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How to inflate basketball with bicycle pump
How to Inflate a Basketball (What You Need + 5 Steps)
Inflating a basketball is not something you really need to do all that often. When you buy a brand new basketball, it is usually already inflated so you really don’t think too much about it. After a while, basketballs tend to lose a little air and if you let one sit around for a long time, it will definitely end up flat.
Even an often used basketball will eventually need air. You may go out to play a game and notice that your ball is not bouncing quite as it should. Cold weather may also lower the pressure in a basketball making it seem unresponsive when you dribble and shoot. In either case, you can always add a little air to solve the problem.
Why should you care if your basketball is properly inflated? How do you know when your basketball is properly inflated? What is the best way to properly inflate your basketball? These are all common questions with fairly simple answers. Let’s take a look at each question one at a time.
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Why Should I Properly Inflate My Basketball?
A properly inflated basketball will ensure that your practice, one-on-one game, full-court five-on-five game or even your game of HORSE is the best experience that it can be. An underinflated ball will not have any “action”, meaning it will not bounce very well, which will make it more difficult to dribble. Also, it will not bank off the backboard as well and bounce passes will not go as far as you intend them to go.
An overinflated ball can be bad as well. It will bounce too high when you dribble, bank too hard off the backboard and bounce passes will go farther than you intend them to go. This is why it is important to have your basketball inflated to the specified pressure or at least near the specified pressure.
How Do I know If My Basketball is Properly Inflated?
The standard pressure recommended for a basketball is 7 – 9 PSI (48.26 – 62.05 kPa). Unless you have a pressure gauge, and many air pumps do (we’ll talk about that in the next section), then you will not know what the air pressure in your basketball is. Not to worry, there is a simple method that you can use to check the inflation of your ball. It won’t give you the PSI (or kPa), but it will be good enough to get you back out on the court.
Hold the basketball at about the level of your face.
Drop the basketball.
Let the ball bounce.
If the ball is properly inflated, it should bounce back up to around your waist level.
Another great way to tell is just by playing with the ball and dribbling it. You can often tell if it is under or over-inflated. Different players prefer various levels of inflation, so an ideal inflation level to one player may be too much or not enough to others. An interesting thing to do next time you watch a game or attend one live is to watch which players walk over to the referee before tip-off and test the ball by grabbing it and dribbling.
What’s the Best Way to Properly Inflate a Basketball
I have seen many videos and instructions out there on the internet that explain how to inflate a ball without the proper equipment. While these methods may or may not work, it is always best to use the proper equipment because you can ensure that you are inflating the basketball to the correct pressure. Using the proper equipment will also help prevent you from damaging your basketball.
Let’s take a look at what you will need to properly inflate your basketball.
What You Will Need
Inflation Needle
These are relatively cheap and can be found at almost any store that carries any type of athletic equipment. They can also be found easily online.
See the picture below if you are not familiar with what they look like.
Inflation Needle. Photo by Melissa Medina.
Air Pump
There are many different types of air pumps. Below are a few types that can be used such as a hand pump, a bicycle pump or an electric pump. Basically, you need a basketball pump that can connect to the needle. Some air pumps come with built-in pressure gauges which can show you the air pressure as you are inflating the ball. You can also use an air compressor but that can be a little more complicated depending on the type of compressor and the connectors available.
Three types of air pumps.
Air Pressure Gauge (optional)
If your air pump does not have an air pressure gauge, you may want to get a separate air pressure gauge to check the pressure in your ball. Air pressure gauges can be found online or in stores, but as we mentioned above they are optional and not necessary to inflate your basketball.
Don’t have a needle? Also read this article: how to pump a basketball without needle
Steps to Inflate Your Basketball
Step 1: Attach the inflation needle to the air pump.
How to attach the needle will depend on the type of air pump you are using. Most hand pumps made for a basketball will be threaded and you can screw needle onto the pump. If you are using a bicycle pump, it will probably have a connector with a latch (see below). You must put the needle into the connector and tighten the latch to hold the needle in place.
Attach the needle to the pump.
