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About LinkBacksCell, I'm not the one doing this. This is what Terraphon describes in his process.Originally Posted by Cellmeister
I don't see many surviving this process either.
Cell, I'm not the one doing this. This is what Terraphon describes in his process.
I don't see many surviving this process either.
If you'd like to do that, by all means go ahead. I don't currently own a pen style and the only atomizer I have that's assembled is the one I made the video with.
This is why I stepped forward and asked others to step up to the plate and do some testing. I don't have the parts to do it with.
This is what I know, though.
1) I was sent 3 atomizers. 2 dead, 1 in v-fib.
2) I completely wrecked one of them and took it apart to see how they tick...We'll call that an autopsy. I learned a LOT from that process.
3) Of the 2 remaining, 1 was cold and the other was making such little vapor that it could hardly be detected.
4) I got the DOA atomizer working with a cola bath and some scraping.
5) I got the dying atomizer to work with a cola bath and the hot coil / cold water thing.
Here, I've handed out all of the tools. Now it's time for people to do work.
You may not see it but I know the one I worked survived it just fine.
Also, I'm assuming you're not familiar with nichrome...based on your statement...
You are 100% correct, I've never worked with nichrome other replacing dryer elements. LOL
I did see that one has survived your method and congrats. I just don't think the extreme temp changes on electrical parts being a great method. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it's working.
I have 4 pen atomizers but never had one fail yet, 2 of them working for the past 4 months now. I see them as disposables if they do fail.
Nichrome is GREAT at handling rapid temperature changes.
It's what it does
1 year life span of an atomizer??
Phil--Many of us find a statement that an atomizer that gets heavily used and lasts one full year to be plausable---you report it, and I would love to see it, but that is really hard to accept for many Members. I know you are in the business and sell a good product, but IMO, that is like saying I can get 400,000 miles on a set of tires--the reported posts here time and time again show, with some exceptions, that an atomizer lasting over a month is considered a great life span before "alleged demise"--as for six months or for that matter a year as you report with heavy use, again is just not viable. I wish it was and with the advent of Terraphon's research and methods, we are headed in the right direction to making atomizers "non-consumables"---Sun
Terraphon,
Thsi is really cool and great information. I don;t have a pen either, but I do have a 901 atomizer that while not cold, is definitely fridgid. I am wondering if it is necessary to take the atomizer apart in your opinion - i don't have the gear or the patience. Or the skill, I probabloy should have started there. I am going to get some club soda tonite and try it out, but let me know if you think it will be a waste of time if I don;t take the atomizer apart.
No Need to take apart
Fatman--No need to take apart as Terraphon states, just give it bath and heat it up good, then reprime and give it go---Sun
Yep very well said Sun
Oops., I missed that! Thanks.
WARNING : WALL OF TEXT, INCOMING!
TL;DR at the end.
I am actually somewhat under the impression that Phil is correct, here.
While I wouldn't say that people's atomizers have been neglected I would say that it seems a proper, wide-spread care and maintenance program hasn't been created and established.
I think that with the information we're coming up with now we'll be able to create such a program and dramatically extend the life of our "consumables".
I have to agree with Phil when he says that keeping the atomizer wet is absolutely vital to slowing or stopping the build-up of gunk. I am sure that most people don't (knowingly / intentionally) let their atomizers run dry but I think we have to look at how they work to understand how the problem arises.
The atomizer is a simple concept but is fairly complex in practice. We have to remember that even when we have a wet cartridge in the atomizer, we can still have a dry atomizer coil, just based on physics.
Because the coil heats up it is the part that we have to pay attention to. It is the part that can go dry and start crusting up.
Here, I've made a diagram with >9000 hours in MSPaint. I ain't exactly da Vinci but it's all there.
Now we have to look at how this works.
When the cartridge is inserted, the fiber stuffing comes in contact with the wire mesh at the top and the fluid begins wicking out. If you drip, skip the fiber part...the liquid simply enters the mesh. The mesh completely surrounds the entire atomizer - I cut it away in the picture for the sake of visibility. (This is why it's possible to fill the battery...the liquid can actually wick all the way through the atomizer because of it being surrounded by the mesh. Once it does it can leak into the battery, through the atomizer. This is a critical design flaw which can be remedied if the manufacturers look into the issue)
As the liquid wicks through the mesh it begins to pool in the pot and fills the wick which is surrounded by the coil.
