Mini Pipe atomizer review....the results are in!

[ZambucaLu]

OK....so I tried the white atomizer with the silver collar from bestecig. Decent vapor, not much of a throat hit. I noticed it doesn't sit flush with the pipe either.

So I retested the various atomizers. I first tried them on my pens to make sure they worked well, then on the pipe.

The white one with the black collar is still the best.
The silver one with the silver collar from bestecig comes in second.
The silver one with the black collar still doesn't work.
My all black ones still don't work.
And I have one black with a brass colored collar I believe is from David Yang. Big 4 holer...works great on my pens...not at all on the pipe.

I tried the KB one again and it's just not working, but is working on my KB. Besides Magnus, has anyone else tried the KB atomizer?

I haven't retried the original ats yet since last weekend.....I've been using my white ones....but might try them again this weekend.

I still haven't tried the black ats from bestecig.

Yvilla said to try putting a little ball of foil between the at and the pipehead for a possible better connection. She cautions not to let it touch the sides though. I really want to try that but I'm skeered....lol Don't want to short anything out!

I'm hoping the originals work better on the retry. If not, I'll use my white ones til they drop, then onto my silver ones.

Other than that, my pipe itself is still going strong. I have packed away my pens except left out 2 batts and 1 charger for testing atomizers. I use the dura-c on occasion throughout the day. The at pretty much runs too hot for me to consistently vape it but I use it to change up my flavors during the day. Other than that, it's the pipe all the way.

Lu

 

[ZambucaLu]

Bestecig ats work with no mods.

Have you tried all of them vince? I haven't tried the black ones yet...and the white one didn't work so well for me.

Lu

 

[ted26]

Strange how i have been testing a silver 4072 from simon and it never worked properly no matter what i did but hey these things are all different and seem to have human tendancies.

I have now come to the conclusion that an atomizer will work at 100% for one week only and thats it!

But as my bulk order 2 ltr hilton 24mg juice has just arrived from ct i can offset the atomizer cost pretty easly (juice £1.30 for 10ml)

Oh and the batteries seem to be really good keeping there recharge well

I've had the same experience too Ted. Cleaned two of my original atomizers out (water rinse & Coke bath technique) to help change juice flavour and they have not recovered very well. I'm pushing on with them to see of they just need breaking in again. Day 2 now and they are improving but still not back to their out of the box performance.

Having said that, I have a new Silver 4072 atomizer from e-cigs uk which worked a treat right off the bat, and an old kissbox atomizer which also steams away on the mini-pipe.

I think the new style mini pipe atomizers must have some significant design differences. It would be great to open one up once it is dead and see what makes them tick differently.

Has anybody else tried cleaning an original mini-pipe atomizer?

 

[VapeAllDay]

Just got mine in the mail today (bought one off a lady who got 4 kits from Steve), and I am waiting for the charge. Painful 12 hours!


Question, I assume the battery's positive end is the one with the 3 holes correct? Also, any advice on dripping with this thing? Seems like you wouldn't have to worry about liquid getting in the battery, but I guess theres a auto switch somewhere.

Thanks

 

[ZambucaLu]

Question, I assume the battery's positive end is the one with the 3 holes correct?

Correct.

Also, any advice on dripping with this thing? Seems like you wouldn't have to worry about liquid getting in the battery, but I guess theres a auto switch somewhere.

Thanks

I don't see anything to indicate the liquid can't get to the battery. If you look in the bowl, there's a little hole in there with what look like some tiny wires? Looks like those go into the part that then connects to the atomizer. I could be wrong because it is hard to see down in there but I have been worried about dripping in case the liquid ran down there into that hole.

But maybe someone else has tried it and found it to be okay.

Lu

 

[VapeAllDay]

I don't see anything to indicate the liquid can't get to the battery. If you look in the bowl, there's a little hole in there with what look like some tiny wires? Looks like those go into the part that then connects to the atomizer. I could be wrong because it is hard to see down in there but I have been worried about dripping in case the liquid ran down there into that hole.

But maybe someone else has tried it and found it to be okay.

Lu

Thanks Lu. Is the autoswitch actually in the battery, thus the 4 holes?

 

[ZambucaLu]

Thanks Lu. Is the autoswitch actually in the battery, thus the 4 holes?

Well it's gotta be in that bowl piece somewhere....lol

I know as much about elctronics as a frog....that's why I can't mod anything. But I can test things like the atomizers because that's pretty easy. Just don't ask me to mod them!

Lu

 

[Vince1]

Sorry Lu, I should have specified that the ones I use from Bestecig are the Stainless Steel ones with chrome band and work with no grinding or notching of the band. The foil thing will work since it is just an issue of the band stopping the center + pole from connecting to the battery pole. Just BE Careful. maybe make a little pointed piece that you could poke into the hole in the atomizer for less chance of it shifting when you screw them together. I may change my signature to "I love my Mini-pipe" haha.

