Need help with pop up inflatable

M

mattyw

New member
I have a Halloween hearse I bought about 5 years ago, and it has a Dracula that pops up out of it's coffin. It worked perfectly until last year, when it only partially inflated, then deflated. This year, it fully inflates, but doesn't deflate at all. It about 15 feet long. so there's LOTS of material to deal with. When I took it down last year, I found an access zipper right next to the main blower and found that it operated by a secondary, smaller blower on a tube that connected directly to the Dracula -- in other words a secondary system.

Before I take this thing down and try to figure it out -- which is going to be quite a job with all the material -- I was hoping that someone else had run into the same problem and could help me out.

I wouldn't bother at all, but the neighborhood children love to watch it, and they're disappointed it's not popping up and down.



Thanks,
Marilyn Woodman
 

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mattyw said:
I have a Halloween hearse I bought about 5 years ago, and it has a Dracula that pops up out of it's coffin. It worked perfectly until last year, when it only partially inflated, then deflated. This year, it fully inflates, but doesn't deflate at all. It about 15 feet long. so there's LOTS of material to deal with. When I took it down last year, I found an access zipper right next to the main blower and found that it operated by a secondary, smaller blower on a tube that connected directly to the Dracula -- in other words a secondary system.

Before I take this thing down and try to figure it out -- which is going to be quite a job with all the material -- I was hoping that someone else had run into the same problem and could help me out.

I wouldn't bother at all, but the neighborhood children love to watch it, and they're disappointed it's not popping up and down.



Thanks,
Marilyn Woodman
Click to expand...
I don't have that same inflatable but do have a pumpkin with a bat that pops up. When the bat stopped working I found that it had an airvalve that opened/closed about twice a minute. I took out the airvalve, cleaned it up and gave it a shot of WD40 and it began working again.

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Thank you SO MUCH for that info! That makes sense, because last year, it was only partially inflating, then dropping down again. The assembly is actually UNDER the hearse, which makes it difficult to get to and hard to see, but now at least I'll know what to look for. Is the air valve attached to the secondary blower that makes it pop up, or is it in front of it ?
 
mattyw said:
Thank you SO MUCH for that info! That makes sense, because last year, it was only partially inflating, then dropping down again. The assembly is actually UNDER the hearse, which makes it difficult to get to and hard to see, but now at least I'll know what to look for. Is the air valve attached to the secondary blower that makes it pop up, or is it in front of it ?
Click to expand...
Mine of course was a little different. It had a single blower and the timer/air valve was a separate box that sat in a fabric tube that connected between the inner bats and outer pumpkin.

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Did you figure out your hearse? I haven't seen one and I am curious whether the secondary fan runs full time with some type of valve that opens and closes, or if the fan is on some type of timer is used and the motor is turning on and off allowing to air to dump out.
BTW did you happen to get your carousel figured out? Wondering how it worked out.

Regards,
John
 
I DID take it partially apart once, and I'm going to take photos of it when I take it apart again. It is a unit right on top of the secondary (smaller), which is right above the main blower. It actually has two outlets -- one is to inflate and goes to the Dracula, and the other, is apparently to deflate the Dracula. The problem is, part of the unit has no visible means to take it apart -- the cap looks like a force fit. The other part has the MOST bizarre screws I've ever seen, but fortunately I have a kit that was designed to service cell phones and could manage it.

As to the Carousel -- I had to postpone working on it until now for various health reasons, but I have a hunch that there's actually nothing much wrong with it, and here's why. Turns out that it takes 6 to 10 minutes to inflate, and you have to hold the top part UP while it's inflating. I also know, from other's feedback, that it MUST be dead level, or the carousel won't turn. Should be interesting if it get it in operation, though. I'll try to keep you posted.
 
mattyw said:
I DID take it partially apart once, and I'm going to take photos of it when I take it apart again. It is a unit right on top of the secondary (smaller), which is right above the main blower. It actually has two outlets -- one is to inflate and goes to the Dracula, and the other, is apparently to deflate the Dracula. The problem is, part of the unit has no visible means to take it apart -- the cap looks like a force fit. The other part has the MOST bizarre screws I've ever seen, but fortunately I have a kit that was designed to service cell phones and could manage it.

