Faulty clearos?

[PansSiren]

I got a big beef with these X2 clearomizers right now...

13 days ago I wrote a GLOWING review of my newfound vaporizer - I haven't had a single cigarette since I got my new toy! Once I knew I liked it, I ordered a variety of juice and 5 more clearos to get me through till next paycheck. Now I'm kind of ...... off.

I got 2 clearos with my original shipment and they still work slightly ok. 4 of the 5 new ones are complete trash, and the 5th probably would be too if I hadn't gone searching online to find out how to tinker with it first. Upon tasting my new juices with the new clearos for the first time, I was in HEAVEN. A few toots later on each one and they all tasted like a burnt awful mess (didn't even go through half a tank on any of them!). I figured I f'd up somehow and decided to clean them and try over again. After following Outlaw's tutorial for cleaning (THANKS DUDE!!), 3 still tasted like .... and the other doesn't even fire anymore. "What did I do wrong" was my question to myself. ... Nothing.

I didn't want to ruin the 5th one (only fresh one I had left), so I searched for causes of the burnt taste and read that the wicks might have their 'circulation' cut off (the little white stopper thing or whatever was pushed too far downwards). So on that 5th one, I pulled it completely off and just set it on top, then screwed on the tip so that the white piece would be as high as it possibly could (it lowered from the tip pressing on it as I screwed it in). Well whataya know, it's been working all day without a hitch (flavor diminished (expected) and it tastes slightly burnt, but it's not awful and I can definitely keep vaping it for a little bit - the other ones are so bad I will NOT use them again... the taste is just HORRIBLE). I know they're meant to wear out, but I think the life on them pretty much just sucks, especially considering they are 7 bucks a pop! Maybe it's just the wick system, I dunno, I'm still trying to figure all this new stuff out. I'll be trying the other options on my next order - cartos, CE3s, and I think I'm gonna pick up a T3 and adapter. No pun intended, but I don't wanna get burnt again on these clearomizers! I really felt like I just wasted 28 dollars on those 4 clearos that went to hell so fast (seriously, not even half a tank!).

I'm irked more by the fact I had to find out what the problem was and a solution to it via 3rd party by a search on the internet - and that 4 out of 5 came shipped with this problem (probably the 5th one too had I not played around with it). It's totally weak and I wasted my money - I'm really dissatisfied, but it's a lesson learned.

Sorry for the rant, but I feel like I had to share this for the sake of other newbs out there. Guess I better get my orders in quick so I have something enjoyable to vape soon. At least I'm off of cigarettes, and for that I'm forever thankful. I'd rather inhale these burnt up pieces of crap to get my fix than letting the stink sticks win yet again.

I'm very open to any suggestions anyone might have for me!

 

[MamaFox]

I'm not super impressed with clearos, either. They have a metallic taste to me, and do taste burnt after a while. And they wear out WAY too fast for what you spend on them. I prefer the empty cartridges that came with my eGo-C.

 

[BiXLL]

I bought 2 for myself and 2 for my wife. After using them for about a week, I went back to CE3s as I just could not get a satisfying hit on the X2 clearos. My wife still uses hers and seems quite content with them, or maybe just too lazy to fill the CE3s as she really likes to be able to fill out of the bottle.

 

[MamaFox]

They are really convenient to fill. But they just make the juice taste...off, and they aren't reliable in my experience

 

[Duster6524]

If you happen to be chain vaping them it's not getting time to wick. Especially with long wicks, you have to give them time to wick up more juice. Also, if your juice is thick, it will be slower to wick (could thin it with some distilled water or PG).

 

[JoAnnW]

Sorry you are having these problems with the X2 clearo's. Quite a number of people have issues with them too.

I have not had any issues at all with the X2 clearo's. They are my preferred juice delivery system that SI carries so far. Can't wait for SI's T3 to try.

You have to let the wicks become completely saturated when you first fill them. Let it sit about 10 minutes before vaping. Lay it on it's side when you put it down. If you stand the X2 up for an extended period without rotating the liquid around, you will get dry hits or burnt taste. I rinse it out with hot water after 3 or 4 refills and let it dry naturally overnight. You have to be careful if you dryburn them because you could burn the coils. I haven't had the need to do that because I have quite a few of them.

Hope this helps a little... just my

 

[PansSiren]

I'm glad I'm not alone on this, it seems like there's a lot of praise for them. I think the 'metallic' taste may be a more accurate description for the one I'm using now. I'm thinking the RY4 flavor hid it more, but with the Banana I have now, it's pretty prominent. It started out like I was drinking a banana milkshake (seriously delicious), and now it's like a banana flavored cigarette after it's 3rd fill (possibly a poor choice of words, I really don't know how to describe the flavor, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!).

I got them for how easy they looked to fill (super easy - no complaint there!) and more so for their streamlined look. I think they look a lot better on the X2 batteries than most of the other options out there, although I guess I could always put a cone on.

