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AirHead 12 VDC Pump
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Author:  KSJ8 [ Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:38 pm ]
Post subject:  AirHead 12 VDC Pump

Any one use one of these? I used it last season on our Bayliner no problem. When I try to use now it blows the 10A fuse that is for the ACC plug. I tried it in our Liberty no problem. I didn't check to see what amp that fuse is. Will do that tomorrow. Maybe I'll try 12A and if I have to go to a 15A. We have an Airhead 2 person W/back rest & A 1 person flat tow-able.Had to borrowed on the lake last week 1 double action hand pump Ain't doing that every weekend :shock:

Author:  wkearney99 [ Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

KSJ8 wrote:
Any one use one of these? I used it last season on our Bayliner no problem. When I try to use now it blows the 10A fuse that is for the ACC plug. I tried it in our Liberty no problem. I didn't check to see what amp that fuse is. Will do that tomorrow. Maybe I'll try 12A and if I have to go to a 15A. We have an Airhead 2 person W/back rest & A 1 person flat tow-able.Had to borrowed on the lake last week 1 double action hand pump Ain't doing that every weekend :shock:


Fuses are rated for the WIRE not the desired load. You generally can't just put in a larger fuse. The fuse is there to prevent the circuit from overheating and SETTING THE WIRE ON FIRE. Especially not for a heavy duty device like an air pump. Putting in a larger fuse and then pulling that much current through the wire will definitely raise the risk of overheating the wire. If you do put in a larger fuse then you REALLY need to get a hand on the wire and feel whether it's overheating or not. That and ask the factory what fuse is supposed to be in there.

Finally, pumps do wear out and die. And when they're reaching the end of the useful life they'll usually start pulling more current. The cylinder in most of them is pretty cheap and it wears out. That wear causes more drag internally and the motor pulls more current as a result. The fuse blowing may be that first sign...

Author:  KSJ8 [ Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

I know that the fuse is the protection device. The terminal block is labeled 10A looks like a 12 Gauge wire going to ACC outlet. This is the pump I'm talking about It's a glorified hair dryer no cylinders & only been used <6 times so I highly doubt the brushes are worn.Like I stated it worked fine the few times I used it last year in the Bayliner, it's made for what I'm using it for. Thanks for the input & concern about being safe.
http://www.faceplantwatertoys.com/airhe ... p-236.html

After reading that pg I see that it draws 11.8 AMPS. So W/a 20 A fuse in there now I'll go get some 15A I think the wire can handle the load for the amount of time I run the pump.

Author:  Jim_R [ Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

Are you sure that the 12 gauge wire is used all the way to the fuse box? If so it is true that the wire should be good with a 15A fuse, even if it is only 75C (and it is likely 105C), it can handle 25A. Still need to think about the accessory outlet itself and any connectors, as well as consider any correction factors required (like does the wire go though the engine area). Here's the link to the relevant section of the boatbuilder's handbook should you wish to do the math:

http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/boatbuilder/electrical/183-435-a.htm

Author:  KSJ8 [ Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

Jim,
the fuse box is mounted right behind the dash & the wire is probably less then 10" long to the outlet on the R/H side of the helm. I used it today W/15A , know problems. The Mrs was VERY happy to have the 2 man towable inflated to proper psi, she likes to just lay there to sun, so I can fish all over the boat & not disturb her on the back deck :lol:

Author:  LouC [ Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

This is an old post but I'll add my thoughts, I have found that when you use a tire inflator to inflate something that takes a while, like a few aired down for off road truck tires, it will blow the cigarette lighter circuit fuse, there is not enough amp capacity to carry the current for the time you need to inflate certain things. So I use tire inflators that have clips that clip on to the battery, which works much better. I also got an air pump for inflatables and removed the cigarette lighter plug and put on battery terminal clips so I hook it up directly to the battery.

Author:  wkearney99 [ Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

LouC wrote:
...and removed the cigarette lighter plug and put on battery terminal clips so I hook it up directly to the battery.


What did you do to switch off power to it? It would be tremendously dangerous to use exposed terminals, on several counts. One being exposed sparking, a definite thing to avoid on boats. But more importantly would be the risk of severe electrical burns should someone accidentally short the terminals.

Author:  LouC [ Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

The air pump has a switch, you leave it in the off position. Hook up the batt clips and no spark. If you really want to be safe hook up the pos to the pos terminal and the neg to an engine ground. Any of the better air pumps for off road use all come with battery clips, because there is no way you can air up 4 truck tires without blowing that little 5 amp fuse. With inflatables, the volume of air you have to move, makes it likely you will blow that fuse often. They hold more air than one tire for sure.
In fact a some of the pumps for inflatables come with battery clip connectors already installed.

See Bill they even sell them this way....

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... rchID=4006

Author:  wkearney99 [ Tue Aug 16, 2011 1:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

LouC wrote:
The air pump has a switch, you leave it in the off position. Hook up the batt clips and no spark. If you really want to be safe hook up the pos to the pos terminal and the neg to an engine ground. Any of the better air pumps for off road use all come with battery clips, because there is no way you can air up 4 truck tires without blowing that little 5 amp fuse. With inflatables, the volume of air you have to move, makes it likely you will blow that fuse often. They hold more air than one tire for sure.
In fact a some of the pumps for inflatables come with battery clip connectors already installed.

See Bill they even sell them this way....

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... rchID=4006


People sell all sorts of things. Which others misunderstand how to use properly. Nothing new there, nothing new here. That and what's sold, or even relevant, for off-road use has pretty much nothing to do with using it safely on a boat. I've had to air-up the tires on my Jeeps plenty of times. But what you do on a road vehicle is a lot different than what's considered safe for a boat.

A switch on the pump isn't the issue. It's the LIVE TERMINALS. At least with a properly-sized plug you're keeping high amperage current away from where it can cause significant injury. Do you even realize what that much current will do to skin if it short-circuits? Just install a trolling motor socket and put a matching plug on the pump wires. Safe, secure, and weatherproof. All for less than $50.

Having inflatable toys doesn't mean having to risk injury just by being lazy about wiring it up properly.

Author:  LouC [ Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

The trolling motor socket is a good idea, Bill. But keep in mind certain maintenance procedures require you to do the same thing. Have you ever hooked up a battery charger to a boat battery, or hooked up a timing light to a boat battery? These are things that have to be done and can be done safely if you are careful. Yes I am well aware of the destructive power of 600-700 amps of current. No doubt it is a force to be respected.
I do know that most of those air pumps draw more than 10 amps, they will blow that cigarette lighter fuse more than likely.

Author:  Flying Sushi [ Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AirHead 12 VDC Pump

My solution for inflatable pump is to installed a new 12V outlet near the rear of the boat since that is where we want to blow tube or raft out… We also installed a 1000W inverter so we can use 115V pump as well as other small 120 V tools, laptop and other gadgets… The inverter is direct feed from battery switch and the new 12V outlet (rated 15A) is connected from this line with inline fuse box. We use these devises a lot when we out on water…

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