Air bubbles - at every start

[Chris Pedersen]

If I leave the laser sit over night - I come back to air bubbles in the tube. Microbubbles spread through out the tube. I've been having a technician run the laser for awhile, so I don't know if this is a recent issue or not.
Five minutes of circulating the water clears out the bubbles - however - should I be concerned?

Thanks!

[Martin James]

Chris My laser has the 5200 cooler. I run water with anti freeze. The anti freeze is colored so you can see the bubbles. The cooler has silicon rubber tubes that the coolant runs through. I squeeze the silicon rubber tubes to check the flow alarm on the cooler. Squeezing the tubes several times in a row also helps clear the larger bubbles. I have a General 60 Watt and a Reci 150 Watt tube both installed in 2014.

If you put the description of your set up in your signature it helps in getting technical answers.

Cheers Marty

[Steve Utick]

If I leave the laser sit over night - I come back to air bubbles in the tube. Microbubbles spread through out the tube. I've been having a technician run the laser for awhile, so I don't know if this is a recent issue or not.
Five minutes of circulating the water clears out the bubbles - however - should I be concerned?

Thanks!

One of the things you can do to help with that, is put about 2 drops of dishwashing liquid in the water. That's just enough to break the surface tension on the bubbles and helps keep them out of the system.

[Kev Williams]

I use straight distilled water, never seen a bubble...

[Martin James]

Kev, do you use a cooler? I have the 5200 and it makes plenty of bubbles.

Thanks marty

[Kev Williams]

Yes, i now use a 5200... I've had my Triumph for 9 years now, I originally used a non-refrigeratede 4000 'cooler' for about 4 years, they only air-cool the water. So I've had the 5200 for about 5 years. I've never put anything but distilled water in either one, never had a bubble issue.

Here's a pic of my inline water filter, or sight glass, or whatever it's supposed to be ;) -- the chiller was running when I took the pic, and that sight glass is always full of water-- nary a bubble.
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I've never seen a bubble in the tube either, although honestly, I don't get to see the tube proper all that often. (too much stuff on top of the laser) :rolleyes:

ANY place where water or air can enter/escape can draw air into the water, and if air can get drawn in, so can small amounts of dust I would think, and any dust would contribute to additional surface tension of the water and making bubbles...