How long do attys generally last you?

[aspen]

I have never used drip tips, tho they sound kind of cool. Months ago I got tired of pulling the dang thing off every time I wanted to reload so I just took a cart cut it down to about 3/8 of inch so I could just directly drip, It works great and you can also rout out the inner diameter at the top end to paper thin which allows more room for dripping. It definitely lets you know when you're overstressing the elements from the heat generated. Almost all of my atomisers last for two to three months when of the 510 type. I never had much success with the 901/rn4075 atty type.

 

[Vaporologist]

Aspen, it sounds like you made your own drip tip. Why buy it for more if you can make it for less, right?

Edit/Add on: Could you post a pic? Tnx

 

[VaporMadness]

Almost all of my atomisers last for two to three months when of the 510 type. I never had much success with the 901/rn4075 atty type.

Pretty encouraging that "months" is not an uncommon answer to how long they last you. Now I know what goal to shoot for.

Its curious that different people attribute longer lifetimes to different attys. Some say 901s last and 510s don't, while others say the opposite. I wonder why that is exactly? Maybe people working with small sample sizes and extrapolating results prematurely. Maybe its a reflection of poor/inconsistent build quality of the attys an individual received. Or maybe different individual usage patterns that enhance the life of one style over another. That last possible explanation is most curious to me.

Anyway... what these anecdotal reports tell me is that it is possible for all of the major atty styles to last for months... so that's what I'm after.

I've also been reading about the custom atty that comes with Carlo's Juice Box, and how its just built to last (somehow)? I would probably be willing to pay a premium for a hi-performance atty that could be depended on to last for 6 months or a year (or longer) if such a thing actually existed. Then again, attys in their current form are fairly inexpensive to replace which is also fine by me. Seems like a tough problem to produce a system that doesn't fail by way of carbonized stuff getting built up on it over time given the liquids we run thru them.

 

[aspen]

Aspen, it sounds like you made your own drip tip. Why buy it for more if you can make it for less, right?

Edit/Add on: Could you post a pic? Tnx

I don't have a camera, sorry. Its just a regular 901 cart with the filler removed and cut where the first bridge or airflow director begins. If you look inside the cart you will see where the bridge starts, cut right there then need a sharp knife to trim it up cause when cutting the plastic kind melts through verses actually cutting it. I don't like how long a drip tip makes the unit as a whole so this was my effort to get it as short as possible. I have found when juice gets a little low you can tell by the blast of hotter stuff you get when drawing on it. Of course I have never used a drip tip so maybe this also happens with them. No excuses here, I am just cheap.

 

[VaporMadness]

I don't like how long a drip tip makes the unit as a whole so this was my effort to get it as short as possible.

I believe there are shorter drip-tips available now.

 

[aspen]

I believe there are shorter drip-tips available now.

Hey Thanks VM, I obviously need to get out more often here as one can fall behind very quickly.

 

[Switched]

No, just kidding..
TY for all te GREAT info Switched.. I too have come to acknowledge the facts of what you have typed in that looooooooooooooooooooooooooong post. LOL..
I just feel that I would have gotten lost myself if I was to type it out. I too find that if you TP your lips can let u know how hot ur atty gets compared to if u use a tip.
There is just one thing I do when my atty's draw gets a bit hard. I use either a phillips screw driver or flat tip to go into the batt end, very carefully, and just feel my way (like in the dark or bed) to try to open the plastic end that tends to melt a bit cause the atty got too hot.
This works very well and I have extended a few atty's by 2+ weeks.

Oh, as for the prior post, I was just trying to get ur goat.. I'm hungry.. LOL.

Stu, I knew uz waz yanking my chain, LULZ. I think I know what you are referring to wrt tight draw. I have had limited success on using the short end of an allen key (the size of the air inlet hole (although the air is coming from the sides.), inserted in the main hole. To just give the allen key a slight tap, and woila, the thing can breathe again.

 

[Switched]

Pretty encouraging that "months" is not an uncommon answer to how long they last you. Now I know what goal to shoot for.

Its curious that different people attribute longer lifetimes to different attys. Some say 901s last and 510s don't, while others say the opposite. I wonder why that is exactly? Maybe people working with small sample sizes and extrapolating results prematurely. Maybe its a reflection of poor/inconsistent build quality of the attys an individual received. Or maybe different individual usage patterns that enhance the life of one style over another. That last possible explanation is most curious to me.

Vm my friend what have I ever done to you LOL... My 510s have outlasted all of my attys, to include but not limited to 801/901s. 901s have outlasted my 801s. My main attys is a 510, so the others get limited use. However, I believe is not extrapolation.

Anyway... what these anecdotal reports tell me is that it is possible for all of the major atty styles to last for months... so that's what I'm after.