You are correct Lu, the vacuum switch is just behind the atomizer fitting on the bowl and can be effected by liquid getting into it from dripping and such. With the pipe there is really no need to drip anyway, it works great with just carts.

 

[ZambucaLu]

Sorry Lu, I should have specified that the ones I use from Bestecig are the Stainless Steel ones with chrome band and work with no grinding or notching of the band. The foil thing will work since it is just an issue of the band stopping the center + pole from connecting to the battery pole. Just BE Careful. maybe make a little pointed piece that you could poke into the hole in the atomizer for less chance of it shifting when you screw them together. I may change my signature to "I love my Mini-pipe" haha.

You are correct Lu, the vacuum switch is just behind the atomizer fitting on the bowl and can be effected by liquid getting into it from dripping and such. With the pipe there is really no need to drip anyway, it works great with just carts.

By any chance, did you try the foil yet Vince? I'd like to try it on the original ats but.....8-o

I haven't had to drip either. It does seem to work just fine with the carts....and I am doing my best not to test that switch

Lu

 

[Vince1]

No, I haven't tried the foil. I just grind the band down a little and put 2 small notches in it for air flow. You shouldn't have to use foil on an original atomizer unless it just didn' work from the start. in that case you can test it on an 801 battery to see if it's working. I would try the foil but I have already ground mine down. There is no scientific reason for it not to work, all you are after is electrical connection and a little space between the band and pipe body for air flow.
I'm with you on the switch, no need to chance it. I have seen a video showing the standard vacuum switches most use, I'll try to find it.

 

[Vince1]

Here you go. I think most all e-cigs use this type of vacuum switch with the exception of the ones that advertise magnetic type switches.

Video: DSE901 Battery Dissection/Atuposy - e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat

 

[Magnus]

With regard to the foil in the atomizer trick, I am not sure it is necessary.

I didn't mention in my previous post, but the silver atm with black band from e-cigs uk did not work on the pipe upon arrival. I thought I would have a bit of a play, since I had three atms already working, and I found that the central pole which connects to the battery can be worked out of the atm slightly with gentle levering with a paperclip or such.

It seems to be mounted in a flexible joint and it quite easy to pull further out of the atm.

A couple of mm further out of the atm and it now makes good contact and the atm works great. I also ended up doing this with one of my original mini-pipe atms since I had to screw it in very tight to get good contact and this made it very hard to draw on the pipe.

Don't play with them if you don't want to risk breaking them, but I have been quite rough with mine now to ensure a good connection and they are all still good.

Foil is a bit risky since it may short out the whole device and any kind of electrical short with Li-Ion batteries is a big no...

 

[ZambucaLu]

With regard to the foil in the atomizer trick, I am not sure it is necessary.

I didn't mention in my previous post, but the silver atm with black band from e-cigs uk did not work on the pipe upon arrival. I thought I would have a bit of a play, since I had three atms already working, and I found that the central pole which connects to the battery can be worked out of the atm slightly with gentle levering with a paperclip or such.

It seems to be mounted in a flexible joint and it quite easy to pull further out of the atm.

A couple of mm further out of the atm and it now makes good contact and the atm works great. I also ended up doing this with one of my original mini-pipe atms since I had to screw it in very tight to get good contact and this made it very hard to draw on the pipe.

Don't play with them if you don't want to risk breaking them, but I have been quite rough with mine now to ensure a good connection and they are all still good.

Foil is a bit risky since it may short out the whole device and any kind of electrical short with Li-Ion batteries is a big no...

Wow! Okay then....I take a paper clip, put it in the at, and try to pull whatever's in there out a little? If this in incorrect, could you explain further? I'm willing to try it but want to know what the heck I'm doing first....lol

Lu

 

[yvilla]

Yes the foil trick could cause a short if not done right, and that's why I cautioned Lu that if she tried it, to make sure the foil only touched the two center poles, making the desired connection between the battery pole and atomizer pole, and not anywhere else.

The lifting up of the atomizer center pole can also be tricky too though. I was probably too rough with mine, but I ended up with one atomizer where the little silicone insulator ring came right off. I put it back on of course, but it was not easy to do - and in doing so may have caused further damage, maybe pulled wires. Any way, that atomizer nearly killed my SD with the heat it produced (short)!

 

[Cellmeister]

8-oTin Foil for Use in Any Type Of Circuit = 8-o Short / Fire (it will destroy your device & more)...

If U Don't Know What The Frig Your Doing, Trying or Saying = Don't Do It!

Please Be Safe & Follow The Manufacturers Instruction Manuals (unless u really know otherwise!)

Keep Vapin!

 

[Magnus]

That's right SambucaLu, you want to try to lift the central pole with the hole in it up and out of the atomizer a mm or so by using the straightened paperclip to lever one side and then the other.

You should be able to see the little round rubber joint underneath and, as Yvilla says, you dont want to lift it too far in case it pops out altogether. This has not happened to me yet since only a little movement was necessary to get my ats working.

It's kind of the same idea as levering the top off a bottle of beer.

