Atomizer and other questions....

[moorea]

My husband and I recently started vaping again.　 I have a feeling why we both stopped and went back to regular smokes was because the carts, the mods, filling and dripping ect. was a hassle.　 Since we stopped the e-cig has seemed to come a long way.　 I am not sure why, but last week after a little over a year of not vaping I picked up my e-cig again.　 After vaping for a day, I went on-line to see what was out there.　 The first thing I did was order 2 five packs of clearomizers from Totally wicked as well as 2 1.7 ohm low resistance tank atomizers to go with my old Tornado batteries that had been sitting on the charger for a year!　 I ordered them on Thursday and to my surprise they made it across the country and arrived　on Saturday!　 So far it seems that these new items eliminates the hassles we felt while using the old systems.　 But I do have some questions.
　
Initially we loved the clearomizers.　 Great vapor production and great flavor with a nice throat hit.　 On the other hand the 1.7 ohm atomizer had OK vapor production, but there seems to be almost NO　flavor at all and　even less　throat hit.　 Is the lack of　flavor/throat hit　due to the low res atomizer, would I find better　flavor and throat hit　if I went with a regular atty?　 Would the regular atty reduce the vapor though?　 Am I doing something wrong?
　
I would probably just skip the tank completely and go with the clearomizer as it really performed great, but after an email discussion with TW they advised me that　the clearomizer　will only last for about 3 - 4 refills (give or take).　 That seems to make these pretty pricey as I refilled mine 2 times the first night.　 That being said I have been using the same one since Saturday evening when they first arrived, but I have definitely noticed that it is not performing as well as it did at first.　 Is there anything that can be done to extend the life of the clearomizer (cleaning ect.) if so how is it done?　Can you give me an idea of how long everyone else’s is lasting for?
　
I have already started a new order as I would like to upgrade to the mega battery.　 I am also unsure if my old tornado batteries are performing at their peak as they have sat on the charger since last March. Before I complete my order though I need some help deciding which atomizers I should add to it, more clearomizers or the regular ones as opposed to the low res ones.　 Resolving my tank issues would be a plus as they hold more liquid, so even less hassle.
　
Finally, is my e-liquid still good.　 I had a decent stock that has been sitting in drawer for 1.5 to 2 years.　I have already ordered some new liquid from Kick Bass as I wanted to try some of the flavors, but should I just toss the older stuff?　 What I am vaping now is the last bottle I ordered before stopping last March and it tastes OK, but the rest of my stock　is older (in some cases much).
　
I know this is a long post, but I really want to get this right this time and stick with it!

 

[John Phoenix]

What type of clearomiser did you get.. the kind with the wick material or the kind with the filler?

Flavors can be funny. I think sometimes depending on the flavorings and the amount of vg/pg in them they can burn/boil/vape off faster with higher heat or lower resistance, thus burning up the flavor as well. Others find certain flavors have more flavor at higher voltages.

Your getting close to the cut off point for the juice. nicotine itself doesnt have a shelf life if it's bottled tight, but pg and vg can go bad after two years. ( i read that here someplace)

Depending on the type of clearomizers you have they can be cleaned yes, but in different ways. Were the clearomisers you used to use different then the 1.7 ohms?

Congrats on picking up your PV again!

 

[MickeyRat]

I haven't tried the clearomisers and I probably won't for a while. Seems like they're changing every week. From what I can tell though, if you're going to have a problem with them, it's not right away. Not everyone has a problem though. Here's hoping you don't.

The eGo-T stuff is a little more mature.

 

[moorea]

I purchased the 510 CE2 Clearomizer - 5 Pack 2.4 -2.6 ohm from totally wicked. I assume it is the kind with the wick material as there is no filler. They can be seen here:

510 CE2 Clearomizer - 5 Pack (2.4 -2.6, 2.6 - 2.8)

When we last vaped there were no clearomizers or tanks and no mention of ohm's, what I had before these were just the regular old 510 atomizers that you either dripped a few drops on or messed with the filler in the cart.

I really want to get the tank atomizer working well, as this seems like the easiest hassle free way to go, fill the tank with 1 ml (or 2 ml if you go mega) and your good to go. I just don't get the huge different in flavor and throat hit between the clearomizer and the LR 1.7 tank atty. The LR atty has lots of vapor production, but no throat hit and less flavor, just makes me feel as if I am doing something wrong.

