[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[PSUBS-MAILIST] Fine Bubbles On External Acrylic Surfaces

I've done another real live test, and yet again it's to late to head for the hills.
 
I took an old ten gallon glass aquarium I have, and applied two light coats of Rain-X on the inside of the front piece of glass only, and then buffed it off, as per the instructions on the bottle. Then I filled the tank with slightly hard, cold water with a spray type rinse hose, so I could create even more fine bubbles in the water as I filled the tank. I held the water stream in the middle at one end of the tank and so both the front and back surfaces received the same amount of bubbles. I didn't run the stream of water directly on the side glass surfaces as to not unduly disturb existing bubbles.  As I filled I notice that the bubbles that clung to the Rain-X treated surface were mostly in a couple of thin horizontal line areas where there was some previous calcification on the glass from the water level being at about the two inch mark and up near the top, for along time, when I used the tank for reptiles or as a fish tank.
 
As you can see in the pictures there is not nearly as many bubbles clinging to the Rain-X treated side, compared to the back side. I removed the bubbles on the right side end glass only, to be able to take better pictures. No I didn't remove any bubbles from the front piece of glass. If someone  doesn't believe me, they can easily do there own test. I'm aware this is not a test on acrylic, but it's what I had available at a short notice, at midnight, and I would expect the same or similar results on acrylic. I will test acrylic to verify that.  I can see that some of the edge areas, that I didn't buff as much as the center, have more bubble hanging of. I would expect that the more applications of Rain-X you apply, the better it would be at keeping bubbles from clinging. I'll do that and test again after the tank has had time to dry.
 
It looks like Frappr is working properly again. Here are the pics on Frappr, starting with this one.
 
http://www.frappr.com/?a=viewphoto&id=4001713&pid=7686347
 
I don't know if the Rain-X product will do any kind of damage to acrylic. That will have to be tested over time and many test to really find out.
 
What are the bubble holding on to?  Are they hanging onto microscopic imperfections in the acrylics surface that can be filled in with something. Is surface tension an issue? Why do those tiny bubbles only cling to just previously dry glass or acrylic. When I have a bubble wand next to the glass in a saltwater aquarium, of which puts off very small bubbles in saltwater, why do the bubbles not stick to glass or acrylic that has been submerged for a day or more? Does water later fill in those tiny imperfections making it hard and/or impossible for new bubbles to cling to that surface until the water is removed from said imperfections?
 
Here is a quote off the front of a Rain-X bottle I have.
 
"Rain-X the invisible windshield wiper.  Dramatically improves wet weather driving visibility - dispenses rain, sleet & snow on contact - lets you see clearly - with and without wipers.  Rain-X seals - polishes - protects glass & plastic windshields, side & rear windows, mirrors & lights with an invisible super - slick, non-stick coating, Makes water "bead" for aero-dynamic runoff. Rain-X restricts, bug, frost, salt, mud, oil, dust, & road film adhesion - makes cleaning a snap - prevents parching from sun, sand and pollutants."
 
From the sound of that, I would expect that Rain-X would be a pretty good thing to have on ones acrylic.


Regards,
Brent Hartwig
 
P.S. In regards to my last test of a lawn mower battery, it's been several weeks now since that test. Just the other day I checked the battery for cracks or bulging, and it looked ok. I then started the mower with no trouble. I hadn't started or charged the mower battery sence the day of the test. That is not to say that there isn't some damage in the battery I don't know about. Perhaps I should drain it and then cut it apart.


From: bottomgun@mindspring.com
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] viewports
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:46:09 -0400

RainX disperses water not bubbles.

R/J2

 

Jay K. Jeffries

Andros Is., Bahamas


A skimmer afloat is but a submarine, so poorly built it will not plunge…

 

 

 

From: owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org] On Behalf Of Recon1st@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 7:33 PM
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] viewports

 

In a message dated 8/26/2007 2:35:06 PM Central Daylight Time, bottomgun@mindspring.com writes:

One issue to consider is air bubbles that get stuck to the surface while submerging.  The outside can be wiped by a diver but the inside surface bubbles will be a distraction.  I have seen several submersibles with a deflector fitted including a K-350.

R/Jay

Jay I am also planning on this type of configuration.

 

Have you ever tried a product like RainX or similiar treatement.

 

Dean



Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com.