Kampa Deflates Again

[Dustydog]

The new inner tube sent to me at Easter by Kampa has just gone into hyper deflation..Must be one Georgie boy made last week
On inspection there are two large punctures. No apparent reason like sharps etc.One at the very end seam the other about 18 inches away on the side.
The original remaining tubes are fine.
Why do these things fail at weekends?
Thank goodness for Gaffer Tape. It's reinflated and is holding pressurer, deliberately lower than the rest. Also isolated so the whole awning wont go down.
Never have this trouble with the Izzy.
Not even had a storm to blame!
Sir Gagakev and your Royal WoosienessI shall bring spare legs, Gaffer Tape and other materials to Pickalot in case someone else has a failure!

 

[Sproket]

I do wonder if it's caused by the deflation, rolling up, re inflation. process ....

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Are air awning not all they're 'cracked' up to be?

As yet we have not been persuaded as we have a relatively new metal-poled porch awning and don't want to take a hit on the trade-in cost. That went on the new car.

 

[Dustydog]

Stick with what you have Sir WC.
Hopefully Kampa will get me a new inner tube by Tuesday.
When I get home we will enact our executive decision and sell the Kampa and all the associated equipment. The whole lot has a new face value of £1000.
All offers will be considered.
It's
just not for us.Back to our good faithful carbon fibre poled Izzy Magnum.

 

[Gagakev]

Sir Gagakev and your Royal WoosienessI shall bring spare legs, Gaffer Tape and other materials to Pickalot in case someone else has a failure!

Sir Dusty, sorry to hear of your troubles, but just to let you know I dont have the Air version, my kampa Porch is the 390 poled version.
i would just like to thank, Sir Dusty, Sir Roger, Brian C (think also Sprocket) and there was another forumite who has already sold his, for making my mind up about the purchase of the Air version, now why would I with all my van problems want to buy another problem :evil:

 

[Hutch]

Our Swift air 220, has been fine, for a porch awning, I was thinkinking of selling out Carbonlite 325 when we go over to France in another 4 weeks to some one over there, the chaps there dont seem to have the varietiey we have, but baybe might just keep it as a week, long, awning. After the postings. .
Not away this weekend, best get in the hotub before the BBQ.
NOT on site.

 

[brian_c]

Oh dear, Dusty I'm sorry to hear of you latest problem regarding the air awning.
I must admit to being a real enthusiast since I got mine around three years now. However as you know and have advised me I have recently encountered a problem which I still need to investigate further following your advice which you gained from having had what seems like the same problem I have now got.

My previous enthusiasm is now taking a bit of a knocking. I have through experience always been honest when asked my opinion of the air awnings, regarding the well known limitations ie:- needing a level pitch, and in my case leaving the outer door zips open at he top on each side to reduce condensation. ( which I have found helps so much as to make any condensation negligible) but having said that the ease of assembly on my own has always maintained my keenness on the awning.
I suspect now that my latest problem will need me to purchase a new left hand leg which as yet I have no idea of the cost. So if three years is about the time when the air tubes start to deteriorate, after renewal of this one I'll be on borrowed time I suspect with the other two main legs.
I was hoping for a few years more use without any problems
I hope you get yours sorted quickly.
I'm thinking that if ever we meet up on site somewhere you will know it's me by the state of the awning with crosses of Elastoplast stuck in places various.
I unfortunately don't now have three other traditional awnings to sell via free adds like I did before to offset the cost of the air awning in the first place.
Cheers for now
Brian

 

[Dustydog]

Thanks Brian
I've asked Parks to send you a copy of my email exchange with Sir Roger FFS.
I spoke to Kampa this morning and explained the problem.
Without any hesitation or quibble they are sending me a new leg arriving on site tomorrow. No charge. This is excellent service but I do wonder about the qualityof the tubes .
I tried six Kampa dealers yesterday and none stock spare legs. An order only part. Now that does cause me concern.However I cannot fault Kampa's reaction to my problem.
Maybe the inner tube material needs beefing up?
Maybe it needs a self sealing gunge pumped in like your bike tyres?

 

[brian_c]

That's good Dusty Dog. I'm pleased Kampa are still giving good customer service.
To update my situation I have got the awning out on the lawn this morning deflated and exposed the whole length of the leg that I have the problem with. And yes I have a split in the cover like you say the material does have a similarity to the builders centre bulk bags. Well I have took the crude route and taped the area with duck tape. I now have the awning pumped up and things seem back to normal obviously the doubt is in my head so will need to get the tubes replaced.
On another point though I used my new pump for inflation and it is brilliant I set the pressure as advised to 3PSI and it took about two minutes for the awning to take shape and stand. Then a further two minutes to reach 10PSI. Very noisy but very quick so I'm really pleased with it. Just got to get my friend to ring Kampa later in the week and I should be ok

 

[Sproket]

Well with all of these problems that seem to be raising there head's as i haven't had ours out since November last year i sense that i ought to get it out into the garden and check out all of the legs just incase anything is starting to fail as the next time it was planned for use is this year's Woosiefest. .

On another note i know of a Bradcott aspirre air awning that has been up since March of this year its had nothing done to it since it was put up the tube's are totally different to the Kampa design.it will be interesting to see how it carries on and if any problems arise with it ....

 

[Dustydog]

Kampa recommend a special puncture repair system but so far I have'nt located one..
I have gaffer and duck tape pretty similar but no gorilla tape. Is gorilla better.
Also any suggestions for other ways of repairing the inner tube.A polythene patch perhaps but what glue?

