Removing the wick

[Rahz]

I was wary about doing this to a new atomizer, but had one that wasn't performing well after cleaning. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it might be.

So I take these threads out and notice the bottom ends of the threads are all black. I think I'll be doing this to all my atomizers from now on.

The slightly off taste is gone for the most part, and vapor production is increased to an acceptable level.

I am a dripper, and this is a great tip/trick! Thanks.

 

[muddstar]

This is great at 6 volts, every now and then it will pop boiling juice back at ya. Definately wake ya up.

 

[Hawk52501]

Did this by accident...sort of One of my 510 attys was not performing like it used to. Looking down in it, I noticed some fuzzy stuff sticking out from underneath the bridge. Me being a noob to these things, it sure looked like some of the filler from a cart got stuck in there. So I began pulling it out, and then realized it was the wick I still use carts, havent got into dripping yet, and the atty seems to work better than it did before.

 

[phee]

i've found that you can take the wick out and still use carts but when you take the bridge out the carts almost don't work at all then again i only tried using the cart for about 20min w/o the bridge =P

 

[grabeard]

Hi Phee, how do you get the 801 cart apart? I have several that no longer work and just wanted to take them apart to see if I can fix them.
Thanks,
grabeard

 

[Scottbee]

i've found that you can take the wick out and still use carts but when you take the bridge out the carts almost don't work at all then again i only tried using the cart for about 20min w/o the bridge =P

When you take the wick out the vapor production will typically go down (when using carts).

When you take the bridge out the vapor production will basically stop (when using carts).

The bridge is the mechanism that carries the liquid from the cart filler to the atty. When it is gone, there is no flow path.

 

[Frostmonkey]

It's funny how much this method has transformed (and stayed the same).

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/polls/56499-510-atomizer-resurrection-mod.html

 

[grabeard]

Anybody know how to take an 801 atty apart?

 

[johnny bobcat]

any idea if this would be beneficial on a 4081 atty? mine has recently developed a weird adhesive like taste, and vapor production has gone down a bit, ive ordered some new atties so i think i might try this when the new ones come and i have backups

 

[phee]

i really only recommend doing this with 510s, 901s and 801s because they have the same basic structure so its almost the exact same method. i have not used the 808's or the 4081s but i'm assuming they're cartomizers so i would NOT recommend it. here's a blurb from one of my posts in a different forum:

IMO removing the wick helps performance because your heating coil now doen't have fibers to melt and gunk up. in a large number of cases where the atty stops working its because too much of the fiber has bonded with the coil giving it trouble to heat up properly.

i DO emphasize that removing the wick is just for drippers but i've used it with carts and as long as that bridge is there carts still work - i just dont recommend it.

@breakfastchef: you have to keep in mind that we're dripping here, the anatomy of the atomizer is designed for use with carts which is why i really stress that this is for drippers only. you can see when i remove the bridge that there is a metal skeleton maintaining the mesh shape - you want your juice to have contact with the coil when you vape so when you drip with the bridge (and no wick) the juice travels outward to the inner lining of the atty and from there the juice will either get to the coil or go completely through the atty and just exit out of the intake holes. i found that when i take the wick out i solve one problem but created another: taking the wick out fixes the harsh burned vapor but by doing so now when you drip the bridge leads the liquid towards the edges instead of right down into the coil so i took the newly found problem and fixed that by removing the bridge all together.

for me a new problem has occurred but only at high voltages and that is: the vapor is now too warm for my liking and at times the juice will crackle and minuet tiny drops come in contact with your tongue (sometimes it's not even noticeable), my solution to that is being much much more careful when removing the bridge, just take out the structure baring metal piece and try your best to leave the mesh whole - that way when you drip your juice will just flow through the mesh (and yes some to the side) but you still have "backsplash" protection during those long drags.

i'm simply putting out information in which some may or may not find useful but at least the information is out there.

glad to hear so many of you are benefitting from the mod! happy vaping!

 

[Extremeodd]

I did this to an old be 112, the bestecig 801. Well all I got removed was the bridge, tweezers couldnt reach the wick. It didnt seem to work any better or worse to be expected, but it did show why the resistance was 5ohms: There were nice sized balls of gunk on either end of the coil, only the dead center 1-2 coils were clean and got red hot. However when heating it for 5-10 secs the gunk started glowing then where it was clean popped. Good thing I have ~5 old 112s that somewhat work to mess with.

 

[_TJ_]

Cool video, even cooler TRS hoodie.

