Finally successful eliminating melted plastic taste

[Tiberius Jonez]

So I'm using a 510 from Joye (which I love) and one of my atty's got a really nasty melted plastic taste to it. NOTE: When mixing your ejuice, NEVER lay any of the tools on anything plastic.

I tried several different cleaning methods and none of them would get rid of the melted plastic taste, which made it impossible to vape.

Finally, last night in desperation I poured some Isopropyl Alchohol (70%) in a cup and let the atty soak in it for a good hour. After soaking for an hour, I pulsed the battery enough to get the heating element to glow, blew it out from both ends and repeated several times. Then I soaked it again for another hour. Repeated the glow/blow step several times until it no longer sizzled. Then I let it sit overnight.

This evening when I got home I put the atty in my 510 along with a freshly filled cartridge (a 40/40/15/5 mix of 36mg Double Strength Menthol ejuice / VG / Spearmint Extract / distilled water)

I wasn't sure if it worked initially, but after a few easy tokes to get the atty primed and warm, it started working like a champ. Now it is going like brand new. I am soooo happy not to have to order a replacement atty when I've only had this 510 kit for two weeks.

WHOOHOO!!

 

[LowThudd]

Probably best to stick to ethanol as it isn't toxic. I wouldn't want leftovers from that stuff in me.

 

[Bombenhagel]

You may want to boil them as a last step in the future. Or you can buy 100% pure isopropyl online. Swan is the brand I bought.

Still boil 'em, though. I would, and did.

Did it start to strip the paint off your 510 atomizer like it did with mine? I've been using water, vodka and just recently the pure iso alcohol (I already had it) after a Goo-Gone experiment went horribly, horribly wrong.

Combined with the slow burn, low-glow method made very popular here, I've come to the conclusion that generally nothing stronger than vodka should be needed to clean an atomizer, especially if it's just to freshen it up in between sessions with flavors you already like.

I only used the iso as a total last resort. It worked, however, so your tip is valid, but other posters have points to make on the safety. I agree with you. This is effective, but there are definitely less drastic measures for everyday maintenance.

 

[sjohnson]

Ethanol isn't toxic? Tell that to the E.R.

It's all a matter of degree. Even DiHydrogen Monoxide is toxic when ingested in unhealthy amounts.

Take proper, common-sense precautions and even acetone can be successfully and safely used to clean an atomizer.

Don't use proper, common-sense precautions and you're ill or dead, regardless of what's used. Personal, adult responsibility means knowing what you're doing and understanding the risk, then proceeding accordingly.

 

[LowThudd]

Ethanol isn't toxic? Tell that to the E.R.

It's all a matter of degree. Even DiHydrogen Monoxide is toxic when ingested in unhealthy amounts.

Take proper, common-sense precautions and even acetone can be successfully and safely used to clean an atomizer.

Don't use proper, common-sense precautions and you're ill or dead, regardless of what's used. Personal, adult responsibility means knowing what you're doing and understanding the risk, then proceeding accordingly.

I think you know what I meant. lol I can drink a liter of 80 proof ethanol and not die. Ingesting even a small amout of Isopropyl would be a bad idea. Maybe not as bad as Methanol, but still.

 

[johnny bobcat]

Probably best to stick to ethanol as it isn't toxic. I wouldn't want leftovers from that stuff in me.

isopropyl evaporates completely, there is no need to worry about this

 

[kj4lxw]

Regardless congrats on saving your atty.
After a similar type thing happening to me last weekend I started to worry about my attys going out on me and being stuck, so I ordered a few extras from TV since they are blowing them out at a sale price that couldn't be beat. Better safe than sorry.
I just use near boiling water on my cleanings but found some vodka and will try using that next time.
Glad you were successful.

