mending cracked tubing on manual blood pressure cuff

[fpr...@walla.com]

I have a long-used manual blood pressure cuff. This is the kind with a rubber tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks

[Home Guy]

fpr...@walla.com wrote:

> I have a long-used manual blood pressure cuff. This is the kind
> with a rubber tube running from the air bladder to the gauge
> and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the
> air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes.

> what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that
> there's no air leakage?

Don't even bother trying to coat the tubing with "goo".

Instead, go to a big-box pet store and buy some aquarium tubing. They
come in various lengths. The shortest length will be more than long
enough to replace your existing tubing, and it will cost far less than
any glue or epoxy that could be used to repair your cracked tubing.

http://www.arcatapet.com/fullsize/1769.jpg

Aquarium tubing is a pretty close match to what you need. You can even
get brass and plastic fittings for aquarium tubing so you can join your
existing tubing with the new tubing.

http://petcarelive.com/img/Aquarium/airline-fittings-kit.jpg

[The Daring Dufas]

On 10/2/2012 3:55 PM, fpr...@walla.com wrote:
> I have a long-used manual blood pressure cuff. This is the kind with a rubber tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks
>

Try Shoe Goo. ^_^

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_Goo

http://www.eclecticproducts.com/shoegoo.htm

TDD

[Home Guy]

fpr...@walla.com wrote:

> I have a long-used manual blood pressure cuff. This is the kind
> with a rubber tube running from the air bladder to the gauge
> and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the
> air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes.

> what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that
> there's no air leakage?

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Oct 2, 4:22 pm, Home Guy <H...@Guy.com> wrote:

What Home Guy says is exactly what I would recommend.

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Tue, 2 Oct 2012 13:55:01 -0700 (PDT), fpr...@walla.com wrote:

>I have a long-used manual blood pressure cuff. This is the kind with a rubber tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks

If the tubing is cracked in one spot. it soon will be in others.
Considering the end use, do you want to risk false readings?

Replace the tubing. You can probably find suitable tubing at a
hardware or auto parts tore.

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

On 10/2/12 4:55 PM, fpr...@walla.com wrote:
> I have a long-used manual blood pressure cuff. This is the kind with a rubber tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks
>

If yours it's so old the rubber is cracking, gotta wonder how accurate
the gauge still is. New ones are $19.95 at the big box retailers. Knock
yourself out!

--
You can observe a lot just by watching.
---Yogi Berra

[fpr...@walla.com]

Thanks Home Guy-- I'll try what you recommend. Even though the tubes are integrated with the air bladder (they're sort of "one piece"), I think I can cut and splice in new tubing by using those barbed plastic fittings.

[Norminn]

Rubber tubing is easy to find. One step easier would be to email the
mfg and see if CSR will send a freebie.

[Home Guy]

fpr...@walla.com wrote:

> Thanks Home Guy-- I'll try what you recommend. Even though the
> tubes are integrated with the air bladder (they're sort of
> "one piece"), I think I can cut and splice in new tubing by
> using those barbed plastic fittings.

I should have mentioned...

I would bet that even though the rubber tubing has cracks - they're
probably just on the surface. Your problem is most likely the air
bladder (the hand squeeze bulb).

It has an internal check-valve that is probably leaking.

Try this: Squeeze the bulb to build up some pressure and then fold the
rubber line tight (bend it over on itself) so you create an air-tight
seal. See if the line holds the pressure (no pressure drop as
registered on the dial guage). If it holds pressure, then the problem
is on the other side of where you pinched the line - the part going to
the bulb.

[gregz]

I did find a Internet price on a manual unit $14, plus postage. Most sell
for $40 or more. Look on target.

The problem, the hoses go into the cuff. I would have to try and rip the
thing apart, but the ball needs replaced too.

I once bought a cheap wrist unit, does not work on me.
The electronic models are cheaper than a really good manual unit.

Greg

[recycl...@gmail.com]

Good quality pharmacies that
cater and are usually located near hospitals
that also sell wheelchairs and crutches do sell
very good quality rubber hoses. In fact
when I need to work on a fountain
I stay away from the garbage quality hoses
that major hardware stores sell
that kink and crack.
I just go to a good pharmacy.

[gregz]

I didn't even see one on rite aid, and I get 20% off.
I expect cheap chinese stuff to crack. I bought one about 20 years ago for
about $30' cheap back then. Mine is cracking, but still works. Just ordered
$15 backup from target. Leakage will not affect accuracy. As long as you
can get enough pressure. Yes you can spend hundreds on a good manual unit,
even more with a mercury type.

