# Leaf blower inflation



## geoinmt (Jun 4, 2015)

I have used a leaf blower many times to inflate my boats, but this year after pretty light use the blower crapped out. It was a Husqvarna, so a decent brand. Does anyone know if putting the kind of back pressure that raft inflation creates is bad for a little 2 stroke motor? Thanks.


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## jerseyjeff (Apr 16, 2016)

After trying everything, I found that leaf blowers seem to do the fastest job, (with the exception of the man of rubber pumps hooked to a genny) but, I wonder if trying to move the volume of air from a 2.5 inch tube down to one inch will cause trouble. I have had a bit of success with an inverter and the electric ones, but would be concerned about killing a gasburner. The other bit is that gas with ethanol is absolutely awful for 2 stroke engines. Do you know if you had the right mix, and do you know if you had old gas? What did the failure look like? I am in NJ, but have inlaws in NY so I try to bring back 5 gallons of straight ethanol free gas back anytime I am up. I find that my chainsaws and blowers are so much happier.


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## geoinmt (Jun 4, 2015)

*gas*

i only used premium gas without ethanol. There is some chance that my son grabbed the wrong can to fill the blower, but it is unlikely. I use the recommended 50/1 mix. The shop said the head was damaged and would cost more than a new one to repair.


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## Fly By Night (Oct 31, 2018)

Plugging the output of lead blower removes the load off the engine and will cause them to rev up and maybe overspeed, you can see this for yourself by covering the output of a blower while it's WOT. I don't see an issue using a gas blower so long as you keep it from overspeeding, maybe max of 3/4 throttle, I'm sure you can tell by eat.


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## jerseyjeff (Apr 16, 2016)

As soon as you said head problem, I was thinking straight gas. If you take out the plug can you push the piston down with a wood dowel? will it cycle when you pull on it? 
2-strokes have really high rpm, and need the 50-1 mix to keep from seizing/blowing up the motor. I think that using it as an inflator will work, (and does work) but straight gas will kill them every time. You may be able to score another hand held blower on the cheap, and use that as an inflator too. Sorry to hear about the head.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

geoinmt said:


> It was a Husqvarna, so a decent brand.



They USED to be a decent brand, I bought a lawn tractor of that brand and it's had nothing but issues, transmission, camshaft, ignition, it's been in the shop more than I've had it and has functioned less than 5 hours. SO far was all covered under warranty, but now is out of warranty. They are quite proud of their repair service from the "costs" to repair I've seen on the invoices. I would NOT buy another anything with that name on it. Stihl has always been my preferred brand, I have chainsaws that are 20 years old and still work flawlessly. 



Rant over LOL, but I know of a lot of folks that use a leaf blower to inflate with no bad stories to report


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

I have a beat up Stihl 192 TC chainsaw and weed whacker that i bought new and they keep on running. I have used Coleman fuel in them 80% of the time and any kind of unleaded fuel, they work fine, plus the two cycle oil of course. Sometimes I would pre mix, I really didn't know the ratio of oil to gas I mixed most of the time and some time I would place a little bit of oil in the gas tank than add gas, after a few very smoky runs, I got a handle on the amount of oil to add straight to the tank before adding gas.I don't know about their new products though, hopefully their just as tough and dependable as there older products.


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## salmonjammer (Dec 14, 2011)

*skip the gas and use a battery blower*

I have been using a DeWalt model *# *DCE100B for the last few years. It will inflate one boat easily and quickly. It also deflates. No need to top off. Take an extra battery and you can get two or three boats


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

salmonjammer said:


> I have been using a DeWalt model *# *DCE100B for the last few years. It will inflate one boat easily and quickly. It also deflates. No need to top off. Take an extra battery and you can get two or three boats



I've seen a few folks use these on the Westwater ramp to inflate / deflate their boats, they are pretty slick and work almost as well as a 110VAC Mastercraft blower...


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

salmonjammer said:


> I have been using a DeWalt model *# *DCE100B for the last few years. It will inflate one boat easily and quickly. It also deflates. No need to top off. Take an extra battery and you can get two or three boats


This is what I use. The valve has to be open for it to really work though. Get the boat tight and quickly close the valve. Top off with pump after the boat is in the water. I can get about two 15' boats on a battery. Also nice to stoke a fire in the pan.


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## Tower Climber (Feb 27, 2019)

So no one has mentioned the elephant in the room as far as uncombusted hydrocarbons in the leafblower exhaust (inherent to most H/C-powered blower output) getting shot into raft rubber. It seems like maybe a worthwhile consideration to me (I use only electric blowers to fill mine own raft rubbers, either AC shop vac or DC blowers), but then I am also that guy wearing the high-float vest in the GC. 



I'd suppose that a bit of short term unburnt hydrocarbons/exhaust in the tubes is less of a problem than the idjits what shot a full shop vac of shit into their tubes wrought upon themselves, but....


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## Denray (Sep 14, 2010)

I heard once that the hypalon rafts handle petroleum contact better than the plastic rafts


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## jeffro (Oct 13, 2003)

Tower Climber said:


> So no one has mentioned the elephant in the room as far as uncombusted hydrocarbons in the leafblower exhaust (inherent to most H/C-powered blower output) getting shot into raft rubber. It seems like maybe a worthwhile consideration to me (I use only electric blowers to fill mine own raft rubbers, either AC shop vac or DC blowers), but then I am also that guy wearing the high-float vest in the GC.
> 
> 
> 
> I'd suppose that a bit of short term unburnt hydrocarbons/exhaust in the tubes is less of a problem than the idjits what shot a full shop vac of shit into their tubes wrought upon themselves, but....



How much uncombusted petro we talking here? Pretty sure those are using a driveshaft sort of config to drive a blower. Not exactly pumping straight exhaust into your raft. Hypalon and PVC have decent resistance to gasoline as well.


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## NoCo (Jul 21, 2009)

Unless this muffler does nothing, i dont think your pumping HC rich exhaust into your boat.


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## NoCo (Jul 21, 2009)

Also when you use a shop vac you use it empty, or as i do without a bucket at all tower climber.


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## peernisse (Jun 1, 2011)

*Some thoughts*

Raft tubes run around 4 PSI, so I doubt back pressure is problem, maybe obstructed outflow and corresponding failure to intake fresh air. I guess blow the boat but don't totally hold the blower against the valve the whole time. I like the leaf blower option because it is independent of using the car battery etc.


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## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

I use the Dewalt DCE100B that everyone is talking about, but mine definitely needs top-off. It gets the boat to shape fast, then barrel or k-pump.


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