View Full Version : Tentipi Problem
littlebiglane
24-08-2008, 19:46
Although I will be doing a review shortly I thought I would let Tentipi owners be aware of what I feel is a 'safety' issue for the Tentipi. I will be letting Tentipi know too.
Camping in conditions that resulted in Force 6-7 with regular gusts to Force 8 for three days/nights saw the peg rings attached to the tension straps fail one by one over the three days. Whilst I understand that the rings MIGHT be designed to fail to prevent fabric tear (although I doubt this) have the these rather poorly cast (rather than properly forged) rings fail in the middle of the night in a gale can put undue strain on the other storm cords and tensioners resulting a a chain of failure. I did find myself standing in torrential rain, high winds and in total darkness wrestling with trying to re-secure the tent which was acting like a massive sail in the wind. The next available day I went and spent £30 on proper forged d-rings (for each of the 8 corners) from a yacht chandler that secures the mainstay of yacht masts.
Picture of one of the rings below and a replacement.
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj130/littlebiglane/IMGP2002.jpg
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj130/littlebiglane/IMGP2003.jpg
Paganwolf
24-08-2008, 20:11
Thats happened to me too, i used para cord loops and peg rubbers on mine, that looks like a good idea too, ill look for those, nice one.
Scots_Charles_River
25-08-2008, 23:31
Why don't you contact the manufacturer, let tem know the details they may know the fault and send you replacements ?
Nick
littlebiglane
26-08-2008, 07:40
Why don't you contact the manufacturer, let tem know the details they may know the fault and send you replacements ?
Nick
I will be contacting them. I wish it was as simple as sending replacement parts but the rings are continuous metal and were stitched onto the tension straps therefore sending the rings would not solve me being able to reattach them. I think they are too weak anyway and would not be interested in like-for-like replacement. The d-rings I have now are much stronger and because they are easily attached can be replaced.
Thanks
LBL
Scots_Charles_River
26-08-2008, 18:17
They may send some that snap on and have a split to slide over the nylon tape. They may even offer to re-stitch them !
Certainly worth a try.
Nick
preacherman
26-08-2008, 18:45
I'd say that Tentipi would like to hear the feedback about this problem. In my dealings with Nordic Outdoor where I bought mine I brought a tiny problem with my tipi to their attention and everything was sorted immediatly.
I think they would like the feedback too - I would watch the lugs on the d-rings though, especially if you havent got a canvass model.
littlebiglane
27-08-2008, 07:21
I think they would like the feedback too - I would watch the lugs on the d-rings though, especially if you havent got a canvass model.
why would I have to watch the lugs on the d-shackles? They have a safe working load of 1300 kgs each (that's 15 of me hanging from it)...
http://www.s3i.co.uk/shackles.php
antwerpman
28-08-2008, 17:19
amazed to read this. A couple of years ago I was camping with my varrie 9 in Ireland and had a storm up to force 8-9. No problems with those rings. But mine seem to be of a different make than those on your picture
why would I have to watch the lugs on the d-shackles? They have a safe working load of 1300 kgs each (that's 15 of me hanging from it)...
http://www.s3i.co.uk/shackles.php
Possible wear on the tentage when packed away I'd assume. It would be minimal, and they can be taken off no problem so not really much to worry about. They're much better than the original IMO. Nice bit of pimping!
:D
littlebiglane
08-09-2008, 21:02
For everyone''s information here is the response by Tentipi:
"Dear Mark,
Thank you for your report.
There has been various quality on one batch of rings.
We are beware of this problem and we have already stopped all production with this rings.
We are working on a solution for the customers that have your kind of problem.
Your solution is really smooth and interesting and I want to thank you for the tip.
Med Vänlig Hälsning/ Best Regards
Konrad Persson
Product & Quality Manager"
Scots_Charles_River
08-09-2008, 21:18
Re-looking at the pic and remembering my Martensites and Austensites, crystal growths etc from Uni lectures, it looks like a 'brittle failure' ie material fault rather than a 'fatigue' failure.
I would investigate popping into a sailing chandlers and browsing their rings etc.
Nick
Re-looking at the pic and remembering my Martensites and Austensites, crystal growths etc from Uni lectures, it looks like a 'brittle failure' ie material fault rather than a 'fatigue' failure.
I would investigate popping into a sailing chandlers and browsing their rings etc.
Nick
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
Fnarr! Fnarr!
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
That is why I always carry some spare spring steel split rings in my response pack. (http://www.ravenlore.co.uk/html/grab_bag.html)
Cheap as chips, very strong and easy to fit on most things.
Scots_Charles_River
08-09-2008, 22:48
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
Fnarr! Fnarr!
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
There are better rings to replace the shackles that he has chosen. Possibilty of the shackle pins working loose.
Nick
littlebiglane
09-09-2008, 06:44
There are better rings to replace the shackles that he has chosen. Possibilty of the shackle pins working loose.
Nick
True, true, the pins could work lose. You could/should chose socket or shake proof pins - like the options here http://www.s3i.co.uk/shackleD.php
However - at the time - when I needed rings/shackles then these were the only ones available in the local chandler in the town I was camping near.
littlebiglane
09-09-2008, 06:52
That is why I always carry some spare spring steel split rings in my response pack. (http://www.ravenlore.co.uk/html/grab_bag.html)
Cheap as chips, very strong and easy to fit on most things.
