Psychotic atomizers (?)

[mikea]

I've followed one of several recommended cleaning approaches with several of my 510 atomizers: run them under hot water briefly, shake out as much water as possible, then immerse the atomizers for several hours in the highest-proof Everclear alcohol I can get. This seemed like the least complicated approach that would still get the job done, removing much of the gunk that might have built up on the atomizer elements.

It has worked fine with a couple of the atomizers I've cleaned. With the first use afterward there's a slight 'burnt atomizer' taste, but it goes away soon and especially if I put one drop of e-liquid on the atomizer element.

But last night I found two of my recently cleaned 510 atomizers had gone psycho on me. On first use there was none of the typical 'sizzle' or hissing sound that I associate with atomizer activation. Instead, a brief moment after I pressed the button on the 510 battery, something underneath the atomizer element (looks like the "floor" of the atomizer) began glowing bright red. This is totally unlike normal atomizer operation, and it strikes me as a serious defect. Again, the atomizer elements are not getting heated at all that I know of. Instead, something underneath them is heating up red-hot instantly.

They were working perfectly before I cleaned them.

The unexpected red-hot glow occurs with several charged batteries I'm using at the moment -- and those batteries are powering other, properly working atomizers with no problem. So I don't think it's some weird battery issue.

What could have gone wrong with the two atomizers? Could cleaning with the alcohol have dissolved away some kind of insulation, such that there's now a direct short below the element? But lots of people clean lots of atomizers with alcohol -- and some I cleaned at the same time did not exhibit a problem like what I'm describing here.

Atomizers being the pricey little things they are, this worries me quite a bit and advice would be much appreciated. Are these atomizers likely beyond repair now? If using alcohol is not such a good idea...what is a better approach? Thanks in advance...

 

[Moonflame]

The red glow underneath is the heating element. The hump you see when you look down in the atty doesn't heat up at all, it is the wick that pulls the liquid a little at a time down to a tiny bowl at the heating element. The problem you are having is that the wick is dry. You need to drop at least 3 drops onto the wick after you clean it like that, let it soak in for 20-30 seconds and then try it. You probably never got it so clean that there is NO liquid left so you never needed to drip that much to get it going again . Try dripping 3 or 4 drops onto the wick and see if that works.

 

[surbitonPete]

Well I am on day 40 today with my 801 atty and the daily dry burn from new method of cleaning an atty. No atty problems so far with using that method and it's the only atty I have been using for the 40 days. I have vaped at least four 30ml bottles of juice with it.

 

[mikea]

The red glow underneath is the heating element. The hump you see when you look down in the atty doesn't heat up at all, it is the wick that pulls the liquid a little at a time down to a tiny bowl at the heating element. The problem you are having is that the wick is dry. You need to drop at least 3 drops onto the wick after you clean it like that, let it soak in for 20-30 seconds and then try it. You probably never got it so clean that there is NO liquid left so you never needed to drip that much to get it going again . Try dripping 3 or 4 drops onto the wick and see if that works.

Hmm. I have never had a 510 atomizer glow instantly red-hot underneath the atomizer element -- even when they're brand-new, there has never been an immediate red-hot glow like that.

And, I should add... these two atomizers do not produce vapor. Lots of heat, but no vapor.

 

[happily]

Hmm. I have never had a 510 atomizer glow instantly red-hot underneath the atomizer element -- even when they're brand-new, there has never been an immediate red-hot glow like that.

And, I should add... these two atomizers do not produce vapor. Lots of heat, but no vapor.

there is no "underneath"...........that IS your element and it is dry. That is why it is glowing. You should always reprime a cleaned atty as there is no fluid in it. The porcelain bowl is the only thing under neath(more encompassing) the element.

also if it glows red you know it's cleaned well

 

[mikea]

there is no "underneath"...........that IS your element and it is dry. That is why it is glowing. You should always reprime a cleaned atty as there is no fluid in it. The porcelain bowl is the only thing under neath(more encompassing) the element.

also if it glows red you know it's cleaned well

So after reading answers in this thread and getting some similar advice from a friend in e-mail, I finally had time to try this again and...

Dripped some e-liquid into the atomizer. Let it sit a couple of minutes. Re-attached the battery. Dammit! No 'hiss' from the bridge, and there's the red-hot glow again. Ok, try another few drops, let it sit a few minutes... a few of these 'cycles' and finally there was no more red glow, and the familiar old 'hiss' came back. The resulting vapor didn't taste so good. In fact it didn't look much like vapor. It looked like smoke. Yet more dripping...and finally -- vapor. So it looks as if at least one of the atomizers is not ruined after all.

It was the red-hot glow that really threw me off. I had never seen it with brand-new atomizers, and I didn't see it in the first batch of atomizers I'd cleaned via immersion in Everclear for a few hours.

Wonder why it happened to some of them and not to others. Anyway, thanks for the advice, folks.

 

[dougp925]

After you clean an atomiser like that you need to saturate the atomiser with e-liquid. I put in about 10 drops, let it sit for a few minutes and then blow out any excess fluid. A drop or two of VG would aslo help lubricate the wick. You should never operate an atty dry like that, you can damage its ability to wick fluid into the heating coil area.
-Doug

 

[mikea]

After you clean an atomiser like that you need to saturate the atomiser with e-liquid. I put in about 10 drops, let it sit for a few minutes and then blow out any excess fluid. A drop or two of VG would aslo help lubricate the wick. You should never operate an atty dry like that, you can damage its ability to wick fluid into the heating coil area.
-Doug

Fortunately, the 'psycho' phase (followed by adding e-liquid until the thing worked again) doesn't seem to have damaged the atomizers.

I didn't keep that 510 button pushed for long when I noticed the thing heating up red-hot inside.

When it is run incorrectly that way, what specifically happens that prevents it from being able to wick fluid?

 

[a2dcovert]

Well I am on day 40 today with my 801 atty and the daily dry burn from new method of cleaning an atty. No atty problems so far with using that method and it's the only atty I have been using for the 40 days. I have vaped at least four 30ml bottles of juice with it.

Pete do you know of anyone successfully doing the dry burn with the 510? I may try one on my 510 to see if it works so far as prolonging life. I'm using 5v now and it is killing my attys.

Kevin