[510] Why so many atomizers [and other 510 questions]?

[Jewel Ship]

i voted other because i used lr attys when i got my riva....quit analogs with them....i still use lr...but also use e2's with the riva....both are awesome vapes...

Congrats on getting off the analogs, debb! I quit before I started vaping; analogs were just too expensive for me and I couldn't afford them. I missed the experience, and looked into vaping, and here I am!

 

[Jim211]

madvapes had a manual 5 volt pt without a battery, i have one and use it once in a while. I use cartomizers and they usually last from 3-8 days then i try to rebuild them. Some work rebuilt others don't so i buy a lot but they are best for me. I like the 2.5 ohm mega cartomizers when working or running around but at home i prefer the lr rebuilt with 1/2 the poly fill and a drip tip. There are so many options you just have to experiment and ask questions until you find what is right for you.

 

[DC2]

When you blow out the atomizer, do you take off the cartridge part that normally has white plastic filler, then blow into the atomizer piece, causing the liquid to come out the battery end, or do you blow out the battery end?

You can blow it out from either end, but it works much better to blow it out from the cartridge end.
And yes, you would take the cartridge off to blow it out, regardless of which side you blow it out from.

Having said that, you should know that conventional wisdom is to blow it out from the battery end.
This is just in case there are some loose particles of anything in the atomizer, you don't want to blow them down into the atomizer mesh.

I've been blowing mine out from the cartridge side for a long time now, with no problems.
But I have recently started blowing from the battery side first after I do a dry burn, just in case.
This is because doing a dry burn could theoretically knock some small chunks of baked on gunk from the atomizer coil.

So generally I blow from the cartridge side, but after a dry burn I do it a little different.
One quick blow from the battery side, just in case, and then I turn it over and give it a real good blow from the cartridge side.

If I'm using a regular 510 cartridge with the white plastic filler and not dripping, should I drip liquid onto the atomizer coil, or just drip the liquid into the white plastic filler in the cartridge part?

It depends on if you are just topping it off or refilling the entire cartridge.

Basically, if the atomizer is dry, you will get a burnt taste.
If the atomizer gets dry enough to get a burnt taste you should put a couple of drops on the atomizer bridge.
And you should also put a couple of drops on the atomizer bridge if you just cleaned or blew out the atomizer as well.

But if the atomizer is not dry and you are just topping off or refilling, then you might not want to put any drops on the bridge.
It could flood if you put a couple of drops on the atomizer bridge when there is already enough juice in the atomizer.

 

[DC2]

Oh, and as far as as refilling a cartridge, the problem is that if you are just putting drops right on top of the filler material that comes with the cartridge, it isn't going to sink to the bottom without a little help. You can use a toothpick or paper clip to push the filler aside a little bit so that it can breathe while you are putting in the drops. Some people use a syringe or a needle tipped dropper bottle to get all the way down to the bottom of the cartridge, and some people use the straw modification. And I have found that if you replace the stock filler material with blue foam, you can actually put the drops right in if you tilt the cartridge to the side while doing so.

 

[debb]

Congrats on getting off the analogs, debb! I quit before I started vaping; analogs were just too expensive for me and I couldn't afford them. I missed the experience, and looked into vaping, and here I am!

THANKS!...i know..its the whole ..hand to mouth thing i couldn't handle i needed that...so vaping was perfect...

 

[Jewel Ship]

Basically, if the atomizer is dry, you will get a burnt taste.
If the atomizer gets dry enough to get a burnt taste you should put a couple of drops on the atomizer bridge.
And you should also put a couple of drops on the atomizer bridge if you just cleaned or blew out the atomizer as well.

But if the atomizer is not dry and you are just topping off or refilling, then you might not want to put any drops on the bridge.
It could flood if you put a couple of drops on the atomizer bridge when there is already enough juice in the atomizer.

DC2, does this look correct?

