Burning Taste --POLL-- discussion

[imsewsure]

I watched the Fluval re-fill video and noticed when he put the little straw in it (I had never seen a reference to that before). I searched the boards and couldn't find out is the straw for refilling or do you keep it in there all the time to help the filler wick better?

Also, does it have to be cut (tapered) at the bottom or would flat work? Actually, I think I realize now why you want to taper it...otherwise it would just sit flat at the bottom of the cart. Next question is could I use an old ink pen tube or coffee stir stick? How thin should it be?

[Babachoo]

I watched the Fluval re-fill video and noticed when he put the little straw in it (I had never seen a reference to that before). I searched the boards and couldn't find out is the straw for refilling or do you keep it in there all the time to help the filler wick better?

He keeps it in there, but be careful because burning that straw while you vape would be very very bad.

[Babachoo]

Also, does it have to be cut (tapered) at the bottom or would flat work? Actually, I think I realize now why you want to taper it...otherwise it would just sit flat at the bottom of the cart. Next question is could I use an old ink pen tube or coffee stir stick? How thin should it be?

Personally, if you're absolutely set on trying it, I'd say get a 12 to 16 guage syringe needle , leave the tapered cut and cut or grind the other end down to the desired length.

EDIT: I meant to add that this is not only a desirable size, but it's a thousand times safer than a non-metallic straw. Keep your lungs healthy. Oh and for easy to find syringes and needles, find your nearest Tractor Supply store and look in the medicine aisle.

[surbitonPete]

I watched the Fluval re-fill video and noticed when he put the little straw in it (I had never seen a reference to that before). I searched the boards and couldn't find out is the straw for refilling or do you keep it in there all the time to help the filler wick better?

The straw helps with the wicking and the refilling by letting air in and out and is left in there all the time.

[Speedikeys]

I don't get a burning taste, but only when I lung inhale (as opposed to mouth inhale), I would sometimes get a slight melting plastic taste. Definitely not a burned popcorn taste as someone described it.

When it was happening, I took the cart off and just held the button down while I looked at the atty. The atty smoked a little and started to get red for a second and I turned it off. While I did that, I smelled the atty and that was definitely the taste/smell I was experiencing.

Whether it was primer in the atty or the atty wasn't wicking properly or the cart was too dry, I don't know. I just know that now that all the primer is gone and I'm keeping my carts topped off and using the straw in my carts, I don't get that melting plastic taste/smell anymore.

[imsewsure]

I have a coffee filter in my cig right now and it's working like a champ. I put a little straw in there as well (a coffee stirrer is all I could get my hands on right now) but I cut it shorter than the cartridge and it's off to the side so no worries of it melting. So far no burning taste and no excess liquid in my mouth...it's great!!

[testerjtester]

I suspect that there is a lot of confusion around this issue because "burning taste" might actually mean different things to different people - it's nobody's fault, but writing about smell is like painting about taste.

There's the taste that tells you your cart is getting dry, I'd call it a hot plastic taste. I don't think this is much different across e-cig models. I think this would be widely accepted as normal.

There's an escalation of the first taste, which tends to negate the juice flavor, more unpleasant than the first. I call it a soapy taste. This is what you get when there are polyfill fibers stuck to the atomizer bridge and are heating up as you vape. Still pretty standard, and easily corrected - remove the fibers and puff right through it.

Then there's the apparently controversial burning, plastic, chemical spill, electrical fire taste that comes from letting a 510 atomizer get too dry. This one is unmistakable, horrific rather than merely unpleasant, and will sear the lungs if allowed to.

I'm assuming the poll is about this last one... is it?

I'm also more than a little concerned that a new user might be scared away from trying the 510 due to the volume of complaints about this taste, when some of the volume may be attributed to something else entirely that is completely normal, and when most of the rest can be avoided by keeping the atomizer soaked well enough in juice to avoid burning off the inner wick.

I'm not saying that this isn't a problem, and I'm not saying that it's not perfectly understandable to find oneself experiencing what I would call the burning taste... I guess what I am saying is, be aware that there could be multiple very different symptoms that could be getting lumped together here, and that the symptom that I believe is the worst can easily be avoided with a little care.

There are anecdotes on both sides as to whether an atomizer that has experienced the burning taste can be recovered. But best not to let it get to that point - if you lose one or two before you know how to avoid it, chalk it up to experience, and go enjoy your 510.

Tim

[mamu]

I'm also more than a little concerned that a new user might be scared away from trying the 510 due to the volume of complaints about this taste, when some of the volume may be attributed to something else entirely that is completely normal, and when most of the rest can be avoided by keeping the atomizer soaked well enough in juice to avoid burning off the inner wick.

I've been thinking along those same lines, too.

The burnt taste issues happen either with my error in correctly using the e-cig or a defective atty. We all go through a learning curve so to speak.

When you are getting a burnt taste, check the following:
1) Check the filler in the cart and if it has dried out, even if only the very top portion has dried out, top off with liquid.

2) Check to ensure that the filler fibers have not been singed. This has happened to me a few times. Evidently a portion of the filler fibers had been resting against a very hot portion of the atty and got singed. Either cut away the singed portion or get a new cart.

3) If you are getting a "plasticy" type burnt taste, check to make sure you are using the correct cart for the atty. Check to make sure that the bottom portion of the cart is not resting against any part of the bridge of the atty. I had an atty once where the bridge was way off center and the edges of the cart were being singed by the bridge.

Another "plasticy" taste is when the wick of the atty protrudes out from under the bridge. You may want to consider just tossing this atty or sending for a replacement if it's still under the warranty.

4) If using a freshly cleaned atty, or an atty that you've blown the excess liquid out of, or if you suspect the atty is dry always drip a few drops directly on the bridge before vaping. The atty must always be kept moist when in use.

5) Check to make sure that the top portion of the filler of the cart is actually nesting into the bridge of the atty. You'll know this if there is a small dent in the top of the filler when you look at it. If the filler has gotten pushed down into the cart or is not level with the top of the cart, take some tweezers and pull the filler back to the top of the cart. If the filler won't stay in place and keeps getting pushed down into the cart, simply replace the filler or get a new cart.

6) If any of the above is not the problem and you're still getting a burnt taste, pop in a new cart that has been filled with your favorite liquid or change out your atty and see if that helps.

That's all I can think of.
Hope this helps.

[towardsthelight]

The burning taste you are experiencing is the nylon wick around the atomizer element. It ususally means that the cartridge is too dry. If this wick burns away your atomizer will not function well if at all. Try to keep the cartridge wet near the atomizer at all times. You can do this by topping off frequently.

Kevin

Yes, I am very new to this (only a week) but I have noticed that if I instantly stop vaping when the taste starts & add a few drops, the burnt taste disappears. I have the VX2 from Shawn at Litecig and these carts hold quite a bit but it seems they have to because of the vapor the little things crank out. I've also noticed that if I vape/draw more slowly (this thing takes a very delicate & slow draw to get good vapor), I have less chance of the burnt taste occurring. I think if you draw too fast, it overheats the atty & fries out the cartridge to quick.

[DaveB]

I vape a Dura (510) I get a burning metal taste which does irritate my mouth and throat.
It seems to happen when the atomizer gets to hot and dry. This cant be good for you. Ether way, i do not like it and the Dura is now on the bench.