Heat Properties Of Borosilicate Glass?

[vendetta_revived]

Hey!

So I've been using a crown micro phunnel ALL the friggin time since I've got one, and it has been performing like a boss everytime! I use 2 coals on it when I smoke AF and 2 halves when tangiers.

I've run into a bit of a problem recently though, that from the past 4 days I think, I haven't been able to get a decent enough smoke while using it. I put the coals on and I get very minimal smoke for as long as the first 2 coals die and I have to replace them, and then it smokes fine, but just not that impressive I guess!

My setup is:-

Mya QT
Smoker's Coal
2 layers of normal foil.
Room temp water
AF or tang Noir.

I've tried cleaning my hookah all the way through, you know with lemon juice and hot water and all the shabbang, and I've checked for leaks...normally set up, I can't draw in any air if I block the bowl port with my thumb. The bowl itself has no leaks as far as I know.

My best guess (which I think is not good enough) is asking if the glass used develops some kind of a resistance to heat over time and stops getting so hot to smoke the tobacco properly? I've not used any other bowl to check,, because I don't have another bowl.

I've tried changing the box of the coal (purchased from a different vendor) and tried changing the tobacco, but it's just not working like it used too!!

I am all out of ideas really, so I want to know if anyone has faced something similar with their crown bowls?

[atalanta]

From what I know of boro glass from a crafter's standpoint (I know people who work in it), it shouldn't change properties over time. Unless you drop it, that would definately affect its properties

Now, I don't know if this link is allowed (it's to a boro glass forum), if not please let me know and I'll edit my post. [url="http://www.glassdistrict.com/forums/"]http://www.glassdistrict.com/forums/[/url]
Would be a place to go ask since they do boro glass sculpture and would be more familiar with your question.

[Epoch]

As a general rule, I don't favor the double-layer of foil.

[poncho]

No, it will not develop a resistance over time. If anything though i've found glass bowls to actually take a little more heat, and maybe you want to throw another coal on there. Especially with 2 layers of foil I would have 3 coconut coals up there. I also only smoke out of a glass bowl, even as much as i've recently tried to use my Egyptian and found heat management to be a problem because I was so used to the glass and always putting on a little more coal.

Try to take a layer off and use 2 coals, try to keep the layer on and use 3 coals.

[vendetta_revived]

[quote name='atalanta' timestamp='1317228598' post='525480']
From what I know of boro glass from a crafter's standpoint (I know people who work in it), it shouldn't change properties over time. Unless you drop it, that would definately affect its properties

Now, I don't know if this link is allowed (it's to a boro glass forum), if not please let me know and I'll edit my post. [url="http://www.glassdistrict.com/forums/"]http://www.glassdistrict.com/forums/[/url]
Would be a place to go ask since they do boro glass sculpture and would be more familiar with your question.
[/quote]

Oh I look after it like it's delicate crystal! No chance of me letting one fall again after I broke my first one. And thanks for the link!
[quote name='Epoch' timestamp='1317238980' post='525513']
As a general rule, I don't favor the double-layer of foil.
[/quote]

I use 2 layers because I don't get HD foil here and I get burn marks on a single layer too easily and early into the session and sometimes that makes everything taste funny! The problem here is that I have been using 2 layers on this bowl since the day I got it and this problem has surfaced in only the past few days.

[quote name='poncho' timestamp='1317274647' post='525559']
No, it will not develop a resistance over time. If anything though i've found glass bowls to actually take a little more heat, and maybe you want to throw another coal on there. Especially with 2 layers of foil I would have 3 coconut coals up there. I also only smoke out of a glass bowl, even as much as i've recently tried to use my Egyptian and found heat management to be a problem because I was so used to the glass and always putting on a little more coal.

Try to take a layer off and use 2 coals, try to keep the layer on and use 3 coals.
[/quote]

Oh well. you definitely know a lot more about this stuff than I do! So there's no reason to not believe you, but again I'd like to mention that I've not had any problems with how I set it up till just a few days back.

If the problem had been the amount of heat, or the layers of foil, then I think it'd have affected me since day one, right?

I will go and look for leaks again, may be I am missing something!

[Fouda]

Try adding ice to the base to have cooler water
It might help because it cools the smoke providing thicker clouds. Hope this helps and you get your hookah working again!!!

[vendetta_revived]

[quote name='Fouda1122gbf' timestamp='1317301779' post='525585']
Try adding ice to the base to have cooler water
It might help because it cools the smoke providing thicker clouds. Hope this helps and you get your hookah working again!!!
[/quote]

Having experimented enough with my hookah, and reading up, I find that to be a myth frankly. All cool smoke does is to lessen the flavour of the smoke, but thanks.

[Skoozle]

It could be a change in the weather. I bet the summer was pretty hot there and if things are cooling off in India, then the air drawn through the bowl will cool it off more than it did when it was hot. I think changes in the weather will also change how your coals burn, so maybe the coals have absorbed some moisture or are just not burning as hot as they did before.

Don't get caught up on the number of coals you are using. If you need more heat, add coal. If you need less heat, remove coal. Use a wind cover for fine adjustments.

[vendetta_revived]

Okay I don't know how I made this in the Serious discussion section. :-s I wasn't even drunk.

As for my problem, I found out a tiny leak between the bowl port and the tray holder. It's not a big one, as in I really had to blow in the hose port with the bowl port covered for any air to pass through that leak. It's not even a leak in the stem I think, just that the bowl port is not getting on properly for some reason no matter how hard I try.

Gonna apply some elecrical tape below the bowl port and then put it on and I think that should do it. Thanks everyone!

[vendetta_revived]

Okay I don't know how I made this in the Serious discussion section. :-s I wasn't even drunk.

As for my problem, I found out a tiny leak between the bowl port and the tray holder. It's not a big one, as in I really had to blow in the hose port with the bowl port covered for any air to pass through that leak. It's not even a leak in the stem I think, just that the bowl port is not getting on properly for some reason no matter how hard I try.

Gonna apply some elecrical tape below the bowl port and then put it on and I think that should do it. Thanks everyone!
[quote name='Skoozle' timestamp='1317307785' post='525591']
It could be a change in the weather. I bet the summer was pretty hot there and if things are cooling off in India, then the air drawn through the bowl will cool it off more than it did when it was hot. I think changes in the weather will also change how your coals burn, so maybe the coals have absorbed some moisture or are just not burning as hot as they did before.

Don't get caught up on the number of coals you are using. If you need more heat, add coal. If you need less heat, remove coal. Use a wind cover for fine adjustments.
[/quote]

Oh man, don't ask about the summer. I fucking HATE summer here. You can't go out or do anything and can't sit in the room without the AC on all the time. 110+ temp is normal in summers here, and things haven't exactly started to cool off as it is still 95+ here.

As for the heat...I know what you're saying...I am gonna try that too if the electrical tape doesn't do it, but I think that 3 whole coals on a micro phunnel is just too much! But lets see.

[Epoch]

I'm willing to bet that air leak is the culprit. I hope it works again soon!