Attach the needle to the pump.
Electric air pumps may have the same type of latch, but a big industrial compressor may need some type of adapter and I wouldn’t recommend using an industrial compressor unless you really know what you are doing.
Step 2: Moisten the inflation needle.
Get a wet paper towel and wipe the needle to moisten it. If you don’t have a wet paper towel, you can run it underwater or even spit on it. The moisture allows the needle to slide into the valve easier and prevents damage to the valve. If the valve is damaged it can cause your basketball to leak air.
Step 3: Insert the needle into the valve.
Once the needle has been moistened, slowly insert it into the valve of the basketball until the needle is all the way in the valve.
Insert the needle into the valve of the basketball.
Step 4: Begin inflating.
If you are using a hand pump or a bicycle pump you will need to manually pump the air in. If you are using an electric pump or a compressor you can turn it on. WARNING! When using an electric pump or a compressor, monitor the inflation at all times. The ball will fill very quickly and if overfilled it can pop and destroy the ball.
Step 5: Check the air pressure.
Monitor the air pressure as you are inflating. Use one hand on the ball as you are inflating it to feel the pressure rise. If your pump has an air pressure gauge, check it regularly. If it does not use a separate gauge or check it using the bounce method described above.
Once the air pressure seems good, get out there on the court and start having fun!
Additional Resources
There are many types of air pumps on the market. Take a look at some of the following if you are interested.
Basic Hand Pump with needles and gauge
Bicycle Pump
Electric Pump
If you would like to see how to inflate a basketball using an air compressor, check out this video.
Final Words
Eventually, all basketballs will need to be inflated because they will lose air over time. Fortunately, the process is fairly simple as we have shown above and the equipment needed is relatively cheap. So, if you want to have an enjoyable game of basketball, make sure your basketball is always properly inflated, then get out there and have some fun!
Have you ever tried to play basketball with an under-inflated or over-inflated basketball? We’d love to hear from you, so please leave your comments.
🏀 How To Pump A Basketball Without A Needle? [2022]
In today’s guide, I am going to show you how to pump a basketball without a needle.
Ideally, you would have a pump + needle to inflate your basketball in a more civilized way. But if you don’t have a needle and have to pump your basketball, you’ll have to improvise.
Below, I will introduce you to 4 ways to pump a basketball with no needles. These methods don’t require that you buy anything – that would defeat the guide’s purpose since if you had to buy something, you should buy a needle.
4 Ways To Pump A Basketball Without A Needle
1. Use your tubeless bike’s valve stem
If you have a tubeless bike and a pump, you may use one of its valves to pump your basketball. Essentially, you will be using the valve stem as a replacement for the needle.
Here’s how to use a tubeless valve stem to inflate your basketball.
Unscrew the fastener on the stem on one of your bike’s wheels and remove the stem.
If there is any rubber coating on the stem, pull it off.
Attach the stem to your pump.
Insert the free end of the stem into your basketball.
Start pumping.
And here’s a video demonstrating how to use a bike tubeless valve stem to inflate a ball:
If you have a tubeless bike, then this actually is the first option that you should try. Since the stem is similar to a regular ball needle, a tubeless valve stem allows you to essentially inflate the basketball traditionally.
But if you don’t have a tubeless bike, then read on for some other methods.
2. Use a can of compressed air
If you have a can of compressed air lying around, then you will be able to inflate your ball fairly easily. After using a tubeless valve stem, this is perhaps the easiest way of inflating balls without a needle.
Here’s how you should use a can of compressed air to inflate a basketball:
Insert one end of the tube that comes with the can into the ball’s air hole.
Hook the other end of the tube to your can of compressed air.
Start pumping air into the ball. Pump the air in short bursts – otherwise, the expanding gas will absorb heat from the can, cooling it down.
Compressed air works well when the ball is just slightly underinflated. If you need to inflate a ball fully, then you’ll probably need to go through several cans of compressed air. If you have no other option, this is fine, but you should avoid doing this often since you’ll literally be wasting your money by chewing through compressed air.
