Cleaning Tips from a Beginner - Is Your Tank Leaking, Gurgling, Spitting?

[Stratm69]

I'm new to vaping yet, but I never run into the common problems such as gurgling or spitting from my tanks. I've only run into one leaking issue so far, but that was an error on my behalf.

My two tanks are the Atlantis and the Subtank Mini.

What's my secret? Cleaning my tanks on a regular basis.

I fully disassemble the tank and give each part, except for the coil, a good rinse under warm water and thoroughly dry them out with a soft bath towel. Then, I use many Q-tips to reach the tight, hard-to-get areas, until each part is fully dry.

I do this each time when I decide to try a new juice, pop in a new coil, or figure it's just time for a cleaning which is usually every 2-4 days I figure depending upon the mood I'm in.

If you're on the fly, a quick way to clean your tank is to take some Q-tips and swab out the chimney, drip tip, and the hole where your drip tip is inserted. Just be sure to clean up any pieces of cotton that may have fallen off, I doubt you want to inhale those by any chance.

I never clean the coils though as I haven't explored the "dry burning" techniques yet. Can't say I want to yet because I'm fine with buying $5 coils, it's saving me some trial and error and a potential headache. Someday though.

Also, I never vape in the cold. And these last few months have been FRIGID! With larger tanks such as the Atlantis or Subtank Mini, the cold can make the metal portions of the tank contract. Also, the metal can expand with warmth or heat. Most tanks are 99% metal. This can be a big factor in leaking tanks, more than what some may think in my opinion.

Also, another important factor is screwing in your coils properly. I always ensure mine are seated properly and just a hair past finger-tight. If not, there's potential juice leaking into your airflow chamber. Not good! This can cause extremely poor pulls, spitting, and gurgling.

A trick with my Atlantis tank, before I piece it back together, is that I'll take the airflow chamber portion of the tank and run some light juice along the clear, rubber gasket. That way when I screw the airflow chamber back into the actual tank, there will be a tighter, air free, seal.

Lastly, my results after all of this? Tanks that never leak, gurgle, or spit!

 

[Hitmetwice]

Here's what I do to service the coil. I just peel some of the fuzz off a couple q-tips so the ends will fit into the 0.5 ohm vertical coil, then gently swab out the nasties. 3 weeks now and other than cleaning the driptip and doing swabs every few days have had no probs.

I've found by overcleaning things, not just vape stuff, it can lead to premature wear or breakage.
I don't do anything until performance or flavour drops off.

But whatever floats your boat..."some do, some don't, some will, some won't"...Cheers.

EDIT....Yeah, don't dryburn anything with cotton in it, it'll be toasted if you do that.

 

[caferacer]

Some tanks leak and flood regardless of how often you clean them.

 

[Stratm69]

I've found by overcleaning things, not just vape stuff, it can lead to premature wear or breakage.
I don't do anything until performance or flavour drops off.

Good tip. But how do you figure premature wear or breakage? If you're taking the tank apart to install a new coil or switch flavors, you're already more than half way there with taking the tank apart. Why not go ahead and pop the top off and give everything a good rinse?

If you're disassembling the tank to put in a new coil, new juice, or for whatever reason... can that attribute to premature wear? With my sub-ohm tanks, I'm putting juice in almost every other day. Then when it's time for a new coil, usually each 3-5 days, I wash everything.

 

[Alien Traveler]

I never run into the common problems such as gurgling or spitting from my tanks.

What's my secret? Cleaning my tanks on a regular basis.

I never run into the common problems such as gurgling or spitting from my tanks.
What's my secret? I do not clean my tanks. OK, every 2 weeks I pour out remaining juice before refillig. Usually change wicks at the same time. Simple. Efficient. Will it work for you, I wonder?

 

[HauntedMyst]

I always wet my coils and wicks when I clean. Combined with a dry burn, t's a good way to clean them and keep things fresher tasting.

 

[SuperTaz]

I clean my Nautilis mini tank once a month with dish soap and water. The coils I will soak in hot water with denture cleaning tablets and re-use them. I have had some coils last up to 3 weeks between changes. If I get gurgling I just stick a Q-Tip down the drip tip to absorb excess juice.
And I never dry burn the coils.

 

[DoubleTap1]

When I change juice I take out the premade coil and drop it into a cup of vodka. Let it sit over night, set it on paper towels and it is dry in a day. Pop in another one repeat the process. Been doin this with four coils, so far so good!

 

[Stratm69]

When I change juice I take out the premade coil and drop it into a cup of vodka. Let it sit over night, set it on paper towels and it is dry in a day. Pop in another one repeat the process. Been doin this with four coils, so far so good!

Easy enough! What alcohol percentage, or proof, is in there? Would that make a difference?

Also, any traces of burnt taste afterwards?

 

[DoubleTap1]

I'm not sure of the proof, 80 sounds about right. No, no trace of burnt taste or after taste. The alcohol evaporates quickly and leaves it dry.

 

[Alien Traveler]

The alcohol evaporates quickly

Yep. I have noticed it too. What a shame...

 

[Treeburner1983]

I rinse and rewick my RTA every day when it's time to fill, drying it with a paper towel before either dry-burning the coil or rebuilding. My girlfriend cleans all five of her Nautilus Minis and 2 Atlantis's at every fill too, rinsing with warm water then drying with a paper towel. We make a perfect compulsive couple together!

-Treeburner

 

[Hitmetwice]

Good tip. But how do you figure premature wear or breakage? If you're taking the tank apart to install a new coil or switch flavors, you're already more than half way there with taking the tank apart. Why not go ahead and pop the top off and give everything a good rinse?

If you're disassembling the tank to put in a new coil, new juice, or for whatever reason... can that attribute to premature wear? With my sub-ohm tanks, I'm putting juice in almost every other day. Then when it's time for a new coil, usually each 3-5 days, I wash everything.

Yes, you are right, of course if it's already apart by all means. I've just found and noticed from past experience, when I get a new item I want to look after it and get to know it well, and that's a good thing.
At the same time though, after some time getting to know it and it's quirks, it's strengths, it's weaknesses,
it may have been better if I hadn't been so religious about it at the beginning.

Of course, everyone of us goes through the process to varying degrees. It is a hobby and a lot of the fun involves disassembly and assembly to get things working as best we can for our needs. That is one of the reasons, for me that vaping has worked so well for me to quit smoking.

I'm just saying that after 1 or 2 years of vaping, some of the initial zest wears off and the frequency of the preventative maintenance might too. "If it works don't fix it" is my view more now than "how can I make it better".

In the past, vapers needed to tweak everything because vaping was so crappy. Nowadays though the devices are so much better, I just find it less necessary. YMMV.

They do say "cleanliness is next to godliness" so if you are closer to god than I am, it is you that should be judging me not the other way 'round. lol.

Whatever we do, if we are not smoking, we are doing it the right way. Cheers.

 

[dhood]

With my Kayfuns, I will run with a juice until it starts to taste burnt. That time frame will vary depending on the type of juice. When it gets to that point, I'll empty the tank, disassemble it, and give it a good hot water bath. I'll also dry burn the coil to clean it. With the Subtank, I have to change that wick on the RBA about every two days because the juice gunks it up so bad. I have yet to empty it or clean it out after 4 weeks but the RBA section gets cleaned every two days or so. I've had the Subtank about 4 weeks and I'm still refilling the tank. My Nautilus and Aerotank will get a hot water bath when I change coils. They last about a week to two weeks. I go through a lot of paper towels and canned air drying everything out before putting it back together. Yes, I have a lot of different flavors in a lot of tanks. I'm thinking I need more tanks since I started to make my own juice.