How often do you change your *coils*?

[zoiDman]

From you Linked article...

Why is a dry-burn dangerous?
A dry-burn is dangerous for 3 reasons:

1. The coating of oxidized material that is formed in surface can peal off during vaping and be transferred to the lungs at the same time as the aerosol, in the form of microscopic particles, or particulate matter.
2. The particulate matter can cause allergies. Nickel, for example, is recognized for causing skin rash, itching, redness. Ni is also a carcinogenic compound when combined to carbon monoxide (CO), a product of incomplete carbohydrate combustion. Hence, this type of toxicity is probably less relevant in the case of e-cigarettes than for combustible tobacco products.
3. The particulate matter can also be toxic for the organisms. It is, for example well described in the case of welders exposed to Mn oxides.

For the chemist, a dry burn may amplify the normal corrosion process on the surface of the coil and prematurely deteriorate the quality of the heating element. Toxic (for Mn) or carcinogenic effects (for the Cr(VI), a more oxidized form compared to Cr(III)) are improbable since the dose is very small.

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1: Metal Oxides form Very Strong Bonds at the Surface Boundary of an Metal Alloy. These Bonds are Not easily broken as anyone who has Polished a Metal to make it shine knows. I haven't seen any Credible studies that have shown that Oxides are migrating either Physically or thru a Chemical Redox in e-liquids/Vapor.

2: Yes. Metal Particulates can cause Allergic Reactions. And in Extreme Cases, while High Levels of Exposures, some Very Significant Health Risks. But once again, these Particulates would need to travel form the Coil into the Vapor Stream.

3: Welders and or Metal Workers can be at Significant Risk to Particulate Exposure. Because they often work in an Environment where Metals are routinely Ground causing Airborne Particles. The Same can not be said for a Vaper. Also, Welders are at a Higher Risk because they can Inhale Fumes coming off Molten Metals.

All Metal Alloys will experience Accelerated Corrosion when they are Heated. But the Amount of acceleration is Directly Proportional to how long a Metal is Heated. That is why a Toaster one day breaks. Or a Light Bulb burns out.

But these Time Scales seem somewhat Disproportional to how long an average Vaper will use a Coil. And for how long a Coil is kept at an Elevated Temperature via Dry Burning.

Whether or Not to Dry Burn is something that a Vaper needs to decide Him/Herself. But I think that the Causality of some Known Risks has, at best, been be wrongly applied to what we do and they way we do a Dry Burn. And at Worst, fueled FUD.

One Last Thing.

If a Person is Dry Burning to Clean the Coil, or to Check for "Hot Spots" or "Hot Legs" there Isn't really a lot of need to Heat the Coil past the point of being able to see a Faint Red Glow at the Center of the Coil.

Once no Smoke is coming off a Coil, it is as Clean as it ever is going to be. And once you can see that the Center of a Coil is starting to turn Light Red, you are pretty much Good to go.

I would also suggest Dry Burning at a Low Wattage like 10 ~ 15 Watts.

Doing This is Extreme Overkill IMO.

 

[BackDoc]

good points Zoidman

 

[DaveP]

I change my rayon wicks about once a week whether they need it or not.

I use an SS316L coil for months. When it's rough and loses its shine after a dry burn and water wash I change the coil. I only let the coil glow red for a second before dunking it under the sink tap. I'll average at least 2-3 months on SS316L coils.

 

[Spydro]

How often probably depends on how OCD a person is. I have heard of extremes on the forums... like changing coils daily/wicking twice a day to a coil being as old as the atty itself is.

 

[Budgie]

I'm having to clean mine every 3-4 days, as the coil is totally gunked up, and the wick has burnt itself in two. Is this purely down to a sweet juice, or could it be the quality of coil/wire/wick that I'm using. Living in KSA, you can't guarantee that what you pay for is what you get!!

 

[chellie]

I do not dry burn at all. I change the coil. Tried it once. I read the article by Dr F and a few other opinions and feel that it is pretty easy to just change the coils so why risk it. I have enough wire probably to last my lifetime. By the time I would dry burn, re-wick, and test, I could have just popped in a new already-wicked coil that I almost always have on hand. I can usually tell by the taste if it is time to change the coil out. If not, I still change coils at least weekly.

I use a toptank mini and have a bunch of wicked coils that I premade in my toolkit. I also have a number of the rba pieces and I have the coils already installed in those.

When I need a new coil it takes under 3 minutes literally because I have it ready to go. Unscrew the old and then screw in the new. Once a week, usually on Sunday., I clean equipment and coil and wick any of the empty rba attachments. Also, I check my juice supply and general vape supplies. Works for me!

 

[DaveP]

Lately, i haven't been dry burning my SS316L coils. Most of the time a dry burn leads to early failure of the coil, especially if the dry burn takes to coil to a cherry red state. I've been removing the wick and water washing the coil under the sink tap while rubbing it with a finger. If it doesn't come out smooth and shiny, I just wrap a new one and rewick.

It just seems to me that a hot dry burn destroys the surface of the wire and eventually leaves it rough. If a water wash with a small brush won't restore it to a like new state, it only takes a few minutes to wind and install a new one.

 

[chellie]

Lately, i haven't been dry burning my SS316L coils. Most of the time a dry burn leads to early failure of the coil, especially if the dry burn takes to coil to a cherry red state. I've been removing the wick and water washing the coil under the sink tap while rubbing it with a finger. If it doesn't come out smooth and shiny, I just wrap a new one and rewick.

It just seems to me that a hot dry burn destroys the surface of the wire and eventually leaves it rough. If a water wash with a small brush won't restore it to a like new state, it only takes a few minutes to wind and install a new one.

That's a really good idea. With the premade coil I used to rinse and brush and get another use out of it. Never even thought of it (duh) with the coils I make. Mine seem to really gunk up but if they are not too bad I may try that to get another use out of it.

 

[stols001]

I don't dry burn my SS coils either. I scrub at them with a toothbrush, and will "gently" pulse them as I swab out underneath and inside and whatever is left, using q-tips dipped in alcohol.

It really doesn't take much longer, and I have the peace of mind of knowing that, since it's debatable whether SS coils can or will give off undesirable things, well, I just do what I can to minimize the risk. It doesn't really take longer (IMHO) and I figure why not do what's safest.

I hazard a guess, my coils get cleaner using my method than if I'd just dry burn them in any case. It's sort of a win for me.

Anna

 

[Beamslider]

I dry burn SS coils if I am in a lazy mood and don't feel like replacing the coil. I have several tanks going at one time and usually get about 120 ml of juice run through a coil before it needs changing then just end up making another coil as wire is cheap. I use mostly SS316L awg 26 wire and a roll of 250 feet is around $8. In a year and a half I have not yet finished off the a roll of 100 ft 26 AWG I started off with. I use spaced coils so no burn really needed before using the coil as the wire is clean already

I don't think there is any problem dry burning SS if you don't go too heavy with it though.