Cleaning and General Maintenance Advice

[nedstark]

Hey everyone first time poster here. I gave up my marlboro reds about 2 weeks ago after smoking for 14 years and got myself a EVOD starter kit. I am hoping to move up to something a little nicer but in my current situation it will be a while before that happens. I was wondering if you all might have some advice about cleaning and good ways to extend the life of my tanks/atomizers. I tried the search function but did not really see much. Thanks in advance!

 

[SilverZero]

Good job getting off those cigarettes.

I would recommend watching this video, it's applicable to all of the devices that use the replaceable Kanger coil heads. It might help you out: The Kanger Mini Protank, Protank II and Cleaning Replacement Heads - YouTube

For the tank itself just flush it out well with hot water and dry. If you have a juice flavor that doesn't want to wash out completely I find that soaking them overnight in a shot of cheap vodka does the trick.

Good luck.

 

[pclarice]

So glad you asked. I was wondering the same thing! Thanks for the tip silverzero!

 

[JRudey]

For the tank itself just flush it out well with hot water and dry. If you have a juice flavor that doesn't want to wash out completely I find that soaking them overnight in a shot of cheap vodka does the trick.

Good luck.

One of my Halo G6 Mini-Tanks is soaking in Vodka right now. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Choc_Addic]

In addition, If the gunk no longer clean with above methods, (soaking in 1. hot water, dry. 2. Vodka or Everclear, dry. etc) then you can try dry burning. See this Vid.

I find that Cleaning with hot tap water, dry with paper towel, dry burn helps me keep my heads clean really good.

Bonus tip: Also keep small bottle with Vodka/Everclear for soaking heads. Reuse until the liquid turns kind of dark/cloudy.

Cheers.

 

[bratprince]

In addition, If the gunk no longer clean with above methods, (soaking in 1. hot water, dry. 2. Vodka or Everclear, dry. etc) then you can try dry burning. See this Vid.

I find that Cleaning with hot tap water, dry with paper towel, dry burn helps me keep my heads clean really good.

Bonus tip: Also keep small bottle with Vodka/Everclear for soaking heads. Reuse until the liquid turns kind of dark/cloudy.

Cheers.

Noob question- Wouldn't dry burning cause the wicks to build up the carbon where the wicks and the coil connect?

 

[Choc_Addic]

Noob question- Wouldn't dry burning cause the wicks to build up the carbon where the wicks and the coil connect?

No.
Dry burning burns off the built up gunk from the coil that soaking method do not. Please do review the video I have linked. Easy to do.
Cheers.

 

[bratprince]

No.
Dry burning burns off the built up gunk from the coil that soaking method do not. Please do review the video I have linked. Easy to do.
Cheers.

I sure will. Thanks for the advice, man. Appreciate the help.

 

[IMFire3605]

With my Kanger tanks, depending on my liquids I use a basic upkeep routine.

1) Every other refill, rinse the heads under warm running tap water, darker and thicker liquids, every refill
2) Every week, heads in service, rinse in warm running tap water, drop them into a cup of everclear or vodka about 20 minutes, then remove, disassemble top air tube, dry burn off the carbon and junk, reassemble, rinse under tap water again, let sit out and air dry, put previous week's cleaned heads back into service
3) Tanks I rinse out every other refill under warm tap water. Tank that has a strong flavor in it, I soak in everclear about 10 minutes, then rinse and shake out before letting it air dry.

I can generally get about 2 to 3 months out of a single head with this method before rebuilding the head or if you are not looking at that technique, replacing the head entirely. Dry burning at least once a week helps prevent the carbon and junk building up and 1) clogging the wick, 2) insulating the coil itself where it doesn't get the liquid up to proper temp or cause an inadvertent coil failure aka popping or melting out your coil. The last, coil melt down, the wire may be reaching proper wattage/temp, but the carbon reflects radiated heat back onto the wire making it hotter and you get a melt down. Dry burning is pretty simple and straight forward.

1) Remove top grommet and air tube
2) Remove top floating flavor wicks off the coil and main wick
3) Fire the coil while blowing on it to keep air moving over it, start at 2 second intervals until any excess liquid is vaporized off, then gradually build up to 4 to 5 second pulses until the coil glows evenly bright orange from center to outer sides, note you might see some darkened wick at the edges of the outer coil, this is normal, darkened wick in the coil itself after the coil is evenly glowing, wick is scorched, head needs rebuild or replacement.
4) Reassemble the head, rinse under tap water to clean out dry residue, let air dry over night on a paper towel or such
5) Fluff up the exposed wick outside the coil chamber when dry
6) Done, coil head ready to be put back into service

 

[bratprince]

With my Kanger tanks, depending on my liquids I use a basic upkeep routine.

