I've got a puncture.. but not in my tyre!

[morphix]

Completely off-topic so excuse posting here but I thought someone might have some ideas..

I've got one of those air beds which I sleep on as my main bed and either I've got a puncture or the valve is defective as it's suddenly started losing air... (what a time to happen when I can't get a replacement until new year probably!).

It's not inflating properly and will only take about 50% of the air I put in so I'm guessing it's a puncture, but if it is, it must be very small as does retain some air and you can sleep on it and still have some air in it.

I've filled up a bath tub of water which seemed the obvious way to check for a puncture like you do with a bowl of water for inner tubes, to look for bubbles... nothing! No sign of any puncture or bubbles and the valve looks ok too under water even with pressure applied to the bed... (although perhaps not enough).

Does anyone have any ideas how I might repair it or find the puncture if it is one?

These beds are only cheap (£7 each) so I'm not too bothered about replacing it and fully expected it to break after 6 months of daily usage (they're only intended as occasional use) so it may just be the case of the steams wearing out.. My last airbed was the expensive self-inflating Aerobed brand and cost over £100 (what a rip off they are, I had one break in 6 months which was promised suitable for daily use..nearly had to sue Homebase/Argos to get a refund).. this cheap bed I have now is practically identical except it doesn't have the electric pump.. so for the saving I've made, I could buy a new one every 2 months and still be better off..next time I'll order 3 and keep 2 in loft ;-)

 

[flecc]

I think it's likely to be a large porous area, perhaps where it's worn a bit thinner or along a seam as you suspect. These won't necessarily show easily visible bubbles under water unless the pressure is continuously and rapidly pumped high. I'd guess it has a low maximum pressure differential now that it can maintain in isolation so showing no visible leakage, but when your body weight pressure is added, further continuous loss comes into play since that added weight adds too much to return to a stable differential to the external air pressure.

 

[morphix]

I think it's likely to be a large porous area, perhaps where it's worn a bit thinner or along a seam as you suspect. These won't necessarily show easily visible bubbles under water unless the pressure is continuously and rapidly pumped high. I'd guess it has a low maximum pressure differential now that it can maintain in isolation so showing no visible leakage, but when your body weight pressure is added, further continuous loss comes into play since that added weight adds too much to return to a stable differential to the external air pressure.

That sounds about right, thanks flecc..one destined for the bin then I guess or maybe as a floor liner for the loft to avoid landfill.. it's "velvety" on the top like carpet ;-)

 

[morphix]

While we're off-topic... I'll go even more off-topic and ask if any Londoners here know anything about a hotel or shop in London called "The Regent"?

One of my hobbies is collecting and dabbling in antiques and collectables... and I picked up this old compact ages ago amongst some things.. it's very elegant, with a silver and ebony top with neatly chased engraving on the ebony showing the silver below.. and the thing is gold plated on a machined brass case. Inside it says.. "Regent of London...Made in England".

It just shouts high society 1920's-1930's...there was a lot of money about back then eh. I'm wondering if these were given to guests by a hotel in London or maybe sold in a store of the same name.. I just having a feeling it's a hotel and wondered if anyone knows? I've had a search and there is a Regency hotel which dates the right period 1919 onwards... but no "Regent" that I know of..

 

[neptune]

I have had the same problem with airbeds. Sometimes you can find the leak by taking the bed outside, and brushing on a mixture of Fairy liquid and water, to show bubbles. Not a nice job in December or January though.

 

[morphix]

I have had the same problem with airbeds. Sometimes you can find the leak by taking the bed outside, and brushing on a mixture of Fairy liquid and water, to show bubbles. Not a nice job in December or January though.

Thanks for the tip might be worth a shot. I suffer with my back and they're the only thing I can sleep on which gives a decent nights sleep without waking with backache! I have one of those metamorphic chair beds which converts into a lounger/bed and chair.. it's hideously uncomfortable without the air bed on top, so looks like I'm back to the sofa for the next few days ;-)

 

[mike killay]

After many air beds over the years, I have found the longest lasting to be the red and blue rubber and canvas jobs that are now made in China. Used to be UK made and called LiLo.
All the pvc types only last a few days/weeks. I have a few 20 year old rubber and canvas ones still going strong

 

[flecc]

While we're off-topic... I'll go even more off-topic and ask if any Londoners here know anything about a hotel or shop in London called "The Regent"?

