Over the past several months it seems like almost every clearo I buy is a dud (only lasts about a week, several have leaked into the batteries, etc...). I'm using ce4 clearomizers. It's getting REALLY frustrating, in the past I've had clearos that lasted 4-6 months, now if I have one that lasts 3 weeks I feel lucky. I'm starting to wonder if it's something to do with my batteries (maybe because they're old the voltage is screwed up and killing the clearos?). I have 2 650 egos and 1 ego passthrough, all bought from Cignot about 2 years ago. Is it just time to buy new batteries?
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The CE series of clearos seem to either work really well or terribly. Though, keep in mind, 3 weeks for a disposable, depending on what type of juice, really isn't that bad.
The next logical progression, with the same form factor, would be to try moving to an EVOD style bcc, with replaceable coils, but any clearo will require semi-regular maintenance and likely rebuild/replacement of the heads periodically to keep performance up.
The next logical progression, with the same form factor, would be to try moving to an EVOD style bcc, with replaceable coils, but any clearo will require semi-regular maintenance and likely rebuild/replacement of the heads periodically to keep performance up.
I would think its the clearos. I use the new Ego CC from Cignot and they don't leak... that's the whole point of their unique design. Vicki sells them for 14.50 and the Type A Joye atomizers they use last for months and months and months... better than any clearo heads I've seen. I use them with my Egos and in my erolls. All-in-all with their life-span they're not comparatively expensive. I have EVODs, T3s minis and iSmoka minis but much prefer the performance of the Type A atomizer plus Ego CC.
Two to three weeks is normal for a disposable clearomiser, which is what the CE4/stardust is. You could try a CE5 which has a replacable head and they are generally better quality.
A disposable that last 4-6 months in constant use is unthinkable, and even if you only use it in rotation is well past its us-by date. Are you finding the taste is going off after about 2 weeks? That's the juice caking and burning on the coil. The next step is that usually the brown colour will backwash into the tank and taint the juice.
I think that what is happening is that your tastebuds are coming back. It was always starting to taste nasty after two weeks, but now you can tell the difference. The taste thing seems to be different for everyone; some people get it back in 6 weeks, for others it can be 9 months until they notice a dramatic improvement.
The type of juice will also affect the life of the coil. Thicker, darker juices will clog up on the coil faster, as will high VG juices.
I can also recommend the Evods. They are bottom coil devices and work very well, and have replaceable heads. I recommend you go for 2.4 ohm heads for replacements as it sounds like you're more into no hassle/minimum fuss more than anything else. Lower ohm coils will run hotter and need more regular replacement.
2 years is a good life for a set of batteries. You should probably think about getting some replacements for them soon, but I don't think it's the source of your problems. Old batteries will just need charging more often until they eventually don't hold a useful charge.
ETA: It strikes me that you might only be a very occasional e-cig user, which might explain the longevity of your CE4 clearomisers. There's an awful lot of cheap copies of these on the market now and the quality of some is questionable (but you can get a pack of 10 for less than $15). Leaking and badly made coils are common with the cheap stuff I'm afraid, reports of one or two DOAs in the pack are not uncommon.
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Thanks for the info. I'm actually a very heavy chain-vaper and up until a few months ago a lot of the cheap (around $5 each) clearos would last for several months each. Maybe I was just really lucky before and now I'm getting normal ones, bummer. I don't think it has anything to do with my tastebuds, I've been off analogs for 3 years. And the problem isn't flavor, it's that I get nothing but air (no lovely white cloud).
I'll probably try a ce5 next, most reviews I've read say they're better than ce4. Although a few months ago I bought some kind of clearo with a replaceable head (not sure exactly what it was, I got it from One Stop DIY Shop) and it pooped out in less than a week. I changed the head but it started leaking right away, like it didn't seal back properly after being opened.
Hmm... I guess the search continues.....
That's odd then, because I can't imagine getting even a month out of a coil with heavy use. I generally use one device with an ADV in it most of the time, about 3 - 5 ml per day. Two weeks is pretty normal for a head for me, and at that I consider it to have done reasonably well. I guess if you had fairly low requirements for vapour and were using high resistance coils on batteries designed to put out only 3.4 volts, it would certainly extend the life.
Have you changed e-liquid? Look at the resistance coils in the devices you are buying. Higher resistance coils will last longer on a fixed voltage battery. Lower resistance coils will run hotter and last for a shorter amount of time.
The extra information that the device is totally dead has me thinking along other lines now:
The build quality of the cheaper stuff is getting a little poor, so for example if you always tighten devices right down then the center pin might get pushed in and no longer make contact. It's also a known problem with ego batteries that overtightening can push the center pin of the battery in, resulting in no contact or intermittent contact. I'm thinking after two years the center pins have gradually been getting lower. Get the tip of a sharp blade or some very pointy pliers and see if you can wiggle it up a little bit. Be very careful not to short the battery out when you do this. It's sounding even more like some replacement kit is a good idea, but two years out of a set of ego batteries is pretty good really. (might last another two years, might die tomorrow, you just don't know).
Well done staying off the analogues. Well done for staying with the same kit and saving money too. I've been a non-smoker for six months and I haven't actually saved anything if you look at my total spend, but I do have DIY and rebuildable supplies that will keep me going for some time.