 

[Sproket]

They do a repair kit but i wonder if something like this will do ?

 

[Dustydog]

Ordered a repair kit via Amazon.
Anyone know how much the leg inner tube costs? Just thinking I need to carry some spares.

 

[Sproket]

With a couple of rolls of this you / I will be able to fully reinforce all the legs :silly: :lol:

Strong stuff that looks ideal for our needs

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Reminds me of the days of camping when we had air beds.

 

[Hutch]

I have used the Gorrila clear for our hotub, its great on Pvc, really good, the hottub is about 8 psi, apply and really smooth out all air bubbles leave for 20 minute, and inflate. No glue or anything..
So Another light item I carry.

 

[martindf3]

I will have a word with eldest boy ,he kitesurfs and repaired his own kites and tubes for a long time . He's also an aircraft engineer ,so has reasonable common sense . I'll see what he recommends . Seeing as our Kampa air pro 390 is arriving in another hour as I type . And we own a Suncamp air 260 ,I would like to be prepared .

 

[martindf3]

My little boy . says ....... use vinyl/pvc glue and a patch , made from kids arm band . or use "Stormsure " its a glue that will fix them proper good don't even need a patch on pin pricks with that stuff . To quote him word for word . He says Kite bladder the same stuff . He says sharp things puncture them and sand rubbing on the bladder . He pumps the kites up to 7 lbs and thought that they may increase pressure like Kampa have done and go up to 11 lbs with future development . (His mate tests kites for Kitsurfing Magazine ,and Mike ,my son has made custom boards for him .he got into trouble once off his sponsor for using one of Mikes boards in a completion instead of sponsor boards .
I would say that if any bladder goes, down take it out, test it repair it , and then get your hand inside the housing and see whats punctured it . Hope this helps .
Martin

 

[Dustydog]

Well done Kampa :cheer:
The free replacement inner tube arrived yesterday. Will fit today. A very good Woosie friend, King Sproket , tells me these inner tubes cost £47.00.
That's more than a car inner tube and it is only (Chinese?)polythene.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall at Kampa and know how many failures there have been?????
A little tip. Once inflated isolate all tubes. If one deflates at least the rest of the awning will remain standing.

 

[brian_c]

A very good Woosie friend, King Sproket , tells me these inner tubes cost £47.00.
That's more than a car inner tube and it is only (Chinese?)polythene.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall at Kampa and know how many failures there have been?????

Oh!!!! I was seriously considering buying a full set for spares but £47 each puts them well out of reach of the "Just In Case Contingency Plan" I imagine the protective sleeves themselves are additional to this as well.
Back to plan one! "Kampa repair kit and clear Gorrilla Tape"
I've had three good years with my awning and hopefully when the new sleeve arrives I may get some more. When it is finally beyond further bodging my awning days are finished. I'm determined not to go back to the pole awning days. I'm pleased your situation is resolved.
Best wishes Brian

 

[SirRogerFFS]

Very strange this is . For those that dont know I am on the third set of tubes for my Kampa 390 Air. Now I have no issues with Kampa there after sales service is wonderful. I was sent a complete set of tubes FOC next days post excellentI didnt change them all in one go I changed them as the started to leak. Mine were leaking on the grey tubes where they join via the isolators Last year I had a good season with no leaks and then Easter this year the nightmare started allover again. Now my awning is 3 coming up 4 years old and Kampa have just sent me another set of tubes .this time time the grey tubes were leaking from little pin holes but as I say new to tubes ready to put in. Kampa did say to to me the reason my first tubes were sent out was because mine was one of the very first of the inflatables sold and they did have problems with those tubes so another country of manufacture was chosen.It does seem that reading the forum they really havnt got over the issues. Im pretty sure what ever happens the guys at Kampa will put you right ..
Sir Roger

 

[brian_c]

Quote:- Kampa did say to to me the reason my first tubes were sent out was because mine was one of the very first of the inflatables sold and they did have problems with those tubes

Hello Sir Roger.
My awning is now three years old and I'm obviously fortunate that I've had no leakage problems at all. (Probably tempting fate now) however I have at the moment the issue with a split in the protective sleeve on my Left hand Leg.
Kampa have been very good to me also and supplied not only the protective sleeve but a new air tube for that leg as well. I'm hoping after fitting the new sleeve that will sort my problem for a while and at least I have one spare tube. But should I get a leak that is un repairable it will be a safe bet it's not in the leg that I have the spare for.
Hope all your problems are resolved now. I'm still really chuffed with my awning but probably since the issue I now have perhaps a little less confidence In it.
I really believed that abuse or vandalism was the only threat to the air poles on these awnings given how well they seem to be protected.
From now on I intend following Dustys advice and isolating the valves after initial inflation. Something I've never really considered myself but i believe is sound advice.
Best wishes Brian

 

[Dustydog]

Unbelievable. The same leg has deflated over night .Only been installed four days.
No visible signs of failure puncture, nor any sharp tough points inside the centre tube.
It is possible I didn't secure the drain tap and cross flow tap.I have remade the joints and will see how it goes today.
We leave tomorrow so I can do further in depth tests at home during the week.I will be very disappointed if this brand new tube is defective

 

[Sproket]

hmy:

 

[Dustydog]

hmy:

Miss Izzy is coming out of the loft for all future trips this year.
Come to the conclusion the Kampa is all wind and no sail