I am new to this, have only been vaping for 12 days. How often should I clean the atomizer and what is the easiest way to do this? All advice is welcome to this newbie!
cleaning the attie
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Some people rinse the atty out every night to avoid needing long cleanings. Before you do a long cleaning I would buy 1-2 spare attys. if you are going to use attys you need spares.
1. I switch to a clean atty after priming it well and waiting for the liquid to soak down to the coil
2. I boil water, pour it in a bowl (enough to cover standing atty). I blow out the dirty atty. Then I use a tongs and scoop the hot water through the atty, then submerge the atty and tilt it up to let air bubbles out, then let it soak 15 min or so then scoop again. Then I shake/blow it out. Then I has a jar of pure grain alcohol (you could use rubbing alcohol - just remember it is poison). I scoop so alcohol through the atty, submerge and tilt to let out the air bubbles, and soak overnight. Next day i scoop alcohol through and shake out the atty, then set it to dry in my drying container (a margarine tub with paper towel in the bottom). Then by the next time I need a clean atty it will be dry. I prime with 3-4 drops of liquid or more (I only have sealed manual batteries so I don't have to worry about juice leaks killing them), I wait for that to soak down to the coil, then try using it (may need more priming).
Some people have other methods like with denture cleaning tablets or ultrasonic cleaners.
When I used attys to vape every day I cleaned one every weekend and if I was using juices that dropped a lot of sediment sometimes that wasn't enough. Now I mostly use cartomizers and only use attys to test new juices and vape the ones I won't put in cartos (ones that are too thick or just something I vape occasionally)
1. I switch to a clean atty after priming it well and waiting for the liquid to soak down to the coil
2. I boil water, pour it in a bowl (enough to cover standing atty). I blow out the dirty atty. Then I use a tongs and scoop the hot water through the atty, then submerge the atty and tilt it up to let air bubbles out, then let it soak 15 min or so then scoop again. Then I shake/blow it out. Then I has a jar of pure grain alcohol (you could use rubbing alcohol - just remember it is poison). I scoop so alcohol through the atty, submerge and tilt to let out the air bubbles, and soak overnight. Next day i scoop alcohol through and shake out the atty, then set it to dry in my drying container (a margarine tub with paper towel in the bottom). Then by the next time I need a clean atty it will be dry. I prime with 3-4 drops of liquid or more (I only have sealed manual batteries so I don't have to worry about juice leaks killing them), I wait for that to soak down to the coil, then try using it (may need more priming).
Some people have other methods like with denture cleaning tablets or ultrasonic cleaners.
When I used attys to vape every day I cleaned one every weekend and if I was using juices that dropped a lot of sediment sometimes that wasn't enough. Now I mostly use cartomizers and only use attys to test new juices and vape the ones I won't put in cartos (ones that are too thick or just something I vape occasionally)
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I just run warm tap water through it for a minute, then put it in a small plastic bowl of vodka (I use vodka because I have some and can't see buying PGA just to clean attys), put a tight-fitting lid on the bowl and shake/swirl gently. If it have a spare atty, I'll let it sit in the vodka overnight, otherwise I'll just scoop it through the vodka a few times like dormouse describes, then blow it out well, prime and use. I will cover the bowl of vodka and re-use it a few times, and have a second bowl of clean vodka for the final rinse if I'm using several attys for different flavors.
My secret to cleaning atties... DON'T.
I have never cleaned an atty, ever. I have only popped one atomizer ever, and that was my early modding days. I accidentally sent 7.4v through a 1.5ohm atomizer. Seriously, I throw mine out after 3 months, just for the sake of using a new one. Talk to a guy on the Ikenvape subforum, named Switched. He will tell you the same. In fact if an atomizer won't last him 6-7 months minimum, he won't buy it a second time.
Cleanings and dry burns weaken the coil, and cause premature failure, even just a quick one. If you are worried about flavor, get some "atomizer eraser" from Vape the Rockies. Use it just like regular e-liquid, and it takes the previous flavor right out of it.
I have never cleaned an atty, ever. I have only popped one atomizer ever, and that was my early modding days. I accidentally sent 7.4v through a 1.5ohm atomizer. Seriously, I throw mine out after 3 months, just for the sake of using a new one. Talk to a guy on the Ikenvape subforum, named Switched. He will tell you the same. In fact if an atomizer won't last him 6-7 months minimum, he won't buy it a second time.
Cleanings and dry burns weaken the coil, and cause premature failure, even just a quick one. If you are worried about flavor, get some "atomizer eraser" from Vape the Rockies. Use it just like regular e-liquid, and it takes the previous flavor right out of it.
Lately I've been using denture cleanser in a small glass of hot water just enough to cover the attys. After about 15 minutes, when the bubbling stops, rinse & blow out the water, dry burn and they are ready to go. Before I learned about the denture cleanser I just did dry burns and have never popped an atty yet and some of my attys are 5 months old. You have to be careful with dry burning but there is a lot of info on the subject. You can search using the "search ECF with google" box in the upper right hand corner of each page.
Atties at least need to be blown out every day, since unvapables collect in the cup at the bottom (this is true even with 100% PG or VG no flavor juice). I think there's some condensation of water that gets drawn in with the air (humidity).