One of my hobbies is collecting and dabbling in antiques and collectables... and I picked up this old compact ages ago amongst some things.. it's very elegant, with a silver and ebony top with neatly chased engraving on the ebony showing the silver below.. and the thing is gold plated on a machined brass case. Inside it says.. "Regent of London...Made in England".

It just shouts high society 1920's-1930's...there was a lot of money about back then eh. I'm wondering if these were given to guests by a hotel in London or maybe sold in a store of the same name.. I just having a feeling it's a hotel and wondered if anyone knows? I've had a search and there is a Regency hotel which dates the right period 1919 onwards... but no "Regent" that I know of..

The company was Regent of London, located in Piccadilly, London W1. I have a very detailed knowledge of most of Central London from both being born there and many years of working from there, but I'm sure that company no longer exists there and certainly not at it's original location. It may not even have existed post WW2. They originally marketed a wide range of quality products under their name. I've found the following dressing table set from them on sale in ebay for example:

ebay link

 

[morphix]

The company was Regent of London, located in Piccadilly, London W1. I have a very detailed knowledge of most of Central London from both being born there and many years of working from there, but I'm sure that company no longer exists there and certainly not at it's original location. It may not even have existed post WW2. They originally marketed a wide range of quality products under their name. I've found the following dressing table set from them on sale in ebay for example:

ebay link

Thanks flecc! The mystery is at last solved So they were a posh retail store? Similar to the other one.. Liberty & Co, that operated around the turn of the 20th century and sold very fashionable stuff in art nouveau designs by Dr christopher Dresser, Archibald Knox and other famous designers of the day? I did see that dressing table set funnily enough yesterday when I searched and wondered if that might be from the same company... I guess these stores were somewhat like our Next today, but with just one big store and everything made in the UK

I wondered what happened to Regent, did they go bankrupt or were they bombed during the war? I know with the onset of war some of these posh establishments just went out of biz as there wasn't much demand for luxury items or they couldn't get stock.

 

[morphix]

After many air beds over the years, I have found the longest lasting to be the red and blue rubber and canvas jobs that are now made in China. Used to be UK made and called LiLo.
All the pvc types only last a few days/weeks. I have a few 20 year old rubber and canvas ones still going strong

Where did you get that from Mike? Mine is the cheapo PVC type from China, manufactured by Bestway..I got mine from the retailer Dunelm Mill. 4% cashback and free delivery from Topcashback.

 

[flecc]

I wondered what happened to Regent, did they go bankrupt or were they bombed during the war? I know with the onset of war some of these posh establishments just went out of biz as there wasn't much demand for luxury items or they couldn't get stock.

I don't know what happened to them in more recent times, but I think it was just the changing market most likely to blame. In the recent upsurge in interest in items like these it's easy to forget that few were in the least interested for some decades after WW2. Then it was all about the future and modernism with a distaste for the recent past, hardly surprising after two world wars in succession.

There was a similar phenomenon after WW1 with the art deco modernism that appeared in France in the 1920s and soon spread, replacing the traditional, only then WW2 appeared too soon for a resurgence in interest in the traditional.

 

[mike killay]

Where did you get that from Mike? Mine is the cheapo PVC type from China, manufactured by Bestway..I got mine from the retailer Dunelm Mill. 4% cashback and free delivery from Topcashback.

I got it at the local camping shop, some time ago.
I'll check there when they re-open.

 

[Scimitar]

After many air beds over the years, I have found the longest lasting to be the red and blue rubber and canvas jobs that are now made in China. Used to be UK made and called LiLo.
All the pvc types only last a few days/weeks. I have a few 20 year old rubber and canvas ones still going strong

Indeed, those are damn near bulletproof - I had a couple of them last so long I eventually gave them away in the expectation the recipient would get years of use from them.

Remember - Every Clown has a Silver LiLo

 

[painter]

try lidl next week two for £19.99 3 years guarantee painter.