TECH CORNER: XO2 B

The Importance of Agitation

We still get calls occasionally from folks that have installed a bed liner that isn’t curing as fast as it normally does. In most cases, this is because they haven’t agitated the XO2 “B” material before they poured it off.

The XO2 “B” is the activator for the XO2 system. The “B” component is a dark liquid that is used as a carrying agent so it will mix in with the XO2 easily. The activator is actually granules that are suspended in the liquid. If these granules are allowed to settle, then you are pouring off liquid without enough of the granule activator. That is why it is important to “shake/agitate well” before each use. In 5 gallon pails that means take the lid off and insert the large mix paddle and thoroughly stir.

Pouring off of the bottom of a pail that has not been agitated will result in too much activator and will greatly reduce pot life. If it has too high of a concentration of the activator it can cause the material to lose structural strength.

Moral of the story is “shake well before each use” and there will not be any problems with the XO2 “B”.