Metallic Tasting Vape Problem

[SpeakNSpirit]

Hey Guys,

I'm having this persistent problem with my ProTank type devices. I keep getting this nasty metallic taste when I vape. It tastes a lot like the smell of really old, nasty guitar strings; like there's some corrosion going on in there. I can even smell it when the tank is detached from my mod.

I've tried soaking and cleaning it with both alcohol and soapy water. I've even tried replacing the coil head, but I discovered that even the tank itself, without the coil head, still has that nasty smell. My last resort was to thoroughly clean the tank and coil head while wearing gloves, in case it was the acid in my skin [remembering that my fingers tend to kill guitar strings pretty quickly], but it still didn't work.

At first I thought it was the coil head, since when it first happened, I was having to stretch its life to over a month. Then I thought it was the cheap fasttech DCT style protank, but now even my authentic Kanger is doing it. Though, oddly enough, my EVOD has been doing just fine, maybe because it is composed mainly of plastic and not metal.

I'm desperate to fix this, especially since protanks are by far my favorite device to vape! I'm getting tired of using my EVOD since I have to fill it every few hours, and it just looks so dinky on my SiD. PLEASE HELP!!

 

[ciggfree]

Sorry to hear your metallic taste issue. Can't tell you what the root cause - taste is very subjective. I can give a few guesses:
1) your vaping the coil dry - pop off the top of the coil assembly and take out one of the "flavor wicks" (useually there is 2 wicks on top of the coil that are not inside the coil) snap it back in and try it. Most of the time this fixes the dry hits without increasing gurgling/ leaking.
2) your juice? don't know what juice you use(and most likely I have not even tried it), but I have had some experiences with certain juice brands having some weird metalic tastes. When this happed, I searched for a different brand with the same basic flavor - and then learned to love it.
3) one last ditch effort advice - try cleaning your tank and coil with high quality, non-flavored vodka(yes vodka) and see if that helps.
Good luck!

 

[michliu]

The metallic taste is almost certainly the coil and wick in the head. If it's metallic and harsh when you hit it, there's a hot spot on the coil where wire isn't sufficiently soaked in juice. Try firing the head without the tank or the knurled stem on your coil assembly, just screw your head onto the base and wiggle off the stem. Fire the device with the wicks a little wet and see if one of the coils lights up before the others, you'll need to remove the flavor wicks to see this. If you see a hot spot, nudge the coil or the wick around that spot and see if it goes away. If that isn't it, report back here and there are plenty of folks to help.

 

[BernieVideo]

A Protank has a permanent metal drip tip. A Protank 2 has a changeable drip tip I believe.

I can't stand metal drip tips. They taste like metal to me. No matter what juice/voltage/watts I am at. Just the touch of metal to my lips results in a metal taste.

If you have a PT2, try changing to a plastic or ceramic drip tip. See what happens.
If you have a PT, then, perhaps you are going to have to rethink your equipment.

 

[TastyKakes]

A Protank has a permanent metal drip tip. A Protank 2 has a changeable drip tip I believe.

I can't stand metal drip tips. They taste like metal to me. No matter what juice/voltage/watts I am at. Just the touch of metal to my lips results in a metal taste.

If you have a PT2, try changing to a plastic or ceramic drip tip. See what happens.
If you have a PT, then, perhaps you are going to have to rethink your equipment.

^Seconded. I love my pt 2, but immediately replaced the drip tip with acrylic then moved up to ceramic. I get the same issue with my two protank minis - couple good draws, then that lingering metallic taste gets stuck on my lips and kills the flavor. Patiently awaiting the supposed pt mini 2.5 with removable drip tip. Me and metal just don't get along

 

[tstar]

I agree with the last two posters. I had a Protank Mini V1 and a Protank 2 with metal flat drip trip. Terrible metallic taste and it felt like it was hurting my tongue. Went to a acrylic normal drip tip and boom no metallic taste and awesome flavor to vape again. The slight metallic taste also could be from the coil head. But if advise to switch the drip tip first if you have a Protank v2.

 

[SpeakNSpirit]

I've tried thoroughly cleaning them including a dry burn to get off any gunk. When I dry burn it, the ends of the coil never light up, even when I poke and nudge at them with a knife tip.

I had my doubts that it was the coil head because even after switching it out for a new one a couple times, I still get the same thing. It's not the ejuice because I've dried them all and they work fine with my evod, but not with the protank. My generic protank has a removable drip tip, which I tried replacing with a plastic one to no avail.

I'm thinking about adding a cotton flavor wick, possibly to help even out the ejuice distribution over the coil, if it is a hot spot issue.

 

[firephly]

The metallic taste is almost certainly the coil and wick in the head. If it's metallic and harsh when you hit it, there's a hot spot on the coil where wire isn't sufficiently soaked in juice. Try firing the head without the tank or the knurled stem on your coil assembly, just screw your head onto the base and wiggle off the stem. Fire the device with the wicks a little wet and see if one of the coils lights up before the others, you'll need to remove the flavor wicks to see this. If you see a hot spot, nudge the coil or the wick around that spot and see if it goes away. If that isn't it, report back here and there are plenty of folks to help.

I tried this and just like the OP my coils never lit up, and I tried several times.

 

[pipster]

I have been having an awful experience the past 2 days. I have a new nagging, irritated cough and thick clear phlegm coating my throat (sorry for the nasty descriptives)..but the worst of it all is.. when I cough, all I can taste is a very heavy metallic taste, (like 1st poster described "like old nasty guitar strings".) It is overwhelming metallic. I actually get nauseous from the taste. I am really concerned that this is from letting my juices sit in clearos bathing in the metal for days on end and still vaping it. I am convinced the cheap assorted metals are leeched into the juice and is being vaped into my lungs. The taste I cough up is dead on metal. I don't think it is from the kanthal atty coil.. it's much more pronounced than that. I am thinking about dripping more to avoid juices lingering in metal tanks to see if it changes. I have noticed it for awhile but it has really become even more pronounced in the past 2 days. I am not a huge fan of dripping, (nor dumping juice and washing clearos everytime I use one for a bit). I usually and currently have 10-12 clearos full of juice that I just rotate until they are empty. Some hang around 1-2 weeks before I vape it again. Probably not a good idea. I am starting to think a bottom feeder like a REO may be smart way to avoid this. The juice sits in a plastic container and not bathing endlessly in metal. I have to say, if i'm going to leave my juice tanked.. i'd rather it be in plastic than cheapo metal. I mean..just set a cheap metal container outside with some water in in for a week and see what color it turns, and how it might taste. It seems like a no brainer. Stainless steel would be OK.. but these tanks are cheap and low end metals.
Anyone else having this experience?

 

[futuristic bounty hunter]

...when I cough, all I can taste is a very heavy metallic taste...
Anyone else having this experience?

Blood tastes like metal. See a doctor.

Seriously though, it could be blood or tissue damage in your lungs or stomach.