How to clean atomizer

[clavit]

How to clean atomizer?now that is old e-cigarette buyers problem.About 2 weeks US and UK customers can buy new type e-cigarettes,each cartridge contains new atomizer,so you dont need to clean atomizers anymore.but the price is littelbit higher then usual cartridges.

That's all well and good, but for now the only alternative to cleaning atomizers is buying new stock all the time (or shelling out big bucks for a loong totem, which apparently tastes like horse manure!).
Also i'm hoping that the rest of the world also gets to take part in this upcoming revolution

 

[trog100]

after poking around a bit i am beginning to arrive at a conclusion/theory on this atomizer coils going wimpy thing..

when they come new they have some kind of absorbent wrapping or coating around the small wire wound heater coil..

the purpose of this coating seems to be to wick or absorb liquid and bring it into close contact with the heater coil itself.. its this small quantity of liquid held in the wrapping that is vaporized and produces the goods..

this wrapping burns away a little with each puff.. after so may puffs its ether all burned away or gone charred and hard.. it loses it absorbency.. when this happens the coil no longer does the vapour producing it used to do.. the result is the all too well known wimp..

cleaning wont stop or help this process only replacing the atomizer will..

i need this theory confirming either my the makers or someone who has taken brand new atomizers apart.. so far i have only looked at well used ones.. i see what looks like black charred crud around the heater coil.. .. i need to see the brand new coils before they gets used..

some kind of fiber material burring away quite quickly because its in direct contact with near red hot resistor wire coil does explain why these thing wear out so consistently and in such a short time..

i have tested eight cigarillo atomizers recently.. when new they produce lots of vapour and are nice devices to use.. but they last less than a week before turning into wimps.. this very short working properly lifespan has had me puzzled.. this as yet unproven (by me at least) absorbent coating burning away theory does explain whats happening and why..

a new atomizer (greencig) with each new cart seem to be one answer.. but it really does have to be cheap.. the cost is the key factor here.. or for heavy smokers like me it is.. no way on this planet could i follow the greencig route even thow i do think they are on the right track..

we are following the printer ink pattern.. both in the rip-off factor and the printhead being replaced every time a new print cartridge is fitted..

e liquid has taken over from printer ink as the most expensive liquid on the planet.. it seems the way the carts are going to be sold is following the same pattern..

what i need is a cheap replacement atomizer every week or so.. not be ripped off even more i am already for over priced carts..

to think i would be going thru three atomizers per day is silly.. again okay for the occasional user or party smoker.. of no use at all for the heavy smoker.. the cost factor will make it totally unpractical for the likes of me..

but at least it shows the makers are aware these things dont last long..

trog

 

[Kit]

Nice post Trog very interesting mate

 

[leaford]

I will!

I just popped another atomizer in the ultrasound; this time in vinegar, followed by tap water. This time i'll let it dry for a couple of hours before dripping and testing!

Stay tuned for more......

Cool. Mine's coming tomorrow. I'd be interested in how the vinegar does, But I'm thinking wodka.

 

[TropicalBob]

Vodka would be my choice, too .. and none would ever be wasted.

Trog, I liked that e-cigar. It felt better between my teeth than any other device I own. I could sip the thing, puff it exactly as I would a real cigar. I don't need to ALL THE TIME produce giant clouds of vapor. The little cigar that wouldn't die filled a perfect niche in my e-smoking routine. It traveled in the car with me on every trip. It produced the same little puff of vapor every time since new -- right up to its ill-fated bath.

This morning it still slumbers. Condition: Critical in the intensive care unit. The atomizer still has a faint beat, and will produce crackling smoke if I blow through the battery. But it's not wicking liquid properly, that's for sure. Dripping does NOTHING. It's on life support and I refuse to yet pull the plug.

 

[leaford]

Trog, if you're right, and it sounds about right to me, then the only reason the fiber around the heating coil should burn is if it dries out, possibly as a result of overheating, or possibly a result of user error, like smoking on an empty cartridge.

