CO2 Bombs dry up sealant

[amasendeinja]

I also disputed the fact the CO2 bombs damage, dry up, or otherwise render sealants useless, but over time I've realised that this is indeed the case. Apparently (I'm no chemical engineer) its to do with the "boiling" of the CO2 as it changes from a liquid to solid state as its ejected from the cartridge, which causes a massive temperature drop and this affects the sealant. Could someone who actually is a chem eng either verify or dispute this?

 

On another greener note: Some time ago I found, and kept a copy of, this letter addressed by someone to Leonard Zinn on his website:

 

Dear Lennard,

 

I’m amazed in the continuing discussion of CO2 canisters that I haven’t seen anybody bring up the environmental costs of canning air, transporting it and then tossing a hunk of metal that will never be recycled into the landfills, or the side of the road in the case of the particularly ignorant cyclist.

 

Think about it: you take air, which is free and all around us, and use electricity to pump it into metal containers, which had to be mined, smelted, formed, etc. Then you take these canisters and place them in a cardboard box made from trees and you put it in a shipping container and transport it across the ocean where it is unloaded and placed onto diesel trucks to be driven across the country to your bike store.

 

But it’s not even good air: it’s air that leaks out of your tires even faster. You are surrounded by air, free air, better air. All it takes is a pump and a few minutes of work to get it into your tire, where it holds longer than the CO2.

 

Cycling, as we all know, holds such a great promise for the environment. CO2 is a dark blot on that green sheen. We all know what the C in CO2 is.

 

Leave the CO2 to the mountain bike racer who can’t spare the seconds. The rest of you can carry a pump. I love my new Lezyne pressure drive — more reliable and probably lighter than CO2 canisters. It’s an endurance sport folks. Endure a few minutes of pumping.

 

Nowadays, where being fashionably "green" can stretch the bounds of credulity, and sometimes even snap them clean in half, this guy has a point here... enduring a little pomping on the trail is generally not the end of the world! Races.... well now that's a different story entirely, especially when you're aiming to improve on your last year's position 321 at the Sabie Classic by "at least 20 places".

 

All this being said, I'll always carry bombs for emergencies and when you've had to insert a tube anyway.

[Azonic]

Brilliantly said.

[KobusBotha66]

Hi

This is my first post and I apologise for resurrecting an older post but I just had to add to this post.

I am an huge supporter of a product called NO FLATS tyre sealant. This product can be used in conjunction with CO2 canisters. It does not dry up at all, and as an added bonus it does not contain either Latex or ammonia.

[raptor]

i took my tyres of a while back and inside i found big pieces of hardened stans, i dont know if this could be from c02 boms,

[Just Keep Pedaling]

All sealants harden over time. 2 months mimumum 6 months max. Co2 bombs might contribute but are not the main cause.

[Sawdust]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but make sure the valve is at the top or on the side when using a bomb. When the valve is at the bottom, so is the majority of the latex solution which will remove the latex from suspension and 'dry' it out.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Sawdust

[Arkadion]

It's not a surefire way of preventing it, but you should apply the bomb to the top of your wheel while the slime sits at the bottom. From my experience it's the direct jet of air/Co2 that solidifies slime and not the temperature.

 

And if you change tyres on your rim, it helps to inflate the tyre first so that the beading sits correctly around the rim, then deflate through the valve, unscrew the tip of the valve, pour slime in with a top up tube (A little 75ml Stans top up bottle will do), reconnect the valve tip and inflate with a pump.

 

Also, if you have a decent pump like a Topeak JoeBlow Ace, you can inflate a newly swapped tyre without the need for a bomb, saving you some bucks in the long run

[KobusBotha66]

i took my tyres of a while back and inside i found big pieces of hardened stans, i dont know if this could be from c02 boms,

 

All I can tell you is that I have NO FLATS in my tyres for years and I have never had a problem with the product drying up or balling up from co2 canisters or any other reason. Is drying and balling up not a common problem with latex based products?

[Johan Bornman]

]Stan's, Joe's and other latex-based sealants contain a couple of ingredients:

 

1) Latex

2) Water

3) Dissolved ammonia

4) Sawdust/rubber shavings/paper fibre

 

The Latex congeals on contact with air to for a rubber plug. The water dilutes the latex, the ammonio keeps fungus and rot at bay (latex is tree sap in is prone to rot) and the other bits help to plug the hole.

 

Homer Simpson (on the Hub, not TV) once explained to us that the water ammonia mixture is slightly alkaline and this alkalinity keeps the latex suspended in the dilutant.

