Is the Vision Stardust Clearo total garbage or is it just mine?

[luciddisconnect]

I was really excited to have received three vision ego clearomizers in the mail yesterday from sweet-vapes.com. These were to standard resistance 2.5 - 2.9 connected to a 1100 mah KGO battery.

Since testing them out I've entirely changed my tune. They were easy to fill; I used an e liquid syringe so avoid spilling any niquid down the center tube. Twist down the drip tip, make sure the o-ring is still on. Everything should be good.

Wrong. It took a while for the wicks to soak up juice. Initial hit quality was weak. Gradually it got stronger. Then it stopped connecting with the battery. Turns out it was leaking out around the connection to the battery.

Watched a review on youtube and realized that you have to tilt the thing back to really soak the wick next to the atomizer. Figured that I'd just gotten a leaky one and emptied out the first one; filled another one to use in the morning.

It worked fine on the car ride into work. Was getting good vapor and flavor so I figured that it had just needed to soak for longer. Then went outside for a vape midday to discover that clearomizer #2 was also leaking all over my battery.

What the Hell?!

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong here. Do they leak if you store them lying down? It seems like the most obvious point for it to leak would be the connection between drip tip and clearo. Or could it be the liquid that I'm using which is 100% VG from Virgin Vapors. It also seems like it's more prone to leaking when you hit it facing downwards. I dunno.

So far I'm thinking these things are garbage and I just threw away $18 after shipping and I'm more than a little miffed. The fact that you can only get good hits when it's tilted upwards would almost be enough on its own to turn me off. Arghhhh!

 

[asha23]

In my opinion they suck. Dry hits. No vapour. Stupid short wicks. Muted flavour. But that's just me. Many people love them.

 

[Nomoreash]

I bought 2 of them and leaking wasn't an issue with mine but I didn't like them much. The draw was stiff and flavor was muted.

 

[kellie]

I like Stardust but prefer the long wicks. Too me sounds like they are over filled. I did that once when I first got them

 

[luciddisconnect]

There's no way I overfilled them. Filled initially to exactly the 1.6 ml line. Then they leaked after a while. Then I cleaned it up with tissues, etc. Then they leaked again. Kept leaking the whole way down to the .4ml mark. I guess they're broken. In any case the device seems too problematic to me to be worth fussing with. I've got some new cartos coming in a few days so I'll be trying my luck with a new product. I guess I shouldn't be impatient in searching for the right thing. It's tempting to buy a bunch of one kind of carto to complete my setup. I'm starting to feel like I've been burned once too many times with e-smoking gear though.

One thing I can say about analogs: The manufacturing quality was always perfect. One pack of overpriced sickly death-sticks which are guaranteed to work with just a lighter. I never once bought a pack of cigarettes that were missing filters or broken in half.

 

[skelley]

I never had any that leaked out of the bottom..
I also wouldn't say that I hated them as they are the reason I started searching for something better than a carto.
The negatives outweighed the positives, so I moved on to CE2's and now I am enjoying the newer CE3/CV3's.
The draw was to tight; the shell cracked like crazy which would then start leaking and I'm over the whole 'tilt to vape' deal.
The top coil design also would wick certain parts of the juice faster/sooner, leaving the bottom half thick and nasty.

 

[Forkeh]

They work fine for me. But yeah, you still need to store them vertically. That little gasket cover that covers the wicks, isn't completely liquid tight, or it'd never wick. Therefore, if the clearo is stored on its side, inevitably it will leak.

Tilt to vape isn't a big deal for me. Always had to do that with standard clearos anyway.

 

[Clovery]

Are they the stardusts with the long wicks (the new version)? I have a few of those from sweet-vapes and 2 out of 3, the top metal bands were loose. This caused the silicone seal underneath the metal band to become dislodged/loose and then caused really poor draw and leaking. (I'm not talking about the o-ring that goes around the mouthpiece, or the rounded "cap" that goes over the top of the metal tube inside the actual tank part.) If your top metal bands are loose, try pulling the whole thing off (with the mouthpiece on). Look underneath the metal band, there should be a flat silicone ring, like a gasket, beneath it - it needs to be seated flat. Once you get it in the right position, use a bit of super glue to affix the metal band in place. I figured out this was the problem with mine and it's worked well for me.

Don't give up on vaping just because you don't like a particular piece of hardware - there are so many options out there. I am a fan of the stardusts, but I also really like these phoenix flux clearos and the V2 vivi nova.

