Maintaining items in storage

[Ed Brown]

Now that most of the stocking up is behind us, what would be a suitable procedure for maintaining items in storage?

For regulated mods, keeping them dry is probably all that is needed. But should the sealed wrap be removed to avoid condensation inside?

How about atomizers? I had a problem in removing the cap from a used rda after it was in storage for two years. Had to resort to using WD40 because the o-rings became adhered to the metal surfaces. I ruined the o-rings in the process. Would it make sense to go through and disassemble/reassemble things at certain time intervals? Should items be stored disassembled? Will o-rings become permanently compressed over time? Maybe put some vg on the o-rings for storage? Or should o-rings be removed? It's already been said that things should be cleaned/soaked before going into storage.

I have one rda that gets sticky while in use. I remove the cap about once a week, just so I can.

What do you do? What do you think?

 

[CloudyFutures]

Now that most of the stocking up is behind us, what would be a suitable procedure for maintaining items in storage?

For regulated mods, keeping them dry is probably all that is needed. But should the sealed wrap be removed to avoid condensation inside?

How about atomizers? I had a problem in removing the cap from a used RDA after it was in storage for two years. Had to resort to using WD40 because the o-rings became adhered to the metal surfaces. I ruined the o-rings in the process. Would it make sense to go through and disassemble/reassemble things at certain time intervals? Should items be stored disassembled? Will o-rings become permanently compressed over time? Maybe put some vg on the o-rings for storage? Or should o-rings be removed? It's already been said that things should be cleaned/soaked before going into storage.

I have one RDA that gets sticky while in use. I remove the cap about once a week, just so I can.

What do you do? What do you think?

I definitely agree. Especially with the O-Ring thing and removing caps. However, I never do it because most attys come with extra sets of orings.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

How about atomizers? I had a problem in removing the cap from a used RDA after it was in storage for two years. Had to resort to using WD40 because the o-rings became adhered to the metal surfaces. I ruined the o-rings in the process. Would it make sense to go through and disassemble/reassemble things at certain time intervals? Should items be stored disassembled? Will o-rings become permanently compressed over time? Maybe put some vg on the o-rings for storage? Or should o-rings be removed? It's already been said that things should be cleaned/soaked before going into storage.

This happens on brand new attys too, be they silicone or rubber orings. I bought many older model clearance tanks and they are all like that. Orings stick to the glass.

Also sometimes tanks can be hard to take apart.

Sure you can store disassembled, or you can just store loosened. In the case of press fit parts, just store disassembled.

But unless an atty has proprietary seals/orings, I don't worry about it becuase orings are easy to find online in any size you need at places like OringsandMore.com and OringStore.com.

But for proprietary seals and orings, best bet is to buy spares while you can. If you can't buy spares, that will be a bummer.

As far as using VG for lubricant storage, I shy away form this becuase I know that stainless steel tanks can rust. Found out from leaving them soak in water too long. I believe VG contains a small amount of H2O, no? If so, that would be bad. Not sure about PG.

 

[englishmick]

This happens on brand new attys too, be they silicone or rubber orings. I bought many older model clearance tanks and they are all like that. Orings stick to the glass.

Also sometimes tanks can be hard to take apart.

Sure you can store disassembled, or you can just store loosened. In the case of press fit parts, just store disassembled.

But unless an atty has proprietary seals/orings, I don't worry about it becuase orings are easy to find online in any size you need at places like OringsandMore.com and OringStore.com.

But for proprietary seals and orings, best bet is to buy spares while you can. If you can't buy spares, that will be a bummer.

As far as using VG for lubricant storage, I shy away form this becuase I know that stainless steel tanks can rust. Found out from leaving them soak in water too long. I believe VG contains a small amount of H2O, no? If so, that would be bad. Not sure about PG.

I do use VG. No problems so far. I take tanks apart, lube them up good, then assemble them loosely so the rings aren't compressed. I have a feeling it might be better to leave them in pieces with the orings removed but that would mean keeping each tank in a separate bag or box and take up more space.

I also keep all the spare orings and other parts for each type of tank together and labeled and make sure the orings are flat. Lot of the time when you get a tank the spare orings are squashed up in a tiny bag and bent out of shape.

