Easy Method to Clean an Aspire BDC Coil Head

[Nibiru2012]

Yesterday one of my Aspire Vivi-Nova Pyrex tank coil heads became slow to vape and not producing much air flow or vapor. Now this coil head was about 14 days old. I had vaped about a total of 7-8 ml of a 50/50 VG-PG mix juice through it.

This is what I decided to do:

1. Removed the coil head and rinsed it under running warm water for about a minute or so.
2. Then soaked it in 91% isopropyl alcohol for about 5 minutes.
3. Let it air dry for about 5 minutes.
4. Placed it in a small pan of boiling water at a slow boil for 15 minutes. One interesting observation is since the coil head was resting on the bottom of the pan, which is hotter than the water itself, the water was actually boiling through the coil head itself. Bubbles were exiting the end with the silicone washer. Therefore I'm assuming that water was cycling through the two small inlet holes and the pin end and boiling through the large end. I watched this for a minute or so to be sure that it wasn't just bubbles coming up around the head. They were actually exiting the head itself.
5. I placed the head on a piece of aluminum foil in the oven set at 200 F for about an hour to ensure that is was thoroughly dried out.
6. Took it out and let it cool down.
7. Screwed it back into the base and screwed the base onto my SVD.
8. Pulsed the SVD several times in a dry burn. The first two or three pulses produced a cloud of smoke (nasty smelling too), then another 5 pulses after that. The coils were glowing red and no trace of odor (except for hot coil odor) after that.
9. Put my favorite juice in the tank, reassembled it and let is sit for 4-5 minutes.
10. Did a few gentle pulls on the tank without firing it to make sure the head had juice in it.
11. Started vaping it, the first two or three vapes were little light. Gave it a couple more gentle non-powered pulls, now it is back to what it was when brand new!
12. As Archimedes said: EUREKA!

Now this is my first attempt at this, but appears to work spot on! Now I know I'll be able to at least get twice the life out of the coil head than I first thought.

I own a total of seven Aspire units; three Vivi Nova-style Pryex and four of the ET-S Pyrex, in addition I have four extra 1.8 ohm coil head replacements. In the future I'll just wait and when I have four dirty clogged heads, then I'll do the same process again. A little more energy and time efficient that way.

I hope that this little tutorial is of some benefit to the rest of those members which own the Aspire BDC clearomizer regardless of which type and style they have.

Happy Vaping and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

[hawkeye46]

Another easier way to clean heads is give them a short bath 2 times with those denture cleaning tabs that fizz. Does a great job of cleaning the wick and getting gunk off coils.--Bo

 

[wv2win]

I sure wouldn't go through all of that or use rubbing alcohol. If I was going to clean it at all, I would instead just soak it in PGA which will do the same thing without the after taste of the rubbing alcohol or all the other "steps".

The denture cleaning tabs is an interesting twist, also.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Another easier way to clean heads is give them a short bath 2 times with those denture cleaning tabs that fizz. Does a great job of cleaning the wick and getting gunk off coils.--Bo

Denture tabs are loaded with chemicals and leave a lot of residue. This method gives a more pristine way of restoring the coils.

I sure wouldn't go through all of that or use rubbing alcohol. If I was going to clean it at all, I would instead just soak it in PGA which will do the same thing without the after taste of the rubbing alcohol or all the other "steps".

The denture cleaning tabs is an interesting twist, also.

Well, if you would have READ the post you would see that I boil after the soak in isopropyl alcohol, so your point is moot regarding the so-called aftertaste of it. I am not being a hater, just stating fact.

The steps seem many, but in fact they really aren't. I just tried to list them in the manner I did it. Perhaps I'll revise the method and see how that works too.

Also are your SURE that using PGA exclusively will achieve the same results? If you have done it that way, the please by all means post your results. If not, then please don't make assumptions.

I used two steps of using alcohol and water which would ensure that ALL gunk and such would be removed.

Again... I'm not being a hater. Stating facts is all. Also I will restate that the process is really not that lengthy, I did this while watching a football game, during the commercial breaks. No sweat off my brow, no time wasted. Just basically did something that worked while being entertained with football.

 

[EvilZoe]

I think it's a lot of work to go through when a lot less steps would be just as effective. Of course, I'm lazy and try to find the shortest route to any destination...lol

I'm lucky to have some Everclear from a neighbor who bought it to use a few years ago for some Christmas boozy fun and who knew she wouldn't ever experience enough need to use the entire bottle. Just soak for a few hours or overnight in that stuff to soften the gunk, rinse in hot water afterward, dry burn. Boom, done.

Denture tabs would work fine as long as they're rinsed thoroughly, too. They don't hold onto a residue. That would be problematic for denture users as denture material is far more porous than metals are....lol

Still, whatever works for YOU and gives YOU the best results is the best way to do it. We all have our own paths to our destination.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Thank you for your comments Zoe!

I guess maybe it is the German heritage in me. My Dad was very OCD about certain things which I inherited from him in addition to the love of chocolate, allergies, astigmatism and a passion for authentic Mexican food (Not Texican).

 

[D. Waterhouse]

Here is my method for ARO heads:

1. Tear completely apart.

2. Rebuild coil w/ 30 gauge Kanthal and cotton wick.

3. Reinstall.


P.S. I jut realized as I was typing, ARO heads!

 

[Nibiru2012]

Here is my method for ARO heads:

P.S. I jut realized as I was typing, ARO heads!

That's cool... I understand.

