hard wire a 12V high-volume inflator deflator in the boat????

[Eric Ballard]

I had a crazy thought and I wonder if someone has done this on our boats.

Buy a 12V high-pressure inflator deflator with the battery clips (not the cigarette lighter style).

1. Then mount it in the boat by screwing it to a floor or all in the battery compartment.
2. Wire the whole thing to the battery via a rocker switch on the helm (accessory switch).
3. Then run the air hose (extend the hose as needed) to the swim deck of the boat (in the clean out wet storage locker maybe).
4. Of course seal the air hose so its air and water tight.

I think this would be a fairly simple mod and have a HUGE benefit.

I HATE getting the cigarette lighter inflator out, plugging it in and then putting it all away again.

I am already planning this in great detail so if no one has done this hold tight and I'll post what I end up with (unless someone tells me this is a very bad idea and why ).

 

[Julian]

Yup...there is a thread for this.... (even an FAQ)

https://jetboaters.net/faq/how-to-install-a-tube-inflator-hookup-on-the-swim-platform.77/

 

[Eric Ballard]

Thanks Julian!!!!!!

 

[Julian]

Thanks Julian!!!!!!

My pleasure...I had blower envy when I read that thread! @MNdrifter certainly outdid himself on that install! Having the switch at the stern with the output is perfect....and running the relay to make the line low power ....genius (to me anyway!)

 

[maboat]

For inflatable floaties and towables its better to use a high-volume air pump, not a high-pressure air pump. They are different.

The pump pictured in the other thread is a high-volume pump.

 

[Beachbummer]

I wired a 12v outlet to where the radio remote used to be on my sx230. I have a pretty clutter free inflator with no hose. This has worked well so far.

 

[zelone]

I installed one last year. Switch is on the dash and hose outlet is on the swim deck by the cupholder, opposite of the wash down hose. It worked great, but I have since bought a 10' piece of silicone hose to reach the tubes when they are in the water more easily. We have one of them huge inflatable islands and the fillers are all around it, so it was hard to reach all of them with a short hose. great mod, no clutter, little setup or storing.

 

[eticket]

I am planning to install my air pump in my boat and given I have limited space under my seats (due to ballast bags), I would prefer to put the pump in the engine compartment. My hesitation is potential risk of fire given the fuel fumes that can be present in the compartment. However, there are electric blowers already there for the purpose of venting the compartment...would a high volume pump such as the AirHead AHP-12HP (28Amp peak draw) pose any greater risk than than those stock blower motors?

 

[MNdrifter]

I am planning to install my air pump in my boat and given I have limited space under my seats (due to ballast bags), I would prefer to put the pump in the engine compartment. My hesitation is potential risk of fire given the fuel fumes that can be present in the compartment. However, there are electric blowers already there for the purpose of venting the compartment...would a high volume pump such as the AirHead AHP-12HP (28Amp peak draw) pose any greater risk than than those stock blower motors?

The stock blowers in the engine compartment are specifically designed to be used around volatile fumes. The AirHead is not designed that way. One could argue that if you ran the stock blowers to clear any fumes as if you were going to start the engine, then the AirHead should be safe to run. I would probably take that risk myself but I'm reluctant to endorse it on someone else's boat.

 

[MNdrifter]

Since my write-up, I have purchased an inflatable standup paddleboard that requires higher air pressure 15 psi. The AirHead AHP won't generate enough pressure so I bought a SUP pump and installed that.
I replaced the low-pressure tubing with water line hoses to handle the increased pressure. Instead of a modified Boston valve on the swim platform, now I have a standard water hose fitting.
The electrical stayed the same.
The benefit of this pump is that it has 2 stages. It starts out using a high volume blower like the AHP but at a certain pressure, it switches to a piston pump. This allows it to get 20+ psi.
The pump will shut off when a desired pressure has been reached. I had to hot-wire the "on" button of the pump for it to start as soon as power is applied. I still need to confirm if the auto shutoff still works.
I am still testing the installation. I'm hoping that the first stage inflator will still work well with tubes.
I will add to my original post if everything works out.

