Manufacturers/Suppliers: What's in my atomizer?

[jarvis]

It's definitely some kind of synthetic fiber. I've taken apart atomizers of both pen styles and super minis that were producing the classic burnt e-cig taste and found a little charred ball where the fiber used to be. And I think we should be worried about the fumes produced by it gradually degrading. Sure it might not be a lot of toxic fumes we're inhaling, but a little bit spread out could add up! I can imagine that when someone in America does research on the safety of e-cigs and finds that there is a synthetic fiber intertwined in a heating coil that burns up occasionally it won't bode well for the future of e-cigs.
See the black lump under the coil (F), that's the fiber.

[Kate]

It's a bit of a concern if that is what is happening in all atomisers. I don't like the idea of something degrading and leeching into my vapour. I wonder if the burned taste is a warning that we should discard an atomiser.

I was just looking at this page - Home of Poi lessons - How to make your own gear> Fire Poi> What to use as wick? It's about materials that can be used as wicks for fire dancing equipment. It seems that kevlar degrades at high temperatures but glass fibre doesn't.

[ChaoticMoira]

Originally Posted by Kate

I wonder if the burned taste is a warning that we should discard an atomiser.

This hasn't happened to me yet! KNOCK ON WOOD!!!

But when/IF it does, I will definitely consider it a sign to move to a new atomizer now that I know this info.

[SmokingInTexas]

I don't understand what is wrong with the steel-wool material that they use to wick the fluid down into the atomizer coil? If it can withstand the heat being NEXT to the coil, wouldn't it function the same in the center of the coil?

[leaford]

There are fibers inside the wire mesh wick, too.

[trog100]

Originally Posted by SmokingInTexas

I don't understand what is wrong with the steel-wool material that they use to wick the fluid down into the atomizer coil? If it can withstand the heat being NEXT to the coil, wouldn't it function the same in the center of the coil?

it has to be none electrically conductive.. think of a measured length of simple resistor wire in a straight line..

the length of the wire governs the resistance.. the resistance governs the current drawn from the battery the longer the piece of wire the greater the electrical resistance.. the greater the resistance the less current is drawn from the battery..

the length of the resistor wire is worked out to draw the correct current.. just like a light bulb.. hot enough to do the job but no hotter than it has to be..

this measured length piece of wire is then wound into a coil.. no loops in the coil must touch any other loops.. if the loops do touch as they do sometimes.. the wire in essence get shorter.. the whole lot passes too much current gets too hot and burns out..

when u know how it works its pretty obvious why the wire wool cannot be allowed to touch the heater coil..

until i dug deeper into how these things work i assumed atomizers died because the delicate little heater coil burnt out.. i didnt know about the wick.. when they cease to work at all it is because of this.. and in the end the coil will burn out..

the performance drop off is the wick stuff thats knackered.. these things are disposable its as simple as that.. there is no way of making them not be..

trog

[jigtg]

My wild guess would be silica(Silicon dioxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), same stuff used to make fiberglass. See Fiberglass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . See Silicon dioxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and Silicon dioxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .

Wonder where could I get that "steel wool". Normal steel wool is too fine and looks like it contains too much cole... It actually burns.

Kevlar cannot survive that kind of temperatures. Various minerals can...

Metals obviously cannot be used because they conduct electricity.

[SmokingInTexas]

OK. I get that it should'nt/couldn't be conductive if the coil is bare wire.

However, you COULD use a non-conductive material between the two, or find something with "wicking" properties that is non-conductive and can take the heat. Since I haven't actually had one fail yet, I haven't torn one apart to see for myself.

Trog, is there a way to disassemble an atomizer without destroying it? If I could get into the thing (non-destructively) then I could play with it more. I think it would be really cool to make a transparent atomizer (using heat resistant tubing) so you could witness what is going on with atomization and liquid transfer. I realize that the vapor would obscure a lot, but it'd still be cool as hell, and it doesn't sound hard to pull off.

[Nazareth]

loongtotems have no fiber in the coils- taken a couple apart now, and haven't seen any such fiber- however, not real sure that the long strip of 'fabric' is that wraps the coil in the loong atomizer, & this 'fabric' (which holds the liquid) does burn (and hte inhaled fumes both scorch the throat, and are quite rough in the lungs when they really burn badly). Thios 'fabric' will even burn when wet- I'm not surehow toxic this 'fabric' is when burned (almost anythign is toxic when burned), but it is concerning. I try to keep the cartridges well saturated with liquid to try to prevent the burning, and when the cartridge becomes 'gummed-up', I just pop a new one in- I've had a few cartridges scorch my throat and was quite unpleasant in lungs, & do try to avoid doing this now and throw cart out before it happens

[trog100]

Trog, is there a way to disassemble an atomizer without destroying it? If I could get into the thing (non-destructively) then I could play with it more. I think it would be really cool to make a transparent atomizer (using heat resistant tubing) so you could witness what is going on with atomization and liquid transfer. I realize that the vapor would obscure a lot, but it'd still be cool as hell, and it doesn't sound hard to pull off.

u can tap them out.. i have tapped out cigar and pipe ones.. they are pretty fiddly things and need special small chinese (fiddly) hands to work on.. he he he

they dont do much while in operation just sizzle and and glow a bit if its dark enough.. a small smoke cloud forms around them not lot to see to be honest..

they are just a tight push fit in the stainless steel tube we think of as the atomizer.. cigar ones are the best to play with if u want to.. both atomizer and pressure switch can be driven out and stay in one piece still connected up.. they are also bigger

with a normal e cig the pressure switch is in the battery..

trog