As to the Carousel -- I had to postpone working on it until now for various health reasons, but I have a hunch that there's actually nothing much wrong with it, and here's why. Turns out that it takes 6 to 10 minutes to inflate, and you have to hold the top part UP while it's inflating. I also know, from other's feedback, that it MUST be dead level, or the carousel won't turn. Should be interesting if it get it in operation, though. I'll try to keep you posted.
Click to expand...

Can't wait to see pics of the hearse components in question. I can't visualize how they are supposed to work.

As for the carousel. I think what I would do if it has be dead level is make a small platform to go under it. I would make the platform with 3 leveling screws. Two on one side and one on the other in a triangle pattern. This would allow easy adjustment in all directions. Then I would have two stabilizer screws at the corners on the same side as the single leveling screw. These are tightened to where they just touch the ground to stabilize the platform with out altering level. I have done something similar for other stuff in the past with great results. Of course the bigger the platforms foot print the more stable it will be. Good luck getting it working and I hope to see pics when you get it working.

Regards,
John.
 
Since we seem to have conversations going about several different inflatables, I'm going to try to answer each in separate paragraphs. First of all, the hearse has a secondary blower right above the primary blower, and it works all the time. there is a box on top of the secondary blower. The secondary blower has two outlets; one goes to the sleeve attached to the Dracula, and one just goes off into nothing. There is a control box on top of the blower, and I think what happens is the box directs air to the sleeve for a time, then redirects the air to the other outlet that goes into nothing, and causes Dracula to inflate and deflate. There are screws on top of the control box which I can (and have) removed, but the main body of the control box seems to be a "force fit"--that is, there ARE no screws I can undo, and it appears I'm going to have to pry it apart. My guess is that is the actual timer part. I had taken it down after Halloween and it is in a large storage box outside, but I am on a medication that causes cold to make my fingers tingle and in a very short time I can't move them. That means I'm going to have to drag it inside so that I can work on it. I plan to do that tomorrow.

As to the carousel, I too have had to level other displays from time to time and what I generally use is a pallet, which allows me to adjust it. I like the idea of three leveling screws, though; what I had used in the past are shims, but I think your idea is better and I appreciate it. I'm hoping to put the carousel together tomorrow as well, but again, I'm going to have to drag it inside so that I can work on it.

I can't tell you all how much I appreciate your input! Thank you SO MUCH!
 
There is a control box on top of the blower, and I think what happens is the box directs air to the sleeve for a time, then redirects the air to the other outlet that goes into nothing, and causes Dracula to inflate and deflate.

Ok, so this sounds like a diverter valve. If you can get pictures posted I might be able to help you. I have used a few different diverter valves and I'm sure this will look vastly different, but functionally the same.

There are screws on top of the control box which I can (and have) removed, but the main body of the control box seems to be a "force fit"--that is, there ARE no screws I can undo, and it appears I'm going to have to pry it apart.

Before you do that post some pictures and let's see what you have. I am especially interested in pictures of the inlets and outlets and what the inside looks like. I suspect that the actual timer/control is on the outside of this box and this is just an actuator. However without some good pictures I am not sure. Is there a cord that comes out of the box? How many wires go into that box? If only 2 wires then it may well have the timer/control inside the box, if 3 or 4 wires then my bet is that the timer/control box is on the other end of those wires. If I'm right then it is likely the problem is in other box and it only has 2 wires going in.

My guess is that is the actual timer part. I had taken it down after Halloween and it is in a large storage box outside, but I am on a medication that causes cold to make my fingers tingle and in a very short time I can't move them. That means I'm going to have to drag it inside so that I can work on it. I plan to do that tomorrow.

As to the carousel, I too have had to level other displays from time to time and what I generally use is a pallet, which allows me to adjust it. I like the idea of three leveling screws, though; what I had used in the past are shims, but I think your idea is better and I appreciate it.

Glad you like the idea and I hope it helps you. Just make sure you don't overtighten the "stabilizer" screws as it won't take much.

I'm hoping to put the carousel together tomorrow as well, but again, I'm going to have to drag it inside so that I can work on it.

I can't tell you all how much I appreciate your input! Thank you SO MUCH!

Your welcome, glad I could help.

Regards,
John
 
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