# Mineral oil in bubble counter issue



## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Recently I changed my bubble counter fluid from water to mineral oil, as recommended by a friend. Now there is no more evaporation, but I noticed that the bubbles don't start up by themselves.

I am using cheap JBJ bubble counters. The regulator is set to 40 PSI pressure.

Seems like over time the oil made its way back into the check valve and keeps it from starting up in the mornings. I have a 3x manifold and changed only two of them to oil. The BC with water still starts up flawlessly.

Contemplating to go back to water... Has anyone else run into the same thing?


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

not at all, seems very odd... I could see the oil slowing things down because its more viscus than water but whats happening to you has me puzzled. Does it eventually start, but takes a longer time to build up presure?


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## Booger (May 17, 2004)

Wasserpest said:


> Contemplating to go back to water... Has anyone else run into the same thing?



Yes. I had the same issue with a JBJ check valve. The question of failure is not if, but when, with these check valves. I use an additional check valve now.


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

I have a dual using the JBJ's and oil for about two years. No problems here but I do have inline brass CV's in place. Those are more for convenience when taking the system apart to swap the cylinder.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

jreich said:


> Does it eventually start, but takes a longer time to build up presure?


No... pretty much stuck. I just noticed yesterday, so this is something that has developed over a couple of weeks.

You'd think the pressure is high enough to blow any oil drops out without problems. Maybe the orifice is so small, and the oil dries or gets more viscous over night.

What would be a good way to clean them... propyl alcohol?


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

fresh.salty said:


> I have a dual using the JBJ's and oil for about two years. No problems here but I do have inline brass CV's in place. Those are more for convenience when taking the system apart to swap the cylinder.


I also have additional check valves in place to keep tank water away. Seems like the BC fluid interacts with the (built into the BC) JBJ check valves, nothing that can be done there I guess.


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## DerangedCorgi (Oct 15, 2010)

-Nevermind-


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

Wasserpest said:


> No... pretty much stuck. I just noticed yesterday, so this is something that has developed over a couple of weeks.
> 
> You'd think the pressure is high enough to blow any oil drops out without problems. Maybe the orifice is so small, and the oil dries or gets more viscous over night.
> 
> What would be a good way to clean them... propyl alcohol?


 yea alcohol should loosen that stuff up enough to get it out if thats the case, worse case cenario clean it with some nail poish remover and rinse it out really well.


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

have you taken that stuff apart lately? Maybe something clogged the oraface from the tank side. I dont know how something would make it that far but you never know.


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## h2oaggie (Feb 28, 2011)

I am getting a JBJ BC in next week. So y'all basically recommend against using oil in it, and suggest water?


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

i run oil in mine for over 2 years now with no problem, never even changed the oil.


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## rickztahone (Jul 20, 2009)

Wasserpest said:


> Recently I changed my bubble counter fluid from water to mineral oil, as recommended by a friend. Now there is no more evaporation, but I noticed that the bubbles don't start up by themselves.
> 
> I am using cheap JBJ bubble counters. The regulator is set to 40 PSI pressure.
> 
> ...


 i'm basically running the same set up as you, but my psi isn't nearly as high. i'm running 2 10g tanks and one 55. i have a 3 way manifold and have brass check valves right under the BC's. I have had the mineral oil in there since i set up the whole thing a few months back and the system has been running flawlessly. Maybe when you made the swap something caused a block or something? kind of puzzling really.


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## DerangedCorgi (Oct 15, 2010)

rickztahone said:


> i'm basically running the same set up as you, but my psi isn't nearly as high. i'm running 2 10g tanks and one 55. i have a 3 way manifold and have brass check valves right under the BC's. I have had the mineral oil in there since i set up the whole thing a few months back and the system has been running flawlessly. Maybe when you made the swap something caused a block or something? kind of puzzling really.


What model check valve are you using between the NV and BC?


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## jhunt (May 7, 2010)

Glycerine is an excellent fluid for bubble counters.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Thanks everyone for responding!



jreich said:


> have you taken that stuff apart lately? Maybe something clogged the oraface from the tank side. I dont know how something would make it that far but you never know.


I took them apart when I switched from water to oil. It's possible, but unlikely that the same thing happens at the same time with both bubble counters.



h2oaggie said:


> I am getting a JBJ BC in next week. So y'all basically recommend against using oil in it, and suggest water?


Not really clear cut... seems like most don't have issues with using mineral oil.



rickztahone said:


> i'm basically running the same set up as you, but my psi isn't nearly as high. i'm running 2 10g tanks and one 55. i have a 3 way manifold and have brass check valves right under the BC's. I have had the mineral oil in there since i set up the whole thing a few months back and the system has been running flawlessly. Maybe when you made the swap something caused a block or something? kind of puzzling really.


Yep it's weird. I wonder if perhaps there was still some water near the needle valve and mixing with oil clogged it somehow?

I have two unused check valve/bubble counter combos that I will switch out with the existing ones. So that way they never had water in them. Although I figure it has something to do with the needle valve.



DerangedCorgi said:


> What model check valve are you using between the NV and BC?


The JBJ bubble counter has the check valve built right into the base of the BC, which screws right into the needle valve. So there is no separate check valve there. (I know you addressed this to someone else...)

I will change the CV's and see if that helps.


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## Hyzer (Mar 9, 2010)

A


Wasserpest said:


> Recently I changed my bubble counter fluid from water to mineral oil, as recommended by a friend. Now there is no more evaporation, but I noticed that the bubbles don't start up by themselves.
> 
> I am using cheap JBJ bubble counters. The regulator is set to 40 PSI pressure.
> 
> ...


 Aww, intestinal lubricant fail. Sorry man. What's weird is that water used to leak through my bubble counter, but the oil does not. Still haven't added or changed it since I put it in several months ago.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Lol, no worries. Water evaporates, oil doesn't, that's true, and a big advantage.

I just exchanged the two faulty BC's with brand new ones, we'll see if that resolves the issues.


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

I always use an extra check valve between the needle valve and bubble counter. I don't use oil, which means that every few weeks I have to top off the bubble counter. But because I've used Atomic diffusers in tanks at times, I've had a regulator set to 40-50psi, and when the solenoid opens up I get a huge rush of CO2 through the counter. Which means I get water in the line. Which, if it were oil, would be a big deal.

For check valves, I use Clippard MJCV-1, which cracks at about .5psi (the MJCV-1AA, -1AB, and -1BA all crack at 1psi) and has 1/8" ports. It's 6 bucks before the ridiculous S&H charges. I've read some complaints about Clippards making "clicking" noises, but haven't had that at all with 3 MJCV-1's.


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