New:
1. Receive new 510 regular atomizer. Rinse under hot water to remove primer.
2. Blow out from battery end once, just in case to remove loose particles.
3. Blow out from cartridge end a few times to get as much water out as possible.
4. Let atomizer dry completely before doing anything else [could I use a hair dryer for a few minutes to speed this up?].
5. Put 2 drops of e-liquid directly onto the atomizer bridge [the part of the atomizer that is raised and looks like a miniature steel wool, right?].
6. Take the cartridge part with the white plastic filler material and drip about 15 drops of e-liquid from the mouthpiece end into the cartridge. use something small like a toothpick or paper clip to move the top filler around a little so that the cartridge can be completely filled. Edit: I didn't understand how 510 cartridges were constructed. I googled some images, and understand the liquid reservior is 'underneath' but sealed from the mouthpiece. There are two air passages on either side of the liquid reservior, and that's how the vapor gets from the atomizer to the mouthpiece; It doesn't go through the filler.
7. New atomizer and cartridge is ready to be vaped.

Cleaning:
1. When vapor takes on a burned taste when atomizer isn't dry, or when there is a noticeable drop in vaping performance, use the Highping method to clean.
2. After cleaning the atomizer using the Highping method, blow out the battery end first, to dislodge any solid burned gunk from the atomizer, then blow out the other end [where the cartridge would go] really good.
3. Add 2 drops to atomizer bridge.
4. Refill cartridge.
5. Ready to use again.

Refilling or daily:
1. Blow out old e-liquid from atomizer by blowing out of cartridge end real good.
2. Put 2 drops of e-liquid onto atomizer bridge.
3. Refill cartridge. Done.

 

[DC2]

DC2, does this look correct?

Damn close.

4. Let atomizer dry completely before doing anything else [could I use a hair dryer for a few minutes to speed this up?].

Some people use a hair dryer, but I never have so I can't comment on the particulars.
If I want to dry an atomizer quickly without dry burns, I put it in the oven at 150 degrees for 20 minutes.

But I always dry my atomizers using the dry burn method.
Look into that when you are ready.

5. Put 2 drops of e-liquid directly onto the atomizer bridge [the part of the atomizer that is raised and looks like a miniature steel wool, right?].

Usually, a dry or completely cleaned, or completely blown out atomizer should take 3 or 4 drops to get started.
And yes, the bridge is the part that is raised and looks like miniature steel wool.

Yes to the rest, other than the 3 or 4 drops instead of 2 drops.

 

[Jewel Ship]

Damn close.

Some people use a hair dryer, but I never have so I can't comment on the particulars.
If I want to dry an atomizer quickly without dry burns, I put it in the oven at 150 degrees for 20 minutes.

But I always dry my atomizers using the dry burn method.
Look into that when you are ready.


Usually, a dry or completely cleaned, or completely blown out atomizer should take 3 or 4 drops to get started.
And yes, the bridge is the part that is raised and looks like miniature steel wool.

Yes to the rest, other than the 3 or 4 drops instead of 2 drops.

Cool. I haven't even gotten my Riva 510 yet, but I'm learning a whole bunch of stuff about it!

For example, it would seem that daily dry burning from the very beginning of the atomizer's life helps keep carbon build up off the atomizer, which in turn helps it function as close to 100% as possible, whereas not cleaning it until it stops working, then trying a dry burn may cause the coil to overheat because all that baked on carbon is trapping the heat and will cause the atomizer to pop, because the coil is trying to expand, but the carbon deposits are preventing it, right?

Soaking it in cola or peroxide or pure grain alcohol [I'm sure there's more, but I've read about these three] would be needed to remove the carbon deposits at that point, then rinsed, then dry burned, right? It really does seem to go back to dry burning as one of the most effective ways to keep the atomizer in tip top shape.

Now, when you say 'dry burn method', are you referring to
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/tips-tricks/34772-daily-dry-burn-cleaning-atties.html ?
Just get the atomizer red/low orange, cut the power?

I'm thinking [once I actually get my Riva 510] I should probably clean my atomizer using the Highping method maybe twice a week, every week. I currently vape around 2-3ML a day, and that's stock e-liquid with me adding 10% VG to it, resulting in a thicker, but not quite as strong, flavor, but more vapor.

You know, these 510's sure are very different compared to kr808's...they're 'fiddlier', but I suspect that the vaping experience is probably worth it; if it wasn't, there wouldn't be so much info out there on them, right?