3. Use a balloon to inflate your basketball
Another popular way of inflating balls without a needle is to use a balloon. This method can be a little finicky, but it’s at least worth a shot if you can’t use other methods.
For this method, you will need:
A balloon, preferably a larger one.
A thin straw or anything else that can fit into your basketball’s air hole.
A paper clip or clamp.
And here’s how you would use a balloon to inflate your basketball:
Inflate the balloon as much as you can.
Seal the balloon with a paper clip or clamp.
Insert your thin straw into the balloon’s hole.
Insert the other end of the straw into the basketball’s air hole.
Remove the paper clip/clamp to let the air move from the balloon to the ball. I recommend that you hold the balloon to keep it from shooting itself away.
Depending on the balloon’s size, you may need to pump it several times to get the ball inflated.
I personally don’t really like this method. It requires plenty of tools – you may not have a balloon or a straw thin enough for the ball’s air hole lying around. Besides, the air may leak into your room rather than go into the basketball.
You could make this method work, but it requires a lot of effort.
4. Use a pen ink tube to craft a needle
Finally, you may try to craft a temporary needle from a pen ink tube. This method is relatively simple and is a great option if the previous methods don’t work.
You will need four things:
A metal paper clip coated in plastic.
A ballpoint pen, ideally with little remaining ink so that you don’t have to drain it.
Tape.
Scissors.
This method has been proposed by Flickr user Wendel Fisher, so all credit goes to them.
And here’s how you make a homemade ball needle:
Take your pen apart and remove the ink tube. Keep the writing cap – you’ll need it later to connect the DIY needle to the pump.
You need about an inch of tube free of any ink. If necessary, drain the tube by removing the writing point and then clean the tube by running alcohol through it.
Use your scissors to cut about an inch of the tube.
Insert the ink tube into the writing cap.
Straighten your paper clip and insert it into the air hole of the ball.
Cut around the edges of the clip’s plastic coating and pull the metal wire out. The plastic coating should remain inside the ball.
Insert the plastic coating into your writing cap from the pointy end and tape the area to seal it.
Place the writing cap against the end of the pump and seal it with some tape.
Firmly holding your improvised “needle”, start slowly pumping the ball. You may need a friend to hold the needle in place while you are pumping.
This is a pretty complicated way of solving a rather simple problem, but if you need a pumped ball and have no other options, it should work just fine.
Other Useful Basketball Articles
Can You Pump Up A Basketball At The Gas Station?
You can inflate your basketball at a gas station, but you probably won’t be able to do so without a needle. So within the context of this guide, pumping your ball at a gas station isn’t an option. But if we were talking about pumping balls without a pump, then it would work.
You could pay a visit to a bike shop if there is one nearby. If you are outdoors and don’t have any tools with you, this would be an ideal option.
If the guys at the shop aren’t too busy, they should be able to help you. You should probably also pay them or purchase something (a needle, for example) just to be polite.
The 4th Quarter
If you need to pump your basketball often, then after you are done inflating it without a needle, do yourself a favor and buy a needle/pump – you won’t have to deal with any balloons or compressed air anymore.
You’d be just wasting your time if you were to stick to the listed methods rather than inflate balls the way they are supposed to be inflated.
4 easy ways :: SYL.ru
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Author Yulia Abdulbarova
Almost every ball - football, volleyball, children's, basketball, gymnastics - is suitable for use only when it is properly inflated with air. Therefore, a special pump, a needle, and sometimes even silicone grease are often sold with it. But imagine that all this is simply not at hand. How to pump up a ball without a needle? We have selected for you several effective folk methods.
Method 1: Compressor
How to inflate a ball without a needle? Contact any of the car services in your locality - workers will help you for free or for a nominal amount. Do not ignore tire shops: there will definitely be powerful compressors for pumping car tires. One thing: there is a risk of pumping the product with air, which will lead to its damage or even explosion.