 

[MLEJ]

Well, this stocking up for years to come thing just keeps seeming more & more to have been a waste of effort, money, and hope, then, doesn't it?

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

Well, this stocking up for years to come thing just keeps seeming more & more to have been a waste of effort, money, and hope, then, doesn't it?

It depends on what you stock up on and how much you spent. The vast majority of my tanks only take regular old orings, mostly Kayfuns and Taifuns.

Of the rest, some have proprietary orings I stock up on and are silicone, others I did not stock up on.

Also, in certain circumstances, you can replace a proprietary oring with a regular oring or a couple regular orings. Someone fairly recently just did this with a Kubuki tank.

As for the atties themselves, keep 'em dry and clean and loose or disassembled. Not a big deal.

I don't worry about gear at all, I worry about my nicotine going bad. If it does go bad, I'll vape 0mg and suck on a nic lozenge when/if needed.

 

[Opinionated]

I live in a higher humidity environment and vacuum seal each item with pre-packaged desiccants like the silica gel packets.

Then I store in totes and forget it.

My nic is frozen.

O rings are replaceable.

 

[bnrkwest]

I use desiccants in boxes, unless they are shrink wrapped. I did just open a new tank I bought in 2016 and it was still in great shape, a bit tight to open but not bad. Works great. As for orings I have a box of various sizes as backup. Buying new orings are pretty cheap even if some get brittle or dry & cracked.

 

[CAAB]

I keep my vape stash in a sealed storage box with plenty of desiccant. I will probably put a cheap hygrometer inside to ensure the humidity is very low.

For the mods I opened up, I place a desiccant pouch inside the box if it fits.

If anything is shrink wrapped, I trust the storage box will keep things dry.

As for used atomizers that I don't intend on using, I lube them with VG: o-rings, threads, anywhere metal touches. I actually keep them on a 510 stand inside a sealed box.

I will be curious to see how my copper mech mod fares long term. I don't intend on using it unless regulated mods run out. So far I store it as is but I am thinking of researching longterm storage of copper.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

I keep my vape stash in a sealed storage box with plenty of desiccant. I will probably put a cheap hygrometer inside to ensure the humidity is very low.

For the mods I opened up, I place a desiccant pouch inside the box if it fits.

If anything is shrink wrapped, I trust the storage box will keep things dry.

As for used atomizers that I don't intend on using, I lube them with VG: o-rings, threads, anywhere metal touches. I actually keep them on a 510 stand inside a sealed box.

I will be curious to see how my copper mech mod fares long term. I don't intend on using it unless regulated mods run out. So far I store it as is but I am thinking of researching longterm storage of copper.

Copper mods will oxidize. I have 5 copper mechs that came in a sealed sleeve inside their boxes. I only opened one. A year later there is some oxidization on that opened one.

My copper pipes in my home are probably like 80 years old or thereabouts. I don't know if that's apples to apples or not.

 

[10x sugar]

Thread bump

 

[retired2020]

I also keep all the spare orings and other parts for each type of tank together and labeled and make sure the orings are flat.

you are my hero

 

[Ed Brown]

My copper pipes in my home are probably like 80 years old or thereabouts. I don't know if that's apples to apples or not.

Probably like comparing Granny Smith to Fuji. Different alloys of copper can get different patinas, and the colors can depend on what is in the air. Bronze (copper+tin) get dark. Pure copper usually gets green. Hydrogen sulfide gas creates a black patina on pure copper.

Patina is the product of oxidation (corrosion) but it protects the copper from further corrosion. With some metals like copper, aluminum, silver, and stainless steel, the corrosion products form a tight coating that protects the metal from further corrosion. In stainless steel, I think that the coating is an oxide of chromium, which is a major additive to produce SS. When you look at an aluminum cooking pan, you are seeing aluminum oxide. Scratch it and the bright metal underneath is aluminum. In a few hours it'll be duller like the rest of it. With other metals, like carbon steel, the corrosion products are porous, and do not adhere, which allows further corrosion until there's nothing left.

I'm finding that the copper vaping equipment gets more blackish than greenish. I suppose that the witches brew of sweat, oils, and other skin secretions produce that upon handling.

Polishing these metals removes the protective coating so that the corrosion can start over again.