... absolutely with some reservation.

I've also been reading about the custom atty that comes with Carlo's Juice Box, and how its just built to last (somehow)? I would probably be willing to pay a premium for a hi-performance atty that could be depended on to last for 6 months or a year (or longer) if such a thing actually existed. Then again, attys in their current form are fairly inexpensive to replace which is also fine by me. Seems like a tough problem to produce a system that doesn't fail by way of carbonized stuff getting built up on it over time given the liquids we run through them.

... in promoting brevity, the 100mpg carb/fuel injection system exists. Will they market it? No!

 

[AlteredLight]

Wonderful long read back there Switched ... a couple points I thought while reading ... Atomizers are electronic parts ... being from the old school computer world, we used to say "if a part lasts the first week or 2 it will last years" obviously the varied power demands through the atty's by wide ranges of user habits taint this philosophy a bit. As said by several here, if it makes it through a reasonable break in period, it will last a while. Break in does not mean crash through the glass and rob the till though. Moderate and easy will find longevity like the tortoise not the hare

A second note without so many analogies ... I like to draw on my atty a second or so before pushing the button. It seems to wet up the coil a bit and give a nice hit.

This point of view is from dripping on a 901 atty.

 

[Switched]

Wonderful long read back there Switched ... a couple points I thought while reading ... Atomizers are electronic parts ... being from the old school computer world, we used to say "if a part lasts the first week or 2 it will last years" obviously the varied power demands through the atty's by wide ranges of user habits taint this philosophy a bit. As said by several here, if it makes it through a reasonable break in period, it will last a while. Break in does not mean crash through the glass and rob the till though. Moderate and easy will find longevity like the tortoise not the hare

A second note without so many analogies ... I like to draw on my atty a second or so before pushing the button. It seems to wet up the coil a bit and give a nice hit.

This point of view is from dripping on a 901 atty.

Now that is interesting and a very plausible concept, I like that. I never had a need per se to do so, but I am going to give that a whirl.

Something I picked up from someone was to hit the switch a second or so before taking the hit, and continue sucking for a second or so past release for sucking in less air.

 

[VaporMadness]

Vm my friend what have I ever done to you LOL... My 510s have outlasted all of my attys, to include but not limited to 801/901s. 901s have outlasted my 801s. My main attys is a 510, so the others get limited use. However, I believe is not extrapolation.

I have no doubt that has been you're experience and am grateful for all of your insights.

This point of view is from dripping on a 901 atty.

... but you see... I also have no doubt that AlteredLight has different experiences with the 901s

How to reconcile... probably the most plausible explanation for the differences in peoples experience with how long different types of attys last are differences in vaping style/technique. Pulsing the button vs pressing the button early vs unpowered primer puffs vs how long to wait between hits. These techniques may have a greater/lesser impact on different atty designs.

To generalize, I'm starting to think that overheating is the biggest enemy of atty life and vaping in such a way that doesn't let the atty get super hot will extend the life of any kind of atty. I think an occasional dry burn to remove carbonized material from the coil will be unavoidable (after all the coil itself will be getting very hot in all cases). But if the mesh wicking material is not overheated, nothing will ever get cooked (carbonized) in there.

 

[WitchWay]

Break in does not mean crash through the glass and rob the till though. Moderate and easy will find longevity like the tortoise not the hare

Ummmm darlin' was that directed at me?!

I've stayed out of this thread because I don't do anything on the gentle or normal side. I abuse my equipment and I know it, therefore I do not expect my equipment to hold up or fit into any normal life span. Since you are wanting variety on the subject. My 801 and 302 attys, since that's the only kind of atty I use anymore, last around 2 weeks, sometimes 3. They don't die, but the production and draw gets to a point that I don't like them anymore so I stop using them. I have had some actually pop, die, burn out, whatever you want to describe it as, but most of those were due to bad connections, shorts or weird experiments I've tried. I have only had one or two that just stopped working because of use.

I want to add my thanks to all of you for the time you spend posting your experiences, tips, tricks and thoughts. The information is invaluable and helpful to so many. I do read, try to learn and try my best to be less abusive to my equipment, because of all of you Your time and effort is highly appreciated by this Witch!


Happy Vaping!!!

 

[Vaporologist]

WWay,

I think you and I think alike wrt to atties and their longevity.

I used to care but not as much anymore. I vape when I want, as much as I want, for as long as I want. I believe that as long as I keep the atty properly lubed, it will withstand great abuse. I came to that conclusion last week during my battery abuse test where I super-chain-vaped for about 4 hrs straight causing my LR801 atty to get very hot and staying that way for the duration of the test. It never got dry or flooded, it performed like a champ and it still does.

