CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

antorsae · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 297

Anybody done it? Side-effects?

Tim in Phoenix · Joined: 21 Oct 2006 Posts: 4409 Location: Phoenix

Hello

All water in an LC glycol chamber might have focus issues to to difference in density; the fluid IS the lens. You can add five or ten percent water to top off a glycol load, probably with no visible effect.

.

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Index of refraction of water is 1.33, glycol is 1.4318. So there's a 7.5% difference in refraction.

Water seems like a bad thing to use in a chamber like that, but if it can handle glycol's corrosive properties, it should have no problem with water. But you have to assume they used something nasty like glycol for a reason.

Tim in Phoenix · Joined: 21 Oct 2006 Posts: 4409 Location: Phoenix

Hello

They use glycol for its' antifreeze properties. You can't have tubes exploding during shipment due to ice in the winter. If time permits next week I'll fill a Marquee tube with just water and see how it looks.

.

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Chip said you need distilled water or some type of hospital grade 100% pure water. I forget which one but he did use it or at least try it.

Athanasios

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Isn't distilled water more corrosive than tap water? But again, probably less so than glycol.

antorsae · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 297

Hi Tim.

I'll be nice if you can test the water thingy!!!

I don't think any of us in Souther Spain or Scottsdale are going to get our projectors frozen... It's like 90F here now and it never freezes in the winter either....

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6635

Why not just use glycol ?

antorsae · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 297

If given the choice, I'd rather use water than glycol, why?

- Glycol corrodes electronics
- Glycol harder to procure than water
- Glycol corrodes aluminium, fungus may develop
- Glycol absorbs water, depending on your bellows, you may develop leaks
- Glycol is highly poisonous

Glycol is just so messy... It's actually (along with the HV crackle which freaks me out) one thing that I don't like about CRT.

Water may have side-effects to prevent its use. I wish the only one is the freezing one as I doesn't apply in my area - but others here may know better.

stefuel · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:55 pm Post subject:

Don't bother, I've already tried it. It kicks-ass at first. Ultra sharp focus. Just about as good as a AC projector. However, I left one alone for about a year out in my shop. It had mega fungus. Crying or Very sad

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

*Organic* fungus, or metal-growing type fungus?

Living stuff might have grown in water. I would think if you used distilled water with a good shot of chlorine you might be able to avoid that, but I don't know how long the chlorine would keep stuff at bay. I would think a good shock of chlorine when you poured it in ought to sterilize the inside of the chamber so nothing (living) would grow in there.

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6635

Where do you live ? I would never use water and Chip as I remember switched back to glycol due to corrosion from the distilled water.

Can you buy this where you live ?

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/20-4275

antorsae · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 297

Hi Tom,

I do have a good reserve of mono-ethylene glycol and glycerin to do the 70/30 mix. No issues on the availability front.

I am in the process of re-bellowing my tubes hence the question. I am re-bellowing b/c it's been only a year since I changed glycol in the PJs and even though I left an air bubble in all tubes the bellows are hard as **** (!)... I live in a humid area so I guess old VDC bellows just tend to absorb a lot of water... and I don't want to have glycol leaks over my head...

Maybe I will try this in a test projector I have with a drop or two of bleach in the water... wait...

Chip: did you have fungus AND corrosion?

Can water corrode the chamber more than glycol?

stefuel · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:25 pm Post subject:

"*Organic* fungus, or metal-growing type fungus?"

Ohhh for sure it was organic. Big black crawly things Wink

Now to be honest, I wouldn't give up all together on the idea of medical grade water. Something like that industrial grade anti-fungus agent like the schit they give you to put a couple of drops in a water bed might just do the trick. Perhaps even a couple of drops of bleach might just do it.

The other thought is, was it the water or did I just not get it clean enough.

Hmmmm.........................Vodka Thumbs Up

tse · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 1014 Location: Sweatbucket, Fl.

Way back in the middle 80's the coolant for the ESP (which became Esprit, then Ampro) CRTs was half and half distilled water and glycerin. The housings were plastic and zinc. Some lasted for years and stayed clear, some corroded up real bad.

I was stationed at the Rota naval station (near Cadiz) when I was in the Navy middle 70's. One of the nicest places I've ever lived.

Scott

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6635

Chip I think you just had an AmPro infestation Wink

grogthegreat · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 166 Location: San Diego, CA

From someone who is into watercooling computers: You would need to put a very small piece of silver into the water. The silver will kill and prevent any infestations. Might be worth giving it a try if there are significant focus improvements like Stefuel reports.

antorsae · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 297

Silver + distilled water... sounds like a fun project!

Do you think chamber corrosion would be an issue? How much silver?

antorsae · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 297

Would this http://www.petrastechshop.com/sikibyia.html work?

Distilled water + $7 per tube sounds like a real deal to me!