I agree that dry-burns can shorten the coil life. However, dry burning is an atty resurrection method for atties that are otherwise dead anyway... so it can get more life out of them.
Rinsing with water, ISO, PGA, vodka helps for atties that are not working after blowing out.
So it's kind of a progression AND VARIES DEPENDING ON YOUR JUICE and vaping habits. There is no 100% answer that covers everyone other than "buy a new atty ever two days" - groan. So:
1) Blow it out once or twice per day. Keeps it clean and prevents over-vaping (over heating) the coil. This may be all you need to do. If it is getting clogged and still not working well them move on to
2) Soak it/rinse it as mentioned by the good folks above. Blow it out well a couple of breaths worth. Drip some juice in vape and if it still isn't working well blow it out and add more juice again. If it still isn't working well, repeat.
3) If all else fails, try the dry burn method instead of throwing it out. It will get a little more time out of it.
Remember some juices (darker ones in particular) gunk atties up faster.
Good Luck.
I agree that dry-burns can shorten the coil life. However, dry burning is an atty resurrection method for atties that are otherwise dead anyway... so it can get more life out of them.
Rinsing with water, ISO, PGA, vodka helps for atties that are not working after blowing out.
So it's kind of a progression AND VARIES DEPENDING ON YOUR JUICE and vaping habits. There is no 100% answer that covers everyone other than "buy a new atty ever two days" - groan. So:
1) Blow it out once or twice per day. Keeps it clean and prevents over-vaping (over heating) the coil. This may be all you need to do. If it is getting clogged and still not working well them move on to
2) Soak it/rinse it as mentioned by the good folks above. Blow it out well a couple of breaths worth. Drip some juice in vape and if it still isn't working well blow it out and add more juice again. If it still isn't working well, repeat.
3) If all else fails, try the dry burn method instead of throwing it out. It will get a little more time out of it.
Remember some juices (darker ones in particular) gunk atties up faster.
Good Luck.
Interesting technique Dalton. I'm new to vaping and have been wondering if doing all that cleaning was doing more harm than good... (seems logical on something so small)
I've been vaping since Saturday and took the time to blow clean the two 510 atty's that I have now last night. I have a pack of boge LR510 cartamizers on the way (should be here today) so would you recommend the same treatment (or non treatment) with those?
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For the past 2 weeks, all I ever did to clean my atty was to blow on it to get most of the juice out. Haven't boiled or used water on it.
I use carts ubtill they don't work anymore. Then I pitch them.
Clogged atties: I save them up and them use an ultrasonic jewlery cleaned depending on how bad the atty is maybe as many as 3 cycles. Then i use a pair of modified tongs and steam clean them, one at a time with my Shark steam cleaner. I can only speak for myself but the atty should now act as if new. I have been doing this since last march and have lost no atties. I use a IKV 2.0
Clogged atties: I save them up and them use an ultrasonic jewlery cleaned depending on how bad the atty is maybe as many as 3 cycles. Then i use a pair of modified tongs and steam clean them, one at a time with my Shark steam cleaner. I can only speak for myself but the atty should now act as if new. I have been doing this since last march and have lost no atties. I use a IKV 2.0
I use carts ubtill they don't work anymore. Then I pitch them.
Clogged atties: I save them up and them use an ultrasonic jewlery cleaned depending on how bad the atty is maybe as many as 3 cycles. Then i use a pair of modified tongs and steam clean them, one at a time with my Shark steam cleaner. I can only speak for myself but the atty should now act as if new. I have been doing this since last march and have lost no atties. I use a IKV
Clogged atties: I save them up and them use an ultrasonic jewlery cleaned depending on how bad the atty is maybe as many as 3 cycles. Then i use a pair of modified tongs and steam clean them, one at a time with my Shark steam cleaner. I can only speak for myself but the atty should now act as if new. I have been doing this since last march and have lost no atties. I use a IKV
I always include dry burn in cleaning regiment.
Best way to release carbon buildup from wick and coil.
Has not caused premature failure for me.
Best way to release carbon buildup from wick and coil.
Has not caused premature failure for me.
Is that the method of firing and blowing into the atty? I came across this on youtube last night. Seems like a good method to burn off excess gunk but I could see how it would be a problem if you didn't know what you were doing.
While wearing safety glasses I power dry coil to approx 1200F; dark orange glow.
Nichrome coil melts at around 2500F.
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Any demo vids of this on youtube that you're aware of? I tend to think that even the preasure from blowing might cause something to move out of place. I like the dry burn methodology.
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I haven't heard of the blowing part.
Nichrome is mechanically weakened while operating at high temp.
I let it cool slowly to minimize thermal shock.
For example, a light bulb filament is much easier to break while white hot.
after bout 1 or 2 months of use our 510 atty's still work, only the taste isn't good anymore. i collect a few put them in a pan on a peace of cloth and tab-water and boil them for like 10 min and flush them a bit meanwhile. when they are cool enough to handle i blow gently the acces water out and let them air dry for at least 48 hours. then they give good taste again, and still work as intended, the cheap ones may loose a bit of their paint tho 
I stand by the "no cleaning" statement, but if you must blow them out(if they flood or something), remember it is not a police whistle. I've seen people put half their lung power into blowing out an atomizer. That will damage it for sure.
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