Compressor - equipment from which air is released under pressure. Therefore, this is a perfect answer to the question: "How to inflate a ball without a needle and a pump?" If possible, it is recommended to carry out the procedure together: one person will turn the compressor on and off, and the second person will hold the ball and press the cord, controlling the process of air intake. The hose with the nozzle is pressed tightly against the valve, after which the device turns on at full power. It must be deactivated immediately as soon as the surface of the ball becomes hard. That's all!
We also draw your attention to the fact that many models of car compressors have special nozzles for pumping balls with air.
The tools here are among the most affordable: a bicycle pump is in almost every home, you can easily buy electrical tape in a manufactured goods store, hypermarket, a syringe in a pharmacy. How to pump up a ball without a needle in this way? Easier than simple:
Take a needle from a syringe - first of all, you need to grind its sharp tip on asphalt, brick, stone, curb or with a special knife. Too sharp, it will easily pierce the nipple, which will make the ball unusable. The best would be a needle for blood transfusion systems - it is thick, durable, does not bend.
In the second step, you make a kind of adapter from electrical tape - 10-12 layers of it are enough. They need to be wound tightly so that the air does not come out when pumping back.
How to inflate a ball without a needle? Attach the invention to a bicycle pump and proceed with the procedure.
Method No.
3: syringe
How to inflate a ball without a needle - volleyball, basketball, football? Use a large medical syringe! This is in the most extreme case, because the method is quite exhausting - you will spend about 2 hours on the procedure.
As with the second method, you will need to blunt the needle, otherwise you will damage the nipple and the ball will deflate all the time. Which syringe to choose? The more, the better:
It's really possible to inflate the ball with 20-cubic meters in 30-40 minutes.
10cc syringe will keep you busy with the ball for one to two hours.
Before starting the procedure, we recommend that you treat the nipple with silicone grease - this will protect it from damage by an imperfect needle from a syringe. It is simple to act: insert the needle into the hole, pressing the lever of the syringe, release the air. Then remove the tool, return the lever to its original position and repeat the procedure.
Method 4: Needle but no pump
We've figured out how to inflate a ball without a needle (basketball, volleyball, football, etc. ) But what if you have one (or you made your own needle), and is there no pump? We offer the following instruction:
The pump will be replaced by an ordinary plastic bottle from a carbonated drink. As a last resort - a dense plastic bag without holes.
Now you need to screw the needle into the cork of the container or solder it. This will be the switch. Check that it does not let air through.
Then lubricate the ball nipple with silicone grease.
But now you need to pump air with your hands (or, if you prefer, with your feet) into our homemade pump, from where it will flow through the needle into the ball.
Other ways
Here are some more tips:
If you can't find a medical syringe, you can replace its needle with an empty ballpoint pen.
If you managed to pump up the ball just a little, then you can restore its hardness and elasticity like this: just hold it for a while in hot water. From this, the air inside the product will heat up, which will expand, which will complement the effect of jumping.
Silicone nipple grease can be replaced with machine oil.
The needle can be attached to the cap of a plastic bottle for a homemade pump with a glue gun.
Instead of a compressor, bicycle pump, bag or bottle, you can also use a regular rubber bulb.
A compressed air bottle, car spare tire or trash bag can also act as a pump.
So we have sorted out all the available ways to pump any ball with an air valve, if there was no pump and a special needle nearby. Contact a car repair shop, wield a medical syringe, build your own tool - choose what is most suitable for you.
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Not to worry, there is a simple method that you can use to check the inflation of your ball. It won’t give you the PSI (or kPa), but it will be good enough to get you back out on the court.
While these methods may or may not work, it is always best to use the proper equipment because you can ensure that you are inflating the basketball to the correct pressure. Using the proper equipment will also help prevent you from damaging your basketball.
You can also use an air compressor but that can be a little more complicated depending on the type of compressor and the connectors available.
You must put the needle into the connector and tighten the latch to hold the needle in place.
But if you don’t have a needle and have to pump your basketball, you’ll have to improvise.
You should probably also pay them or purchase something (a needle, for example) just to be polite.
Autumn leek soup 
3: syringe 
) But what if you have one (or you made your own needle), and is there no pump? We offer the following instruction: 
Car pump from the cigarette lighter 