Greg

[micky]

I agree. If you can't find the fittings, you can probably take them
from the old hose.

If you somehow can't use aquarium or other new tubing for some reason,
no goo will work but silicon tape would probably work.. It's 7
dollars or more a roll, but it does things nothing else will do, and
it will have lots of other uses. . You stretch it 3 times its length
or more before you put it on and it contracts after it's on, and after
a couple days melds into itself while sticking to what ever it
surrounds. This used to be hard to find but here it is.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100206050/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=stretch+tape&storeId=10051#.UGvei67P6So

I have a bicycle pump someone gave me where hte hose connection at the
pump was taped, just with black vinyl tape, the replacement for cloth
electrical tape. I've had it 15 years and he had it before that,
and pumped bike tires up to 60 pounds and finally a couple weeks ago
the tape burst. I'm pretty sure 50 pounds of pressure is several
times 240 mm of mercury, so even vinyl tape would be strong enough but
the silicon tape will adhere to the existing hose better.

Well one review says it won't stick to PVC which might well be true.
Never tried it on PVC.

Anotehr says it sticks and can't be unstuck. I've never had that
prolblem because I've never done artwork with it. I wrap it around
and always get it right enough the first time. If the direction is
off, I point it in another direction before I wrap more. It folds and
works fine.

I did try this for my garden hose and it burst. I think house water
pressure is a lot more than 240 mm or mercury also. Maybe someone
here can convert one to the other.

[micky]

Not that it would work in this case -- it won't -- but it's
intereting t hat harware stores have GE silicone cement in white and
clear, but if you want it in black you have to go to an autoparts
store.

[micky]

On Wed, 3 Oct 2012 01:27:39 +0000 (UTC), gregz <ze...@comcast.net>
wrote:

I have fine blood pressure but someone gave me a used automatic one,
probably a cheap one. Some night after the grocery pharmacy closes
I'm going to go compare its reading with the grocery store's reading.

not that the grocery store is right, but it's something to do.
>
>Greg

[Peter]

To second Doug's comment, especially if your unit uses an old fashioned
aneroid meter with a round face and a needle. If you have a real
antique with a mercury column, it will be accurate, but now illegal to
possess in many jurisdictions. The digital/electronic sensors are
supposed to be more accurate and durable than the aneroid meters, but
it's hard to find any long term definitive studies that evaluate that.

I recommend that you contact the office of your regular family physician
and ask if they would do you a favor at no charge. You want to bring
your own device to the office and have the nurse or tech check your BP
with both their office meter and with yours, sequentially, on the same
arm. If the two readings differ by more than about 6mm Hg, after at
least one repeat measurement with both devices, I would invest in a new
home unit.

[Stormin Mormon]

With the tubing failing, and other parts soon to follow. Might be best
replace the entire unit. I don't think they are designed to be repaired.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Ed Pawlowski" <e...@snet.net> wrote in message
news:grrm68tq5vn4r1vrj...@4ax.com...

[Norminn]

On 10/3/2012 8:05 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> With the tubing failing, and other parts soon to follow. Might be best
> replace the entire unit. I don't think they are designed to be repaired.
>

Might not have been designed to be repaired, but I can remember the
hospital stocking tubing for the purpose. Been a while, before
"disposable" came along. We had nice (cold) stainless steel bedpans and
enema cans, too. Cleaning hypodermic syringes and needles was a real
drag :o)

[Stormin Mormon]

The new disposable, probably cheaper in the long run. And less risk of
transferring infection.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Norminn" <nor...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:j8qdnYn24sHrqfHN...@earthlink.com...

[Smitty Two]

In article <6hXas.1686$og4....@fed08.iad>,

"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61***spam...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> The new disposable, probably cheaper in the long run. And less risk of
> transferring infection.
>
>

Nothing sweeter than a nice glass on glass syringe.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sugar packets from the cafeteria?

Who tastes syringes, anyway?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Smitty Two" <notpub...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:notpublicinfo-97B...@news.eternal-september.org...

[gregz]

You need to compare near the same time period. Activity and environment
will alter your readings.

Greg

[The Daring Dufas]

But there seemed to be fewer nosocomial infections when everything was
put in an autoclave and hospitals weren't forced to hire dumb asses. O_o

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

You can't make a horror movie without a huge glass syringe and dripping
big bore needle. ^_^

TDD

[Norminn]

Even without dumb asses, there were, and are, egomaniacs who cut people
open and don't wash their hands enough. Recent experience in
accompanying someone to have sutures removed after an injury (to FACE)
and the SOB came in the room and started taking sutures out without
washing hands AGAIN. This with constant publicity about the death rate
caused by hospital acquired infections. So...he washed his hands after
the previous patient? Then touched the dirty: door knob? Chart? Cell
phone?

