Hi! i have a question about the hydroflux machine. the flame is not
green but orange. i changed the filler material and although it
starts off as green, it goes back to orange. what am i doing wrong? i
checked the hose and it’s not flooded or anything…it does have some
mild condensation. i tried to dismantle the hose to clean it but it’s
on there so tight. will i have to cut it? I don’t think I have
flooded out the distilled water and the flux because there is no
liquid in the hose. I have changed the filler twice (in a span of 2
days) and both times, they were soaked. WHen I took out the filler to
replace it, the bottom filler was gray and dirty. Does this mean my
flux and electrolyte solution are contaminated? I would really
appreciate it if you could get back to me asap. I’m a little anxious
Dara
Dara- I’ve been using a water torch for over 20 years. Thanks for
the friendly reminder that I need to dismantle my machine and clean
it.
Depending on how old the machine is and how much it is used…
I dismantle my machine at least once or twice a year and replace all
of the inside and outside hoses and flush out the main chamber as
well as the canister on the side and refill with fresh solutions. I
cut the hoses off with a scalpel. The main chamber can get funky
after awhile as well as the hoses. If you over fill the canister or
main chamber it may leak fluid into the hoses and out the tip onto
your work. If that happens just drain the hoses and you should be
good to go.
Let me know how it all comes out and feel free to contact me off
line if you need any further advice.
Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
Jo Haemer
www.timothywgreen.com
There is a pdf of the steps to cleaning the machine on a number of
vendors sites- i think you need to start from the beginning and drain
and then replace all solutions and refill the electrolyte and flux (
though it’s not necessary to use their flux if you use your own, you
just get a differently coloured flame!).If the filter material ( the
cotton fibre) is soaked then somewhere there is trapped water or
alcohol- it definitely shouldn’t be soaked unless you have overfilled
it. If your lines are still clear ( not brownish as they become from
use) you can take off the cover and visually inspect the hoses are
OK. As for the gunk, that sounds like a problem- and in that case you
may have to either send it back to OKAI for repair or a
"tune-up".Re-read the manual first though it sounds like you have
missed something in the cleaning process ( beyond overfilling)…Also
how long has it been since you changed the in-line filter or
handpiece filter ? one or both could be either cracked ( most likely
in the in-line filter) or degraded ( in the handpiece filter).Also
did you use a stainless steel or other metal baster to suction out
the old fluids- always use plastic with a rubber or silicone bulb (
unless you can find a neoprene and nylon baster from a scientific
supply co - but these are pricey compared to the regular
rubber/plastic ones that work just fine). Bottom line: if it’s a new
machine call the vendor and see if you can return it for their
inspection and subsequent replacement…if it’s out-of-warranty, then
Okai may be it’s next stop once you have tried again to go through
all the steps, making sure the o-ring on the screw isn’t missing or
broken, and all the hose connections are on securely.Also don’t
overfill the chambers with dryer- that can cause problems too.check
the window when refilling ( that’s why using graduated beakers are a
great help- you can jot down how much fluid was taken out of each
chamber replacing the same amount and checking to make sure it’s at
the appropriate level through the window when refilled)…good luck,
they are finicky machines ( any of the water torch brands have
similar problems -don’t let another manufacturer tell you any
differently! two chambers may be better than one, but…each has to be
maintained the same way…)…rer