E-Liquid or Wick Problem ???

[jlew]

Hi all

I haven't been in for some time... trying to get other things done... but I have a small
problem I cannot figure out.

I have bought this same flavor before and never had any issues with it - until now -
and I don't know if it is the flavor/mix or the wick.

It is a sweet coffee flavor and I am using Vision 2.0 (V3) clearos with the standard 2.4ohm
wicks... the problem is...

After about 3/4 clearo, the fluid just won't wick right and I have to either refill over the old,
add a couple drops of distilled water, or dump and refill but then it happens again, and
eventually, will not wick at all.

I take the clearo apart and rinse it good then when I touch the wick, it seems as if it has
actually gotten "Harder" - almost like a type of rope instead of the soft, fluffy fiber it was.

I can put a new wick in and the same thing will happen.

I recently bought 5 new wicks and I now have 3 that are "Hardened"... I had to wash them
out good, pull apart the twists, and let them dry to ever be used again (I will more than
likely use them as emergency wicks now).

The liquid I have used before just a month or so ago and it has become my favorite flavor
so far but I cannot use this batch and I don't know if it is the liquid or the wicks.

What would cause the wicks to become "Harder" than they are when new?
What would make them go from being a fluffy soft twine to almost like a thin rope material?

 

[Ken_A]

It sounds like it could be either one. Your wicks are picking up residue from the liquid, and most likely hardening. If you have a VV device, try lowering the voltage a bit.
The juice could be made differently, or the wicks could be made differently.
Adjusting for either or both can be challenging. you could try thinning with PG instead of distilled water to see if that has an effect on the stiffening of the wick.
you could try purchasing your wicks from a different vendor, or rebuilding them yourself.

 

[RichardV]

Most coffee flavors are known wick cloggers. Also the higher the VG content the worse it will crud up the coil.

 

[Unforeseen]

Moved to Assorted PV Topics - Clearomizers

 

[jlew]

Hi and thanks for the replies

It sounds like it could be either one. Your wicks are picking up residue from the liquid, and most likely hardening. If you have a VV device, try lowering the voltage a bit.
The juice could be made differently, or the wicks could be made differently.
Adjusting for either or both can be challenging. you could try thinning with PG instead of distilled water to see if that has an effect on the stiffening of the wick.
you could try purchasing your wicks from a different vendor, or rebuilding them yourself.

I use the Vision 2.0 (V3) clearos (I Love those things ) and all the wicks have been from the same vendor.
I am really guessing it has to be the liquid because I am using the same clearos and new wicks from the same
vendor with the liquids I am making at 70PG/30VG and they are not gunking or hardening the wicks -- In fact,
the flavor I made is quite close to the same premix Coffee one that is giving me the problem.
The only way I could seem to get any vapor from the problem liquid was to turn up the voltage - on an eGo-C
Upgrade Switchable Battery.
I even washed the wicks that were affected, let them dry, and tried them with other liquid and they work... so
it must be something with the liquid.

As for rebuilding the wicks - I would love to but I cannot find the proper Electrical Resistance Wire and Wick
materials...
Could you point me to a place that sells the wire and wicking?
I am interested in 2.2 to 2.6ohm so the wire has to be rated for 2.4ohm Resistance and I cannot find any and
I am not even certain the material the wicks are made from... I have seen some say they are Silica, some say
Cotton is ok, and others say it is a Micro Fiberglass type material... I am guessing it is Silica because it is so
soft and glossy white and pulls apart like Cotton Candy - that is how Silica acts.

Most coffee flavors are known wick cloggers. Also the higher the VG content the worse it will crud up the coil.

Cute avatar -- looks like that puppy might bite if someone got too close

Yeah, I have heard that some flavors can do that but I have yet to have any problem with this one -- this is the
first time this brand and flavor has done this... It appears to be a bit darker than the others I have bought and a
bit thicker so I am guessing it is a high VG causing the problem.

I think I will try adding some PG to see if that helps... problem is, how much to add... lol
I am going to assume it is the 100% VG Version and try to make it at least 50/50 to see -- that will bring the nic
level way down (it is a 24mg) but that is ok... as long as I can use it even as an emergency ration will be fine

 

[Thepinfamily]

I've had a couple wicks get stiff like yours. I always assumed it was the sweetener crystallizing or hardening in some way. When they get hard like that it seems even my ultrasonic cleaner can't wah the stiffness out.

 

[martinc]

Nah,I vape Goeff`s Blend unsweetened and it does the same thing to my wicks.

Some juices are anti-wicks.

I dry-burn the black crud but it leaves some kind of white residue stuck in the wick.

If you plan on keeping vapin that stuff,I suggest to upgrade to a rebuildable.

