Fast compressor fill success

[Tom iSUP]

I first tried filling my iSUP with a bike Schraeder valve attachment. It took a long time, about as slow as pumping up by hand, despite running high pressures. The Schraeder (and the tire fill attachment) apparently have small air passages.

My compressor is huge (two cylinder, and around 60 gallons, 230 liters). I have 3/8 inch inside diameter connectors. The pic shows how we twisted in a quick release coupling to an iSUP pump connector hose.

We set the output pressure to about 14 psi (close to 1 ATM, or 100 kPa). We let the tank fill to its usual 120 psi.

It pumped up an 11 foot long, 33 inch wide, 6 inch thick board in 2 minutes and 30 seconds!

I was careful, and checked with an iSUP pressure gauge on another pump, as I didn't want to trust the compressor's gauge at low readings. They agreed perfectly. My big tank had enough air to fill 2 paddle boards.

If you do this, take care, it would be very easy to blow up (literally, as in explode!) an inflatable paddle board if you forgot to turn down the output pressure.

Too bad this solution isn't more portable!

[Green Water Sports]

Nice work.

[PonoBill]

If you want a speedy, portable (sort of) fill try a nitrogen bottle. I have a couple of them left over from road racing (dry, convenient "air" for tires) and I used part of one to fill my 22' Red Dragon a few years ago. It took about a minute, and I watched the pressure like a hawk. An exploding Red Dragon would probably be a fatal mistake. I used 1/2" armored hose and AN fittings--also left over from racing. That's probably not practical advice unless you have that kind of stuff hanging around. The hose and AN fittings would probably cost a few hundred bucks.