rev. 7-22-2024
For years I have been fighting occasional air loss; often I would have to pump it up every few days, sometimes every week or so. I tested it will soap (no bubbles except a few at the air valves) and sealed anything that looked like it might be worn.
Just a dab of glycerin in and around the valve seals reduces leaks for 45 days or more. It is very slow to dry, perhaps several months in the open and slower in a valve. There is no potential to damage any of the seal or inflatable components. There is no mess; any spillage washes off. And there are certainly auxiliary uses in the medicine cabinet.
Why does it take so long to learn simple stuff?
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Yes, you can replace the valve assembly in quality inflatables. It's not that hard, but it's not trivial and if the fabric is old it is possible the leak will be worse. When glycerine no longer seals your valves, it's time to break our the wrench and replace them. A special wrench may be required. The one time I did this, the plastic wrench came with the valve kit. Hint: glycerine can be useful for lubing things up, during the installation, but K-Y works even better. K-Y was invented as a surgical lubricant.
... because we always look for complex solutions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great tip.
bob