eRoll Airlock?

[chefkeith]

So, I love my eRoll, but I keep getting what I now believe to be an airlock issue. At first, I thought it was a battery issue, then I thought it was a clogged atty, and now I think airlock (which someone suggested in the very long thread, or maybe somewhere else).

I've cleaned the battery, and after a few issues with the switch staying on after cleaning, it works great again. The attys were dirty, I've clean them and they are now spotless. I have yet to rewick, though. Yet, I still get (what seems to be) a random occurrence of hard draw. When this happens, it still vapes fairly well, but there's no crackle. At no point is there ever gurgling, though.

It usually happens about halfway through a tank (I typically vape whole tanks in a session). I also take pretty aggressive drags, which I don't think is the "correct" way to vape, so this may have something to do with it. When I refill a tank, it often hits like brand new, but if I remove a tank during a session and quickly replace it to break a vacuum, the hard draw is still there. Shaking, tapping, and flicking the eRoll do not make a difference. Pulling the tank out a 1/16" doesn't help either, and there is moderate to heavy condensation in the tank. I've been vaping Mt. Baker 80/20 White Tea and Copper Creek House Blend 80/20.

Anybody else experience this?

 

[mmsjs5]

It may not even be the battery you're having a problem with. If it's always happening halfway through a tank, the atty may be getting too hot and expanding with the heat, restricting airflow. Try to adjust your vape session to recharge/cool down at less than half a tankful at a time, and see if that helps with your issue. I'm curious to know if this will work, so please let me know if you try it.

 

[chefkeith]

It may not even be the battery you're having a problem with. If it's always happening halfway through a tank, the atty may be getting too hot and expanding with the heat, restricting airflow. Try to adjust your vape session to recharge/cool down at less than half a tankful at a time, and see if that helps with your issue. I'm curious to know if this will work, so please let me know if you try it.

I love this answer! I had actually thought the same thing. When I vape this way, the cone gets HOT. Excellent idea, but to no avail. I started with a clean atty and fresh tank. It hit beautifully. I vaped until it became hard to draw and put it back in the PCC. Several hours later, I pulled it out: no change

 

[mmsjs5]

GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE!

This has me stumped. I will continue to think on it.

 

[chefkeith]

I'm now beginning to think it's a wicking issue. I'm going to order SS wick today and see if it solves the problem. Can wicks become temporarily clogged and then wick great again without cleaning? Maybe the wick is shot, but there's occasional channeling around the wick cause it to work again?

 

[peraspera]

If the heat is causing an airlock you might have to pull the tank out a bit to break the lock. Then push the tank back on all the way.

 

[chefkeith]

If the heat is causing an airlock you might have to pull the tank out a bit to break the lock. Then push the tank back on all the way.

That's what I was trying to describe above, but you did a much better job. Still doesn't help, though

 

[chefkeith]

After a serious day of re-wicking, cleaning attys, cleaning tanks, cleaning cones, and trying different juices, I'm back to square one: the battery. I'm going to try cleaning one of my batteries again to see if it helps. Maybe an overnight soak this time.

I'm just upset that I trashed two batteries in the first two days I owned the unit. Wish I knew what I was doing wrong. Probably hitting too aggressively.

 

[EricDykstra]

Do you have juice under the atty in the battery? Is there liquid in the air side of the tank? Are you removing the top the tank to fill?

If the atty is getting to hot you maybe causing the the tanks to leak flooding the atty and the getting into the battery. Also when you insert the tank make sure the air bubble is at the spike end. Then flip the unit over to make sure the air bubble travels to the mouth end of tank.

Do you have 2 notches in the pcc where the cone would sit?

Did you remove the spike from the atty base with a needle nose pliers and leave tooth marks on the spike tip?

What liquid are you using? (brand and ratio)

 

[alisa1970]

I'm sorry to hear you're having so much trouble...this little guy has been hassle-free for me. If I had the trouble you're experiencing I would likely go back to analogs. Disappointing for you, I'm sure!

 

[chefkeith]

Do you have juice under the atty in the battery? Is there liquid in the air side of the tank? Are you removing the top the tank to fill?

If the atty is getting to hot you maybe causing the the tanks to leak flooding the atty and the getting into the battery. Also when you insert the tank make sure the air bubble is at the spike end. Then flip the unit over to make sure the air bubble travels to the mouth end of tank.

Do you have 2 notches in the pcc where the cone would sit?

Did you remove the spike from the atty base with a needle nose pliers and leave tooth marks on the spike tip?

What liquid are you using? (brand and ratio)

1. No visible juice under the atty, and your cleaning method did not work so far, but I'm willing to try again with a longer soak perhaps.

2. There is quite alot of condensation in the air side of the tank. I have not removed the end of the tank that goes in your mouth yet. I have rinsed and (I think) dried the tanks completely.

3. I am not removing the cap when I fill, just to clean.

4. I might be flooding the battery, though I've never seen more than a hint of moisture on the contacts. I do rip through juice, though.

5. I insert the tank exactly as you describe.

6. My PCC is notched, and juice never leaks into it.

7. I have never touched the atty with pliers - just a screwdriver.

8. I'm using Mt. Baker White Tea 80/20 and Copper Creek House Blend 80/20

 

[chefkeith]

I'm sorry to hear you're having so much trouble...this little guy has been hassle-free for me. If I had the trouble you're experiencing I would likely go back to analogs. Disappointing for you, I'm sure!

I'm a tinkerer, so no harm, no foul. I can't be too clear about this: when the eRoll is hitting hard, it is still by far the best cig-a-like I've ever vaped. Period. I just want it to hit like it did out of the box again (and still does randomly).

 

[EricDykstra]

That's odd, with no moisture in the contacts your batteries should not be acting up. I think you have a bad batch of batteries. Cleaning is not going to help. Sounds like the air valve is getting stuck. I would contact the vendor and get a replacement. Everything else seems kosher.

Other people have post with battery issues about not be able to suck and the issue was the battery. Have you done a scratch test on the joyetech website?

 

[chefkeith]

No, I haven't done a scratch test - I'll try it tomorrow. There was no plastic on the box or holograms IIRC. The problem is driving me nuts, it's just so random.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[chefkeith]

Tried the scratch test today and ended of scratching off some of the numbers. Seriously, it wouldn't scratch correctly. How hard is that? I've never in my live had problems scratching things off. So, I don't know if it's real or not. Guess I should send it back under warranty.

 

[EricDykstra]

easier than scratching a lottery ticket. Where did you buy it from?

 

[chefkeith]

Bought it from Mt. Baker. I just notified them to see if I can get a new one. I really don't think it's a fake, but who knows? The scratch sticker was so weird. Part of it scratched normally, like a lotto ticket. The rest just wouldn't scratch off, and I ended up literally scratching the sticker down to the box. So it goes, I guess. We'll see what they say.