At some point when I have more disposable income, I'll probably upgrade to the big round atomizers [like this one] and the larger cartridges that are designed for them [like this one]. In your opinion, should I change any 'new cartridge primer removing', 'cleaning', or 'refilling' steps when using these larger atomizers and cartridges?

On a related note, are there any 510 cartridge modifications that you'd recommend?
What are your thoughts on:
1. The straw mod?
2. The Highping cart mod?
3. The zero filler mod?
4. [link to another forum, couldn't find the pictures here] The blue foam mod?

 

[DC2]

daily dry burning from the very beginning of the atomizer's life helps keep carbon build up off the atomizer

Some people do that but I think it might be overkill.

whereas not cleaning it until it stops working, then trying a dry burn may cause the coil to overheat because all that baked on carbon is trapping the heat and will cause the atomizer to pop, because the coil is trying to expand, but the carbon deposits are preventing it, right?

I've heard that, and I imagine it happens, but not always.
It does run counter to the experience of the many people who have used dry burns to revive atomizers they thought were dead.

Now, when you say 'dry burn method', are you referring to
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/tips-tricks/34772-daily-dry-burn-cleaning-atties.html ?
Just get the atomizer red/low orange, cut the power?

This is the method that I use and recommend...
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/tips-tricks/69834-my-atty-resurrection-method.html

In your opinion, should I change any 'new cartridge primer removing', 'cleaning', or 'refilling' steps when using these larger atomizers and cartridges?

Probably not, although I don't have any experience with those.

On a related note, are there any 510 cartridge modifications that you'd recommend?
What are your thoughts on:
1. The straw mod?
2. The Highping cart mod?
3. The zero filler mod?
4. [link to another forum, couldn't find the pictures here] The blue foam mod?

There are people that swear by each and every one of those.
I couldn't get the straw mod to work, and I never tried the Highping mod or the ZFM mod.

I was using the blue foam, and liking it, but I got tired of messing with cartridges and now I just drip.

 

[Jewel Ship]

Update: I just received my Riva 510 yesterday, and I'm not sure I cleaned it correctly or maybe I didn't get all the water out or something.

Once I got it, I washed the atomizer under hot water for about 35 seconds, blew out the battery end, blew out the cartridge end for about 20 seconds, hooked the atomizer up to the Riva battery, pushed the button until I got a low orange color then released, blew on the atomizer, and kept doing so until the whole atomizer became a low orange quickly.

Afterwards, I smelled inside the atomizer, and it was similar to an old barbeque pit: that burning crusty stuff smell. So, I waited until the atomizer cooled down, then I washed and dried it again. I did it a third time because I still smelled that weird smell.

I noticed that there was condensation on the walls of the atomizer, but it went to orange in about two seconds, and it was fairly cold yesterday, so I'm not sure if it was just humidity from the air.

I then added 4 drops directly onto the little raised part of the atomizer, waiting a few seconds between each so that the previous drop can 'soak in'.

I filled a cartridge with about 16 drops total, after having to move around the plastic filler a few times, I make sure to line up the cartridge correctly with the oval shaped piece inside the atomizer, and I push the button...

The vapor isn't very warm, barely flavored, and I can hardly see anything I exhale. I suspect I've done something incorrectly, possibly didn't get all the water out, because my kr808 produces more vapor and is warmer.

So far, I've pulled the filler out a little bit more so that when I push the cartridge part in, it touches the raised metal part in the atomizer, thus feeding the atomizer. I've made sure the filler was moist, but not soaked, and I'm getting some vapor, just not very much. I'm using the same liquid I use in my kr808's, so that I can compare vapor production and taste. I've also noticed that when I pulled the cartridge out to adjust the filler, there was condensation on the sides of the cartridge, but I didn't see any on the walls of the atomizer. I've also let each battery charge for 3 hours, and tried again; only difference in results was the 'old barbeque pit' taste gradually went away, and it began to taste like the liquid a little bit more, but not much.

Any ideas?

 

[nansc]

I think you get a better flavor from the regular atomizers.