How do I troubleshoot my atty?

[LuckyCharm]

I'm wasting a lot of juice going from atty to atty, trying to get some vapor. The original one that came with my Prodigy is draining right now (and might be dead, we'll see), so I've been substituting other 801 attys that I had on hand. Some of them leak right out -- the juice pools immediately in the space around the base where it screws on. Some turn red when I press the switch, but don't make a sound. Others, the opposite. Most, I get a few hits, then nothing. At this point I'm reduced to using my Yeti, but not happy about it. I want my Prodigy back, and I don't want to have to drip juice into half a dozen attys only to have to clean it out when it leaks past the seal! Is there some kind of test I can do to determine whether an atty's functional or not? I've already ordered a new supply from PureSmoker, but I'd like to get rid of any duds I might be holding on to.

~~Cheryl

 

[Quixotic7]

It sounds like you're dripping way too much juice in to your atomizers, then they flood and have to work extra hard to vaporize the juice, you think it's low, so you add another few drops, nothing. It happens. The extra juice has probably built up around the coil, making it very difficult to vaporize. Instead of just sitting them upside down overnight, try blowing as hard as possible from both ends, until you can't get any liquid out. If this isn't working, try boiling a pot of water, then use tweazers and hold your atomizer over the hot steam for a few minutes. If still not working, try soaking them overnight in rubbing alcohol, and letting them dry out for 24 hours.

A good preventive measure though is to blow your atomizers out a few times daily, I alternate through two daily, blowing it out and setting it battery end up. I also find it's helpful to just hold the switch on for 10 to 15 seconds without sucking, but blow the vapor out. Don't try this if you're atomizer is already a week or so clogged, it will probably kill it. But if you do it from the start with a fresh atomizer, you'll get pretty good performance. Granted these atomizers are disposable goods, and the prodigy will probably kill the coil faster than most, but because of the vapor quality, it's so worth it!

 

[Brian S]

I'm wasting a lot of juice going from atty to atty, trying to get some vapor. The original one that came with my Prodigy is draining right now (and might be dead, we'll see), so I've been substituting other 801 attys that I had on hand. Some of them leak right out -- the juice pools immediately in the space around the base where it screws on. Some turn red when I press the switch, but don't make a sound. Others, the opposite. Most, I get a few hits, then nothing. At this point I'm reduced to using my Yeti, but not happy about it. I want my Prodigy back, and I don't want to have to drip juice into half a dozen attys only to have to clean it out when it leaks past the seal! Is there some kind of test I can do to determine whether an atty's functional or not? I've already ordered a new supply from PureSmoker, but I'd like to get rid of any duds I might be holding on to.

~~Cheryl

Test your atomizers with a multi tester. Good atomizers register between 3 and 4 ohms. My wimpy one registered 9.3 ohms. I find only about 1 in 3 atomizers is good.

Brian

 

[SharonLM]

Test your atomizers with a multi tester. Good atomizers register between 3 and 4 ohms. My wimpy one registered 9.3 ohms. I find only about 1 in 3 atomizers is good.

Brian

I have one of those coming in the mail. I thought you could only test batteries with them. How do you test an atomizer?

 

[happily]

I have one of those coming in the mail. I thought you could only test batteries with them. How do you test an atomizer?

batteries should only be testing using volt setting(not ohms) and attys tested using ohms(looks like upside down horseshoe)one probe in center of atty and one outside. I agree the closer to 3 ohms the better the attys

 

[SharonLM]

batteries should only be testing using volt setting(not ohms) and attys tested using ohms(looks like upside down horseshoe)one probe in center of atty and one outside. I agree the closer to 3 ohms the better the attys

Well I'll be darned. Thank you, I had no idea. Now I'm really looking forward to getting this apparatus!

 

[Brian S]

Well I'll be darned. Thank you, I had no idea. Now I'm really looking forward to getting this apparatus!

Right, test it with the upside down horse shoe looking symbol. One probe in the middle and one probe on the threads. I just started doing this last nite to find out why one atomizer was so much better than another. They are Puresmoker atomizers and 2 registered 3.5 ohms. I have 10 more I'm testing for duds later today.

Brian

 

[SharonLM]

Right, test it with the upside down horse shoe looking symbol. One probe in the middle and one probe on the threads. I just started doing this last nite to find out why one atomizer was so much better than another. They are Puresmoker atomizers and 2 registered 3.5 ohms. I have 10 more I'm testing for duds later today.

Brian

Thanks Brian. I've printed out both of these instructions. I am so glad I've sent for that thing!

 

[LuckyCharm]

Thanks, Quixotic and Brian -- this is very helpful! I'm bookmarking it until I can rustle up a multitester.

Cheers,

~~Cheryl

 

[Brian S]

Thanks, Quixotic and Brian -- this is very helpful! I'm bookmarking it until I can rustle up a multitester.

Cheers,

~~Cheryl

Any cheap one will do. Accuracy doesn't become a problem until you are testing less than 1 ohm.