 

[EDO]

It is funny that were all having problems with our mini pipes around the same time. It was pure bliss for the last ten days but now I have to go back to cigarettes again. I can't even go back to my pilot...since after vaping with the mini pipe nothing else will do...except for cigarettes. My atomizer was slightly under performing, so I thought maybe if I rinsed it with water it would clean it. Well that was a mistake...it killed it. Then I had to resurrect it with Coca Cola..that worked but it was never the same again. I am not sure if it is actually the atomizer or the batteries at fault here. It seems to me the batteries have significantly diminished in their performance. I used to be able to vape a good six hours with them and now after an hour they die. I don't have spare batteries or atomizers to test which is the culprit here. I also notice the atomizer is running hot..I wonder if that is haveing effect on the battery performance. It would be way to expensive to change the battery and the atomizers on these things every week.

Also it seems that we have to tighten the atomizer more and more so that the pipe head stays put...but that causes the draw to be harder and harder.

 

[surbitonPete]

It is funny that were all having problems with our mini pipes around the same time. It was pure bliss for the last ten days but now I have to go back to cigarettes again. I can't even go back to my pilot...since after vaping with the mini pipe nothing else will do...except for cigarettes. My atomizer was slightly under performing, so I thought maybe if I rinsed it with water it would clean it. Well that was a mistake...it killed it. Then I had to resurrect it with Coca Cola..that worked but it was never the same again. I am not sure if it is actually the atomizer or the batteries at fault here. It seems to me the batteries have significantly diminished in their performance. I used to be able to vape a good six hours with them and now after an hour they die. I don't have spare batteries or atomizers to test which is the culprit here. I also notice the atomizer is running hot..I wonder if that is haveing effect on the battery performance. It would be way to expensive to change the battery and the atomizers on these things every week.

Also it seems that we have to tighten the atomizer more and more so that the pipe head stays put...but that causes the draw to be harder and harder.

I have noticed that as the amount of vapour the atomizer produces ...reduces ......I tend to make up for it by taking longer draws or even by taking warm up puffs, before taking a draw.....this in turn drains the batteries in no time at all......use a new atomizer and the batteries last for ages again.

I am thinking if I want 'as new' performance all the time I should budget for a new atomizer every week! but I am also thinking that would be worth it because the 'as new' performance of the Mini pipe seems to me to be as good as vaping can possibly get.

 

[Magnus]

I have noticed that as the amount of vapour the atomizer produces ...reduces ......I tend to make up for it by taking longer draws or even by taking warm up puffs, before taking a draw.....this in turn drains the batteries in no time at all......use a new atomizer and the batteries last for ages again.

I am thinking if I want 'as new' performance all the time I should budget for a new atomizer every week!

The thing is, the ats are not broken, they just seem to be slowing down. When you consider what they are made of, the most likely reason for the drop in performance is some kind of build up on the coil, just like when your water heater element gets covered in scale.

If it were an electrical probelm with the wiring it would probably work fine until it stopped working altogether, rather than slowly diminish.

I'm only guessing, and any electricians out there may be more qualified to inform us about this, but the coil in your at is the same idea as the coil in a light-bulb. They don't get dimmer over time, they just eventually instantly burn out.

My guess is that, as we know, the min-pipe performs at a higher level than most other devices and may well be cooking the liquid hotter or faster than we are used to. The way we have been looking after ats for other devices may no longer apply.

I have one original at which gets incredibly hot from the first puff, and yet produces virtually no vapour. It can only be that the coil is heating well but is coated in super cooked e-juice.

I could well be wrong but I can't see any other logical conclusion, unless it in the details a knowledgeable electrician could explain, about gradual degrading of electrical resistance components.

Anyhow, I am going to go for bust with this one atomizer, at the risk of killing it completely, and soak it in the harshest cleaning solvents I can find. It's in some caustic soda right now, for unblocking drains, which should dissolve most organic deposits without damaging any metal. If that doesn't remove whatever is preventing the juice from reaching the coil then I will have to check for napalm on ebay.

I will post the results soon, and although I am reasonably sure that the solution will rinse completely from the atomizer as it is also designed to do from the drain, I will be rinsing it extremely thoroughly and not inhaling any vapour from the at.

This is purely to test the theory, and I will just activate it using the kissbox manual switch without putting it any where near my lungs!

The idea of these devices is to keep us alive longer, and I would much rather use a new atomizer every week or so than take any risks. Even a brand new atomizer every week would cost me a tenth of what I would be spending on cigarettes! I strongly recommend that anybody else trying to clean their atomizers takes the same precautions. We're trying to protect our lungs after all...

 

[surbitonPete]

Magnus ...you are quite right that it is the build up of residue on the coil that reduces the performance.....terraphons Idea for using coca-cola seems to be the best cleaner so far.....but for me no cleaning method has brought an atomizer back to working like new........and I would sooner buy a new atomizer every week than keep on messing about all the time 'trying' to make one work like new.