Like the t idea, it’s was on all yesterday sitting below the tank on the floor. Bubbles were still present last night.
Exasperated I decided to replace the inlet tubing, bubbles still present. :\
Placed the machine back on its stand and went to bed, this morning the bubbles seem to be clearing a little (hope it’s not my imagination, this has been 3 days of screwing around!).
It’s definitely not a RECI tube, the seller has nothing to do with RECI other than listing a couple of RECI products.
He’s chosen to ignore the fact that his eBay ID misrepresents and is plain devious. He also thinks there’s no issue with showing pictures of a product and sending something completely different. Both of which are against eBay T&C’s.
The pictured tube is a metal capped coletech tube. From a little research I believe coletech made a 40w metal capped tube a few years back, not so sure they still do now though.
Anyway as per previous post, given my experience with the seller I will not be purchasing from them again or would I recommend them to anyone.
Also as stated multiple times, the design of this tube is poor. There are internal ridges on both ends of the tube, these ridges capture everything… So extremely minute bubbles that would normally exit the tube, gather at the ridge forming larger bubbles.
If/when the bubbles are gone I’ll be testing power. I’m dreading any issues as getting them rectified by seller will no doubt prove impossible.
@I_Laser Good to hear that the bubbles may be clearing up. Hopefully you can get it totally clear very soon & give it power tests. I’d also be dreading any issues as this seller seems quite horrid to deal with.
Yeah, he’s being far from helpful that’s for sure. He can’t grasp there’s an issue with his product pics or the fact his ebay ID is misleading. Apparently if he lists a couple of reci tubes within the 800+ items he’s listed that makes it okay. facepalm
Anyway, bubbles seemed to clear so I did a couple of test fires, was quite happy with the results (around 25 watts @ 10mA) but then I checked the tube again and the bubbles are back. I’m so over it at this stage.
Looks like next step is a T, anyone know if it’s possible for the tube to be defective and it’s introducing gas ever so slightly into the water?
So I’ve now replaced the tube that connects the front piece to the main tube. I’d noticed between my fiddling air was getting trapped there. Still no good.
I’ve reversed flow direction again, bubbles are still there but look to be clearing again. Any issue with running the water from the business end of the tube to the back? I haven’t fired it again so who knows… Still thinking the tube could be faulty.
Seems most likely that you’re pulling air from somewhere besides the tube itself. You’re using the stock pump? You dont have one of those venturi pumps that mix air in for the fishes?
No leaks? Is your pump running submerged or inline?
I’ve got two pumps, both stock (crappy) submerged types. Haven’t found any leaks, checked over the tubing. The only thing I can think to do now is replace all tubing with new tube (I used some tubing I had, which should have been fine but I’m grasping at straws here). Also might try a closed T in the loop.
I just can’t work out it out, no bubbles in the second machine, both use the same tank. I’ve swapped over the pumps, replaced tubing (as per note above), placed machine lower than resevoir, switched flow direction, waited days for the bubbles to clear, etc.
I have an S bend in the return pipe so when pump is turned off no air is reintroduced to the loop. Bubbles seemingly cleared yesterday, ran a few test fires to measure tube output and the bubbles were back… :\
Seller is now MIA to my queries.
edit: Seller has responded, they’ve added pictures of all glass 40w tube to the listing, only problem is this is still a different design to what I’ve received. In fact had I received the design they’ve now posted I would most likely be lasing and not ripping my hair out 4+ days later!
@I_Laser I replaced my tubing with some stuff from Bunnings. I don’t imagine the tubing would be the issue, unless there is a slight air leak somewhere. Maybe check your silicone connections on the tubing. Might be a minute leak in amongst your silicone? Or maybe you don’t have silicone on the tubing… I put heaps on the connection area.
I haven’t got silicone on either machines, but am willing to try anything… I assume you’re referring to the glass nipples for the water inlet/outlet tubing?
Seems a trip to bunnings is in order, I don’t think it’s the tubing either but just don’t know what else to do.
