"air-valve" Clogged?

[Balthazar]

Don't know how, but it seems like the "air-valve" (in lack of a better word, the one that releases smoke when you purge) is clogged. I washed the hookah thoroughly a couple of weeks ago, and had not used it after that (spent the Christmas vacation at my parent's). So a few days ago I was planning on smoking some Nakhla Sweet Melon, and after getting the hookah ready to smoke I noticed that purging was impossible. "Surely blowing a little harder will work this out," I said to myself. What happened was that I shot water through the stem, into the phunnel, and a little went through the foal and attacked my coals. The tobacco was destroyed, so I had to throw it out. When I, and I really don't understand why I did this, tried to remove the hose and blow through the hose-port the same thing happened, only this time the water shot out of the stem and onto my back.

So yeah, that's about it. I have no idea why it's clogged, or with what. Don't even know if it's possible to unscrew that and have a look inside.

The hookah is a Nour Bohemian. When I try to stick something inside it, there's a block after about an inch is inside. But i have no idea if it's supposed to be like that, and I really don't understand how anything can clog inside of the air-valve. But, come to think of it, this might be the only enterance I often forget to dry properly after I've washed the stem. Could this be a rust-related problem?

Also, when I move the stem around it sounds like there's a loose part in the valve-area. Guess that could be the problem. But what this loose part is, I have no idea. Sounds like something really small.



The famous "air-valve"

[modisess]

if you can't unscrew the purge valve then maybe the ball bearing has rusted? try blowing directly through the hole, maybe if you blow hard enough the ball bearing will pop off.

[Balthazar]

Tried it, didn't really work. Tried it with compressed air too ...

[ryno]

If you can screw off the cover, do that and try some CLR or something similar to get the ball un stuck. Everytime i clean my hookah, I always take out the ball and hit it with a scotchbrite pad, along with the inside of the port where the ball rest.

[popcornkid06]

You're not going to believe this but the exact same thing happened to me last night.. I was so pissed. I have a km caramana so I can unscrew the purge valve and it turned out that the little ball inside was just stuck - I think I forgot to dry it out after I washed it last time - so I just poked it with a toothpick to loosen it up and everything was fine.
As for you, I have no idea if you can unscrew it or get inside the valve or not, but the little ball just might be stuck - waterlogged maybe? Anyway, good luck!

edit: haha as soon as I was done typing this post, I saw there were other replies saying the same thing - sorry! Edited January 14, 2009 by popcornkid06

[Balthazar]

You guyes were right, the ball was stuck. Used the fumari hole poker, which was thin enough to go through the small air-holes. Pushed it against the side of the ball, and that did the trick!

Thanks! Was afraid I would have to retire the bohemian, which would be a shame since it's an awesome hookah.

[Scoop]

the nours need pliers to unscrew the purge valve. its definitely doable. all of them are like that

[Balthazar]

the nours need pliers to unscrew the purge valve. its definitely doable. all of them are like that

Good to know. Should make thinks a bit easier if something similar happens again.

[inino]

is everyone having this problem lately? there a thread just like this one a few threads down.

[GreatPigHookah]

is everyone having this problem lately? there a thread just like this one a few threads down.

Yeah, everyone should replace those metal balls with airsoft BB's. All of my hookahs except for one have those plastic BB's in the check valves.

Oh, Balthazar's in Norway. He may not have access to those airsoft BB's.

[mitchard]

I have the same stem, but haven't had the problem yet. Atleast i'll know whats up if I do have issues. I tried unscrewing the purge valve by hand the other night out of curiosity, and that thing is on there tight. Hah.

[ryno]

is everyone having this problem lately? there a thread just like this one a few threads down.

Yeah, everyone should replace those metal balls with airsoft BB's. All of my hookahs except for one have those plastic BB's in the check valves.

Oh, Balthazar's in Norway. He may not have access to those airsoft BB's.

I dont use them in my Exotica because for some reason they dont like to seal all the way all the time. Everything else has them though

[inino]

is everyone having this problem lately? there a thread just like this one a few threads down.

Yeah, everyone should replace those metal balls with airsoft BB's. All of my hookahs except for one have those plastic BB's in the check valves.

Oh, Balthazar's in Norway. He may not have access to those airsoft BB's.

I dont use them in my Exotica because for some reason they dont like to seal all the way all the time. Everything else has them though

ya ive noticed that too, in some hookahs they work great, but in some they cause leaks.

[GreatPigHookah]

ya ive noticed that too, in some hookahs they work great, but in some they cause leaks.

Have you tried swapping balls? Those things aren't very uniform sometimes. You can rub them on some fine sandpaper if they have a parting line or flashing, but since they come in a package of a bazzillion, I just swap my balls out with some that are more uniform and round. heh heh.

It may just be the way the port is shaped and the size of the ball, though.