Guess maybe I will try one of the regular tank atty's and see what the difference is between that and the the low res... If there is no difference, I'll stick with the clearomizer and spend the extra money replacing them every 3 to 4 fills. Still less then smoking cigs.

 

[John Phoenix]

Is the Tornado battery you have a 3.7 650 mah battery?

Here is a good primer to understanding what all the ohms stuff is about. FAQ: What are these HV and LR attys? Do I need them? Are they safe to use? | Vaping Guides

They tell you to use a ohms calculator but there is an easier chart here http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/469/wattage.png

The idea is to find your "sweet spot" for vaping. This is generally between 6 and 8 watts for most people. This sweet spot is a good combination of vapor, flavor and TH. If your battery is a 3.7 and your using a 1.7 ohm atty, then you will be vaping around just over 8 watts (8.05). For you this may be too high. A higher resistance (in ohms) atty will give you a lower wattage and possibly a better sweet spot. That said, remember difference juice will taste different with different atty's.

I would not say your doing something "wrong" you just have to keep at it till you find what works best for you. I know sometimes that can be a hassle, but once you find what works, you'll be happy.

I haven't used one yet but the type of clearomizer you have can be carefully taken apart and cleaned. However many people report they are prone to leaking after you put them back together.

You may want to try the other type of clearomizers - the ones with the filler material. These are basically cartomizers that have clear bodies. I just ordered some from GotVapes to try.. this will be my first venture into using any type of cartomizer too. I choose to try this type because the ce2 type clearomizers seem to have a lot of problems associated with them DIAMOND Dual Coil Clearomizer : GotVapes.com, E-cigarette Supplies - Atomizers Cartomizers Mods Juice and more This page shows both the single and duel coil models. these are clear, but gotvapes also had the kind that is not clear. I like the idea of the clear body because you can see when yout getting low on juice and can refill before you get dry and burn the atty.

 

[moorea]

I am not sure if they are 3.7, but know they are 650 mAh. I am however picking up new tornado batt (as the 5 I have, have been sitting on a chager for almost 14 mo's) and those will be the longer the 1000 mAh batts.

So if I read your post correclty it sounds like my problem is the 1.7 LR attys. The clearomizers which are giving good flavor/Vapor and TH and are at 2.4 - 2.6 olms so they would bring the wattage down and come closer to my "sweet spot". I looked at the chart and it was bit confusing, so I will not even try the calculator. I'll let the husband figure it all out when he gets home...

But it sounds like I do need to try the regular tornado tank atomizer...

Does anybody know what the ohm is on the "TORNADO TANK- Cone Shaped tank Atomizers" on Totally Wicked?

 

[Stosh]

I like the clearomizers, and have used them for weeks. Cleaning is as easy as rinsing
with water, let dry, dry burn the coil just a little and refill.

The worst part of clearomizers are the tubes, you can buy replacements or get some
3mL BD syringes, cut the bodies to the same size - they will not crack or leak.

 

[John Phoenix]

So if I read your post correclty it sounds like my problem is the 1.7 LR attys. The clearomizers which are giving good flavor/Vapor and TH and are at 2.4 - 2.6 olms so they would bring the wattage down and come closer to my "sweet spot". I looked at the chart and it was bit confusing, so I will not even try the calculator. I'll let the husband figure it all out when he gets home...

It may be your problem or contribute to your problem. The chart is really easy.. I should have explained it better, sorry. If you know your voltage, 3.7 find that on the left side. then knowing your ohms for the atty 1.7. find that at the top. Bring the two together where they meet and there is your wattage.

 

[wyojoe]

I like the clearomizers, and have used them for weeks. Cleaning is as easy as rinsing
with water, let dry, dry burn the coil just a little and refill.

The worst part of clearomizers are the tubes, you can buy replacements or get some
3mL BD syringes, cut the bodies to the same size - they will not crack or leak.

Great advice. I like the clearomizers best of all the cartomizers. They last longer, and you can really clean them, and dry burn and they are like new again. The normal cartomizers don't clean very well and you can't dry burn them and that is the most important clean is the dry burn, with out the dry burn you have only cleaned the wicking material, and I have done every trick in the book and you can't clean a coil without dry burning. The only problem with the clearo's is the clear tube will crack after a while and then leak, but I still like them.