When the coil heats up it flash-evaporates the juice which creates the vapor we all know and love.
If, however, the e-cig is being hit hard enough it is possible to run the wick and coil dry while there's still a full cart. This will be evidenced by the times that you're vaping away and see a drop-off in vapor then let the e-cig sit for a minute or two and start getting good vapor again. This means that you've run the coil dry and it's taken some time for the liquid to wick back through the mesh and into the pot / coil. This is the same reason we should always wait for a bit before hitting our e-cigs if we've left the atomizer to drain or it is otherwise dried out. We have to give it some time for the juice to wick in to the coil.
If this happens repeatedly, this is when we will start seeing buildup and gumming of the atomizer. Due to this it is important that we make sure the COIL stays wet. If it starts to drop off in vapor we need to back off for a bit and let the pot refill.
Even if we do this we should expect that residue is going to build up over time. Due to this we need to make sure that we clean the atomizer regularly. As Sun said, I think this is what the "cleaning cycle" is for...it just doesn't work like it should.
I would think that the steps recommended on Phil's site (e-Smokey Treats - Welcome) for regular maintenance would work pretty well.
Here's a paste from his tips and tricks section. I think these tips are tops (ok, yeah, that was lame...shut up)
I'll be getting an ultrasonic cleaner...I can pretty much guarantee that if an atomizer is left to soak in one of those, overnight, about once a week the only thing that could possibly make it fail would be a physical defect.Tips & Tricks
If your atomizer starts to be difficult to draw on or is producing less vapor you might need to clean it out.
Atomizer Cleaning:
(DO NOT LET THE ATOMIZER SIT FOR HOURS TO DRY OUT! THIS CAN CAUSE CORROSION IN THE ATOMIZER AND SHORTEN ITS LIFE SPAN)
Method #1 (the Preferred method)
1. Remove the battery and cartridge from the atomizer
2. Blow in the battery end of the atomizer to clear all the old liquid out (you may want to have paper towel handy to catch the liquid as it comes out of the mouthpiece end)
3. Set the atomizer in a pan full of water and bring the water to a boil slowly, let the atomizer boil for 30 seconds to a minute then remove from the heat.
4. Let the atomizer cool
5. Blow the water out of the atomizer from the battery end (use the paper towel again to avoid making a mess)
6. Prime the atomizer with either a fresh cartridge or a drop of e-liquid
7. Let the atomizer sit for about 10 minutes and then take a few drags to make sure that all is working well again.
Method #2
1. Soak the atomizer in a mixture of 50% warm water and 50% white distilled vinegar for approximately 1 hour. (you may want to swish the atomizer around in this solution a little to improve cleaning)
2. Rinse the Atomizer out, the best way to do that is to run warm (almost to warm to touch) tap water through the atomizer with the water entering the mouthpiece. Run water through the atomizer for a couple of minutes and then blow the atomizer out. When you blow the atomizer out plug the center hole on the bottom of the atomizer (at the battery end) with a pencil eraser and blow the water trapped in the atomizer out. (do not use any form of compressed air as this may damage the atomizer)
3. Repeat the rinsing and the blowing out of the atomizer several times.
4. Use a hair dryer set on low heat to dry out the atomizer the rest of the way.
5. Place a fresh cartridge in the atomizer and let it sit with the mouthpiece up for 20 minutes or more.(this allows some of the liquid nicotine to seep back into the atomizer so that you don’t burn it up) Or if you have e-liquid you can just add a drop or two to the atomizer.
6. Once the atomizer has been primed (there is liquid in the reservoir) you can start using it as usual.
You may also soak the atomizer in a sonic cleaner with the same mixture.
TL;DR - Clean your atomizers, make sure they stay nice and moist, if they weaken, give them a cola bath and go from there.
Last edited by Terraphon; 03-09-2009 at 09:52 PM. Reason: my lord, typos
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