Also while the CE4 are disposable, they aren't that fantastic of a tank given the design. Juice will travel up a wick and fight gravity. This is über cool! However really not that useful/effective. Try a tank that has wicks on the bottom, and one that you can replace the wicks (heads/coils) so that your not shelling out $$ for something you're going to throw away anyway. My advice, I'm a big fan of the original protank from Kanger. It's a little bit bigger but has the bottom coil design. If you like the smaller tank size, then I would go with an EVOD tank, pretty much the same heads oddly enough. Kanger also has the protank 2. Hope this helps ya a bit
-Mammoth
-Mammoth
Hey There Jen79,
Ditto to the post from xtwosm0kesx:
The Evod BCC appear to be longer lasting, unless you like to "tinker" with the wicks and coils, which I have been known to do....
"The next logical progression, with the same form factor, would be to try moving to an EVOD style bcc, with replaceable coils, but any clearo will require semi-regular maintenance and likely rebuild/replacement of the heads periodically to keep performance up."
Ditto to the post from xtwosm0kesx:
The Evod BCC appear to be longer lasting, unless you like to "tinker" with the wicks and coils, which I have been known to do....
"The next logical progression, with the same form factor, would be to try moving to an EVOD style bcc, with replaceable coils, but any clearo will require semi-regular maintenance and likely rebuild/replacement of the heads periodically to keep performance up."
I have a love/hate relationship with the CE4. I love that you can buy them for $2.49. I have lots of them. The ones that came with the eGo Starter kits and a bunch I bought from MadVapes. I hate that they leak. Not all of them, but enough of them drip into the battery. I keep a Q-Tip handy all of the time to clean the battery out when needed.
Today I discovered my first crack. I have no way of knowing if the CE4 is 2 months old or a few weeks old. I was vaping and kept noticing that battery was sticky. I thought I cleaned it well, but it became sticky again. Then under good light I discovered a tiny crack in the clearomizer. I'm glad it wasn't expensive e-Liquid.
Ive never had luck with a CE4. I got a kanger T2, was blown away! Now I have 5 and ive never ever had an issue.
Jen, how often did you clean those good clearos? Were they the CE4's? Also, what juices were you using mostly back then and have you changed juice since then?
I really doubt that batteries have anything to do with this.
Nothing that a piece of black electrical tapes wouldn't fix. Sure, the CE4 is disposable. But, you can delay when you actually dispose of it.
Sorry about the blurry photo.
CE4 clearos are sort of disposable as they don't come with replaceable coils. If you like the CE4 style, you may want to check out the CE5.
Or better yet, get one of the Kanger BCC clearos--eVod, T3 or mini ProTank 2 will all mount flush on eGo batteries.
As for those batteries--2 years of constant use is a long time--they are only good for about 300 cycles, so yes, it's time to get new batteries. Look into variable voltage--Joyetech Twist, Vision Spinner and Kanger Evod VV are all nice.
Good luck!
A lesson I learned years ago from a co-worker is that before tossing a failing piece of equipment into the trash, try to fix it. His intent was that you can always learn something in the process.
I'm 2 for 2 on fixing CE4 Clearomizers. Twice I thought I needed to discard one of these CE4's. One wouldn't fire. I used a tweezers to pull the power pin totally out of the bottom. When I put it back together it worked. The other CE4 was the cracked one I repaired with electrical tape.
I'm more impressed with the nearly two years of use of the 650mAh batteries and pass-thru.
I have a 650 I bought in May that is already showing signs of decline.
I have a 650 I bought in May that is already showing signs of decline.
I've found, like everyone else, that CE4s can be hit or miss. Some last me a month (I clean them when they start acting up), and some last a day.
I've been picking up some of the rebuildable ones, but have found that they are about the same (hit or miss).
I've been picking up some of the rebuildable ones, but have found that they are about the same (hit or miss).
I NEVER cleaned them! The most I did was dump out the juice if it started turning brown then refill with fresh juice. And I've been using pretty much the exact same juice for a LONG time (struggled in the beginning to find something I liked so once I finally found one I just stuck with it). As far as what exact type of clearos the older ones were, I'm not sure. It was whatever One Stop DIY Shop was selling (they've looked basically the same for the past 2 years (like a CE4), just slight variation in the wicks). But I'm buying from a new place now and they have a big variety, I'll try some CE5s and BCCs soon I think. And buy a new battery, I'm leaning towards a VV Twist or Spinner. And I've gotten comfortable with rinsing out the clearos now, I know it's silly but I always worried that dunking them in water would ruin them.
Thank you everybody for your help, I got way more advice than I expected!
Kanger T2 (real ones, not knock offs). The coils are replaceable (about $1.50 each) the tank lasts for ages, they're easy to clean . I use them and use them and use them - they are perfect and made specifically for eGo threading so leak free. Try one or two. You won't be disappointed. I have T2's that I've been using for a year - replacing the coil every now and then as needed.
Generally a coil will get dirtied up enough it won't perform well after a couple of days use, for me after about 6 to 8 mls of juice have been put through it, but they can be cleaned/dry burned a bunch of times till the coil actually deteriorates or actually breaks. The ce4's are'nt really designed to take apart, so they don't clean to easily. The ce5's would be much better as they have replaceable heads which can be cleaned rather easily. I'd like to know what you were using that long without cleaning, that's almost a miracle. Sure it depends on the make up of the juice and how much juice is going through it etc, as far as how long they will last, but 4 to 6 months is incredible.
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