 

[mikespiked]

Just tried this with a 510 atty and its no wonder it was tasting like garbage, with all the burnt fiberglass and nastyness that came out. After I removed the bridge, I ended up boiling the atty to get out any junk that was left behind. Now its a dripping machine!! Thanks for the idea!

 

[Scottbee]

I did this to an old be 112, the bestecig 801. Well all I got removed was the bridge, tweezers couldnt reach the wick. It didnt seem to work any better or worse to be expected, but it did show why the resistance was 5ohms: There were nice sized balls of gunk on either end of the coil, only the dead center 1-2 coils were clean and got red hot. However when heating it for 5-10 secs the gunk started glowing then where it was clean popped. Good thing I have ~5 old 112s that somewhat work to mess with.

Just an FYI: "gunk" and contaminates on a coil won't raise its resistance. It's just not possible.

 

[fifo]

I tried this after ordering a generic 510 atty and realizing it did not have any wick. It's a lot different, like it gives you a stronger hit, but it really is only useful for dripping.
Anything beats that burnt taste when you've tried everything else, and are ready to just throw it out anyway.

 

[Shortstuff116]

Please don't ask. I would like to know how to or if there is a way to put the wicking material back inside my atty. Is this thread folded in half or thirds first?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[phee]

Please don't ask. I would like to know how to or if there is a way to put the wicking material back inside my atty. Is this thread folded in half or thirds first?

Any help would be appreciated.

i dont know why anyone would want to put the wick back but all the threads are twisted together and kind of fold in half, the twisted fibers form an arc (highest point touching the underbelly of the bridge) and the end of the threads touch each end of the coil. accomplishing this is no easy feat and i don't recommend it, hope that helps.

 

[johnny bobcat]

i really only recommend doing this with 510s, 901s and 801s because they have the same basic structure so its almost the exact same method. i have not used the 808's or the 4081s but i'm assuming they're cartomizers so i would NOT recommend it. here's a blurb from one of my posts in a different forum:

IMO removing the wick helps performance because your heating coil now doen't have fibers to melt and gunk up. in a large number of cases where the atty stops working its because too much of the fiber has bonded with the coil giving it trouble to heat up properly.

i DO emphasize that removing the wick is just for drippers but i've used it with carts and as long as that bridge is there carts still work - i just dont recommend it.

@breakfastchef: you have to keep in mind that we're dripping here, the anatomy of the atomizer is designed for use with carts which is why i really stress that this is for drippers only. you can see when i remove the bridge that there is a metal skeleton maintaining the mesh shape - you want your juice to have contact with the coil when you vape so when you drip with the bridge (and no wick) the juice travels outward to the inner lining of the atty and from there the juice will either get to the coil or go completely through the atty and just exit out of the intake holes. i found that when i take the wick out i solve one problem but created another: taking the wick out fixes the harsh burned vapor but by doing so now when you drip the bridge leads the liquid towards the edges instead of right down into the coil so i took the newly found problem and fixed that by removing the bridge all together.

for me a new problem has occurred but only at high voltages and that is: the vapor is now too warm for my liking and at times the juice will crackle and minuet tiny drops come in contact with your tongue (sometimes it's not even noticeable), my solution to that is being much much more careful when removing the bridge, just take out the structure baring metal piece and try your best to leave the mesh whole - that way when you drip your juice will just flow through the mesh (and yes some to the side) but you still have "backsplash" protection during those long drags.

i'm simply putting out information in which some may or may not find useful but at least the information is out there.

glad to hear so many of you are benefitting from the mod! happy vaping!

well, i figured i had nothing to lose, seeing as the atty was almost dead, and i just got five backups, and no 4081's are not cartomizers... and it worked. vapor production has been restored almost to like what it was when new, and i discovered that it did indeed have that same basic structure, where the nickel mesh in the bridge is sitting on top some more sturdy piece of metal, i plucked it out and now its super easy to tell when you need more liquid, because the coil is clearly visible and easy to see whether or not it is wet. thanks phee

 

[johnny bobcat]

Just an FYI: "gunk" and contaminates on a coil won't raise its resistance. It's just not possible.

agreed, it can however make it heat up more slowly

 

[phee]

well, i figured i had nothing to lose, seeing as the atty was almost dead, and i just got five backups, and no 4081's are not cartomizers... and it worked. vapor production has been restored almost to like what it was when new, and i discovered that it did indeed have that same basic structure, where the nickel mesh in the bridge is sitting on top some more sturdy piece of metal, i plucked it out and now its super easy to tell when you need more liquid, because the coil is clearly visible and easy to see whether or not it is wet. thanks phee

awesome man! glad u could find the information useful!