Even though I am in my 6th week of using my LR 801 atty which is still going strong after a dry-burn, I really wouldn't care if it lasted only 4 weeks. At $10 per atty (high number) the difference between the atty lasting me 4 weeks or 6 weeks is only about $43 per year or $0.12 per day. Considering the fact that I used to waste over $300 per month on analogs by smoking well over 2 packs per day, for me atty longevity is not an issue influencing my vaping style preference anymore. If I feel like taking 4 long puffs, I will. If I feel like taking 10 of them in a row before I'm ready to lay it down, I will. Whatever it takes.

But, just as I wouldn't intentionally not change oil in my car, I will obviously not try to make my atties last a shorter amount of time. I just don't want to think about it all day long, that's all. Just my

 

[WitchWay]

Very much alike!! If the draw gets hard or the taste gets off, I pull out a new atty. Mine will last longer, but I don't enjoy them as much and it is still cheaper than cigs to replace them even every two weeks if necessary. I don't intentionally kill them, and I do try to keep them wet. That's more because I don't like the burnt dry taste than it is for the sake of the atty though

 

[AlteredLight]

Absolutely. More, I think uneven heating. Anything that causes uneven heating (build up on the coil, cool liquid hitting a hot coil, etc.) will cause the wire to warp. The key is the "over" part in my opinion.

For the record, I consider myself a light vaper (actually vape 3,4, maybe 5 times a day) but I use a higher nicotine level since the nicotine is my addiction more than the "smoking" action. In comparison to WitchWay who I consider to be a pacifier vaper (always ready to hit a PV even wears one around her neck), but she uses a lower nic. It all boils down to personal style and tendency, but there are some basic "over do its".

 

[VaporMadness]

I'm more in the non-stop pacifier vaping type camp... lots of vaping with low nic levels.

I have no intention to compromise on how much I vape or the quality of the vape to achieve longer lasting atties. Just looking for simple changes or adjustments I can make to get atties to perform well for longer. As an atty starts to go bad, the quality of the vape goes down quite a bit and can too quickly get to that frustratingly bad point. I'd like to push that point off as much as I can w/o compromising. Understanding why they go bad to start with should help figure out what those simple adjustments could be.

Pulsing the button for example. To start with, LR atties provide an excess of power to produce good vapor. Even after performance degrades a little (thru the break-in period), there's still an excess of power to produce good vapor. (In comparison, vapor production on std resistance attys gets too weak too fast quickly falling into that frustratingly bad zone). Pulsing the switch is a simple enough of a measure for me to do if that doubles or triples how long the atty lasts. I can do that w/o compromising anything about the experience.

The art of vaping

 

[WitchWay]

It is definitely an art!! And no two people do it the same way. Even with cigs, people smoked differently, it just wasn't as noticeable. I smoked cigs way faster than AL did. If he happened to finish a cig first he would tease me about talking to much. That was the only way he got done first is if I was talking

 

[mwa102464]

Atty manufacturers today specifically build Atty's not to last to long in my honest opinion, simply because it would cut hugely into the profits if Atty where supposed to last for a year or more or even months or more for that matter. It also depends on how often you use your Atty as much as how long you leave em sit after they have been used too. I use an Atty till it stops performing like a new one is supposed to than I simply chuck it in my used Atty pile, (Huge Pile That Is Too ) and screw a new one onto what ever Mod I'm using at that time, I usually have anywhere from 6-10 hooked up to as many mods all with different flavors and different Volts using 3.7v-5v-6v-7.2v-7.4v and run certain juices at different volts too, that's another story topic though then like I said when one starts not preforming I will try a dry burn once in a while and it gets it going a little more or when and if I had to change a flavor but that's not often having as many Atty's and mods going as I do, All Atty's are pretty cheap these days $3 --$6 bucks and not worth the time to me to sit and try and clean and mess with them. Just buy a hundred or more and dont worry about it for a year or so is my philosophy, if I get down to say 10 I re up another 100, that's my Atty story believe it or not it's true.!!

 

[Vaporologist]

Good post mwa. Just one question. Are you serious about 100 atties per year? About 2 new atties per week?

 

[VaporMadness]

102464... 10/24/64... birthday maybe? I was born in 64 too

Atty manufacturers today specifically build Atty's not to last to long in my honest opinion, simply because it would cut hugely into the profits if Atty where supposed to last for a year or more or even months or more for that matter.

That's probably got some truth to it. There are some interesting threads in the atty MOD'ing section with folks trying to come up with better attys.

Just buy a hundred or more and dont worry about it for a year or so is my philosophy, if I get down to say 10 I re up another 100, that's my Atty story believe it or not it's true.!!

That's definitely a valid approach to the art of vaping Personally, I'm more of a minimalist.