I rebuild my heads for my Kanger T3S and EVOD BCC tanks.

I actually get a better vape off of my rebuilt coils than I did with the OEM coils.

Thanks Again!

Nibs

 

[Iffy]

Hope ya don't mind me posting an alternative method...

My new process:
- half fill a glass (I used a small water glass) with very hot water (I microwaved)
- put used heads in glass
- drop in one Efferdent Plus tablet
- cover glass with plastic lid
- let soak for 15 minutes with an occasional vigorous agitation with lid in place
- dump solution and thoroughly rinse/agitate heads with hot water (I used a small strainer to capture heads)
- repeat dump/rinse/agitate
- dump water and let da heads drain/dry (over night should be fine)
- dry burn as usual

Conclusions:
- red coils within 3-5 pulses
- almost no 'smoke'
- very little sizzling
- dry burn time is GREATLY reduced

NOTE: When da coils are red with no smoke or sizzling, take a sniff. Continue to dry burn until there is no trace odor.

I was amazed how well this method worked. Did twelve heads at one sitting. Had no aftertaste whatsoever in a fresh tank.

Hope this helps da Aspire lovers. Just be careful with dat hot water!

 

[Orb Skewer]

Remove any silicone grommets above the coil, drip one drop of e-liquid onto the coil, then set it on far, yep with a lighter or match, let it burn off, rinse under running water-done.

Nope, I'm not joking.

 

[errolng]

i tried dry burning but for some reason my coil doesn't glow.
only once have i seen it glow out of maybe dry burning 6-8 separate occasions.
i let them dry for 24 hours or so and the resistance on the heads are still normal.
any ideas?

 

[B1sh0p]

I use 2 methods.

1. Unscrew tank.
2. Pulse head.
3. Soak in hit water for 5 minutes.
4. Blow.
5. Vape.


Or...
1. Unscrew head.
2. Lift garbage lid.
3. Drop in garbage.
4. Insert new $2 head that will last a couple weeks.

 

[B1sh0p]

i tried dry burning but for some reason my coil doesn't glow.
only once have i seen it glow out of maybe dry burning 6-8 separate occasions.
i let them dry for 24 hours or so and the resistance on the heads are still normal.
any ideas?

It either isn't glowing because the top coil is that gunked up, or it busted.

 

[errolng]

ok after dry burning forever it started to glow.
funny thing is this happened previously when the head only went thru like 1 tank but i didnt bother waiting for the coils to glow.
so i guess i'll just have to burn it really long

 

[B1sh0p]

ok after dry burning forever it started to glow.
funny thing is this happened previously when the head only went thru like 1 tank but i didnt bother waiting for the coils to glow.
so i guess i'll just have to burn it really long

Turn up the heat.

 

[Criticalmass]

I would rinse, dry burn, then boil. But that's just me because I can't stand that dry-burn taste at all.

Also I would not use lighters or matches, both are likely to leave deposits behind. Butane/propane are dirty fuels with lots of impurities.



Sent from my Astromech in a galaxy far, far away. The force is with me. so is Mr. chicken.

 

[Jonner]

I was on a fishing trip to NY and trying to avoid smoking more than I already had (when I fish and drink, I can't seem to resist an analog). So I, being the completely unprepared person that I am, had a more than half-dead Ego Twist battery, an almost bone-dry aspire tank (I already went through one tank of Khlorine), and about 3 ml of some old coffee-tobacco liquid I had thrown in the console of the car and forgot about. I went to pay for the hotel room, and noticed that the nice clerk was vaping an Ego, and had another one on the charger, she was nice enough to let me charge my battery for about 2.5 hours, I took the Aspire head, rinsed in hot water for about 3 minutes, cleaned the tank, pulsed the head, filled with old liquid, and I was good to go until the next morning. The clerk also told me about a brick and mortar in Batavia, NY, only 20 minutes away. So after freezing my feet off fishing for 3 hours, took a little drive to RW Vapors, bought an extra ego charger to keep in the car, bottle of RY4, and a 5 pack of Aspire heads. So, maybe a little off-topic, but there are two lessons to be learned. 1. Always be prepared (Boy Scouts?) & 2. Where there's a will, there's a way. But I got very lucky by meeting a hotel clerk who vaped, she was actually the first person I've ever met while vaping, and she was very nice. Just thought this was a cool story to share.

 

[velocicracker]

Do those Aspire BDC heads come apart enough that you can get at the wicks and coils to replace them? (at least the wicks). I haven't seen any detailed pictures or videos of them.

 

[Iffy]

Do those Aspire BDC heads come apart enough that you can get at the wicks and coils to replace them? (at least the wicks).

No. I took a head apart, which destroyed the coils. I see no way to replace 'em.

 

[Christa Marshall]

this tread has been very helpful to me. I just gotmy first Aspire ET-s BDC and am loving it! Up to this point i rinse and dry burn between flavors and every couple tankfulls if i use the same flavor. Prior to my new Aspire's i have used EVODs, Kanger T2's, iclear 30/16's and am wicked excited about my new Aspires. Have been grappling with what to do about cleaning them though. I, up to this point, have not gotten into rebuilding my coils. Anyway, i was afraid to dry burn because i can't see the coils. Tonight i wanted to switch flavors so i rinsed the it under hot water and just filled it hoping that i wouldn't be able to taste the flavor that was previously in the tank. Unfortunately, it just didn't work... (don't laugh to loud please ) I will try some of the methods here. I don't mind a little extra effort because i really like Aspire. as always, people on here have the answers