Bravo Electric Inflator 12V GE BTP - Pump inflator versus Battery

[RONHAS]

I use a 12volt power pack (11amp gel battery) bought from Halfords and that runs my Bravo pumpo without any problems. I don't think those Lithium packs have the capacity to power the Bravo pump.

It really depends on the pack. Some of these Chinese / inexpensive packs massively misquote their abilities - the classic is adding the capacity of cells which are in parallel when they quote the capacity, so they say they have a 12,000mah battery when they are using 4 300ah batteries in parallel (giving 4x the voltage but only 300mah).

I run my bravo pump from a lithium pack, but I am using 8x 10ah cells in a 2x4 configuration, so I have 2x the capacity and 4x the voltage - giving me 20ah at 14v (lithium iron phosphate cells, rather than lithium ion or lithium polymer). I have also run the pump from a 3s LiPo battery pack which I use more model planes, also with no problem.

So lithium certainly has the potential to run the pump if the cells can deliver the power. The power pack you mention claims to be able to deliver enough current to start a car. Dumb question, but is there a button you have to press to switch it on?

It's not dumb, Chris. I've thought on the same but I cannot find any button besides the power button of the booster.

If they use 4 300ah batteries in parallel it shouldn't provide 4x300ah and not 4x de voltage? if the batteries are in a serial configuration is when the voltage should be the sum of the 4 and the amperage should be just 300ah, or am I seeing the picture upside down?

[ChrisParish]

You are quite right. I got it the wrong way round. I meant that they are quoting as if in parallel when they are in series. Which one of these emojis is for egg on my face?
It’s been one of those days.....

[RONHAS]

You are quite right. I got it the wrong way round. I meant that they are quoting as if in parallel when they are in series. Which one of these emojis is for egg on my face?
It’s been one of those days.....

As soon as I have any reply from Green Cell I'll share it here.

[RONHAS]

So, not much help from Green Cell. I've talked with a guy via chat and send them also an email. The result were answers with obvious information and no justification about what I need to know.

During this time I made some experiences with an TomTom One GPS that I have, trying to charge it via the 12V DC out connect and via the USB port. It works and the GPS got charged.
So I'm pretty sure that this Booster will serve me in the future when I buy the GPS for the boat with the transducer.
The Power bank/Booster is not really the thing I need now for the pump inflator but it was not a wrong buy and will serve me in the future.

So now I have to really buy a battery for the pump inflator and I am in touch directly with Scoprega for that. Unfortunately due to this son of an angry cow of the COVID-19 Scoprega closed this week. Maybe next week I'll get clarified on the best battery to buy.

Thanks for all of your comments /advices
MOTS

[harrison]

Your pump will run from a 12v 7ah sla battery. In fact this is what powers the majority of rechargeable built in battery operated pumps from Bravo and the like. Should easily do at least one full inflate and a few top ups.

Or, if you want lightweight and more amps go for a 20ah Li-ion battery such as this;

[Deford]

So; I've just tried my LI-Po emergency jump start, which will start a car, but won't power the Bravo. It appears that the unit when connected first looks for an electrical connection. Once it senses a voltage, it passes current from the battery pack to start the car. As the Bravo doesn't have any live voltage to sense, the unit won't switch the power on.
Obviously this is not an accurate technical explanation of what's happening (or not happening) but is just my observations. (And I had a look at the instructions!!)
I still rate the £34.00 Halfords power pack as it will inflate my T38 and deflate it quite easily, and there's still power to spare.

Dave

[RONHAS]

.... It appears that the unit when connected first looks for an electrical connection. Once it senses a voltage, it passes current from the battery pack to start the car. As the Bravo doesn't have any live voltage to sense, the unit won't switch the power on....

makes sense, Dave, makes sense....

[KGslo]

Did you figure out a way to get the pump to run from the car jump starter battery?

I watched the exact same video and bought a Audew 12v, 1500A, 20Ah jump starter for my Bravo BTP 12 pump.

The pump doesn't run if I just plug it directly into the 12v socket on the jump starter. The jump starter came with "intelligent clamps" that are connected to some sort of black box. The black box has a "boost" button and if I connect the clamps from my pump to the clamps from the jump starter - and press the "boost" button on the black box - the pump runs!

The boost button is only supposted to be used if the car battery is totally dead, so I think you are right when you write that the jump starter needs to sense live voltage before switching on.

The pump runs a lot faster from the jump starter (sounds like 1.5x) compared to when I run it from the cigarette lighter socket in my car. This has me a bit worried. Can the jump starter somehow deliver too much current to the pump or is it rather the cigarette lighter socket in my car that delivers too little?

/Kristian

[KGslo]

It is quite possible that the jump runs at a higher voltage than the car battery, as that would protect it (to a degree) from being changed by the car’s alternator once the car is started.
You will also notice a difference if you run the pump from the lighter socket with the engine running. The voltage is about 13.8 a 14.2v with the engine running and about 12.6 to 13.4 ish when stopped.

[KGslo]

You are right, Chris. I found a multimeter and did some measurements. The EC-5 socket on the jump starter delivers 14.9 v. I measured 14.9 v both directly in the socket and later with the black box attached and the boost button pressed - so I still don't know why the pump won't run without the black box. I'll let you know if I find out.