Water in kite bladder!!

dancingwind · Since 18 Jul 2007 321 Posts Obsessed

I got a bit of water in my LE bladder. Any ideas how to effectively remove it?? I've been pumping the kite and turning it with deflation valve facing down and deflating the air. 6m RPM.

pauls · Since 20 Jun 2005 564 Posts Northern Portugal Addicted

fill the bladder up with rice it will soak up all the water..................

anyone know how to get moldy soggy rice out of my bladder??

Nak · Fri Sep 16, 11 12:13 pm

First do what you've done to get rid of most of the water. Then inflate the bladder with CO2 and let it sit for a few hours in a warm area. (Preferably in sunlight.) The CO2 is bone dry, so the water should evaporate and leave with the CO2. Try not to let it sit overnight, as the CO2 will migrate through the membrane and out into the atmosphere, leaving the larger water molecules behind.

caps · Since 23 Dec 2010 347 Posts Obsessed

I've always drained as much as possible and then just forgot about it. No sign of any mildew ever. Of course, it was in salt water.

Scriffler · Since 03 Jul 2005 581 Posts LYLE Addicted

I blow the bladder up, then use a hair dryer on low setting to evaporate all the water towards the valve. That said, a little water in there isn't really a problem.

hoodkiter · Since 10 Jul 2010 95 Posts Hood River, OR

Water flows downhill. deflate the kite, then find a way to pick up the wingtips and get the center dump valve at the lowest point. The hill at the event site worked pretty well for me. I just laid the kite down with the wingtips at the top and the dump downhill of it.

dancingwind · Since 18 Jul 2007 321 Posts Obsessed

Thanks everyone for the advice and suggestions. I still have a few droplets visible through the strut/LE connections!! Nak, how would you inflate kite with CO2? And how many PSIs??

Nak · Sat Sep 17, 11 9:44 am

Get a CO2 tank from a paintball shop and one of these from eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CO2-Air-Blow-Off-Duster-Refillable-computer-hobby-FS-/300591319185?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fca38891#ht_2887wt_1048

That'll work fine for inflating the bladder but not pressurizing it. Cheap & easy. If you want to pressurize your kite you can get one of these: http://shop.pumpkiteup.com/Volo-Kite-Inflator-Inflator01.htm
works great and is easy. A bit spendy though. To pressurize on the cheap, get one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAP4-Paintball-Air-Tank-on-off-Valve-Adapter-/320742089233?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aadb7e211#ht_3773wt_1036 and a air gun from a hardware store. Like this: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200324799_200324799 you'll need a few odds and ends to put them together, also found at your local hardware store.

DO NOT pressurize a bladder that's been removed from the kite, just fill the volume. If you pressurize your bladder in the kite, just use whatever pressure you normally fill your kite to. Don't over pressurize your kite or bad things will happen...

dancingwind · Since 18 Jul 2007 321 Posts Obsessed

Thanks Nak. Great info!! I think I'll pick up one of the blow off duster. It should do the trick if I still have some water in kite. At the moment I'm having gravity and patience do their magic!!