Super bubble-y

I kinda feel like my blog has turned into a DIY blog lately with all my sewing and etc. but, hey, I'm handy, so it is what it is.  

This is another of my projects and I think a few moms out there will be pumped about it.  

Zac's sister Sue gave us a fantastic bubbler for the side of Ford's crib.  The only issue, things aren't so fab and bubbly when you are only half-full.  I knew there had to be a way to fix it.  And, as I've said in the past, what I lack in know-how, I make up for in stubbornness.  I WOULD fix this!

First step, as you probably figured, was to take off the back and look around at the guts of this thing to see what's what.  

This is what the bubbler looks like inside.  You can see the wires and the motion arms and, in the lower left hand corner of the picture, you see the pump mechanism.  

I figured, go to the pump, that's where the tubes go, the tubes hold the water.  You can see in the picture there are 2 bigger screws holding the pump down, then 4 small screws that hold the pump together.  I took all that apart.  

As you can see, the pump slides right apart.  On the right side was a diaphragm suction thing.  Looks like the kind you'd see on a breast pump, but smaller.  

On the left side you can sealed hole at the top, and a flap at the bottom.  The two parts of the pump can't be taken very far apart, so this is when it kind of became a pain.  

Anyway, that flap thing folds up, and there is a small hole underneath it.  That's where the water goes.  I knew it would be a disaster if I didn't get the water directly to the line, so I called up my cousin (a nurse) and got lucky cause she was working and could get me a syringe and needle that day.  

I had a 60 cc syringe and a 21g needle and it worked perfectly.  I mixed filtered water with a little bit of bleach to prevent anything from growing inside the bubbler.  I figured after all that effort, algae would just really piss me off.  So I filled my syringe and pushed all the air out.  

Next, fold up that little flap, insert the needle and fill SLOWLY!  I found this out the hard way.  I would also recommend paper towels or a dish towel under the pump as you fill because the water will end up between the plastic front of the bubbler and it's fully encapsulated water system and then you will have some water spots on the inside of the plastic baby looks at...lets call it the "viewing window."  Like I say, learned the hard way.  

As I filled the tube (and you will see it fill) I would have to stop, let the flap fold back, and stand up the bubbler to let the water move down into the "viewing window."  Again, have something down over the rest of the internal mechanics of this bubbler because as the water moves down, the air moves up and will spit some water back out.   

You just keep repeating this process until you are satisfied with the fullness of your bubbler. 

This is mine after the fact.

He is super bubbly now.

 If you don't have a nurse friend/family member, I would check with your local vet.  They use lots of 60cc syringes and would probably let ya buy one.  If you are local, I would probably refill yours for the low cost of a coke-float.  Pregnancy craving.  Whatcha gonna do?