Originally Posted by
davida
Hi
Sometimes I like to patch a few tubes. But alas, my patching efforts are not always 100% successful, which is a problem when I find out 50kms from home. So apart from actually installing them on a rim and pumping up to 100psi is there any other way to test a patch eg does just pumping them up to a few psi without installing them actually prove anything?
Since it takes a while for the vulcanizing agent to cure, I don't like to test a tube right after I've patched it. I know it seems obsessive, but I have three piles: first is tubes to be repaired, second is patched tubes to be tested, and third is tubes good to go. I wait until I have a few tubes to repair and then patch them all at once. After curing at least overnight, I test the tubes by pumping them up until they're well expanded and then coiling a tube and submersing the whole thing under water. That show not only that the patch is good, but that there are no other holes (which has happened on occasion). After that I know any repaired tube is good as new.