Dead 801 atomizer - A closer look

[smonomo]

A three week old TW-801 atomizer suddenly went cold on me, I picked up my 5volt mod to take a puff, and nothing, completely dead.
I very carefully tried the Jaaxx method to fix it, but no go..

I took it apart, peeled away two layers of mesh to expose the ceramic bowl.
The coil running across the bowl was encased in a black sheath, looked like carbon to me.
I took a small pair of needle nose and gently squeezed the black sheath, the black stuff crumbled and fell away exposing a thin spring like wire coil, the wire was broken at one end, I don't think I broke it when squeezing the coil.

The black sheath?..thoughts?

I hate to lose an atomizer, but to be honest, I've been waiting for one to die so that I could take a close look at one and see what I'm dealing with.

I guess his brother is in similar shape, so I reckon I'm on thin ice right now.

btw, These two attys have been totally neglected, no cleaning, and had a rough first week of life. I need to get way more than 3 weeks out of an atty.

[Discraft]

Im curious what makes up the coil. My 801 giving me problems. Lasted about 2-3 weeks. I can see under the highbridge some kkinda string wick material.

[emus]

I direct drip and occasionally clean atties.
Mine have lasted several months so far.
Only atty I lost is the one I dropped on concrete.
I keep coil wet to minimize overheating and carbon buildup.

[Discraft]

Emus, do you use the high bridge or low bridge attys.

[breakfastchef]

Three weeks is a decent lifespan of an 801, particularly if you are using a higher voltage device. The black buildup is left-over, burned and dried debris from e-liquids you have vaped. They all look like that in as little as a week. Chances are you did not break the heating coil during the dissection, it was probably already broken.

The best way to deal with atomizers is to invest in a cheap multimeter. If you find an atomzer has no continuity, it is worth ptitching as no cleaning methods can correct a physical break in the wire. I have noted that a new 801 runs around 3.5 ohms. When the resistance reads over 10 or so ohms, it is FTD (fixin' to die). A sure sign that the resistance has increased is a reduction in vapor volume. When I have to work hard to get any type of vapor off an atomizer, more times than not, the resistance has risen two or three fold.

[emus]

Emus, do you use the high bridge or low bridge attys.

Been vaping over 1 year.
Use RN4081, M401 and 510.
All three have a lot of miles w/o problems.

Had one die when I dropped it.

[nubee]

The black stuff is most likely carbon....byproduct from the juice upon heating/vaping.

The break you describe, from what I've read and seen myself, seems to be the #1 cause of atty death.

The Nichrome wire (heater) oxidizes over time and that may contribute to the carbon build up but even a light bulb eventually quits.

I've not found or read anything other than HCl (do not use) that will break down the carbon.

PS - 3 weeks on 5v is pretty good life time too.

[Smooth Opervapor]

Three weeks is a decent lifespan of an 801

My RN4081 from puresmoker has lasted me since March. I hardly clean atty and I drip daily on atty and cart. I've had one battery die and that is the only causality since I started vaping.

[emus]

The black stuff is most likely carbon....byproduct from the juice upon heating/vaping.

The break you describe, from what I've read and seen myself, seems to be the #1 cause of atty death.

The Nichrome wire (heater) oxidizes over time and that may contribute to the carbon build up but even a light bulb eventually quits.

I've not found or read anything other than HCl (do not use) that will break down the carbon.

PS - 3 weeks on 5v is pretty good life time too.

I don't understand how HCl can break down carbon?

I know from experience that an extended dry burn can form and/or dislodge some carbon. I save this knowledge for last resort cleaning.

[smonomo]

I direct drip and occasionally clean atties.
Mine have lasted several months so far.
Only atty I lost is the one I dropped on concrete.
I keep coil wet to minimize overheating and carbon buildup.

WOW!!!

umm..

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occasionally clean atties.

Share technique?