broke new pump

Post by **Brian** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:42 am

i broke my old bike pump while testing a multi-bottle rocket (in DANGER topic). so i got a brand new one. it even had a preasure gauge. we started pump'n' the 2.25L bottle, got it up to 100 PSI and and it broke. still got to launch it. BND NEW

does anyone know if it as a safey mechanisum or something.[/u]

Post by **xenon** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:02 am

My guess is that you used a cheap pump. Try looking in bicycle shops for a higher quality pump. Avoid pumps with plastic parts. Usually plastic pumps are very cheap but are only menat to "top off" your tires occasionally and will not stand up to pumping large rockets up to 100 PSI.

Post by **Drag_Racer408a** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:24 am

I have a schwinn bike pump that was a cheap one that i have use for a long time and up to 120 psi launches. the one way valve was plastic and broke once but some epoxy fixed in and has never had problems since.

Post by **Brian** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:08 am

thanks, my pump was metal, bought it at Super Cheap Auto, go a few launches out of it.

Post by **xenon** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:14 pm

What part of your pump broke. Did the handle break off. Does it leak? Did the hose break? Those pumps usually have a 1-way valve to keep the air in the tire. Maybe simply adding a new 1-way valve would fix it.

Post by **Brian** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:32 am

it dosen't pump, you can push up and down and no air would. no compression.

Post by **october sky** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:47 pm

I had that happen once, try opening up the pump and see if the o-rings are on the head or not, also it may be the tube that the head is in has expanded and the o-rings can't seal it properly. This happens to me all the time just heat up the pump a bit

Post by **Drag_Racer408a** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:21 pm

Sounds to me like the 1 way valve is stuck open so that when you push down on the pump it just blows back otu the way it came in and not into your pressure lines.

Post by **Brian** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:04 am

it's not the vavle. no air is coming out of anywhere, thanks anyway.

it probably is the o-ring so how do you heat it up?

Post by **xenon** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:09 pm

october sky wrote:I had that happen once, try opening up the pump and see if the o-rings are on the head or not, also it may be the tube that the head is in has expanded and the o-rings can't seal it properly. This happens to me all the time just heat up the pump a bit

You beat me to it October Sky.

Another thing to try would be to put some light oil like WD-40 on the oring to seal it up better and it also makes it easier to pump.

Post by **october sky** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:39 am

i have a heat gun that i use, or some kind of heater would work but test it as your heating it as soon as it starts working stop or you'll melt the o-ring, and can you open up the pump so you can look in to it??

Post by **Brian** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:54 am

do you heat up the whole thing or just at the bottom if the handle pushed fully down.

Post by **october sky** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 9:56 am

i only heat the tube of the pump up, it works every time, also can you take apart your pump?????? you may find if the heat trick doesn't work that head of the pump has fallen off or got unsrewed, just put it back on, had this happen alot.

Post by **Brian** » Sat May 03, 2008 12:12 am

heating the pump didn't work but dad bought a new bike pump with gage + a small air compressor (really cool)