Noob disappointment :( I think I messed up my new clearomizers!

[ephemerata]

Hi guys. I would really appreciate some help/clarification on something. I've ruined two of my clearomizers, ismoka mini BCCs, and would like some feedback on whether I've pinpointed the problem or not.

I've smoked for about a decade now and am trying to kick analogs. I bought an eGo Spinner 900mAh kit. After cracking too many EGO-CE4 (Stardust) clearomizers and dirtying up my battery with the leaky Kanger EVODs, I moved onto ismoka mini BCCs and an ismoka mega BCC.

So... I liked them. But I got really sick of my e-liquids and swapped out the liquids in the tanks, and I think -- but am not totally sure -- that I may have ruined the minis, and messed up the mega enough so it's annoying to use. It's a long story, but since I'm not certain on what happened I figured I may as well start from the beginning.

So I decided to swap out my e-liquids, as I said. I cleaned out the tanks in the mini BCCs with no problem, replaced the drip tip, and put new coils into each one, a 1.8 and a 2.2 (I rarely go above 3.5v). When I reattached the clearomizers to my eGo spinners, the battery LED blinked 5 times like it was going dead. Huh. I tried other clearomizers and they were fine. I took the coils back out and cleaned the bottom of the coil heads, and cleaned the inside of the part you plug the coil head into.

One of them worked, the other still didn't. The one that works looks like it has a dark ring around the inside where you plug the coil head back in. The dark ring doesn't appear to be gunk, I think it's corrosion! The other one that isn't working appears to just have a hole in it. I put a few drops of water in it and the water fell right through. I really hope this makes sense.

Was this caused by letting e-liquid drip down into it and continuing to use it without cleaning that part out? For some reason cleaning that out just didn't even really occur to me at first. I'd just like some clarification on whether this was the likely culprit, as I've ordered two more along with a Kanger Protank 2, and really don't want to ruin any more clearomizers. Also, if I wasn't clear at all or any of this is confusing, please let me know and I'll try to come up with a more concise way to explain it.

Also, I really appreciate all the work everyone here does into making this an informative and friendly place.

 

[dormouse]

Wow I don't know. I have avoided clearomizers due to the early cracking problems (and the earliest ones sometimes just fell apart).

I can tell you manual batteries with a sealed threaded end will usually do a quick flashing on the LED if there is a short like that caused by caused by liquid in the threads. (Auto batteries and other batteries with a hole in the threaded end may do the same but can also get killed by leaks)

I don't have the clear cartos/tanks you have so i can't help you with specifics. Hopefully someone who knows these devices better will read.

Dunno if this is relevant but...
What flavors of juice are you using? Are you aware that there are juice flavors that can crack clearos and plastic tanks?

Here is one thread about flavors that can crack tanks
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-juices-flavors-crack-tanks-ce2s-clearos.html

And I have a suggestion - get some plain cartomizers so you have those to fall back on. For fat 510-threaded batteries and mods, Boge 2.0's are popular. I use SmokTek 2.5 ohm single coils on slim 510 and 3.7v 510 mods and fat batteries. For KR808D-1 threading I like Bloog cartos (around 2.5 ohm). Just basic standard cartos that generally work well for their expected lifespan.

 

[BlueMoods]

It sounds like you had a tank cracker juice in there, you won't have that problem with the protank. Also clearos are expendable, they don't last forever, no delivery device does w/o repair and, some things that do eventually go wrong just can't be repaired.

 

[Cactus Breath]

What juices were you using in those clearos?

 

[dormouse]

One other possible culprit in cracking or damage is heat - what ohms are you using on what volts battery?

 

[Fenris4024]

Youch. Gotta add to the "what liquid?" questions... if it was citric or something like a cinnamon, that's what was causing all the cracking.. the dark spot though, huh.

I'm not overly familiar with those clearos, but I've used EVODs for over 4 months, and never had an issue, never seen corrosion between the heads and where they attach... in fact, you shouldn't ever really "get" corrosion in a clearo, as near as I can tell unless your liquid is some SERIOUSLY evil stuff. Corrosion on a battery contact, sure, or perhaps on the clearo contact to the body, but not inside the clearo... how old are they, and where did you purchase them from?

You also mentioned leaky Kanger EVODs... are they actually Kanger, or are they cheap knock offs? I've never had any trouble from mine, not has my friend (though he did melt one, despite me telling him to NOT vape Ecto in it...). If they're el cheapos, sometimes its a crapshoot, as you can get really good knock offs, or really bad ones. Hard to tell sometimes.

 

[dormouse]

Also - what some people think is corrosion can just be rock-like burnt-on juice residue. I try to avoid liquids that are dark or cloudy - they usually have high residue. And sweet liquids can also gunk up a coil faster.

 

[Fenris4024]

And sweet liquids can also gunk up a coil faster.