I can imagine a couple of ways manufacturers could avoid this, or at least reduce it. One would be to design the wick and resevoir so that the coil will be moistened first by incoming liquid, and would dry out last as the liquid is used up. Another might be to find a more heat resistant, but still absorbant material.

I'm just brainstorming on those, but I do know something one manufacturer is trying. Sedansa's extra long life batteries get their long life, not from a larger capacity, but from a more intelligent microprocessor, which "communicates with the atomizer."

Actually, it probably just senses heat, but the point is, instead of just cutting off after a programmed number of seconds to protect the atomizer from overheating, like all other batteries, they can tell when the atomizer is too hot and cut off the power according to that.

The intent is to save power, but it may also do a better job of protecting the heating coil and the fibers around it, and therefore extending the lifespan.

Now, better still would be if there was some way it could sense a DRY atomizer, and cut off the power.

 

[leaford]

Vodka would be my choice, too .. and none would ever be wasted.

Well, none but me, anyway.

 

[TheEmperorOfIceCream]

Inspired by this forum, i went ahead and got me an ultrasound cleaner!

I had a couple of atomizers for generic dse901's, that are producing next to no smoke.
Yesterday, i popped the first atomizer in the ultrasound, cleaning it with tap water (expecting it to die a painful death by drowning!). After six minutes worth of ultrasound, i did see a fair amount of oily stuff leave the atomizer, but no black crud/buildup.
After blowing it dry and priming it, i put a battery on it along with a cartridge, and hey presto: NO CHANGE :-(
However, after fiddling a bit, i did get a bit of smoke. 3 drops into the atomizer: more smoke for a short while. Last night i put in a fresh battery and cartridge, and it seemed to be coming back from the (almost dead). This morning, it's giving me a fairly decent amount of smoke, not like a new unit but definitely useable
I guess maybe i didn't let it dry long enough, and i had water in the steel wool, which in turn kept the e-liquid away from the heating coil.

The bottom line: Ultrasound cleaning may be a way to extend the life of a wimpy atomizer, but i'm not yet 100% convinced. More tests to follow....

I'm about to get one of these, Clav. Did you go for the denture sized one or the tray model?

Emp

 

[dnakr]

Karen and I was also considering getting one of these. I would go for the denture size just so I could clean more things at once.

 

[TheEmperorOfIceCream]

I'm kinda drawn to the tray model - I make a lot of mess...

 

[dnakr]

You get the tray model and I'll get the denture model and we can compare.

 

[TheEmperorOfIceCream]

It's a deal!

 

[TropicalBob]

This is so neat. If atomizers die in part because of crud building up -- worsened by using flavored liquids -- then a daily ultransonic bath might be just the ticket to extending useful life. Not to mention eliminating dreadful bursts of crappy taste.

Post back with results. I'll find your result even if this thread lands on Page 3 in the next hour!

 

[TheEmperorOfIceCream]

I'd never even heard of ultrasonic cleaning before. ...... e-cigs are dragging me into the 21st century. A new thread in the Tips and Tricks section looms...

 

[clavit]

I got one of these:
Disk Ultrasonic Cleaner Manufacturer exporting direct from China

I guess its just a generic no-name cleaner (a dse901 of cleaners??)
This was what i could find IRL at a moments notice! It's just large enough to fit my sunglasses in it (which i will), and i have been chucking all sorts of stuff in it so far. My wife's earrings, necklaces and stuff fare quite well, watchbands and other steel items also clean up nicely. Oh yeah, word of warning: look away if you decide to try and clean an old electric toothbrush(the brush, not the motor)!!
The atomizer test is still not conclusive; it definitely cleans the atomizer, but i'm wondering if the wick action has gone......

I'm about to get one of these, Clav. Did you go for the denture sized one or the tray model?
Emp

 

[Kit]

Very interested in your results guys

 

[syntaxevasion]

use an ultrasonic cleaner

 

[leaford]

I'm getting this one: Amazon.com: Sonic Jewelry Cleaner, Stain Cleaner for cleaning Watch Coin Diamond: Everything Else

 

[Spider]

Wow! I thought they would cost more than that - good find leaford!

 

[TheEmperorOfIceCream]

Inbound!