Re: Unclogging corroded laser coolant lines

Posted by Craig Brideau on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Unclogging-corroded-laser-coolant-lines-tp7584479p7584484.html

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I'm not sure I would trust radiator flush. The metals and plastics used in
the laser might be more delicate than those used in a car radiator. I would
only resort to something like that if nothing else worked.

Craig Brideau

On Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 5:46 PM, Mark Cannell <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
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> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> I wonder if 2 part automotive radiator flush would be the best option?
>
> HTH
>
> Mark
>
>
> On 23/11/2015, at 10:23 pm, Craig Brideau <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> > *****
> > To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> > Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your
> posting.
> > *****
> >
> > I've used household vinegar for this, or you can make up 5% acetic acid
> > from lab stock. If you can get any flow at all, just keep running
> solution
> > through it. If you're lucky, the vinegar will dissolve out any mineral
> > deposits and also help loosen up any biological gunk. Once you have
> things
> > flowing well, flush with regular water. Finally, put Optishield or
> similar
> > into your final coolant water to help keep this from happening in the
> > future. I'm sure others will chime in with their own magic recipes for
> > loosening up stuff like this, so give it all a try and you should hit on
> > something that works.
> >
> > Best of luck!
> >
> > Craig Brideau
> >
> > On Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 2:46 PM, Michael Giacomelli <[hidden email]>
> wrote:
> >
> >> *****
> >> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> >> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> >> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your
> posting.
> >> *****
> >>
> >> I recently discovered an old laser in storage.  Unfortunately the
> >> previous users had not drained the coolant lines, resulting in several
> >> years corrosion blocking the lines.  I flushed them out as best I
> >> could and found a grey metal slurry that was fairly thick in place of
> >> what was once the coolant.  Unfortunately, even with flushing I can't
> >> flow anything through the system using a normal thermotek chiller.
> >>
> >> Are there any options in this situation to unclog a laser?  Looking at
> >> the material in the line, its fairly diffuse and does not appear all
> >> that solid.  Is it possible to use something like a weak acid to
> >> dissolve any solid material blocking the line?  Or some other
> >> solvent/cleaner?
> >>
> >> Mike
> >>
>
> Mark  B. Cannell Ph.D. FRSNZ
> Professor of Cardiac Cell Biology
> School of Physiology &  Pharmacology
> Faculty of Biomedical Sciences
> University of Bristol
> Bristol
> BS8 1TD UK
>
> [hidden email]
>