 

[MonsterTKE]

One thing I can say about analogs: The manufacturing quality was always perfect. One pack of overpriced sickly death-sticks which are guaranteed to work with just a lighter. I never once bought a pack of cigarettes that were missing filters or broken in half.

Well, by all means, go back to smoking. Cause comparing a paper tube with plants rolled up inside is totally equivalent to batteries, micro-controllers, switches, tanks, atomizers and liquid.

I havent had much of a problem with Ce4s, other than occasional condensation leaking and slightly muted flavor.

It seems that I have some juices that are great in a clearomizer, not so great in carts or Ce3s, and I have some juice that is good in a cart but not a Ce3 or Ce4, then I have some that arent good any way but dripping. So it is a matter of having a bunch of stuff around and figuring out what works well with what.

 

[luciddisconnect]

Well, by all means, go back to smoking. Cause comparing a paper tube with plants rolled up inside is totally equivalent to batteries, micro-controllers, switches, tanks, atomizers and liquid.

The analogy was more about quality control than comparative anatomy. I've got an Ipod from three or four years ago that still works great, holds a charge, and I can play tilt action marble video games on it. Are you telling me that people can invent a device like that but they can't invent a leak-free liquid heating tank. Apparently, though, my experience is the exception rather than the rule.

Yes, I'll be dabbling with other carto / clearo systems. Not terribly happy about wasting what little spare cash I have though.

 

[Forkeh]

The analogy was more about quality control than comparative anatomy. I've got an Ipod from three or four years ago that still works great, holds a charge, and I can play tilt action marble video games on it. Are you telling me that people can invent a device like that but they can't invent a leak-free liquid heating tank. Apparently, though, my experience is the exception rather than the rule.

Yes, I'll be dabbling with other carto / clearo systems. Not terribly happy about wasting what little spare cash I have though.

Yes, but Ipods don't have anything to leak out. Computer chips required to make an Ipod function is a completely different ballgame than making a leak free, liquid holding device, that still is able to wick, and absolutely must have an air flow. The two are not comparable. Your Ipod might have a tiny little production glitch or abnormality and you may never know; it may not affect the device at all. You have a very minor production glitch in a clearo and it may very well mean juice everywhere.

 

[dragonbone]

I've been using short wick Vision Stardust for a few moths now. Never had a leak or a dry hit. Could be your juice?

 

[mattkohl71]

Yes, but Ipods don't have anything to leak out. Computer chips required to make an Ipod function is a completely different ballgame than making a leak free, liquid holding device, that still is able to wick, and absolutely must have an air flow. The two are not comparable. Your Ipod might have a tiny little production glitch or abnormality and you may never know; it may not affect the device at all. You have a very minor production glitch in a clearo and it may very well mean juice everywhere.

Well I wouldn't say he's completely out of line with the quality control statement... It really is pretty poor with vaping related purchases, and most sites will either try to make YOU fix a product with defects instead of a replacement/return and have policies where it's pretty much impossible to get a refund.

Don't like an e-liquid? Must be the taste, which is completely subjective... Even though it very well could have been the vendor themselves who made a mistake.

Hardware not working properly? Must be on your end... Even though each package of clearomizers/cartomizers/atomizers can be completely different in terms of quality.

This is why some type of national regulation needs to take place... Every order I send out is a gamble when it shouldn't be. I know with regulation, that means upped costs, but if I'm guaranteed a product that will work and have great quality control it just might be worth it.

With that being said, I've had a decent success rate with all my equipment and juices so far, but nowhere near 100%. I'd say around 60-70% of the stuff I've purchased has actually just worked without any sort of modding.

 

[NGIB]

I waited a long time before even trying out any "stardusts" as there were a zillion different models and the comments were all over the spectrum. My first endeavor into a clear device was the CE3s from discountvapers - and they work perfectly. Yes, you have to fill them upside down with a syringe but they work great and do not leak. My next venture was to get 2 CE4+ models, again from discountvapers. One of the two the flavor was a tad off but the other is perfect with a good draw, good flavor and no leaks. He just got the LR versions back in stock so I should receive a batch of them today.

I think Eric from discountvapers personally tests everything he sells - which saves me money...

 

[Adam the Aussie]

I've had them for a few weeks now, I'm leaning towards the 'total garbage' side.

 

[kookycole]

The analogy was more about quality control than comparative anatomy. I've got an Ipod from three or four years ago that still works great, holds a charge, and I can play tilt action marble video games on it. Are you telling me that people can invent a device like that but they can't invent a leak-free liquid heating tank. Apparently, though, my experience is the exception rather than the rule.

