No Smoke Coming Out =(

[AlexBoyd08]

Hey everyone,

I've been smoking hookah for a couple years now, but only in lounges and occasionally when someone else used theirs and set it up for my friends and I. I recently moved, however, and there isn't a hookah bar for miles around, so I ordered my own. I feel like I'm knowledgeable in how it works since I've been smoking for a while, but I set up my new hookah and... I'm not getting any smoke!

The stem's submerged in about an inch of water in the base and sealed to the base with a gasket. The air release valve has the ball bearing inside and there's only a tiny amount of air flow through it when I inhale, and a normal amount when I exhale (seems like this is working fine). The bowl and gasket fit decently and fairly snugly on the stem. I packed the bowl loosely, and the level of shisha doesn't quite reach the screen. I tested to make sure that air flows from the top of the hookah through the hose. The hose connection has a gasket and is completely airtight. The screen doesn't fit very well and has large holes (not desirable, but until I go grab some foil I felt like it should serve the purpose decently). I broke off a coal from the tab, lit it (it takes FOREVER to light this kind of coal... pretty fucking annoying ) and placed it on top of the screen. Seems like everything's ready? I tried it, and no smoke flowed through the hose.

I searched many forums and basic FAQs for any advice, checked every gasket and sealed them off tightly. I packed and re-packed my bowl a few times. I tried more coals, less coals... nothing seemed to work.

For your reference, I ordered this particular pipe: http://www.hookahcompany.com/sangria_red_genie_1931_prd1.htm
...and this brand of coals: http://www.hookahcompany.com/flame_silver_...s_2573_prd1.htm

Again, my problem is that when I inhale, I'm just getting pure air. You've got to help me out... I really miss relaxing in hookah lounges with my friends, and now that I'm in college I'd like to introduce the practice to my new home. Anything I can do to fix this?

-Alex

[steeeeeeve]

it sounds like your drawing air not through the stem but somewhere else, maybe through the purge if the ball isnt working properly

check the purge valve and make sure the ball is blocking it when you draw air

tell us if it bubbles when you draw

steve Edited September 9, 2008 by steeeeeeve

[SimplexCoda]

now is the problem that when you hit your not getting any air at all or that your just not gettin smoke?

[AlexBoyd08]

now is the problem that when you hit your not getting any air at all or that your just not gettin smoke?

I'm getting air, lots of it. Just no smoke =(

[AlexBoyd08]

it sounds like your drawing air not through the stem but somewhere else, maybe through the purge if the ball isnt working properly

check the purge valve and make sure the ball is blocking it when you draw air

tell us if it bubbles when you draw

steve

It definitely is bubbling when I draw. I tried completely blocking the valve with duct tape after a while to see if it worked, and it didn't, I still just kept drawing pure air.

[SimplexCoda]

sounds like your tobacco isnt gettin hot enough. Im gonna say there are two things to help this. 1. use foil so your not loosing heat from the screen, 2. add another piece of coal so your using 2 at a time.

[AlexBoyd08]

that makes sense simplex... do you think it's the tab-style coals? I noticed they're ridiculously hard to light

[SimplexCoda]

that makes sense simplex... do you think it's the tab-style coals? I noticed they're ridiculously hard to light

Thats just from them being natural coals. They dont have addatives to make them light faster like the quicklights that spark. But i have always used 2 coals at a time when dealing with naturals. it gives you more heat and gives you more control over where your heat is.

[mushrat]

when yu are using a screen, you may need more heat.

what does your tobacco look like after your 10 hour attempt?

call me at the shop 919-967-3066..we may be able to walk you through.

[chinamon]

are your coals red hot on all sides before you put them on the bowl?
make sure the silver coating is fully burned off before putting them on the bowl.
try using two coals on the bowl.

[Codename067]

You might have a major leak in your hose..or the stem is leaking big time.

[LiveRadical]

It's probably the screen and try using your stove to light the coals.

[ryno]

Sounds like you need more heat, or theres a leak in your hose. Also, I'd get some foil. What kind of shisha are you using?

[AlexBoyd08]

Thanks for all the replies -- there's no stove in my dorm, but i bought a larger, butane lighter, took the flame to the coal for around 4 mins, and let the coal sit there for a while... after a few more mins, I tapped off the ash and finally saw that elusive red glow... and I can get tiny amounts of smoke. However, I definitely want to pick up quicklights; without a larger heat source, it's a pain in the ass to get heat to the shisha.

So I guess I should switch to foil, too? The screen definitely allows air to flow in.

After smoking it as lightly as this, there's just a little ash on it from the large holes in the screen; the shisha looks almost the same. ryno, I have a 250 can of starbuzz (LOVE that shit) white peach, but I'm using some guava Fusion until I can get this working really well, then I'll switch to the better stuff.

[ryno]

Instead of a stove, Walgreens sells a small single coil burner for around 10 bucks, I'd reccommend picking up one of those.

edit- If you're getting QLs, I'd reccommend 3 Kings

[Doubon]

It could be that the coals aren't lighting all the way through. A coil burner is 10 dollars and infinitely better than a torch when lighting naturals. I would also get a roll of quick lights to check if its actually the coal and not the hookah. If you try it with the quicklights and you still have no smoke then it must be the hookah and you should call the company you bought it from.

[AlexBoyd08]

This information helped a lot -- I went on amazon and got a cheap single-coil burner, my coals burst into flames quickly, and now it's smoking adequately. However, it's going overboard; even with one coal, the shisha's burning and making the smoke taste harsh =( I can tell cause, when I clean the bowl, it's all ash instead of vaporized tobacco.

I'm using a screen to cover the bowl now. Will this be solved by using foil instead to prevent pieces of burnt material from falling through onto the shisha? (I'm in a college town that's so rural, FOIL is hard to find, believe it or not...)

[Tom1]

Don't get caught with a coil stove in a dorm room or you're gonna be in deep shit.

[Neil's butt boy.]

This information helped a lot -- I went on amazon and got a cheap single-coil burner, my coals burst into flames quickly, and now it's smoking adequately. However, it's going overboard; even with one coal, the shisha's burning and making the smoke taste harsh =( I can tell cause, when I clean the bowl, it's all ash instead of vaporized tobacco.

I'm using a screen to cover the bowl now. Will this be solved by using foil instead to prevent pieces of burnt material from falling through onto the shisha? (I'm in a college town that's so rural, FOIL is hard to find, believe it or not...)

foil would help a lot double foil it if you have to

[AlexBoyd08]

Don't get caught with a coil stove in a dorm room or you're gonna be in deep shit.

Heh... campus police rolled by one time, I flipped out and got all my shit in the closet FAST...

foil would help a lot double foil it if you have to

Thx man... gonna try that, need to walk 2 miles to the supermarket ><

[NickReppinThe909]

DO NOT DOUBLE FOIL !!!!!!! just get reynolds heavy duty foil or if you have a costco within driving distance you can get 500sq ft of food service foil (more heavy duty than reynolds heavy duty) for about $10

[SixPackSunday]

well at least you got the smoke going!

i would say lose the metal screen, buy some foil, and just work on your heat management... keep up posted on how it comes along!

also buying some quick lites wouldnt be a terrible idea in case you want to go somewhere on campus to smoke that doesnt have an easily findable outlet....