I don't think I'm really "chain-vaping".... at least not anymore, lol! First day I got the system, it was like a pacifier! I take about 3-4 puffs a minute when I use it, and often tip it to swish the fluid around. My draws are fairly long (not so long that the button flashes, though), and I tend to inhale it and hold my breath for a few seconds and wait about another 15 seconds or so before I take another puff. All my new juice is a 50/50 mix from EC Blends and they seem thinner than the SI juice I have. They drip out of the bottle quicker (could be from the tip on the bottle though) and it swishes around more freely in the tank. I wouldn't think it's something I'm doing wrong, although I was kind of hoping I was so that I could keep using these - or at least have them last longer.

I was just about to place an order for some cartomizers and CE3s (I'm very happy to see the SI T3's are just a couple weeks away!), but I have a question that may change the quantities I get. I'm not at all opposed to filling the CE3s with a syringe, but I'm not going to take that stuff with me and bust out a syringe in public to refill throughout the day - I just don't want the attention, and I doubt I could comfortably fit it all in my pockets anyway. Is it possible to fill a few CE3s in the morning and keep them in my pocket? Should I expect them to leak like crazy or do anything weird? I'd keep them in a ziplock baggie incase of a leak (I'm nervous about absorbing a tank-full of nicotine through my skin... ever seen the movie SLC Punk where one dude has a lot of acid in his pockets and runs through a field of sprinklers? yeah... ain't going there! hahahahaha).

 

[Johnnie Price]

After hearing all of the issues with wicking clearos, I don't even want to try them out. I did order a Nano because I do prefer the ease of use with clearomizers, so hopefully those work well.

Sorry to hear about your issues.

There are a handful of other options for 808 clearos I plan on testing in the future. If you're interested, I could PM you some links.

 

[BiXLL]

After hearing all of the issues with wicking clearos, I don't even want to try them out. I did order a Nano because I do prefer the ease of use with clearomizers, so hopefully those work well.

Sorry to hear about your issues.

I think you would have been better off with the X2 clearo then the nano. I have not read a lot of people happy with their nanos.

 

[Johnnie Price]

I think you would have been better off with the X2 clearo then the nano. I have not read a lot of people happy with their nanos.

I just got one to try out. I also have a pack of cartos in case I'm not satisfied with it.

 

[vsummer1]

Sorry you are finding that this juice delivery system doesn't work for you. We all have different vaping styles, and so the people who like these must just vape differently than you and I.

They aren't for everyone. Mine lasted no more than a few weeks in any case, even if they are rebuildable they still are just disposable as the metal and plastic expand at different rates and they WILL eventually leak. Or at least with MY style of vaping they will, as I chain vape. At least they are less expensive than a pack of cigarettes, so I got what I paid for and more as they did last longer than a pack

I found that out through trial and error, just as I found out the vivi's aren't for me either. There are other choices out there that may be more beneficial to your individual style. FWIW, I find that the carto tanks and RBA's keep up with my style of vaping very nicely with no dry hits or loss of flavor. YMMV.

 

[PansSiren]

You have to let the wicks become completely saturated when you first fill them. Let it sit about 10 minutes before vaping. Lay it on it's side when you put it down. If you stand the X2 up for an extended period without rotating the liquid around, you will get dry hits or burnt taste. I rinse it out with hot water after 3 or 4 refills and let it dry naturally overnight. You have to be careful if you dryburn them because you could burn the coils. I haven't had the need to do that because I have quite a few of them.

Haha, yep! Found that out the hard way when I first got it. I was so excited and craving a cigarette at that moment, I ripped my package apart, assembled, and vaped it in record time! From then on I made sure to let them sit for a while before first using it. I also noticed the flavor got better when I tipped it around, so I do that a lot too, happens out of habit now. I did dry-burn when I cleaned them, next time I'll be more patient! What I found odd was that the dead clearo died after I rinsed it with water. When I went to dry-burn it, it didn't fire at all. I'm not sure what the cause of that was, and I'm not about to try to duplicate the results, haha! If I try clearos again (by the time I finish my next order of cartos and CE3s, the T3s should hopefully be available), I'll rinse them more regularly. I was planning on doing it once a week or so.

Is it recommended to rinse out cartos and CE3s?

 

[Elantis]

Sorry you are finding that this juice delivery system doesn't work for you. We all have different vaping styles, and so the people who like these must just vape differently than you and I.

They aren't for everyone. Mine lasted no more than a few weeks in any case, even if they are rebuildable they still are just disposable as the metal and plastic expand at different rates and they WILL eventually leak. Or at least with MY style of vaping they will, as I chain vape. At least they are less expensive than a pack of cigarettes, so I got what I paid for and more as they did last longer than a pack

I found that out through trial and error, just as I found out the vivi's aren't for me either. There are other choices out there that may be more beneficial to your individual style. FWIW, I find that the carto tanks and RBA's keep up with my style of vaping very nicely with no dry hits or loss of flavor. YMMV.

Nicely stated, vsummer1! And PansSiren, it is unfortunate you have had a negative result with the clearos.

