510 Atty Cleaning

[Bobnoxious]

Alright. After about a month of VG vaping, mostly, today I decided I should clean one atomizer. This is because I noticed reduced performance on both my atomizers at the same time. It's probably me. But, I'm a loose canon, so here we go....

I have the test atty soaking in 100 proof vodka. Stuck it in a short glass, 1 fingers worth, and happen to be swirling it around using a bar straw that I was going to use for the straw mod. So, now I have an atomizer drink. Nearly took a sip.

It's been in there awhile, maybe an hour. What do I do, blow it out? Rinse with water? vape the vodka? (which would be a new low for me)

 

[Doubledot]

I use Pure Grain Alcohol (PGA) ~150 proof. I soak my attys sometimes for a few days. I let it dry but sometimes when I am in a hurry, I just blow it out and start using it. There has been a thread about over 3-4 mos ago regarding soaking in Crest Pro Health mouthwash. I did use the method for a while but got lazy and just stuck to PGA.

You might also consider a three 5-8 second dry burn (depending how bad the performance of your atty and assuming that you have a mod that has no time limitation) after the first soaking and then re-soaking back in the PGA. The second soak will remove any foul taste after the dry burn.

Enjoy! It has been a blast for me.

 

[Bobnoxious]

I use Pure Grain Alcohol (PGA) ~150 proof. I soak my attys sometimes for a few days. I let it dry but sometimes when I am in a hurry, I just blow it out and start using it. There has been a thread about over 3-4 mos ago regarding soaking in Crest Pro Health mouthwash. I did use the method for a while but got lazy and just stuck to PGA.

You might also consider a three 5-8 second dry burn (depending how bad the performance of your atty and assuming that you have a mod that has no time limitation) after the first soaking and then re-soaking back in the PGA. The second soak will remove any foul taste after the dry burn.

Enjoy! It has been a blast for me.

Nah, it wasn't real bad. I wasn't getting much TH out of it either. Maybe, I should try blowing the vodka out, a short dry burn (based on your post), and a re-soak, blow-out. No dry-burn. Just a guess. I have time, I can mess around, just don't want to kill it.

 

[bjc]

Not being someone familiar with these things, but with an SO who has access, I just tried an autoclave today.

Turns out they're used for sterilization and not cleaning.

It did pull out lots of ooky brown stuff from it, but it still tastes terrible.

If you're worried about germs, it's probably a good choice. If you're worried about cleaning, don't bother.

 

[Wonderboy]

I have been vaping for a couple of weeks and found the taste really starting to fail. I was getting a burnt chemical taste that tasted like really bad cotton mouth. The taste was fail. I have been using RY4, tobbaco and some Cynacide e-liquid. I cleaned my atomizers for the first time tonight.

I simply ran the attys under really hot water for a couple of minutes and then blew them out with a can of compressed air then let them dry for about an hour.

I also cleaned my regular carts(Pyramid Teabag Mod) in the same way.

Flavor has returned and I am once again satisfied.

>>Lesson learned - Don't mix too many flavors on the same atty(s) and keep the whole e-cig as clean as possible for the best taste\vape. Clean it all when the taste starts to fail. Now this may sound obvious but remember I have only been vaping for a couple of weeks. Please excuse the noobness.

 

[Bobnoxious]

Well. After closer inspection, I'm seeing what appears to be bits of a pyramid tea bag. I don't really think so tho, since the bags are intact, and it's bigger than the threads of a tea bag. But it's definitely a synthetic thread of some sort, since I can fray the end. I pulled it out of the atomizer.

I saw this same thing from my friends 510 atomizer, he was digging these out with a plastic cocktail sword. I didn't really look too hard at them yesterday, we assumed they were by-products of using english toffee flavoring.

Should I be pulling these threads out?

 

[OMB]

The threads are a wicking that helps draw your liquid from your cart to the coil. You really shouldn't remove it, as the wicking ability is decreased. Some here remove the wick and drip liquid right onto the bridge.
Lesson learned. I almost pulled the wick (made of fiberglass fibers) out when I did my first cleaning....then I read about not doing that.
If the atty doesn't work well after removing the wicking threads, try using that atty for dripping.

 

[Bobnoxious]

Doh!

Alright. Thanks. I only pulled 1 thread out of mine, my friend pulled a bunch. lol

 

[Data4]

Not being someone familiar with these things, but with an SO who has access, I just tried an autoclave today.

Turns out they're used for sterilization and not cleaning.

Well, now THAT's interesting. LOL! I guess it depends on the autoclave, but the ones where I work are for pressure-curing carbon-fiber and fiberglass composites. I can't imagine what they'd do to an atomizer, though it'd be kind of silly since our autoclaves are 30' in diameter and 90' long.

 

[Kurt]

Removing the atty wicks is a crap shoot, depending on if the wick threads go around the coil. Some do, and removing the wicks can rupture the coil...dead batt. I had one that I removed the wicks from that vaped like a freight train for 20 minutes, then died cold dead.

