Balancing the flow of a lamp with pickling salt

[Todd Miller]

I have a few lamps that are low on fluid and I'd like these

to be donor/experimentation globes.

I know I can use distilled water to top them off and

pickling salt to change the specific gravity. 

One globe (52oz) is maybe 5oz low and the 32oz will

take less than a shot (1oz) of distilled water.

I'd like to add the salt to the water, but at what rate

of saturation ?

Can I bring the lamps up to temp and then just slowly

add the grains of salt and see what happens ? or, do I

make a solution of dissolved salt/water and replace a few

ounce's at a time ?

I'd rather go slow than over do it.

[Joanne]

SOmetimes pickling salt can be corrosive to the coil , its kinda a crap shoot. you can also use glycerin or polypropylene Glycol. If you insist on using pickling salt i usually dissolve a bunch of salt in a 1/2 cup of boiling water till it wont take any more. Then i use an eye dropper and VERY VERY SLOWLY add salt solution. like a few drops then let it run for an hour or so . Sometimes i even let it cool down and start again before i add more. Better to go slow or you will have to remove liquid and put in more distilled water and go through it all over again . 

[Todd Miller]

I'm not against using glycerin or polypropylene glycol. 

I'm sure I can buy pickling salt at the grocery store but know

nothing about glycerin or glycol. 

I'd give it a try, what should I use ?

[Joanne]

I use pickling salt in lamps i really dont care much about . ALso i have heard of using 'fog juice" the stuff that you get around halloween time for fog machines, but not just any kind . there is a thread here about what kind to use ( just do a search for fog juice here )  . I am still perfecting my lamps so i really cant tell you what works best . Pickling salt works but i have had it eat a coil before .

[Joanne]

Good idea Lala !

[Todd Miller]

I'm going to stop by the 'party store' and see if they have fog juice, this

sounds like a better deal than using salt.  I also have a DJ friend that has

a fog machine, but it's been at least 10 years since we've done any gigs.

If the juice doesn't age I may try that.

[Joanne]

did you read up about the right kind of juice?

[Todd Miller]

Yes I read the thread so I know what to look for.

I went to our local 'party store' and they had 1L

for $10.  Unfortunately, the contents were not 

listed. I passed.

Our local Rent All store has fog machines, so I'll

sneak away from work tomorrow and check it out,

it's only 3 blocks away.

[Joanne]

Let me know how it turns out !!!! Im excited to see your results !

[Todd Miller]

I did a bit of research for fog juice.  It seams that the new liquids do not

use propylene glycol or glycerin.  I did find that my local Tractor Supply

store has propylene glycol %100 for like $20 a gallon.  I think I remember

that old fog juice was a ratio of 30% glycol to distilled water ?  I will give

it a try and see what happens.  Small amounts at first.  Stay tuned....

[Tim Gill]

I have used fog fluid to help the flow in a grande but because of the amount I needed and that fog fluid has water in it I was having to add it then drain some then add again in the end I deiced to leave it and use PG - a lot better idea as it is the constrained stuff so don't need that much. 

I have used salt as well though and it has been fine but if lots is used it seams to cloud the lamp when off when on it clears however the method I used used a lower saturation salt solution so this was probably it.

[Joanne]

hey tim where did you get your PG ?

[Joanne]

Hey todd what is the stuff at the tractor supply place called ?