Being new to vaping and only 3 months in, I find myself reluctant to post anything anylonger regarding what is the best delivery system. Each of us has been partial to one or another. Personally, I love the clearos, I have had a problem with a few but overall, my experience has been excellent. And if someone were to ask me about the CE3's, my response would be of a negative nature, and as for the nano's my first was a nightmare, got some more and they were okay...but I rarely use my 78's any longer, so I rarely use a nano. All the cartos I purchased in my first two weeks are tucked away in a box, with the nanos, and the CE3's.

As much as our tastes are subjective, so too are our methods of delivery...it can become expensive at times, so I try to delicately baby the items that work so well for me.

I do know that whether I was using a nano, clearo or CE3, there were times after first use, the item would no longer fire. I would take a paper clip or something similar and gently pry the battery connection just the slightest amount and it would work again for a while. I had one stubborn nano which required this "fiddling" constantly and I finally retired it.

 

[Duster6524]

Right after rinsing out the clearo and the wicks are wet it might seem like the coil isn't firing. Let it dry and try it again, or if you've got a multi-meter, check to see if you've got resistance approx. 2.6 ohms.
As for the CE3's, at least with the older batch I've got, I LOVE 'EM!!!
YMMV

 

[PansSiren]

Sorry you are finding that this juice delivery system doesn't work for you. We all have different vaping styles, and so the people who like these must just vape differently than you and I.

They aren't for everyone. Mine lasted no more than a few weeks in any case, even if they are rebuildable they still are just disposable as the metal and plastic expand at different rates and they WILL eventually leak. Or at least with MY style of vaping they will, as I chain vape. At least they are less expensive than a pack of cigarettes, so I got what I paid for and more as they did last longer than a pack

I found that out through trial and error, just as I found out the vivi's aren't for me either. There are other choices out there that may be more beneficial to your individual style. FWIW, I find that the carto tanks and RBA's keep up with my style of vaping very nicely with no dry hits or loss of flavor. YMMV.

I'm thinking I would also prefer a carto tank, but can they be used on an X2 battery - and without looking really funny? It looks like I'd have to get a bigger device. I'm not opposed to funny looking for home use, but I'd rather have a sleek system for out in public. I'm a complete noob with all of this, so I'm gonna try out some things on the cheap to get an idea of what I like before I get all crazy with it. The idea of rebuildable parts is very attractive to me.

Cost wise compared to cigs, I hear ya on that! The biggest reason I picked up a PV is obviously for health reasons, 2nd is cost, and 3rd was for all the flavors! Cigarettes here are 5-6 a pack, and this clearo was 7 and lasted half a tank... so what, maybe 5 cigarettes? 7 bucks for 5 cigs is a ripoff! If I got a pack and a half out of it, this post wouldn't be here. I'm really not much of a complainer, but these really struck a bad nerve with me!

 

[PansSiren]

I do know that whether I was using a nano, clearo or CE3, there were times after first use, the item would no longer fire. I would take a paper clip or something similar and gently pry the battery connection just the slightest amount and it would work again for a while. I had one stubborn nano which required this "fiddling" constantly and I finally retired it.

Right after rinsing out the clearo and the wicks are wet it might seem like the coil isn't firing. Let it dry and try it again, or if you've got a multi-meter, check to see if you've got resistance approx. 2.6 ohms.
As for the CE3's, at least with the older batch I've got, I LOVE 'EM!!!
YMMV

It's been 2 days now since I rinsed it, so I'm guessing it should be dry by now. Still no fire. I also just pulled out the pin in the clearo to see if that would help... unfortunately it didn't (dang, my hopes were so high for this to work!) I pulled it out quite a bit, enough so that it wouldn't thread onto the battery. I pushed it against the battery just enough so the threads caught and continued screwing it on. Maybe this one was just a dud? Who knows. Too bad I don't have a multi-meter

 

[Elantis]

It's been 2 days now since I rinsed it, so I'm guessing it should be dry by now. Still no fire. I also just pulled out the pin in the clearo to see if that would help... unfortunately it didn't (dang, my hopes were so high for this to work!) I pulled it out quite a bit, enough so that it wouldn't thread onto the battery. I pushed it against the battery just enough so the threads caught and continued screwing it on. Maybe this one was just a dud? Who knows. Too bad I don't have a multi-meter

And the "duds" are out there...sorry it didn't work for you PansSiren! I remember early on...when I first heard about pulling that little pin out just a "smidge", I ended up with it completely out, broke the coil and all...then just sat there looking dumbfounded!

Glad I was home alone at the time.....

 

[JoAnnW]

I ordered 6 more clearo's this morning in a variety of colors that I didn't have. After singing their praises earlier, I hope I don't have any duds in this latest batch.

 

[Elantis]

I ordered 6 more clearo's this morning in a variety of colors that I didn't have. After singing their praises earlier, I hope I don't have any duds in this latest batch.

Not saying it can't happen but I got two from the most recent batch....and for me they worked perfectly....only hope you have the same luck JoAnnW....

 

[JoAnnW]

Not saying it can't happen but I got two from the most recent batch....and for me they worked perfectly....only hope you have the same luck JoAnnW....

I certainly hope so! I had to add the red, purple & yellow... and a couple of the flat replacement tips too!! Just have to try the flat tips.