having problems with my new mistking

[Paintedlady]

Hi, ok so I've followed all the instructions and I've set up my mistking, it's been running for about two weeks now. I make sure to fill up the reservoir everyday. But the past two days it seems like my three nozzles are more "spitting" and squirting, rather than the fine mist they started out with. Anyone have this problem before and what did you do to fix it? I've tried removing the output and input tubes and let them run for a few seconds ( one tube removed at a time) and then plugged them back in but it doesn't seem to have improved it by much. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a "self-help' section on the mistking website to help you out when you need to work out the kinks Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[Mr Wilson]

Hi, ok so I've followed all the instructions and I've set up my mistking, it's been running for about two weeks now. I make sure to fill up the reservoir everyday. But the past two days it seems like my three nozzles are more "spitting" and squirting, rather than the fine mist they started out with. Anyone have this problem before and what did you do to fix it? I've tried removing the output and input tubes and let them run for a few seconds ( one tube removed at a time) and then plugged them back in but it doesn't seem to have improved it by much. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a "self-help' section on the mistking website to help you out when you need to work out the kinks Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Do you have the regulator valve hooked up? If you do sometimes under pressure it tends to move closed (at least in my case). Every once in a while i need to open it back up a little. If your not using R/O water it may also form a calcium like deposit in or on the nozzle which can cause it to not mist properly. In this case try soaking just the nozzle in a vinegar/ warm water mixture for about 15-20 min. i use a 2 parts vinegar to 1 part water ratio (only had to do this once and it ended up being just the valve anyway) hope that helps you

 

[Paintedlady]

Do you have the regulator valve hooked up? If you do sometimes under pressure it tends to move closed (at least in my case). Every once in a while i need to open it back up a little. If your not using R/O water it may also form a calcium like deposit in or on the nozzle which can cause it to not mist properly. In this case try soaking just the nozzle in a vinegar/ warm water mixture for about 15-20 min. i use a 2 parts vinegar to 1 part water ratio (only had to do this once and it ended up being just the valve anyway) hope that helps you

I know I'm going to sound silly but I have an extra part that came with it and I have no idea where it goes I figured out the zip drip valve no problem but the regulator ( which I'm guessing what that extra part is, it's got a blue turn valve of sorts?), I tried to find videos or pictures of where it goes but had no luck

 

[Mr Wilson]

I know I'm going to sound silly but I have an extra part that came with it and I have no idea where it goes I figured out the zip drip valve no problem but the regulator ( which I'm guessing what that extra part is, it's got a blue turn valve of sorts?), I tried to find videos or pictures of where it goes but had no luck

Sounds like what im talking about. Mine's black but same concept. If its not installed on the system you can rule that out. the purpose of it is to be able to raise and lower the misting pressure. Mistking pumps are pretty powerful and many times can spray more outside the cage then in. Using the valve you can lower the pressure being released by the nozzle's to mist just everything inside the cage. A lot of users avoid cutting the lines and fitting the valve, and put up plastic sheathing to block overspray. Either way will work to keep your place clean the valve would have to be installed between the pump and the nozzles within reach depending on how many cages are being misted

 

[Paintedlady]

Sounds like what im talking about. Mine's black but same concept. If its not installed on the system you can rule that out. the purpose of it is to be able to raise and lower the misting pressure. Mistking pumps are pretty powerful and many times can spray more outside the cage then in. Using the valve you can lower the pressure being released by the nozzle's to mist just everything inside the cage. A lot of users avoid cutting the lines and fitting the valve, and put up plastic sheathing to block overspray. Either way will work to keep your place clean the valve would have to be installed between the pump and the nozzles within reach depending on how many cages are being misted

oh ok! thanks for letting me know how that works I was wondering, using filtered/bottled water can run up expenssive around here, do you think if I treat the water with reptile water conditioner, (the same way you would to make it softer/safer for reptiles to drink) think that could work in preventing calcium deposits and clogging in my tubes? ( trying to think cheaper alternatives to bottled water since I have a melleri and they need a lot more water from what I've been reading online

 

[Mario22]

I dont have a mistking but make sure none on the lines are kinked or have any restrictions. Also to me it sounds it might not even be the nozzles at all. Sounds like the pump is losing pressure

 

[Paintedlady]

I dont have a mistking but make sure none on the lines are kinked or have any restrictions. Also to me it sounds it might not even be the nozzles at all. Sounds like the pump is losing pressure

I think you might be right and I don't even know how to fix it I've tried soaking the nozzles in the vinegar warm water mix and it didn't do anything, seems now it's even worst! one of them is not shooting water anymore at all and the other one is fizzling more than anything else, I've followed all the instructions and it was working fine for the past week,why is it giving out on me already?

