #43 on:** August 02, 2017, 02:57:53 pm »

Quote from: JTX on August 02, 2017, 02:52:20 pm

Quote from: JD on August 02, 2017, 02:38:00 pm
Guys, I replaced the cable and fuse for 10 amps on the auxiliary (cigarette) port. Which one of the electrical pumps do you suggest I use, and what is the amperage draw?

thanks guys!

The green slime pump I have needs 7amps.

Thx JTX, that helps...

How about the rest? I was considering a stop n' go pump...

seagiant1 · « **Reply #44 on:** August 02, 2017, 03:03:49 pm »

Matt is spot on. I always carry a cheap pump in my truck. A couple years ago I got a flat in the middle of nowhere. I fixed it an used the cheap pump to re-inflate. I should have stopped and let it cool when I got to halfway on the 35" Mickey Thompson; but I was impatient, so I did it in one shot. Just as it was about finished, it started making a noise that can only be described as what a Mariah Carrey orgasm would sound like. That was the end of that pump. These pumps are cheap and have a short lifespan---even shorter if you don't let them cool for 10 minutes after every 10 minutes of use--lol!

Hi,
Please, don't do that again!

JTX · « **Reply #45 on:** August 02, 2017, 03:06:13 pm »

haha that was funny

4Bikes · « **Reply #46 on:** August 02, 2017, 05:31:54 pm »

10-4. We have a lock on what your pump sounded like when it died

RWulf · « **Reply #47 on:** August 02, 2017, 08:20:29 pm »

Great comparison article on 12V air pumps in MCN this month.

Jerdurr · « **Reply #48 on:** August 08, 2017, 05:30:37 am »

Quote from: RWulf on August 02, 2017, 08:20:29 pm

Great comparison article on 12V air pumps in MCN this month.

MCN?

WANDRNG · « **Reply #49 on:** August 08, 2017, 05:40:23 am »

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