I pulled the wicks out of 3 of mine back in the beginning obsessive phase of vaping, and over-maintenance. Killed them all. So if you do successfully remove the wick and the atty still fires up, it is a drip-only atty, as OMB said.

 

[GrandPoobah]

I've used the steam wand on my espresso machine to clean my attys and its brilliant. Just use some tongs or something to hold it. The only downside is that it can blow the wick right out. I really don't care since I use drip tips I got from nhaler (awesome, yet pricey)

I've also used the steam wand to clean my wife's engagement ring. sparkle sparkle!

-alex

 

[The Revelator]

Removing the atty wicks is a crap shoot, depending on if the wick threads go around the coil. Some do, and removing the wicks can rupture the coil...dead batt. I had one that I removed the wicks from that vaped like a freight train for 20 minutes, then died cold dead.

I pulled the wicks out of 3 of mine back in the beginning obsessive phase of vaping, and over-maintenance. Killed them all. So if you do successfully remove the wick and the atty still fires up, it is a drip-only atty, as OMB said.

I strickly drip, so this is what I did with the atty that I thought was developing that "burnt" taste many people report with the 510 atty. It still produces flavor, but didn't get rid of the burnt taste. HOWEVER, it turns out it was just an old bottle of eliquid that went bad (RY4) that was producing this awful flavor.

I'm cleaning my atty as we speak to get the rest of that nasty, old, e juice out so I can vape again!

I should add that removing the wick is great for dripping, and that is all I ever do.

 

[mphsjeep]

I just put this in the post above............this is what works best for me......
I use Pure Grain Alcohol in a very small tupperware container......fill a quarter inch...lid on and shake(like a atty washing machine) for 10-15 seconds(sometimes let sit overnight)....dump out....hot water in...shake.....towel dry the out side...then use canned air in the main hole, two side holes, then into the bridge area. You can repeate until no liquid comes out.............then a few dry burns and I use mine again right away. All in all takes 3 minutes. I really like the PGA because it disolves anything in your atty quickly and has zero aftertaste.................... Good luck!!!

 

[Kurt]

I strickly drip, so this is what I did with the atty that I thought was developing that "burnt" taste many people report with the 510 atty. It still produces flavor, but didn't get rid of the burnt taste. HOWEVER, it turns out it was just an old bottle of eliquid that went bad (RY4) that was producing this awful flavor.

I'm cleaning my atty as we speak to get the rest of that nasty, old, e juice out so I can vape again!

I should add that removing the wick is great for dripping, and that is all I ever do.

I recently started using polydent for atty cleaning. Works better than anything I've tried. Put the atty in enough hot water to cover it, add the polydent tablet, let sit with occasional agitation for 12 hours. Then flush it vigorously with hot water. I actually put a little hot water in my cupped hand and suck and blow hot water through the atty like it was a straw. Then dry over night, dry burn until strongly glowing (5 sec bursts), and vape as usual. I have brought several attys back from a lost-cause state to almost new condition...even some attys from September!! Seems to be the only thing I've found that can really clear off gunk from the coil and mesh. Just a suggestion.

 

[chefskeeter]

thanks for the info Kurt

 

[strkaholic]

Althought I can find the original post, there is a post somewhere here that has a method that works like a charm for me. I use the 3 minute denture cleaner tablets. I leave the atty's in the solution overnight, stirring every once in a while. I then rinse them out very well under warm water and sometimes just soak them in warm water for a while, then blow them out and leave to dry for a day. They come out as clean as the day I first got them and work like a charm. I wish I could find the post I read this at.

 

[DarthVapr]

I recently started using polydent for atty cleaning. Works better than anything I've tried. Put the atty in enough hot water to cover it, add the polydent tablet, let sit with occasional agitation for 12 hours.
---snip---
I have brought several attys back from a lost-cause state to almost new condition...even some attys from September!! Seems to be the only thing I've found that can really clear off gunk from the coil and mesh. Just a suggestion.

Right on the money, Kurt. I had some "dead" attys from my 510 that I tried cleaning with boiling water, vodka, Everclear, anything short of sandblasting. Then someone suggested "Smoker's Polident" - the 15 minute version. Bowl - hot water - 1 tablet - 30 minutes in this stuff (90 if you want to take the paint off), rinse well and dry (whatever drying method you like).

A few drops of eJuice (I start with 4) and start puffing. It may take several puffs to get it going, but I resurrected about 6 attys that just wouldn't clean any other way.

Really made my day.

 

[Gandy]

I just soak in everclear and dry burn to get old taste out of atomizers, 1 month with no cigs and my tastes are changing faster than I can buy e juice.

BTW.. I have 2 50 ml bottles of 24 mg flue cured dekang still sealed that I would like to trade for coffee flavor anything.