Yes, I'll be dabbling with other carto / clearo systems. Not terribly happy about wasting what little spare cash I have though.

I know that a lot of the vendors won't replace defective items, but I have had one that sent out replacements for defective cartomizers. You could always contact the vendor and see if they are willing to send out replacements.

 

[MonsterTKE]

This is why some type of national regulation needs to take place... Every order I send out is a gamble when it shouldn't be. I know with regulation, that means upped costs, but if I'm guaranteed a product that will work and have great quality control it just might be worth it.

Someone will probably report this... But that may be the most ......ed thing I have seen yet on this forum....

Did you bother to think that through at all before you committed it to the everlasting internet? Can you name me one industry or product in the United States that has a better selection, more choices of companies to deal with or better service after being regulated????

Everyone sees the slightest problem and they want the government to swoop in and save the day.

Next time a company sells you crappy product and wont make it right, badmouth the .... out of them everywhere you can, if they don't get their act together they can go out of business and someone will step in with better service.

We need to take this nanny government crap right the hell on out of here, its why our country is in the shape its in and we are $15 trillion in debt.

 

[mattkohl71]

Someone will probably report this... But that may be the most ......ed thing I have seen yet on this forum....

And you are the absolute first person I've seen be a completely rude, immature and completely out of line in terms of being a polite and decent person!

Did you bother to think that through at all before you committed it to the everlasting internet? Can you name me one industry or product in the United States that has a better selection, more choices of companies to deal with or better service after being regulated????

Well, for one, cigarette companies. Regardless of how much the product harms you, you are guaranteed to have a full pack that is of a higher standard of quality. Yes, they have billions more than the vaping industry, but I've never seen a pack of cigarettes where 4 of them didn't work, 2 had rips in the paper so they leaked, and 3 just wouldn't light up at all. You are definitely getting what you pay for.

Alcohol, for another. I've never bought a bottle of some good vodka and it ended up being 5% alcohol or that tasted really funny. They've all been the same quality and had the same exact experience with it.

Food is another... The quality of food has risen immensely since they became regulated. No more human parts/rats and rat droppings in our bread (Yes, this is true. Very common to have someone lose a finger and they just kept going).

Everyone sees the slightest problem and they want the government to swoop in and save the day.

An alternative would be that all vaping related vendors band together and make some sort of association where they have a set standard of quality, price and consistency. Since I've yet to see that even begin to happen, and the likelihood of it happening is almost nil, there's no other alternative to effectively force companies to focus more on delivering a quality product.

Just imagine there being none of those super horrible gas station e-cigs and every company actually had to deliver a quality product. And if they didn't, they get slapped with fines and shut down (If it's severe enough). Imagine that things like Blue and Greensmokes weren't able to charge over triple the actual price for their product. That would be fantastic.

Next time a company sells you crappy product and wont make it right, badmouth the .... out of them everywhere you can, if they don't get their act together they can go out of business and someone will step in with better service.

So... Every company I've dealt with so far? I've gotten less than stellar products from every vendor I've ordered from and I'm not about to start slandering all of them. I understand there aren't fundamentals in place that would allow them to guarantee good price and quality, so why blame the vendors completely for that? If they were in some sort of binding agreement with all of the other vendors to regulate themselves, it would be a different story. As of now, it's everyone for themselves.

We need to take this nanny government crap right the hell on out of here, its why our country is in the shape its in and we are $15 trillion in debt.

If the vendors won't do it themselves, who else would you suggest step in to force change?

And what in the world does wanting better quality control on products I'm spending hundreds of dollars on have to do with the US national debt? It seems like you're angry about something or towards someone else and you seem to be taking it out on me...

 

[rtbob]

I have tried 2 of these recently and they are your typical cheap Chinese junk. My problem is with the connection. I have 7 EGO batteries. Why is it these work with only 2 batteries while my dual coil cartos work with all my batteries? Don't bother with the "Use a paper clip to pull the connection out" crap. I invented that and I'm tired of this Chinese CRAP! I have pulled the center post out and still I get no vape.

 

[Shilo]

I would talk to the vendor--DOA items are often replaced not refunded. Unfortunately lucid we are all testers in a quickly changing market. The good side to this is they don't sell a total dud for very long without corrections if its needed or simply pull the product quickly if it doesn't go over well. No sooner you get one version and the other version comes out too.