? Dangerous - Help!

[Bugsy]

Hello there to everyone. I am a newbie e-cig user and have a few concerns. I bought a DSE103 online with 50 18mg prefilled cartrudegs. My initial concerns are :

I can produce smoke ( not vapour ) by placing the cigarette, with atomizer attached but with no cartridge attached, in my mouth and inhaling. Smoke seems to be produced therefore just by the heating up of the atomizer element, which in my model, is a small potruding 'v'-shape at one end of the atomizer. Am I breathing in combusted products of the atomizer element?

The atomizer element potrudes into the wadding in normal usage and heats up. The wadding is a synthetic plastic / polyester ( ? ). In my experience if you heat up a plastic of any kind noxious fumes are produced. Am I breathing in noxious plastic fumes?

There is a lingering burnt odour in my room when I use my e-cig so I am persuaded that I am breathing in stuff other than the intended atomized nicotine mixture. I would welcome some views and if it is safe to continue to use my e-cig. I understand the argument that traditional cigarettes are very dangerous but breathing in plastic fumes can be equally carcinogenic.

Thanks

[Phalse]

See the thing is you are not supposed to run them dry.

*some atomizers have a primer you want to remove that primer by heating it up but you don't want to heat it up and burn the cart, you just want to burn off the primer*
If the new atomizers do have a primer vape it but try not to inhale a few times *with liquid in there* and burn off the primer. When the smell is gone vape a few more times and try not to inhale to make sure the primer is gone. After thats burnt off (if it even has a primer on it not all do) the vape will be just your liquid.

Yep they will heat up if dry and start to burn the plastic around them. The heat would start to melt the poly fiber fill.

Yes this stuff is toxic if burning like any burning plastic. I would throw away that cart, throw away the atomizer to if possible or return it for another.
If the atomizer doesnt smell bad you could just use it again or try cleaning it and using it. If the smell on the atomizer is bad, throw it away or return for a new one.

Next time you start up the cig make sure the cart is wet, the wetness will keep the stuff from smoking and burning the plastic, it will drop the temp of the whole unit by dozens or 100's of degrees.

[e-pipeman]

When you get a new atomiser it tends to come "primed" with factory liquid. You are probably smoking that off. Unless you are dripping onto your atomiser with e-liquid do not use your e-cig without a cart at this stage - you could easily burn your atomiser out.

You need to get some e-liquid and some glycerine. There are detailed instructions on using these on the forum.

There have been many discussions about safety on here. Rather than rehash them I'd suggest you search on "safety" - you'll find a lot to read.

[Phalse]

yep pipe man is correct.

I was just not sure if you were running the pen testing for a long time dry, other parts like the cart filling and plastic around could be warped, burnt. That plastic smell could be perma etched into your atomizer if it was smoking around it.
I'm not sure how long you ran it or the damage done.

[shakey ceasefire]

Hey Bugsy:

The atomizers come with a primer fluid on them which will vape. That's the "smoke" you're getting. They do this to protect the heating coil, because the it will burn out if it gets too dry.

Also, the burnt taste/smell happens when the atomizer (and the steel mesh "V" shape that houses the heating element) gets too dry. As soon as you taste this, it's time for a fresh cart, or "direct drip" some eliquid onto the atomizer coil.

As for the polyester batting inside the cart... that should always be wet, or at least moist. An atomizer coil is not nearly as hot as an open flame, and as long as the batting is moist, it won't burn.

In short, keep it juiced up! It sounds like your burning your atomizer up...

Good luck!

[Bugsy]

Cheers for the tips! Yes I think I am burning atomizer up, oh dear. I keep the e-cig hanging in my mouth and puff on it fairly often as that's how I normally smoke and wanting to get the most from a cartridge I keep on at it till I think it's dead. Maybe I will get another e-cig as this one is maybe a bit duff! Speak again.

[Closet Toker]

Cheers for the tips! Yes I think I am burning atomizer up, oh dear. I keep the e-cig hanging in my mouth and puff on it fairly often as that's how I normally smoke and wanting to get the most from a cartridge I keep on at it till I think it's dead. Maybe I will get another e-cig as this one is maybe a bit duff! Speak again.

Stock cartridges only have approx. 2-3 "cigarettes" worth of vapor.
You must get eliquid to re-fill them.

[e-pipeman]

The DSE 103 is in my view a great little e-cig when it comes to vapour production.It has some disadvantages that I'll move on to in a minute, but don't give up on it yet!

Your problems seem to come from not having e-liquid or glycerine. I'd get hold of a bottle of glycerine from a pharmacy and add a drop to a cart. You'll get much more vapour and it will help to keep it wet for longer.

Disadvantages with the 103? The carts are very small and fiddly. Removing carts from the mouthpiece is awkward - I top up by using an eye-dropper and aiming at the centre with 2 or 3 drops. You need to be in good light to see what you're doing, but removing the carts from the mouthpiece on these is fiddly. It can be done with a paperclip, but it's hard to get them securely back in again.

The other disadvantage is battery life, which in my view is poor. However the atomisers work very well on usb passthrough imho. As long as you top up regularly you'll get lots of vape!

Hope that helps.

[Bugsy]

Thanks e-pipeman, I will persevere! I'm reading through the posts to see if I can decide on another purchase too. Any recommendations re a good all round solid model, eliquid and supplier? Cheers.

[e-pipeman]

Thanks e-pipeman, I will persevere! I'm reading through the posts to see if I can decide on another purchase too. Any recommendations re a good all round solid model, eliquid and supplier? Cheers.

I am a great fan of the Evo from Intellicig. I get 8hrs battery life on mine and it chucks out vapour! There are some good videos on here about them. I'd recommend dealing with John at the UK site - he's a very nice chap. The Evo carts taste good, which is also a plus! Just my 2 pence.