 

[RumbleFish]

I just got a pack of these 'clearomizers' and have used them for a few days...so far so good. Good taste, no leaking, no cracks

510 CE2 Clearomizer XL

 

[John Phoenix]

moorea, you may not be up on this dry burning process. It's a way to clean the atty by letting it dry burn off all the gunk. The wicks do not burn, but they look like they do because dried juice gets stuck to them and this dried juice burns.

To clean an atty with a dry burn, you have to first blow all the excess liquid out or shake, absorb with paper towel. Next you hit the button letting the coil glow orange for a few seconds then back off. You do this several times until the coil/wick is clean of all gunk. This is not recommended unless you have a few atty's you can play with. There is a good chance you will leave the coil glow for too long and pop a few before you get the technique down.

Many people soak the atty's in something like vodka or other mild alcohol overnight before dry burning. Here is a popular thread for more reading about the dry burn cleaning method. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-my-atty-resurrection-method.html#post1032570

 

[wyojoe]

What I like about the clearomizers is that its the only one that I know of that you can take apart and clean and put it back together, and the only one where you can actually see the coil when you do a dry burn. Other atty's you can't see the coil. So you take apart a clearomizer by connecting it to a battery, and then pull off the clear plactic sleeve, then just rince every thing off with warm tap water, blow it out from the battery end, then squeeze the wick dry with a paper towel and put it back on a battery and hit the switch untill you see it smoking (3 to 5 seconds) and do this until you see the coil glow. Do this a few times until the coil glows quickly after pushing the battery button. Put it back together just like you took it apart, prime the coil with a drop or two of juice and fill it up with juice like you normally do using a syringe, and it back like new. Hope this helps

 

[John Phoenix]

What I like about the clearomizers is that its the only one that I know of that you can take apart and clean and put it back together, and the only one where you can actually see the coil when you do a dry burn. Other atty's you can't see the coil. So you take apart a clearomizer by connecting it to a battery, and then pull off the clear plactic sleeve, then just rince every thing off with warm tap water, blow it out from the battery end, then squeeze the wick dry with a paper towel and put it back on a battery and hit the switch untill you see it smoking (3 to 5 seconds) and do this until you see the coil glow. Do this a few times until the coil glows quickly after pushing the battery button. Put it back together just like you took it apart, prime the coil with a drop or two of juice and fill it up with juice like you normally do using a syringe, and it back like new. Hope this helps

I just ordered the Diamond clearomizers.. do ya think I could clean them that way?

DIAMOND Dual Coil Clearomizer : GotVapes.com, E-cigarette Supplies - Atomizers Cartomizers Mods Juice and more

 

[wyojoe]

I just ordered the Diamond clearomizers.. do ya think I could clean them that way?

DIAMOND Dual Coil Clearomizer : GotVapes.com, E-cigarette Supplies - Atomizers Cartomizers Mods Juice and more

I don't think so, I think it is like a regular atomizer with a clear shell so you can see the fluid level in the filler material. It seems to me I read some where that you could take them apart and clean but I just don't know. The clearomizers don't have filler material inside. Hope some one else will chime in that knows more about these and have used them. I would like to know more about these also.

 

[John Phoenix]

Thanks for the answer Wyojoe. At least your honest. I may have to quit picking on chicks from Wyoming. <grin>

 

[moorea]

Thanks to all for the helpful info...

John Pheonix, thanks a bunch for the detailed explanations. The chart became very easy to read once you explained it. I just some how managed to miss the top line that displayed the OHM. A little reserach indicated that the regular atomizers sold on TW are around 2.2 - 2.4 ohm's which is much closer on the chart to the 2.4 - 2.6 clearomizers I have been enjoying, so I have ordered 1 mega tank atty. After researching it has the same ohm as the regular cone atty, so might as well go with the one that holds double the liquid. On the TW forum some seem to say that even though it is the same ohm atty as the cone it has better flavor and TH becuase of more surface area. Don't know if this is true or not, but it won't break the bank to try one and find out for myself.

Wyojoe - I will have to try taking apart the clearomizer and cleaning (or more acurately have the husband do it) looking at it, it didn't really look like something you want to take a part, but if it only has a few day life span any way guess it can't hurt to try if it is going to get thrown away any way. How much more use do you feel you are getting out of them by cleaning them? How many times can they be cleaned?

