Analysis of the Black Gunk on Atomizer Coils

[surbitonPete]

Pete, maybe the question should be,
what the hell are you vaping ?

Exo I used to vape various TW flavours.....then when I got the lady pipe I decided to try only using the Janty juice...I am expecting some of that new Ecopure to arrive tomorrow....still hoping I might find a juice that changes my luck.

[OldBiker]

I haven't been at this that long, but from what I've read and a little personal experience it sounds like you're running your atomizer dry. That or you've got the worst luck possible. I have had one atty die in 3 days, the only other one died after 29 days of almost continuous use. My wife's 1st atomizer is still working after 25 days. I feel for you being unemployed man, hope it gets better for you (and the rest of us!) soon.

[surbitonPete]

I haven't been at this that long, but from what I've read and a little personal experience it sounds like you're running your atomizer dry. That or you've got the worst luck possible. I have had one atty die in 3 days, the only other one died after 29 days of almost continuous use. My wife's 1st atomizer is still working after 25 days. I feel for you being unemployed man, hope it gets better for you (and the rest of us!) soon.

Hi oldbiker ...if anything I am always overfilling and having problems with too much juice because I try to make sure I never run dry....to be honest now I am actually wondering if letting an atty keep running dry would be a better thing to do! .....thanks for the good wishes.

[exogenesis]

Interesting,
when running my 'autovaper' device, I make sure I'm not
supplying too much liquid, cos that seems to cause a bubbling toffee
effect, and builds up the gunk quicker - but 'chewier' gunk I think.

Maybe you should try relaxing the overfill a bit.

Sorry to hear about the unemployment,
truly hope things pick up for you.

[OldBiker]

I'm at a loss to explain it then, but like I said I haven't been at this long. Letting one run dry for long is a bad idea though, the element seems to need the e-juice to keep it cool enough not to burn the fibers inside it. I did exactly that with mine and it took quite a while to get rid of the burnt taste. Mine seem to work best at the point just b4 they flood.

[OldBiker]

Oh, BTW Thanx for all the good info guys.

[dedmonwakin]

What if the wick was dowsed in a flame retardant liquid and let to dry or using a $10.00 flame retardant fabric from an oven mit with a resistance to 400 degrees. I'm not sure how much absorbency is lost, but as long as the fabric is rolled or woven, absorbency of liquid would still exist. Would this not prevent the wick from crisping like it does?

I realize the residue is also a contributing factor to the gunk build up. But wouldn't this make atomizers last longer and make it easier to maintain?

[ISAWHIM]

Don't forget... the chemical entering the device can not be calculated from the deposits remaining. (Just because there is less Chlorine, does not translate into it not being from the water. The minerals suggest it is mostly water related, while the carbon/oxygen suggests it is tar/oils.)

Some things just stick better to carbon, and to heat-elements of specific ionic bonds. Other things refuse to stick.

The good news is... Anything stuck to the element, is not in our lungs.

You need to get a similar analysis of raw-fluid before use, listed as percentages of the volume. Compare the used level of liquid, to the deposits that remain, as the same percentages, and you can clearly state... "The heat element may remove up to X.XX% of elements X,Y,Z and will collect and carbonize up to X.XXmg of material in the process of vaporization." (You would have to dissect the whole device, and remove all traces by hand. ultimately, you should dissolve each separate known compound, to determine the true molecular volume, but that is a bit much. Save that for the FDA.)

So much for the whole, "Not breathing in carbon.", argument. (Though, it is obviously a lot less. Also being oxygenated, indicates that it is not completely carbonized.)

Being oxygenated should also indicate that an oxygen-stealing chemical, like peroxide, should assist in the removal of the deposits.

Minerals can not be avoided, as they are part of water, and most water-diluted materials that are not for medical use, or for scientific chemical use.

Where did you get an XPS? Like everyone has one in their garage!

Curiously... what deposits are along the inner walls of the mouth-piece and air-channel?

[exogenesis]

I did an analysis of relatively gently evaporated raw e-liquid
(same stuff as created the carbonised gunk) :
Analysis of the Black Gunk on Atomizer Coils

oxygen-stealing chemical, like peroxide

sorry, I don't wish to sound blunt, but H2O2 is rather a powerful oxygen giving molecule.


I'm swaying to the opinion than 'H2O2 boil-in-place' cleaining method helps
to remove gunk by the physical action of huge amounts of vigorous tiny bubbles.
But it might also chemically attack the gunk to some degree.
Plus the general 'cleansing' and colour bleaching effect it has on un-burnt
dirt & left-over liquid in the metal mesh & coil wick.

XPS instruments are just what I happen to work with,
so I could get these quick analyses done, while also checking some things
on the instrument that needed testing (in my own time I should add, just in case..)

I think anything after the coil (in air flow terms), just gets covered
in re-condensed e-liquid. Certainly I've seen that on my 'vaping test rig'
(that is for making gunked coils for testing removal ideas).

I get quite a layer of thick liquid built up on anything put in the vapour stream.
Comes of with a hot water wash though, so probably a good idea to wash out the mouthpiece
(or use a new one) now & again.

[bizzyb0t]

I don't understand very much chemistry, however I find these in depth threads on the chemicals and reactions with the atomizers and eliquids to be fascinating.

Is the consensus here that VG is better than PG for atomizer health? As in the VG doesn't polymerize into as hard a crust like the PG?

Thanks for going through the details and experimenting with this stuff.