 

[eticket]

Thanks @MNdrifter. Just back from looking at the boat closely and I can't find good real estate in the engine compartment anyway so I think I am going to go with the starboard side under seat compartment. I just have to attach the pump up high out of the way of the ballast bag. I am also thinking of using water line hoses as well just to get more options on the thru hull fitting and also to avoid a loose connection that I have to hold all the time (like a boston valve might be). I am off to Napa, West Marine and Home Depot now to get all of the parts!

 

[zelone]

On mine, i mounted it in the rear swim deck speaker compartment. There is plenty of room in there,but its challenging to work through the speaker hole.

 

[eticket]

okay one more question...I like this fitting for being flush, being quick connect, having positive engagement, being plastic on the hose side (for boat protection) and also being water tight given installation on the swim deck. However, it is designed for water and has a 1/2" NPT fitting on the back end. Does anyone have a view if this will be too restrictive for use with a high volume pump to fill tubes? If i look at how much airflow can go through a Boston valve (on my tube), that's not much cross section with those small holes under the flapper valve, so I think it would be okay.

 

[MNdrifter]

I like that better than my hose fitting. If the tubing itself is 1/2", that will restrict flow more than just a single reduced point in the Boston valve. I don't know by how much.

 

[bobbie]

I have a bravo two stage sup pump which comes with a rechargable battery pack. No need to plug into an outlet and everything is neatly in a small pack.

 

[eticket]

I opted against the quick connect washdown fitting as it has too much restriction, down to about 1/4" in the valves inside the fitting. I went with a standard 3/4" garden hose style washdown fitting which allowed me to use 3/4" ID hose all the way. I am still playing around with my options for what to use on the swim deck, but the fitting is in and most of the wiring, but I will have to finish up next week. So far, so good and I am exited to barely hear that pump next time I use it!

 

[tdonoughue]

Anxious to hear how it works! Tempted to do this, but just hardwired mine and left it sitting in by the batteries. I pull it out to use it and re-stow it. Haven't undertaken the whole port part yet...

 

[eticket]

Okay, having some problems with wiring. I tried it out and I have blown 4 fuses on the coil side of the relay, so must be something wrong with the wiring. I am using an Echlin AR204 relay that is rated for 50A across the normally closed circuit 30-87, with a 30A fuse between pin 30 and the battery. I put a 10A fuse between pin 85 and the battery, and it keeps blowing, even when using a 15A fuse. I tried reversing 85 and 86 since this relay has a diode on the coil side, but that gives me the same result.

My next step is to get a non diode relay, but thought to post up here and hope one of the resident sparkies can help me out. Here is the schematic. The power is coming from a blue seas fuse block that I know is working since I also have my new USB charger on it and that is working. The grounds all go to a new ground bus. The switch is a blue seas SPST on/off toggle.

Why do I have a diode over coil relay? That's all they had at NAPA that looked to be sealed and could handle 30A. I am regretting not ordering the right relay from the start, but maybe I am doing something wrong which is obvious to someone else and I can save this relay and finish this up tomorrow as I'd like. Thanks for any inputs.

 

[tdonoughue]

If your 10A fuse is blowing, you have too much current running through the coil side of the relay. So, a couple possibilities:
1) You have mixed up the relay pins. If you have connected the ground and the 10A fuse accidentally to the 30/87a pins, you are shorting out the fuse. Use a multimeter and test the resistance between the two poles of the relay to which you are connected. It should not be zero.
2) You have a short in the circuit somewhere, like between 85 and 86 or with a bare wire or something. Disconnect at 85 and test the resistance 85 to ground and the wire that came from 85 to ground. Neither should be zero.
3) Your relay coil is too small. What is the rating on it? If the coil does not present enough resistance, then too much current will flow and will blow the fuse. You will need to add a resistor to that part of the circuit to slow the current enough. What size will depend on what the resistance and draw you have on the relay presently.

 

[Bill D]

The diode in your drawing is in backwards. You're creating a short around the coil. Flip it or remove it completely.