Guess the next step is to start thinking about looking into some of the mod units. I avoided this my first run at vaping as they seemed very large and the entire thing looked very confusing!

 

[John Phoenix]

Guess the next step is to start thinking about looking into some of the mod units. I avoided this my first run at vaping as they seemed very large and the entire thing looked very confusing!

No no no, you cannot just cover your husband in cement and use him as a PV holder, it just wont work I tell you. Tried that with my wife and it was hell moving her from place to place. I'd look into some other mods. <grin>

I wish you the best and as always, if ya need us, holler !

 

[wyojoe]

Thanks to all for the helpful info...

John Pheonix, thanks a bunch for the detailed explanations. The chart became very easy to read once you explained it. I just some how managed to miss the top line that displayed the OHM. A little reserach indicated that the regular atomizers sold on TW are around 2.2 - 2.4 ohm's which is much closer on the chart to the 2.4 - 2.6 clearomizers I have been enjoying, so I have ordered 1 mega tank atty. After researching it has the same ohm as the regular cone atty, so might as well go with the one that holds double the liquid. On the TW forum some seem to say that even though it is the same ohm atty as the cone it has better flavor and TH becuase of more surface area. Don't know if this is true or not, but it won't break the bank to try one and find out for myself.

Wyojoe - I will have to try taking apart the clearomizer and cleaning (or more acurately have the husband do it) looking at it, it didn't really look like something you want to take a part, but if it only has a few day life span any way guess it can't hurt to try if it is going to get thrown away any way. How much more use do you feel you are getting out of them by cleaning them? How many times can they be cleaned?

Guess the next step is to start thinking about looking into some of the mod units. I avoided this my first run at vaping as they seemed very large and the entire thing looked very confusing!

Based on the chart that sounds like it will be closer to my "sweet spot"

The ones I was talking about is the Clearomizers that has a clear shell that you can see thru. All you need to do is, take out the mouth piece and the little thin plactic ring inside that acts like a juice catcher, (use a paper clip that you bend with a small L shape on the end of it) to use it to take out a plastic mouth piece. Screw it on a battery then rock it back and forth while pulling the clear tube away from the battery, and it will pop off the tread that is screwed to the battery and the whole guts of the unit will be out. Then you unscrew the unit off of the the battery and wash it off. Take a pencil (Blunt end) and push the plastic piece that remains in the tube out. (sometimes you can get all the plactic pieces out with the paper clip or tweezers but the last one is hard to get out) When you put it back together make sure it goes together like you took it apart, and push the tube all the way down past the little O-ring and down to the metal lip on the connector. Then replace the piece that covers the ceramic pot. It has 2 notches that go over the wick (look at it before you take it apart and you will see the little notches right above the top of the wick) Make sure you put it back with the notches over the wick other wise it will keep the wick from wicking the juice into the coil.

By cleaning them You can make it like new again. And you can do this Until the coil burns out or the tubing cracks. If the tubing only cracks at the thread end, just turn it over and put the good side down. When a tube cracks it will leak. Try it and the next time it will be a breeze. I hope I have explained it well enought, it is hard to write about it.

 

[moorea]

John Pheonix... Maybe we need to find something lighter then cement (poly or laquer) to mod the spouses with for this purpose making them more mobile!

Wyojoe, your first cleaning description pretty much did the job, but your second one was VERY detailed. Thanks! I think I am going to try this evening (aka... have the husband do it, before I cover in cement or something lighter) , as the one I am using is going on 5 days now and a bunch more fills then the 3 - 4 TW says they are good for. I now have no doubt it is not functioning as well as when first opened!

 

[wyojoe]

John Pheonix... Maybe we need to find something lighter then cement (poly or laquer) to mod the spouses with for this purpose making them more mobile!

Wyojoe, your first cleaning description pretty much did the job, but your second one was VERY detailed. Thanks! I think I am going to try this evening (aka... have the husband do it, before I cover in cement or something lighter) , as the one I am using is going on 5 days now and a bunch more fills then the 3 - 4 TW says they are good for. I now have no doubt it is not functioning as well as when first opened!

You might suprise yourself and hubby too and do it yourself. LOL