 

[jlew]

@ Thepinfamily and martinc ... Yeah... that's it... it is like something you can't really see is stiffening
the wicks and nothing you do will fix them. It is almost like they were soaked in a resin that is resistant
to anything - I have even tried Boiling them and they still stay stiff...

Right now, I would have to say it is something in the coffee flavor - and if not, there is one e-liquid I
buy pre-made that I have been able to duplicate so maybe it is the coffee flavoring or the Irish Cream
flavoring that is causing it -- I would be more inclined to say the coffee one though...

At first, my DIY Irish Coffee one wasn't doing it but now, after 2 days of using it, it is hardening them
as well... I had to change one this evening but now, that one is getting hard to draw on.

I just really have no clue but I really can't test it because I have nothing else to compare...
I have hear there is an uncolored Coffee flavor out there but can't remember the brand or name now...

Maybe it is the coloring in it - caramel coloring might do that...

It is just so strange that it won't even wash out with boiling or like you said - with Ultrasound cleaning,
that is odd because Ultrasound cleaning will take tarnish off silver.


I did see something else tonight though... I mixed a clear Watermelon flavored juice and when
I rinsed the syringe out, as I drew up some water, the remaining liquid in the syringe looked like
it was turning into a jell and was tough to push the plunger to empty it out.
After I rinsed it a time or two, it was ok and the fluid never hurt the wick...
That was weird!

 

[mayamason]

I have hear there is an uncolored Coffee flavor out there but can't remember the brand or name now...

I can't really help with the original problem, but TFA makes a clear coffee flavoring.

 

[PugLady]

I had this problem when I used dark coffee liquid and believe me I thought I would never love another coffee liquid and I even gave up on clearo for a while. Then I found the holy grail of coffee juices. Its called Twisted Java from halo ecigs and it produces amazing amounts of vapor and works great in anything I vape it in because its mixed to the perfect pg/vg mix and its also crystal clear! Ill never use another coffee juice ever.. good luck!

 

[jlew]

Hi all... I still cannot figure this issue out...

When I first got the Taylored Coffee blend from ECX, it never had this issue... then, after
buying a few bottles of it (at least 3 x 10ml and 1 x 30ml), only the 30ml batch started
having this issue.

ECX says they make theirs using "Signature", "Capella", and "Flavor Art" brand flavors and
they have not told me exactly what flavors they use to get the blend but I think I figured
out a very close match.

I use the Flavor West brand flavors and mixed the FW Coffee and the FW Irish Cream and
it tastes almost identical to the ECX brand.

The ECX Brand is quite dark but mine seems to be a bit lighter colored...

It has to be mixed a bit heavy too -- My recipe is 20% (+/-) Coffee and 10% (+/-) Irish
Cream...
I added a few drops FW Sweetener in the first batch and I still got the "Stiff Wick" issue.
So, I eliminated the sweetener from the second batch and Still got stiff wicks.

I am mixing at a PG to VG ratio of 70/30 and at a nic level of 18mg to 24mg.

I may go with trying those "Clear" coffee flavors to see if that is the problem... or else, it
is the sweetness in the Irish Cream causing it...

I am not having this issue with any other flavors and so far, I have made (all from FW Flavors):
Sweet Tart flavor, Cola flavor, Peach Tobacco flavor, Pina Colada, Watermelon flavor, and the
Irish Coffees.

I can't really suspect the sweeteners at this point because there has to be some in some of
the sweeter flavors, especially the Pina Colada, Blueberry (used in the Sweet Tart flavor mix),
and Cola...

I have noticed that if I rinse the wick and then put the Peach Tobacco in it, it clears some
after about one full clearo of it...


@ mayamason and KELLYHENNING -- I may have to try those types to see if that is the problem.
It very well could be the "caramel coloring" in them that is causing it.



Thanks

 

[martinc]

Might well be VG related

 

[WorksForMe]

As for rebuilding the wicks - I would love to but I cannot find the proper Electrical Resistance Wire and Wick
materials...
Could you point me to a place that sells the wire and wicking?
I am interested in 2.2 to 2.6ohm so the wire has to be rated for 2.4ohm Resistance and I cannot find any and
I am not even certain the material the wicks are made from... I have seen some say they are Silica, some say
Cotton is ok, and others say it is a Micro Fiberglass type material... I am guessing it is Silica because it is so
soft and glossy white and pulls apart like Cotton Candy - that is how Silica acts.

Try Stormy's Rebuildable Atomizer (RA) Accessories

J.R.

 

[jlew]

Might well be VG related

Couldn't be VG related as all of the liquids I have bought and am making are a minimum of
70/30 PG/VG and no other liquids have acted like this for me.

Try Stormy's Rebuildable Atomizer (RA) Accessories

J.R.

Thanks for that link
I don't think I have seen any place that has all that at once like that