 

[pyr]

could be air in your lines u can bleed the air out by removing the hose to the first nozzle in line and turn the pump on till it starts spewing out water then connect the line to nozzle.

 

[Mario22]

Idk I mean for the amount of money you should get a quality product. Thats why I built mine for $20. But I mean sometimes pumps just go bad for no reason you should still have.a warranty . Contact mistking

 

[Mr Wilson]

Mistking is a quality product! Just as good and usually better then any do it your self projects out there, unfortunately just not as cheep. If there is a malfunction with the pump or any part in the system, im sure they will do whatever they can to resolve the problem. Have you tried priming the pump properly? might be the problem

 

[Mr Wilson]

this Is what im thinking.

Step 1.
make sure all the lines are connected properly to pump/T's/nozzles. Just give the line a nice pull to make sure.

Step 2.
Try re-priming the pump. take a BIG glass of water and put the hose thats feeding the pump into it. Raise the glass ABOVE the pump so gravity will assist in the priming. turn on the pump until a mist starts.If a mist does start re connect the hose to the water bucket and run for a few min to maintain pressure.

 

[Paintedlady]

this Is what im thinking.

Step 1.
make sure all the lines are connected properly to pump/T's/nozzles. Just give the line a nice pull to make sure.

Step 2.
Try re-priming the pump. take a BIG glass of water and put the hose thats feeding the pump into it. Raise the glass ABOVE the pump so gravity will assist in the priming. turn on the pump until a mist starts.If a mist does start re connect the hose to the water bucket and run for a few min to maintain pressure.

Thanks for the tip! Marty did respond to my message very quickly too when I explained my situation. I will have to play around with it some more today. I think maybe my problem is that both my reservoir and my pump are on the floor side by side and the cage is about three feet above both of them? I'm also looking into a R/O system on ebay, just not sure how those work though I figured in the long run it would be a cheaper alternative instead of buying bottled water all the time.

 

[Mario22]

So you are saying that mistking's pump is not able to mist properly because the cage is 3 feet above? LOL yeah definately not buying a mistking then.

 

[Paintedlady]

So you are saying that mistking's pump is not able to mist properly because the cage is 3 feet above? LOL yeah definately not buying a mistking then.

No I think the problem is that because the pump and the reservoir are side by side, according to mistking, my reservoir is supposed to be up higher than my pump so I'm going to have to move some stuff around to try to fix that problem and hopefully *fingers crossed* it won't give me anymore grief.

 

[Stanly]

I have my reservoir below my pump and it does fine once it's primed, I do use RO water now because tap water clogged my nozzles/zip drip valve.

Have you cleaned the zip drip valve (or even tried it with out it )? Also try priming it.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

Mine is side by side and about 2 feet below the top of cage. IDK, I would think Marty would be adamant about making sure your system is working properly. Not only for you but for your chams

 

[Mario22]

Mine is side by side and about 2 feet below the top of cage. IDK, I would think Marty would be adamant about making sure your system is working properly. Not only for you but for your chams

Yeah if not replacing the pump at least taking the time and take her step by step.

 

[jakeg]

Does your local grocery story have filtered bottle yourself water? Most of the stores down here in So Cal have filtered water machies for 25 cents a gallon. My mist king uses about 4 gallons a week, so about 4 dollars a month for clean filtered water. I bought a 5 gallon bucket from HOme depot as my water reservoir and just take that to the store and fill it up, works perfect.

 

[Paintedlady]

I have my reservoir below my pump and it does fine once it's primed, I do use RO water now because tap water clogged my nozzles/zip drip valve.

Have you cleaned the zip drip valve (or even tried it with out it )? Also try priming it.

No I haven't tried it without the zip drip, but I'm hoping that's not the issue because I did pay to have it along with the pump

 

[Paintedlady]

Does your local grocery story have filtered bottle yourself water? Most of the stores down here in So Cal have filtered water machies for 25 cents a gallon. My mist king uses about 4 gallons a week, so about 4 dollars a month for clean filtered water. I bought a 5 gallon bucket from HOme depot as my water reservoir and just take that to the store and fill it up, works perfect.

We have bottled water but they are not that cheap and rarely go on sale, also the issue that I don't have a car so buying those big jugs would be a real hassle to drag back, not to mention a pain in my back :S