My Atty Resurrection Method

[BanjoMan]

Still playing around with this (no more popped attys yet)

Highping, do you find that darker juices (like tobacco flavors) clog up your attys faster? I have one juice in particular (Cool Mint from Vermont Vapor), that is mostly clear and I seem to be able to vape it almost forever without any build-up issues. Some of my darker tobacco flavors, however, produce diminished performance in just a day or two. I'm starting to think it's more of a coloring issue than a flavor one...

 

[highping]

Banjo, yes the darker juices do seem to clog much faster. I have a caramel flavor that is really dark and it gunks up the atty in a matter of days. I think you're right about the coloring being the cause. I have noticed that some juices have started coming with less coloring than they used to. (like the atomic fireball from TV used to be bright red and now it's almost clear. Nhaler juices seem to be less colored lately too.

I'm not sure what goes into the Vermont Vapor juices, but they do seem to not clog the attys at all. I use the Cool Raspberry (almost exclusively now) and I can go weeks between cleaning in the atty I use for that.

OT: That cool mint is pretty good too. I got a bottle of that on accident when I ordered three bottles of the cool raspberry a couple months ago. It's just a little too minty for me. If you haven't tried the cool raspberry, you should pick up a small bottle to try. It's got just as much menthol hit without all the mint. just a very subtle taste of raspberry. It's my all day, everyday vape.

 

[BanjoMan]

Thanks for the tip. Next time I place an order with Adam I'll try some of the Cool Raspberry.

 

[lashmn]

Well I used this dry-burn method with 8 minutes of cleaning in my ultrasonic cleaner several times (clean - burn, clean -burn) and I now have a half dozen attys that are as good as new. This has definately been the best cleaning method I have used so far.

Did you use plain water or use an additive in the ultrasonic cleaner? Hot, cold, room temp? Thanks in advance for your help!

I, too, had a baggie full of "dead" or almost there 801 atty's. I didn't go though the whole process as they had been soaked and thoroughly dried already. I just stuck them on a 6V PV and pumped the button until I got a good strong orange light. Out of the baggie for them. There were three that just wouldn't "glow" so I am going to do Highping's method on those but thought about using the ultrasonic cleaner first.

Lynn

 

[Iammoonie]

yep...rinsed it...blew it out, getting no hint of glow, not even a peep of sound from the atty. is this good riddence? can it really be dead?! say it aint so!

 

[Shortstuff116]

As far as using my ultrasonic cleaner, I use just lukewarm water and this is my exact procedure:

The first thing I do is make sure that I have a good resistance reading with a multimeter and it's usually 2.1 to 2.8 mA so I know it is still a working atty. If your atty is not working at all and the resistance is way high, then it probably is dead, but I would at least try one good cleaning just to be sure.

I blow out my atty from the open (cartridge) end really well. Then drop it into my ultrasonic cleaner with lukewarm tap water for 8 minutes. I take it out and flick it with my hand to get out as much water as possible, then blow it out again from the cart end really well. I then set my atty to dry which for me is on top of my pellet stove which doesn't get too hot to touch (the cats sleep on it), I'm sure a radiator or baseboard heater or heater vent or even on top of your boiler would work just fine. By the next day it is good and dry.

I then put it on my NicoStick at the standard 3.7v and begin my dry burn process. I push and hold the button for about 5 seconds, release and then blow into the atty to cool it down. Once I begin to see an orange-to-red glow, then I push and release the button for about a second and continue this off - on sequence with brief heat up and release so that my atty does not get bright red and risk overheating it, but no more than 7-8 seconds total time. I'll continue this perhaps 3 or 4 times. Then I'll hit it one time for about 3-4 seconds and get a nice red glow and I'm done.

Then it's back into the ultrasonic cleaner for 2 - 8 minute cleanings. Each time I use the cleaner it heats up the water a few degrees by itself. The cleaner does not have a heater, but the sonic action in the water (the collision of the water molecules you can actually see) heats up the water. 4-5 uses at 8 minutes each and the water starts to get hot. Pull out the atty, flick it out, blow it out really good and back on the pellet stove to dry. The next day it is like brand new once again.

Everyone has their own cleaning method and this works for me.

I got my ultrasonic cleaner here for only $31.95 and it costs me $10 for shipping and I use it for cleaning up all kinds of stuff.

 

[highping]

Shortstuff116, seems like a good method, but you really don't need to dry overnight. Like I said in the OP...built in dryer
I used to dry mine in the oven at about 200F. Then I realized that was a little excessive and unnecessary. I figured, why wait, just blow out as much water as you can and then light it up and let it dry itself. You can get it completely dry in about a minute.

 

[Shortstuff116]

Shortstuff116, seems like a good method, but you really don't need to dry overnight. Like I said in the OP...built in dryer
I used to dry mine in the oven at about 200F. Then I realized that was a little excessive and unnecessary. I figured, why wait, just blow out as much water as you can and then light it up and let it dry itself. You can get it completely dry in about a minute.