1) Every other refill, rinse the heads under warm running tap water, darker and thicker liquids, every refill
2) Every week, heads in service, rinse in warm running tap water, drop them into a cup of everclear or vodka about 20 minutes, then remove, disassemble top air tube, dry burn off the carbon and junk, reassemble, rinse under tap water again, let sit out and air dry, put previous week's cleaned heads back into service
3) Tanks I rinse out every other refill under warm tap water. Tank that has a strong flavor in it, I soak in everclear about 10 minutes, then rinse and shake out before letting it air dry.

I can generally get about 2 to 3 months out of a single head with this method before rebuilding the head or if you are not looking at that technique, replacing the head entirely. Dry burning at least once a week helps prevent the carbon and junk building up and 1) clogging the wick, 2) insulating the coil itself where it doesn't get the liquid up to proper temp or cause an inadvertent coil failure aka popping or melting out your coil. The last, coil melt down, the wire may be reaching proper wattage/temp, but the carbon reflects radiated heat back onto the wire making it hotter and you get a melt down. Dry burning is pretty simple and straight forward.

1) Remove top grommet and air tube
2) Remove top floating flavor wicks off the coil and main wick
3) Fire the coil while blowing on it to keep air moving over it, start at 2 second intervals until any excess liquid is vaporized off, then gradually build up to 4 to 5 second pulses until the coil glows evenly bright orange from center to outer sides, note you might see some darkened wick at the edges of the outer coil, this is normal, darkened wick in the coil itself after the coil is evenly glowing, wick is scorched, head needs rebuild or replacement.
4) Reassemble the head, rinse under tap water to clean out dry residue, let air dry over night on a paper towel or such
5) Fluff up the exposed wick outside the coil chamber when dry
6) Done, coil head ready to be put back into service

2 to 3 months?!! I switched out my vivi mini head in 2 weeks. The burnt taste was killing me. You mean to say I coulda washed it out and kept using it?

 

[Choc_Addic]

2 to 3 months?!! I switched out my vivi mini head in 2 weeks. The burnt taste was killing me. You mean to say I coulda washed it out and kept using it?

Same method can be used except dis assembly would be different a bit.
Cheers.

 

[IMFire3605]

Possibility, yes. I baby my equipment, don't often crank up the voltage/wattage to high or such to get larger vape clouds, well my Igo-L and Squid (Mini Octopus) Rebuildabe Drip Atomizers I do, but my T3's, Evods, and Protanks, all my clearomizers I max put 8 watts through them, as they are what is with me when out of the house, espcially at work. It is a pain in the tail to have a coil go bad on you headed down the road or while at work taking a short break. I have scorched the heck out of a couple Protank heads when dry burning them. Top coils might run into to many dry hits due to their general design, so might have a lower life expectancy. Bottom coils the wick is always in liquid unless upside down. Also remember, I carry at least 5 T3/Evods with me when out, so that is minimum 5 heads, so have double that out of shrink wrap/bubble packs, 5 cleaned and idle, 5 in tanks in service. So practically 2-3 months full life I am using each head 1 to 1.5 months before needing a full rebuild or replacement.

 

[bratprince]

Ah, snap. I shoulda spent less time lurking and gotten myself registered as a member earlier. Woulda saved myself a coupla bucks if I had asked you guys about this sooner. =[ You've been really generous with sharing info, fellas. Vape long and prosper.

 

[djsvapour]

I get a bit overwhelmed by all the things people do with their clearomisers.

Soaking, vodka, sonic cleaning, etc.

I really, really don't do any of these. I vape my clear's until I know the coil is bad.

If I change liquid, I just rinse it out and refill.
If I go from something strong to a fruit (for example), I'll change the head or dry-burn the coil after washing the wick too.
Mostly, though, I swap out (or rebuild) the heads for a fresher taste sooner rather than later.

 

[bratprince]

I get a bit overwhelmed by all the things people do with their clearomisers.

Soaking, vodka, sonic cleaning, etc.

I really, really don't do any of these. I vape my clear's until I know the coil is bad.

If I change liquid, I just rinse it out and refill.
If I go from something strong to a fruit (for example), I'll change the head or dry-burn the coil after washing the wick too.
Mostly, though, I swap out (or rebuild) the heads for a fresher taste sooner rather than later.

Yeah, I would too. Problem is that in my part of the world it's a little hard to get your hands on supplies, and when you're down to your last head or your last dribble of juice, it can get really really reeeaaally maddening. =/

 

[JRudey]

Dry burning burns off the built up gunk from the coil that soaking method do not. Please do review the video I have linked. Easy to do.
Cheers.

Thanks to you and SilverZero, my Halo G6 Mini-Tank is back in action. A combination of Vodka baths, Distilled Water baths and finally a good dry burn solved the problem.