Surfactant Help Please (SLES)?

[Sentrex]

I bought a gallon of 100% pure SLES and it  "bricks" or basically loses all viscosity when it hits H2O.  Has anyone ever tried reducing it down to the 28% SLES solutions that are typically sold on ebay and if so how did you do it (I mixed it for 20 minutes by hand and still pretty chunky).

What do all or any of you use for Surf? I am starting to doubt the SLES.....

I was gonna buy some from surf magma but they really hose you on the shipping.... but if it's worth it then maybe.

Any words of wisdom or experience would be greatly appreciated as always.

<Fellow Goo Head> 

[Sentrex]

Talking to myself here but figured I would think out loud in case another wandering soul has the same quandary.

Letting the pure SLES sit in the H2O all night significantly reduced it to a solution with some minor swirling. Actually managed to get it down to a 50% solution that I am currently trying to use to revive an old carlisle.

Would still appreciate anyone else's thoughts or experiences with different surfs.....

Gonna post pics of this carlisle after it heats up... fingers crossed

[Keith]

So, here is an answer that was posted on one of my ramblings,  

Critter, "For surf I use a mixture of water and SLS. I use 1/4 tsp of SLS for every six ounces of water. Then I apply this mixture to my lamps at about 10 ml per quart of fluid. Of course you can try other methods too I am just relaying what works for me. I have used bubble stuff....it is ok but unpredictable at times. And I have tried dish soap too but I have had dish soap cloud on me so started using pure SLS."

Original post here;

http://oozinggoo.ning.com/forum/topics/grande-fluid-replacement

[Tim Gill]

I have used the gookit surf as the standard surf to use and has worked fine for me. Mabie because I have quite a lot of it and no need to look at other options. Also because I think the goo-kit surf is diluted so can use more without the lamp messing up quickly.

SLES is certantly a option to look into if its going to be more cost effective then magma's surf.

[Sentrex]

Thanks - I am starting to think that my Surf of choice, SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate), may be the reason that I have had problems in the past. It is not super slippery - it "lathers" like crazy but the lather is thick.

So when you say SLS do you mean Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (that is what you said in that thread).  Did you actually ever purchase and use the SLS?

I have a couple of lamps that seem to be weel tuned in regards to density but with the SLES they seem to get stuck in what could be best described as fat question mark type of flow.... they won't break up.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Keith said:

So, here is an answer that was posted on one of my ramblings,  

Critter, "For surf I use a mixture of water and SLS. I use 1/4 tsp of SLS for every six ounces of water. Then I apply this mixture to my lamps at about 10 ml per quart of fluid. Of course you can try other methods too I am just relaying what works for me. I have used bubble stuff....it is ok but unpredictable at times. And I have tried dish soap too but I have had dish soap cloud on me so started using pure SLS."

Original post here;

http://oozinggoo.ning.com/forum/topics/grande-fluid-replacement

[Keith]

Yes, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.

I did purchase SLS but haven't used it.  It seems that there is always something else going on.

Sentrex said:

Thanks - I am starting to think that my Surf of choice, SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate), may be the reason that I have had problems in the past. It is not super slippery - it "lathers" like crazy but the lather is thick.

So when you say SLS do you mean Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (that is what you said in that thread).  Did you actually ever purchase and use the SLS?

I have a couple of lamps that seem to be weel tuned in regards to density but with the SLES they seem to get stuck in what could be best described as fat question mark type of flow.... they won't break up.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Keith said:

So, here is an answer that was posted on one of my ramblings,  

Critter, "For surf I use a mixture of water and SLS. I use 1/4 tsp of SLS for every six ounces of water. Then I apply this mixture to my lamps at about 10 ml per quart of fluid. Of course you can try other methods too I am just relaying what works for me. I have used bubble stuff....it is ok but unpredictable at times. And I have tried dish soap too but I have had dish soap cloud on me so started using pure SLS."

Original post here;

http://oozinggoo.ning.com/forum/topics/grande-fluid-replacement