I agree and that's what I used to do is blow out really good then immediately begin with a dry-burn process, but now that I have so many attys I have the time to just let it sit overnight. But at the same time, if you do an immediate dry-burn, the wick is still a little moist which may protect it a little more from any serious heat damage so that could be beneficial.

 

[Iammoonie]

any input? personal reference?

 

[mojofunk]

The dry burn is essential maintennance for kerosene (paraffin) heaters, another wicking device, and it indeed works wonders on our atomizers!\

 

[sjohnson]

Did you use plain water or use an additive in the ultrasonic cleaner? Hot, cold, room temp? Thanks in advance for your help!

Don't make the mistake I did - a drop of dishwashing detergent in the ultrasound water. Gack! My atomizer tasted like Dawn smells. I just use cold tap water. The ultrasonic cleaner heats up the water if that's important, but I think all you need is the knock-the-crud-off action of ultrasound.

I'm lazy, and have enough atomizers that I no longer force-dry mine. Too much work. They just sit on my desk until I think they're dry, then dry-burn them.

 

[Shortstuff116]

Don't make the mistake I did - a drop of dishwashing detergent in the ultrasound water. Gack! My atomizer tasted like Dawn smells. I just use cold tap water. The ultrasonic cleaner heats up the water if that's important, but I think all you need is the knock-the-crud-off action of ultrasound.

I'm lazy, and have enough atomizers that I no longer force-dry mine. Too much work. They just sit on my desk until I think they're dry, then dry-burn them.

sjohnson is my teacher. It is his method of cleaning my 510 attys that I use exclusively now and it works like a charm for me. We all have to learn and use what works for us.

 

[Pegasus7]

Thanks all for info

 

[LoveMeTender]

Amazing, this is the only way I'm going to clean my attys from now on, thanks.

 

[bogeyjim]

just tried this. burned through 2 batteries and didnt get an orange glow at all?? But alot of stuff did burn off, house kind of stinks now

I'm gonna prime it after my batteries charge and see what happens!

My stock batteries got pretty damn hot doing this

I hope this works!

Jim

 

[bogeyjim]

Well, like I said before, I couldnt get the bridge to turn orange at all. I just kept the battery fired till a bit after I heard the sizzling stop. Burned both batteries and had to recharge.

Just finished recharging my batteries, and are you KIDDING ME??!! This thing is back to vaping STRONG!!!

What a great way to clean atties man! Thanks a lot. I guess it doesnt matter if the coil turns orange or not, at least with a stock battery.

Can a Passthrough be used for this? Will it ruin my computer?

Thanks so much for this thread, it has helped immensely! I was just about to throw away this atty..... wow!!

I love this forum!

Jim

 

[Glenn54]

last night i decided to clean most of my atties. i boiled some water in the microwave and dropped in the atties. swirled them around a little to get them completely wet. after about 5 mins i drained and did it again. then once more. after blowing them out i put them in the oven after cooking dinner, with the door open to dry them came back and applied a couple drops on the bridge. suddenly i was getting the best flavor and vapor than i've ever had.

Yes,I do this also and it works great, but I do it the old fashion way with a tea pot to boil the water then pour it into a bowl with the atty's. The only problem with the boiling water is the paint flakes off, so now most of our attys are silver.


http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/cartridge-mods/58614-my-first-cart-mod-901-a.html

 

[highping]

...Can a Passthrough be used for this? Will it ruin my computer?...

Yes, a passthrough would probably be better than your stock batts. As far as it ruining your comp. I wouldn't think so, but don't hold me to it You comp probably has at least a 300W power supply so no danger there. I guess the only risk would be that your motherboard wouldn't be able to handle the amp draw for sustained periods.
I really don't think it would be a problem, but if you want to be on the safe side, you might want to pick up a $5 USB wall plug. (just plugs in an outlet and has a USB port on the bottom). Also, if your passthrough has an in-line batt, you definitely should not need to worry about your usb ports being in danger.

 

[bogeyjim]

Yes, a passthrough would probably be better than your stock batts. As far as it ruining your comp. I wouldn't think so, but don't hold me to it You comp probably has at least a 300W power supply so no danger there. I guess the only risk would be that your motherboard wouldn't be able to handle the amp draw for sustained periods.
I really don't think it would be a problem, but if you want to be on the safe side, you might want to pick up a $5 USB wall plug. (just plugs in an outlet and has a USB port on the bottom). Also, if your passthrough has an in-line batt, you definitely should not need to worry about your usb ports being in danger.

Thanks Ping! My wife actually has a digital camera with a USB wall plug. I can probably just use that!

I am gonna get a PT just to use for cleaning atty's! Very good cleaning method, been using this "old" atomizer all day today and its working like a champ!

And I thought this atty was garbage... HAH

Jim

 

[larktdl]

I just tried this on a under performing atty: The procedure as listed worked just fine. The atty (which is over 2 months old) is now working as expected. I did not repeat steps 2 - 7. Good tip!