How do you know when a clearomizer or nano is truly "dead"?

[Mdisco57]

I know clearomizers are only suppose to last 2-3 weeks. Once the clearomizer starts to leak and gurgle, liquid starts to turn brown, will a dry burn fix the problem? or am I just wasting ejuice if I try to use it again?
Also with nanos, should they last longer than clearomizers? Can you dry burn them? I have some that gurgle and just do not produce the vape they did a few weeks ago when they were brand new.
How do you know when a clearomizer or nano is truly "dead" and need to be thrown out?

 

[charlzrocks]

First, what type of clearos are you talking about? X2? T3? In my opinion, the Nano is pretty useless, never had anything but trouble with them. Then again, other folks swear by the Nanos. If you are getting a bad draw, my only advice is to toss it if it's a Nano as they aren't supposed to last but a few weeks, as for the X2, try a vodka soak and hot water rinse followed by a few days of air drying. If it's a T3, it may be time to replace the head. As far as knowing when a clearo is dead, well......it's subjective but if it's turning you juice a darker color I would deep 6 the clearo and the juice in it. .....Anyone else got any advice??

 

[awsum140]

A clearomizer can be dry burned to clean it IF you take the silicon cup off the top of the air tube inside the clearo, assuming we're talking an SI clearo, so you can watch the coil while dry burning. Dry burning a regular cartomizer is a very chancy procedure since you can't see the coil to know when it's hot enough but not hot enough to burn the wicks. Nano's are throw-aways, once they go there is no bringing them back and they can't be taken apart without destroying them completely. A T3 can be easily dry burned by removing the air tube on top of the coil, a friction fit and be careful with the flavor wicks. If you have some spare wick around, 2mm works well, the flavor wicks can be replaced with each dry burn.

Just my opinion, worth what you're paying for it. Your results and mileage may vary. No warranty or guarantee is expressed or implied. Proceed at your own risk.

 

[cindycated]

I know for sure my stuff is toast when it no longer sizzles when I hold it up to my ear and prying the post up has no effect. That means that one or both of the wires on the coil has broken off. Up to you if you wanna try to rebuild it (recoil/rewick).

Dry-burning does help in bringing them back to life, but you have to clean and dry them first. If it has filler in it (cartos, nanos), you run the risk of burning the filler. Once you do that, the burnt taste is forever, and you really won't be able to tell 'til you try to use it again (wasted liquid, but <1ml, so no big deal). I have dry-burned cartos before, but they have to be clean and completely dry, and you have to do really short bursts, stopping as soon as you see a glowy orange dot through the tiny hole on top. Then you have to clean off the ash by cleaning them all over again. Dunno if they're worth all the trouble to you. Also with dry-burning, if you do it for too long or too often, eventually the super-thin coil wire breaks, then you're left with the problem above.

I'm broke and have to get a lot of mileage out of my stuff, so I actually do go through all this trouble. Don't worry about burning wicks. They can take a lot of heat. It's popping the wire and burning the filler or any silicone that you have to worry about. Really short bursts, and stop as soon as you see the orange glow. Unfortunately, it's the only way I know of to get rid of the nasty carbon crud that builds up on coils. No amount of soaking in any kind of liquid (denture tabs, alcohol, etc.) has done any good for me. T3s are probably the easiest to revive, but I'm a carto girl, so...too bad for me.

 

[drummerskey]

yeah...........what they said