Auto-seal = Failure

[Geiseric]

I have always used auto seals in my multiple hose hookahs. It is just easier than having to smack someone upside the head to get them to cap their hose. I have yet to check this on any other hookah, but while cleaning my old Syrian stem (I posted about this yesterday) I noticed that I couldn't get much water to go through the chamber before the hose ports with the bearings in, so I pulled them out, and it worked much better. Later, when I was setting up a smoke in it to test it, I thought what the hell, lets just pull out the bearings and see what a difference it makes on the draw. It was ridiculous how much better it drew. 4-5x more air-flow. I understand maybe a slight decrease in airflow with the bearing in, just because it is in the middle of the hose, but not to that degree. I haven't bothered to check with any other hookah, simply because I haven't had anyone over, so it isn't worth setting up a big one. But I am curious... is this a defect in this particular model, or common? Perhaps it has been commented on before, but I can't remember anyone saying anything. Edited November 26, 2007 by Geiseric

[SafeSearchOff]

my mya autoseal seems to work just as well as with no seal. thats the only of my 7 that has an autoseal though, so i guess i cant weigh in for that much.

i have all 1 hosers cept my 2 hose qt >.<

[poopooshaboo]

In my acrylic it makes a slight difference, but nowhere near as much as you said.

[Geiseric]

It went from being to the point of where you would get a headache trying to inhale through it, to being a completely natural, unimpeded inhale. Part of it was because it was dirty (commented on it yesterday), but after taking *the bearings* in and out and testing it, I can honestly say it was mostly them. That said, it was pretty nasty in the chamber. Chunks didn't come out, but the solution I was cleaning it with was dark brown for about 3 soaks. I guess I've learned that just rinsing that part every time isn't good enough.

*Edited for clarity* Edited November 25, 2007 by Geiseric

[ZenSilk]

Huh, i bet the bearing were sticky and old. All my Auto-Seal ports work great, on my Acrylic and Syrian. There's no difference in draw effort between no bearings and bearings. My friend actually prefers the Port in the Mya that has a bearing (mine doesnt, it came that way), and he gets a thicker cloud than i do most of the time cause he hogs that port.

[Geiseric]

They were new and fairly polished, actually. 2 of them had been recently replaced, and the other was still in good shape. I believe this issue must simply come from a design flaw in the shape of the seal, which simply does not allow enough air through with the valve unsealed.

[ZenSilk]

Hmmm interseting! are the hose ports detatchable?

[Geiseric]

Yes, it is a pretty typical mass produced Syrian, I honestly can't remember where I got it from, but again, very typical looking and functioning. Nothing really stand-out about it. The hose ports are detachable, and the bearing is located in between the port and the stem.

[ZenSilk]

Ok yeah like normal. Huh that's odd. You're previous post is obviously correct then.

But auto-seal isn't always needed, people get pretty good at plugging goses pretty fast.

[gaia.plateau]

No noticeable difference on the Bambino. I have nothing more to report.

[thomas]

wait wait so you can smoke shisha with a hose attached to a port with the ball bearing inside? I thought if you did that it would not work... ALL This time ive been using two empty ports and telling my friends to cover the hose with their thumbs when someone else was going on my mya vortex. I never actually understood how the auto seal worked, can someone explain to a novice?

[Geiseric]

IF your hookah is designed to be an auto-seal, on the port it will have a small divot that allows for small ball bearing to sit on top of it. This will snap down when some other hose has suction, but rise up into the hose adapter when that hose is used, creating free flow of air. There is another kind where the actual adapter has the bearing built in, but I have only seen that once. I'm not sure how it works in Myas, because I don't own one, but I assume it is similar. If your hookah was designed as a one hose, but you added another to make it a two hose, it is possible that it can have bearings added to make it an auto-seal, but otherwise it would have been included. Its easy enough for you to check. Just look through the threaded end of the hose adapter and look if it has a mechanism to stop the ball bearing from being sucked through. If it has a small thin vent inside, it is capable of being sealed. If it is open, you are out of luck.