Gap between eGrip body and internal tank

[bubbajoe72]

Has anybody taken apart an eGrip to see if the gap between the internal tank and the body is sealed? If water/juice gets in here, will it lead to the internals?



It's not part of the air inlet because that is higher up in the tank.



Thanks!

 

[MrSparkle]

Good question. Definite cause for concern, as I don't think it's sealed. There are two vids on Youtube:

1) This teardown vid, not in English though, but you can get an idea of the internals / construction.

2) This vid (same YT poster, again not in English) shows the bottom plate removed, and some sort of epoxy or silicone holding the battery in place. This epoxy / silicone might offer some protection of the circuit board from moisture, but I wouldn't count on it. But this vid does give a better idea of what's happening down in that area.

I'm not a flavor changer - very happy with the Dekang USA Tobacco Mix and Basic Tobeecco (honey / tobacco from Cignot) that I mix 50/50 - but I've been wanting to clean the tank and internals, now that I'm getting on two months on the two eGrips I own.

I think the best thing might be to empty the juice, fill the tank halfway with whatever to clean (I was going to just do distilled water), install a spare RBA base I have on hand (which closes off the stock air intake - but first pull the coil), hold the eGrip with thumb and index finger over the drip tip cavity and RBA air intake, and shake shake shake. Then empty, repeat a few times, then use compressed air or whatever in a can (like 3M Dust Remover) to blow it out with the base removed.

Doing all this would keep the water within the tank / atomizer / chimney where it belongs.

For folks without an RBA, I wouldn't recommend doing this procedure with no base at all due to that gap, and the stock air intake not being closed off (unless you blow it out good).

It might work with the stock CS coil and base in place, but again the stock airflow would have to be blown out. But at least doing a cleaning this way with either a RBA or stock base installed would offer a little more protection from moisture getting into the body.


Also to be noted: anyone attempting to disassemble an eGrip will have an easy time removing the bottom plate, but I've read that on all but the earliest run of eGrips, there is a fifth non-accessible screw holding down the top plate from inside the body.

You'll be able to remove the four visible Torx screws from the top plate, but you will have to manhandle the top plate and pull it hard to strip the fifth screw in order to completely disassemble the eGrip in a less than ideal manner.

There's no way to pull the battery to get at that screw, unless you desolder the battery wires first. Check the first vid above to get an idea of how the eGrip is constructed - the circuit board and its black plastic frame is installed in the body first, then the top plate, then the fifth screw, then the battery is installed, and the battery wires soldered. This will all have to be reversed if you don't want to manhandle and strip that fifth screw.

 

[rowsley]

I don't know. I've always filled the tank with hot water, with a syringe and just covered both ends and USB with my fingers and shake it good and repeat until it smells decent. I've done this at least 5 times and have had no problems.

 

[rowsley]

I think its sealed somehow though as many times as I've done it you would think it would have done something to it, but that's just my opinion as I've never really gave it much thought lol.

 

[bubbajoe72]

Thanks for the links. it looks like there is a solid partition between the tank compartment and the battery/chipboard compartment but there is still a possibility of water getting in if it's not sealed at the top and at the gap in the bottom where the wires go through.

As far as putting water in and shaking, even if it is sealed between the two compartments, I'd still be afraid of moisture getting in there and something start growing