Brian

 

[Brian S]

I tested 12 801 atomizers from Puresmoker. They registered between 3.5 ohms and 4.8 ohms. 6 registered less than 4 ohms. I tested 3 from each group. The ones that registered less than 4 ohms were all great performers. The ones that registered over 4 ohms were whimpy.

Brian

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Interesting stuff. Thanks I decided to test a few of mine. The handful of unused DSE801's I tried varied between 3.5 and 4.2 ohms. A retired (wimp from the start) 901 atomiser measured 6 ohms, and an old Evo atomiser was over 15 ohms. The lowest I found were a 510 and an M401 atomiser which measured 3 ohms exactly (and both good performers).

 

[SharonLM]

Interesting stuff. Thanks I decided to test a few of mine. The handful of unused DSE801's I tried varied between 3.5 and 4.2 ohms. A retired (wimp from the start) 901 atomiser measured 6 ohms, and an old Evo atomiser was over 15 ohms. The lowest I found were a 510 and an M401 atomiser which measured 3 ohms exactly (and both good performers).

Yes it is interesting stuff. I burned out (or thought I did) an atty today, my fault! measured a brand new one and like you, was measuring between 3.5 and 4. Then I took the dead one and put the probes in the same places and it didn't measure anything! So, I'm assuming that means it really is dead!

This is neat! When I'm wondering why I'm not getting vapor or my e-cigs aren't up to snuff (so to speak), I can measure the batteries and the atty's and eliminate that as a problem or find out that that is my problem.

 

[Brian S]

Yes it is interesting stuff. I burned out (or thought I did) an atty today, my fault! measured a brand new one and like you, was measuring between 3.5 and 4. Then I took the dead one and put the probes in the same places and it didn't measure anything! So, I'm assuming that means it really is dead!

This is neat! When I'm wondering why I'm not getting vapor or my e-cigs aren't up to snuff (so to speak), I can measure the batteries and the atty's and eliminate that as a problem or find out that that is my problem.

Right, if it is really dead it won't read any ohms as the heating coil is burned through. It seems the ohms resistance increases with age. This could be the result of repeatedly heating and cooling the coil. Eventually somethings got to give. Now if Cash can only come up with a US made atomizer with a 3 ohm resistance, I think he could get about as much vapor with a 3.7v battery as the 5v version.

Brian

 

[Brian S]

Interesting stuff. Thanks I decided to test a few of mine. The handful of unused DSE801's I tried varied between 3.5 and 4.2 ohms. A retired (wimp from the start) 901 atomiser measured 6 ohms, and an old Evo atomiser was over 15 ohms. The lowest I found were a 510 and an M401 atomiser which measured 3 ohms exactly (and both good performers).

The 510 may be designed to have a 3 ohm resistance. If so, it should be a real steam machine running 5v. I haven't seen an 801 less than 3.5 ohms.


Brian

 

[SharonLM]

Right, if it is really dead it won't read any ohms as the heating coil is burned through. It seems the ohms resistance increases with age. This could be the result of repeatedly heating and cooling the coil. Eventually somethings got to give. Now if Cash can only come up with a US made atomizer with a 3 ohm resistance, I think he could get about as much vapor with a 3.7v battery as the 5v version.

Brian

Thanks Brian, then I was doing it right. And I know that one atty is headed for the garbage bin. So, you're saying the higher the number, the closer it is to being burned out? Interesting.

 

[LuckyCharm]

Okay, where EXACTLY should we put the probes to test for ohms on attys? On the wick itself? On the outside of the case? On both sides of the wick? Can someone do a pic?

~~Cheryl

 

[LuckyCharm]

So, you're saying the higher the number, the closer it is to being burned out? Interesting.

Yes. Ohms means resistance -- more ohms means greater resistance to any electrical current. If you've got 9+ ohms, I'd say you either need to deep-clean or toss your atty.

~~Cheryl

 

[CaSHMeRe]

Cheryl ...

Hot Probe (Red) to the center hole of the atomizer (flipped upside down) And put the Grounding Probe to the threads ... = You should get your readings!!!

Brian, were those old atty's from me? I ask, because those are RN4072 atty's, not 801 atty's ... I tested a handful of new 801 atty's and never saw over 3.5 ... Most were in the 3.2-3.3 ohms range ...

I tested a series of 5 different kinds... Here were my results:
4072 Average - 3.7 ohms
801 Average - 3.3 ohms
901 Average - 3.1 ohms
510 Average - 2.9 ohms
401 Average - 2.5 ohms

 

[SharonLM]

Cheryl ...

Hot Probe (Red) to the center hole of the atomizer (flipped upside down) And put the Grounding Probe to the threads ... = You should get your readings!!!

Brian, were those old atty's from me? I ask, because those are RN4072 atty's, not 801 atty's ... I tested a handful of new 801 atty's and never saw over 3.5 ... Most were in the 3.2-3.3 ohms range ...

I tested a series of 5 different kinds... Here were my results:
4072 Average - 3.7 ohms
801 Average - 3.3 ohms
901 Average - 3.1 ohms
510 Average - 2.9 ohms
401 Average - 2.5 ohms

Now I'm really confused. Please, for those who are total battery reading dummies, a picture.