Your split rings would have to be very strong. The amount of force exerted on these rings when under high winds is quite considerable - I was surprised. What are the dimensions of your split ring?
(fnarrs aside ;))
Take a look at an average key ring.
Because the solid part of the ring goes round twice they are surprisingly strong and easy to source too.
Why don't they just get rid of the rings altogether and just have webbing loops ?
Seems odd to have them in the first place. I don't own a tenttipi, I like the look of them, but they are v.expensive and wiff a little of knobs and whistles with their 'features' for me.
I have heard a few people complain about them now, is it 'cus there so expensive that you expect them never to break, I know I would, or is it 'cus there just not that well made?
Someone enlighten me......
:dunno:
Webbing loops would be the simple answer. I've had no problems with them on my Hex 3 so far. If it was to break, a bit of sewing and you have another loop. Easy.
Scots_Charles_River
09-09-2008, 20:29
Does the base of tipi flex slightly to absorb the wind ? If so it may rub the pegs hence the steel rings rather than traditionl web/guy loops.
If you walkaround a sailboat there is a vast rabge of 'connectors', for lack of a better word.
Howabout an S hook or fig 8 hook ?
I'll try to find pic
Nick
preacherman
09-09-2008, 20:46
I have had another look at the original picture of the broken rings and they appear to be of a darker metal than the rings on my tipi. I am just back from a wet and windy week in the south west of Ireland, gale force winds and torrential rain all week, but no sign of damage.
I am not a metalurgist but remember a little from metalwork at school about different metals having a reaction of some sort when they are put together. I'm sure the metal experts on here will confirm or shoot me down on this. Is it possible that the steel rings and the aluminium pegs had some sort of a reaction which weakened the rings.
Are you still using the original pegs or did you replace them when they eventually bent beyond repair ? I am interested in this myself because I will be replacing my pegs with something longer and stronger for the sodden ground that the tent will be up in for the rest of the year.
There are better rings to replace the shackles that he has chosen. Possibilty of the shackle pins working loose.
Nick
Always can use some Loctite Threadlocker to prevent that.
Scots_Charles_River
10-09-2008, 17:25
I am not a metalurgist but remember a little from metalwork at school about different metals having a reaction of some sort when they are put together. I'm sure the metal experts on here will confirm or shoot me down on this. Is it possible that the steel rings and the aluminium pegs had some sort of a reaction which weakened the rings.
Do you mean disimilar metals ? eg aluminium gives electrons away so you use an anode on an outboard engine as a sacrifical element.
Nick
Scots_Charles_River
10-09-2008, 17:30
Always can use some Loctite Threadlocker to prevent that.
I think a non-threaded part would be best. Less to go wrong.
Nick
littlebiglane
10-09-2008, 17:56
Always can use some Loctite Threadlocker to prevent that.
What a good idea! Thanks Jared! :)
littlebiglane
10-09-2008, 17:59
Why don't they just get rid of the rings altogether and just have webbing loops ?
Seems odd to have them in the first place. I don't own a tenttipi, I like the look of them, but they are v.expensive and wiff a little of knobs and whistles with their 'features' for me.
I have heard a few people complain about them now, is it 'cus there so expensive that you expect them never to break, I know I would, or is it 'cus there just not that well made?
Someone enlighten me......
:dunno:
You might then like to read my user review when I post it up then ;)
preacherman
10-09-2008, 18:18
Do you mean disimilar metals ? eg aluminium gives electrons away so you use an anode on an outboard engine as a sacrifical element.
Nick
I'm not exactly sure about the science but I'd say you are on the right track. Its possible that this caused the rings to fail.
Apologies to all if I have gone off topic.
okement_valley
15-09-2008, 21:09
Camping in conditions that resulted in Force 6-7 with regular gusts to Force 8 for three days/nights saw the peg rings attached to the tension straps fail one by one over the three days.
Hi, I've experienced the same thing during a windy night on a cliff-top campsite in a canvas Varrie 9 - all 8 rings failed one after the other during the night.
Scots_Charles_River
15-09-2008, 21:25
If they all failed in a similar time period then fatigue or a batch failure may be the cause.
Nick
Scots_Charles_River
15-09-2008, 21:32
I'm not exactly sure about the science but I'd say you are on the right track. Its possible that this caused the rings to fail.
Apologies to all if I have gone off topic.
In any engineering situation, especially in the outdoors environment, you must avoid disimilar metals adjoining. Although there are exceptions eg copper grease to allow parts to come apart.
Two great books to undestand materials in design situations are -
'The New Science of Strong Materials: Or Why You Don't Fall Through the Floor'
'Why Buildings Fall Down'
Both req'd reading for my degree 11 years ago.
Nick
I'd never had thought that the rings would go first - I would have assumed a seam or webbing would go first! Fortunately the rings on my tipi seem are a brighter colour and haven't had any problem with them so far... I've been in pretty windy places with mine too with no problem.
I did hear that someone had their pole break, but I don't know the circumstances to find out how and why.
Transmaniacon MC
31-07-2009, 20:01
Did you ever review your Tentipi tent? Are you happy with it?