@I_Laser I chopped the originally tubing about 2 inches back from the glass nipples, because I was uncertain how to get it off & thought I would probably break the glass trying. Then I got the tube from Bunnings & siliconed it onto the 2 inch pieces that were attached to the glass nipples. If you can get off the nipples, then I’d suggest straight replace, but maybe put a bead of silicone around the join to ensure no air can get in there from bad seal.
I can’t see tubing being the problem here. You’re pulling air in somewhere. I suggest you get a proper water pump, run it inline rather than submerged. Keep your intake hose away from you exhaust hose in the reservoir so the bubbles don’t get sucked right back in. Make sure both are completely submerged in coolant at all times. Oh and try straight distilled water for a bit.
It wasn’t the tubing, new tubing with silicone on the glass nipples. Still got extremely fine air bubbles, seriously you’d never know they were there if there wasn’t for the stupid internal ridge capturing them… Time to introduce a T just before the tube. :\
Alex, what pump would you suggest. I have a swiftech PC cooling pump but under the impression it’s too powerful.
I’ve looked extremely hard for very fine bubbles in the other machines tube and can’t see any. I just keep coming back to this particular tube being the issue…
I think the seller has discovered this thread as the picture in the ebay advert is finally correct. Not that it helps me, no offer of assistance or remedy, just blanket ‘best quality in china’ statements.
Seriously I’m nearing the point of smashing this tube. How is it possible the tube in the machine next to this one draws from the same tank, tested with the same pump, without a t, without an inline pump has no bubbles yet this POS does?
@I_Laser That sounds quite frustrating. Is the are the bubbles are accumulating visible in the photo on this post? I couldn’t work out where the bubbles were.
It is, I’m quite annoyed at wasting nearly a whole week trying to rectify this.
Yes you can see the bubble in the pic, you need to zoom in. Here’s a copy with them circled, green circle is the stream of extremely fine bubbles, red circle shows the internal ridge where they’re captured and you can see larger bubbles formed there.
@I_Laser Thanks for that circled pic. I was wondering is there anything we can do to prevent them accumulating in that spot (e.g. put some silicone in that area inside the tube) but judging from the pics that would be nigh impossible).
Another thought I had is that maybe this style of tube is made to operate vertically? Wouldn’t really help much in this case without a serious modification of the K40 case, but I am thinking that if it was standing upright it may not allow the bubbles to accumulate in that position.
Yup, I’ll put the machine on it’s side and just strap everything to the bed lol.
So I’m not saying its fixed, but I had noticed when only one pump was on there were less bubbles. I wondered if my flow switch arrangement might have been aerating the water. There were no bubbles on the surface of the tank, but there were a small number in the surface of the bottles the float switches are mounted to.
I routed the water tubing straight back into the tank, I also bought 16 litres of distilled water and replaced the tanks water. Tested last night and it seems to have fixed things, though I’ve been here before so fingers crossed…
I’m now thinking the last time I test fired, I’d switched the other pump on inadvertently (it’s on the same power board as my extraction fan). This caused the bubbles, not the firing of the laser.
Oh the sellers final input was that the output nipples should be a the highest point. I’d tried that, even though every machine I’ve seen/had has the wires to the tube at the highest point and the nipples on the side closest to the back of the machine. :\
Anyway if this works I’ll need to replace my flow switches, all because the overly sensitive tube design.
@I_Laser Hope it goes well for you. If I recall correct from my machine, the nipples face the back as you said, although I’d have to check to be certain.
Thanks, well and truly over it. About nine days in all… On the bright side I’m more educated for the next tube change over I suppose…
Yeah the nipples faced the rear of the machine on both of the machines I bought. Most pics I’ve seen on here has the nipples facing the rear too. So not sure about the sellers depth of knowledge.
Also the way he practically panned off any suggestion of an issue with the tube didn’t sit well. He’s a drop shipper so would have no idea the actual state of the tubes that are sent.
The original listing shows the metal capped tube and also lists the brand as RECI. When questioned he stated RECI don’t make 40w tubes. Anyway I don’t get the impression he’s at all willing to contemplate returns/refunds, if my latest fix amounts to nothing I’ll be doing a Paypal reversal and will await an address to send the tube back to. Here’s hoping that’s not required…