But, sweet liquids are soooo tasty! Seriously this is the truth though. Depending on how the liquid is sweetened, it can do some major cloggage... I've seen some murder a carto (in a tank no less) after about 6mls. Those are the ones I drip in an RBA

 

[Bill's Magic Vapor]

Heard it all. Seen it all. Tried em all. All clearos leak, and for a variety of reasons. Juice, heat, pressure, clogged, carbonization, caramelization, wick material, etc. If they have the potential to leak, which is 99% of them, then they will leak, sometimes, for some reason. I use all the wrong juices. My ADV is 20% cinnamon, 20% cotton candy, 6% Bavarian cream. Have never lost a tank. But, I go through two coils, two cartos, a week. Clean daily, usually after three tanks, and it is what it is. I recoil now, so it's about 20 cents a week in costs, maybe less.

I would like to help you out on your problem, but I have to be honest, I didn't understand what you were talking about exactly. If I were you, I would immediately upgrade my battery to something like a Vamo, so I could at least check resistance, monitor the battery, etc. This guess in the dark what might have happened drives me crazy. I wish we could plug our APV's into a computer and just print out a diagnostic along with a parts list or something. So, sorry can't be more helpful. Best to you and good luck!

 

[ephemerata]

I would like to help you out on your problem, but I have to be honest, I didn't understand what you were talking about exactly.

You know the threaded base of a bottom coil clearomizer that screws into the battery? And then you pop the coil and wick into that base? That's the part that I messed up. I did figure it out though! It was definitely from letting juice drip down into the "hole" of the base where the bottom of the coil head plugs into it. I gave it a really thorough cleaning with alcohol and scrubbed it out with a pointy q-tip and we're back in action.

Also - what some people think is corrosion can just be rock-like burnt-on juice residue. I try to avoid liquids that are dark or cloudy - they usually have high residue. And sweet liquids can also gunk up a coil faster.

Yeah, it could definitely just be hardened juice residue that's getting burned.

I can tell you manual batteries with a sealed threaded end will usually do a quick flashing on the LED if there is a short like that caused by caused by liquid in the threads.

...

What flavors of juice are you using? Are you aware that there are juice flavors that can crack clearos and plastic tanks?

Thanks for clearing that up! When it first happened I thought my battery was dying, and I spent three hours trying to charge my battery until it occurred to me that I should try another clearomizer to see if I could replicate the problem.

Re: Juices. The first one I had was definitely a tank cracker; three of my Stardusts bit it within a day and one of my EVODS. I haven't had a problem with any other juices though. I was cycling through a bunch of different juices from two local shops, but I just got my Halo shipment in (Voodoo, Captain Jack, Southern Classic, Kringle's Curse, Belgian Cocoa, and Longhorn). Yay! Actually, the reason I ordered the Protank 2 is so I can use liquids that might crack tanks or sweeter, thicker liquids.

You also mentioned leaky Kanger EVODs... are they actually Kanger, or are they cheap knock offs?

Wow, I didn't even think about that! I got them from a local shop called All About Vapor. They swapped out the Stardusts from my starter kit for the EVODS because of the aforementioned cracking, since they felt bad about selling me a tank cracker liquid. All of their starter kit pieces are kept unpackaged/unboxed in small bins, so she just reached into the bin where they kept the EVODs. It's entirely possible they were knock-offs but I really doubt it. They're not terrible, just a tad leaky I'd take them over the Stardusts any day.

Thanks for all of your help everyone!

 

[stevegmu]

You cleaned your tanks, but did you let them air dry overnight? Washing a clearo tank and using it while not fully dried has caused this problem for me. I thought I had a coil head that was a dud, switched it with another and same problem. Washed the tank out again, let it air dry overnight. Put in the coil, filled and it worked.

 

[ephemerata]

You cleaned your tanks, but did you let them air dry overnight? Washing a clearo tank and using it while not fully dried has caused this problem for me. I thought I had a coil head that was a dud, switched it with another and same problem. Washed the tank out again, let it air dry overnight. Put in the coil, filled and it worked.

No, I didn't air dry them, I was too eager! Now that I have more on the way and will have six tanks to swap through, I'll definitely make sure I do that. Thanks for the tip! I did hold onto the coils from them just in case they weren't broken, I plan on retrying them later. There's so much trial and error that goes into this. Simultaneously fun and frustrating.

 

[Fenris4024]

This sounds like you're figuring out what was going wrong and getting on top of it... glad to hear your sticking with it, as I know so many that I've seen here as initial posters that have had "bad luck" just give up and go back to the suicide installment plan.

If we can be of anymore help to you, don't hesitate to ask more questions and hang in there... it gets better, and easier!

 

[azndrifter]

im very new here on this forum and been vaping for about a month now. kind of on my own since i dont have friends that vape. BUT to make a long story short i already started building my own ce6's atty heads. and when it's not made right and the wire/coil is touching the side of the heating core cylinder and the battery will flash representing a short. this can also happen if there is water creating a bridge to make that short. idk if this info might help so try to center the coils and look under the heating core to see if there is wire sticking out and cut it shorter and check if there is water where the heating core attaches too and make sure it's dry. i noticed when i clean mine out it's always the last to dry if you don't blow them out before air dry.