One of these days, after the socialists get done requiring all medical
records to be electronic, the REAL faults in our healthcare system will
begin to show up. Already fining hospitals that readmit Medicare
patients too often. Go sosh!! I've seen terrible treatment just within
my own family, not to mention 30 years in nursing. Off my soapbox now :o)

[The Daring Dufas]

I used to do a lot of work on automatic doors in hospitals and when the
hospital opened after a remodel, I had a nurse chastise me for not
wearing a face mask. I said OK then asked her to climb up my ladder and
look at the top of the door operator housing which was covered with
construction debris a lot of dust and dirt. She almost fell off the
ladder from the shock of what she saw. I told her it would be a good
idea to look at the tops of everything, including doors and any sort of
shelf or bracket. ^_^

TDD

[fpr...@walla.com]

On Tuesday, 2 Oct. 2012, NorMinn wrote:

> Rubber tubing is easy to find. One step easier would be to email the
>
> mfg and see if CSR will send a freebie.

The maker (Omron) no longer makes this-- they told me it's obsolete and that no one uses them. [This is NOT true-- people can still buy these manual, non-battery, non-electric blood pressure cuffs.]

Having talked via long-distance phone with a woman working for a parts company that still has parts for my 1991-bought manual blood pressure cuff, I took my unit apart since she told me how to do this-- she told me to immerse the tubing and bulb under water to see where bubbles emerge- I did this and think the bulb or the screw valve at the bulb are now defective. When I pulled the bulb off of the barbed metal fitting that has on it the screw control for the valve, the rubber of the bulb was ruined--> I'm sure the bulb cannot now be re-used. You can see my bulb in the *middle* of the *top* row here: http://bit.ly/Rdw8dp In trying to order only 1 of these bulbs, I find you have to buy about 100 of them so that's no route for me. Medical/hospital supply houses in my city don't have them. What other kind of hand bulb pump would work for me? Maybe there's some other kind of hand bulb pump that could substitute for the one that came with the unit. [You can see non-battery, non-electrical, manual blood pressure cuffs, like mine, here: http://bit.ly/ODU7X2 This kind uses a stethoscope to hear the blood flow sounds.] The woman I mentioned at the top of this posting told me the bulb and metal screw valve would cost $7.35 plus $3.50 for shipping/handling. Maybe you know I'd find something similar and cheaper in my city. Tell me if you do. Thanks

[Home Guy]

fpr...@walla.com wrote:

> I took my unit apart since she told me how to do this-- she told
> me to immerse the tubing and bulb under water to see where bubbles
> emerge-

> I did this and think the bulb or the screw valve at the bulb are
> now defective. When I pulled the bulb off of the barbed metal
> fitting that has on it the screw control for the valve,
> the rubber of the bulb was ruined--> I'm sure the bulb cannot
> now be re-used.

If you're saying that the leak was coming from the bulb (as per your
water test), then that's pretty much what I predicted would be the
problem.

> The woman I mentioned at the top of this posting told me the
> bulb and metal screw valve would cost $7.35 plus $3.50 for
> shipping/handling. Maybe you know I'd find something similar
> and cheaper in my city.

Which I'm guessing is Madison WI.

$10 isin't a bad price.

[gregz]

I don't know what city, as if it matters.

Greg

[Stormin Mormon]

Autoclave the dumbasses?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"The Daring Dufas" <the-dari...@stinky-finger.net> wrote in message
news:k4hv1m$8qd$1...@dont-email.me...

[Stormin Mormon]

Makes you wonder how clean the hospitals really are?

I was in a walmart, today. A couple guys with a shop vac, and several
extension tubes were vacuuming the ceiling located vent grilles. They would
find dirt at hospitals, for sure.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"The Daring Dufas" <the-dari...@stinky-finger.net> wrote in message

news:k4i95j$d19$1...@dont-email.me...

[Stormin Mormon]

I read, years ago. Nurses are the cleanest, in terms of sterile procudure,
and hand washing. Some doctors deserve to be taken out and shot. Firing
squad armed with large bore needle, glass syringes, recently from the
infectious wing.

This guy is my hero: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Norminn" <nor...@earthlink.net> wrote in message

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[Stormin Mormon]

There is great wisdom, on this group.
Having endured years of allergy shots,
they rank up there with albino penguins.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"The Daring Dufas" <the-dari...@stinky-finger.net> wrote in message

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