 

[hova]

all i can say is , rinse extremely well. i used the crest pro to try and get rid of that burnt taste , but all it did was left a nasty mouthwash tasting residue , that just finally (2 days of solid vaping) went away.

isopropyl alcohol contains some things that do not solvent away. this stuff is not good for you , i dont remember what it is , maybe some type of waxy stuff , but its not good.

if you use alcohol , use denatured alcohol for cooking (camping) stoves. i have used this stuff in micro homemade stoves , and there is no added taste or anything...it evaporates completely leaving no residue. just make 100000% sure not to ingest any of it , the denature stuff is there for a reason , and it will make you sick (dont ask how i know this) .

i have started putting denat alc through all my atty(ies) once a week to clean out any residual , followed by 15 minutes drying time , and a minute in the oven on WM (warm). i have an electric oven so i dont worry much about fumes , but thats why i let it sit for 15 minutes.

 

[sjohnson]

USP isopropyl alcohol contains nothing but isopropyl alcohol and water. There is nothing waxy nor are there other adulterants in it. It evaporates cleanly and completely.

Denatured alcohol is ethanol to which poisonous and foul-tasting chamicals
have been added to make it unfit for drinking. There is more than one
recipe for denaturing alcohol; some add methanol or isopropanol, some
gasoline, and so on.

Rubbing alcohol is an alcohol intended to be rubbed on the skin. Frequently
70% iso-propyl alcohol / 30% water is used; sometimes ethanol with added
iso-propyl alcohol is used. You don't want to use denatured alcohol that is
made with anything that shouldn't be placed on the skin, such as gasoline!

Alcohol Differences

That said, I personally would have no problem using denatured alcohol for cleaning, just don't see any benefits of using it over isopropanol.

 

[hova]

i have used it in stoves before and it leaves behind a residue. maybe not the 100% pure stuff , all i could ever find is 70%. and if you spray iso on glass a few times , you'll see a residue buildup after a few sprays.


maybe they have changed it , or my stuff had been contaminated , but the food cooked over iso was horrible and tasted just like iso smells. the food cooked over denatured tasted just like propane.



and if you really want to , you could use butane to clean your atties. its extremely flammable , obviously , so caution is needed ... with all alcohol come to think of it...


-hov

 

[thrall]

I'm guessing what you thought was residue created by isopropyl alcohol was actually the stuff it lifted off the surface you sprayed, then when it evaporated, left on the surface. There is no health risk to using Iso to clean atties. None. It evaporates. It does not exist as a dry chemical on your atty after you've dried it. Even if you somehow managed to fill a cart with straight iso, and vape it directly, other than probably making you want to puke, it won't have any real effect (it takes 15 grams to kill an average human). More likely to light on fire.

Honestly, you have more to worry about from adulterants some cheap chinese company may add to your juice than you do from iso used to clean.

 

[Mr.Self_Destruct]

I use 90% Isopropyl alcohol to clean attys that have been tainted with juice I do not like. The only ones the paint stripped off of were cheapo attys. Haven't had this happen with Joye attys or SLB 901 attys.

 

[cosmic charlie]

I have lost 2 attys attempting the dry burn it seems there is a plastic washer thing under the ceramic cup and it melts both attys worked after dry burning but tasted of melted plastic and were hard to draw through one was the atty that came in my kit the other was a slb

 

[Stosh]

If you're going to use alcohol, why not prue grain alcohol?
Everclear brand "white Lightning" is 98% pure drinkable alcohol,
(100% is actually "washed" with benzine to remove last bit of water).
Dries instantly for me, no resude, and no worries about any kind of
"bad for you" stuff. (Alcohol is good for you!! LOL)

 

[tchp12]

Using Alcohol is one of to clean your atty because alcohol is a good dissolver in comparison of water. Because there are stronger molecules are present in alcohol.

 

[GeekChick]

For the people who think Iso alcohol doesnt leave a residue and evaporates completely try this: Wipe a hard, non porous surface with iso alcohol, and then let it dry and evaporate completely. Then lick it. Tastes pretty awful huh? I would personally always follow any sort of alcohol soak with a water rinse just to be safe.

 

[Vidi]

I soak mine in 90% Iso alcohol for a few hours. Then I wrap them in a paper towel and let them sit over night. The next day I prime them and vape away. All is well.


however, the paint on my titanium attys has come off after multiple soakings so now theyre bare metal hehe. The black attys have always kept their paint.

 

[DaveP]

I have always been able to make my attys look clean and new just by running them under the hot water tap for several minutes and letting them drain, then doing a pulsed dry burn. The taste returns and all is well.