My ghetto tubeless inflator EXPLODED – Page 2 – Bike Forum

Superficial · 2021-03-12T20:44:53Z

I'm still alive btw. I've been living in fear of my ghetto 9p tubeless inflator exploding ever since I made it. There's a lot of stored energy and I always wondered what would happen if it went boom. But it's seated numerous tyres over the last decade, so it's had a good life. Anyway, today it started slowly leaking air due to a tiny crack in the cap, so I couldn't get it above 100psi. I was grateful it hadn't exploded so I popped to the shop to get a new bottle (for the record, a Co-op sparkling mineral water bottle for 49p). Got it home, drilled some holes, pumped it up. On the first attempt, the tyre didn't seat. Damn. More pressure needed. I was aiming for 120 psi but at 110psi... BANG! It made me jump but it didn't kill me or anything. I don't think there's even any mild tinnitus. Something whipped up and caught me on the hand though, which is kinda sore. What I think is kinda interesting is the way the thing broke. I don't know where the initial rupture was, but the top cap split, the top part of the bottle sheared off, the main body of the bottle split in many directions, and there's a separate (not connected) hole in the bottom of the bottle. So, at least I didn't die, but I think I may have been a bit lucky. It wasn't as loud as it could have been, but something hurt my hand and I suspect if I'd been in a different place I could have been hurt. On balance I'm more scared of the same thing happening again so I might invest in an airshot type thing. Sidenote: In retrospect, my 2021 bottle was a lot thinner than the one I bought a few years ago. I supposed we should be grateful that less non-reusable plastic is used in today's bottles but my experience today suggests it's not as good for ghetto tubeless.

simono5

Posts: 0

Free Member

Little lockdown project. From this;

To this;

Total cost was £13 plus an old innertube and took about 30 mins.

The extinguisher is tested to about 370psi and pressurised with powder to around 270psi (if memory serves correctly). So tubeless at 180psi or below shouldn't be a problem IMO.

Extinguisher here;
https://www.screwfix.com/p/firechief-dry-powder-vehicle-fire-extinguisher-600g/91740?_requestid=726409

Works better than my tubeless pump to be honest. Mainly as it stores more air.

Posted : 14/03/2021 12:03 am

squirrelking

Posts: 11605

Free Member

The extinguisher is tested to about 370psi and pressurised with powder to around 270psi (if memory serves correctly). So tubeless at 180psi or below shouldn’t be a problem IMO.

Except you've just drilled a randomly sized hole in a random place on the pressure vessel so those ratings now count for sod all. It's probably fine but I wouldn't rely on those figures for anything now.

I have a big (5l?) CO2 bottle, I used the test port to fit a schraeder valve for filling and converted the horn connection to accept a quick release schraeder head. No drilling required, just a lot of converter pieces!

Posted : 14/03/2021 12:13 am

jamesoz

Posts: 3622

Free Member

Why drill it? Pull the handle or put a band around it and you can fill it via the outlet. Just needs a T and a isolate valve. But yes way better than a pop bottle.

Posted : 14/03/2021 12:39 am

nickjb

Posts: 16383

Free Member

No need to buy a new extinguisher. Plenty of used ones out there if you look around. There's always a big pile at the dump if you can sneak one out.

Posted : 14/03/2021 8:26 am

avdave2

Posts: 8403

Full Member

As well as the exploding fire extinguisher in the dustcart this has brought back memories of the compressed air launcher we had at the MOD. Basically a huge tank pressurised to some ridiculous level with a steel diaphragm with a small explosive charge in the middle of it. Blow that and the air launched what ever item we were testing down the test track at incredible speed. I hated being in the control room for that, I think everyone did. Watching all these dials and pipework while the whole thing charged up making horrible noises. Always felt like being in Das Boot, sinking to the bottom just waiting for imminent death! 😬

Posted : 14/03/2021 8:45 am

cjr61

Posts: 1721

Full Member

Not as pretty as @bigblackshed Frankenflater but does the job:

[url= https://i.ibb.co/D93ks4H/A792-C59-B-E86-F-4706-B71-D-6-D107-A7233-C6.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/D93ks4H/A792-C59-B-E86-F-4706-B71-D-6-D107-A7233-C6.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

[url= https://i.ibb.co/FmNbc4c/2-D3-E31-CA-C75-E-4630-A863-4-A4-FEE6-D92-B9.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/FmNbc4c/2-D3-E31-CA-C75-E-4630-A863-4-A4-FEE6-D92-B9.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

Posted : 14/03/2021 8:49 am

Forum menu

[Closed] My ghetto tubeless inflator EXPLODED