 

With the addition of CO2 (by means of a bomb), the liquid turns slightlty acidic and can no longer contain the latex in solution. The latex then "crashes out of the emulsion" he explained. Simply put, it doesn't like acid water and groups together and gets the hell out of there. It then forms a latex ball, like int he picture.

 

The remaining liquid still sloshes around in the tyre and gives you the false impression that you still have sealant in there. However, it is simply impotent water and won't fill a hole.

 

This should be distinguished from drying out. Latex in tyres dries out over time. The hotter it is, the quicker it dries. The thinner your sidewalls, the quicker it dries.

 

 

Dried out sealant usually coats the inside of a tyre evently.

 

Crashed (bombed) latex forms a distinct ball like in the picture.

 

Eye Candy's latex simply dried out because the latex was old and just wanted to congeal. I know, I put it in there and had to take it out again. I dumped the batch. Sorry EC.

Latex "Corals" formed as the result of CO2 acidification of the latex solution through inflation with a bomb.[/i]

 

Distinguish between dried out latex and "Crashed" latex. The two formed for different reasons.

Edited April 8, 2011 by Johan Bornman

[KobusBotha66]

Thanks Johan for the great explanation

[Nic0000]

Hi

This is my first post and I apologise for resurrecting an older post but I just had to add to this post.

I am an huge supporter of a product called NO FLATS tyre sealant. This product can be used in conjunction with CO2 canisters. It does not dry up at all, and as an added bonus it does not contain either Latex or ammonia.

 

 

Oh I've heard of this stuff. Apparently it doesnt contain latex or ammonia (Dont quote me on this I just remember reading it some where...) both of which actually void the warrenty on Maxxis tyres.

 

For the guys who say they use bombs and dont have an issue this may be because the sealnt still dries where the rim meets tire as per normal but if you experienced a burp or the likes, you may find yourself having a diff oppion!

 

Has anyone tried the no flats? And what are prices like cos Zero Flats, Stan's, Joe's are pretty dam expensive aswell!

Check www.noflats.co.za

[KobusBotha66]

quote name='Nic0000' timestamp='1302786141' post='1388216']

Oh I've heard of this stuff. Apparently it doesnt contain latex or ammonia (Dont quote me on this I just remember reading it some where...) both of which actually void the warrenty on Maxxis tyres.

 

For the guys who say they use bombs and dont have an issue this may be because the sealnt still dries where the rim meets tire as per normal but if you experienced a burp or the likes, you may find yourself having a diff oppion!

 

Has anyone tried the no flats? And what are prices like cos Zero Flats, Stan's, Joe's are pretty dam expensive aswell!

Check www.noflats.co.za

 

I have been using No Flats for about 2 years now and this product is amazing. Last weekend I changed the tyres on my sons bike and after 2 years the product was still in its original state. I was surprised at the number of apparent punctures it had sealed. I would like to add that this bike lived outside the product had lined the entire inner structure of the tyre which means that the sidewalls were protected. I live on a farm and punctures were a huge problem but not anymore. I have used a bomb on my tyre once to see if it would affect the product and it didn't seem to.

 

I bought another bottle for my sons bike at my local cajees for under R100 which I think is affordable cause it does both tyres

[Jaco-fiets]

I can say with all honesty that when i add stan's (every 3 months) i inflate my tires with a bonb afterwards. After 3 months when i open it there is still stan's swooshing around in there. So no drying here

[KobusBotha66]

You don't need to top up with No Flats which is great if you are a weight weanie as the weight remains constant

[Letum911]

Good morning all. Necro post ftw!!!

 

Anyhow, 6 years later and here we are. Last night I try seat new tires, and for the life of me I could not get it seated with my floor pump.

 

Rim: I have no clue what brand;

Tires: Vittoria Saguaro

Sealant: Stans

 

Eventually I give up and just pop it with a co2 bomb, insta-success!! Now here's my problem, now that I have co2 running around in my brand new tire with some sealant does it render the Stans useless? 

 

I know back in the dark ages it was not suggested, but has the formula been updated and improved yet? 

 

PS. The bomb blasted the pressure to 1.6bar whereafter I inflated with the floor pump to 3.5 bar to ensure decent fit and left it to stand over night. This morning I dropped the pressure to 2.2 bar. So by my broker assumption it should be about 50/50 air vs co2.

 

*Some more info: The valve was at about 12'O clock with the tire being upright, so no direct blasting of CO2 into the Stans

Edited August 1, 2017 by Letum911

[lechatnoir]

So the bomb seated everything nicely? If you let the air (CO2) out, the tyre will remain seated in the rim if you don't bump the wheel hard enough to unseat it again. Then just pump normally with a normal pump and normal air. Sorted