Solvents to clean atty

[enigma2118]

I read a lot here of people using solvents to clean an atty. While one half of this sounds like a good idea...

and that half is that the juice we use seems to be water solvent. So a cup of hot water should do it. But say you have something crusted/baked on. Yes, a solvent such as IPA (isopropyl alcohol), Acetone, Ethel Alcohol, Ethel Acetate, Methanol etc. These will all help break up what is baked on.

BUT

is there any component in the atty that is plastic? All these solvents will eat through plastic. I'm just wary that there is something in there, a wick or some glue or something, that will be eaten by the solvent.

I guess I'm wondering if anyone has taken an atty apart yet and knows what's in there.

Thanks everyone. Man with the amount of people I have gotten into e-cigs, I think someone owes me a finders fee or something

 

[Darmeen]

the atty has a gasket on the thread side, which probably wouldn't like solvents very well.

I use Effordent to clean my atty's...let it soak for a couple hours in hot water and a tablet.

I left one soaking for an entire day (accidentally) and some of the paint actually came off...and shortly there after the metal wick partially came off. It still works great for dripping, but don't work very well with a cart.

IF you are going to clean your atty's in something, make sure to rinse them out thoroughly, blowing out both ends of the atty to keep the holes from having some residue...then let them dry.

 

[DC2]

You are asking a question to which everyone has a different opinion.
There are many threads about atomizer cleaning in the Experiments with equipment subforum.

Personally, I use Diet Coke and have never had a problem.
Many people will tell you not to clean them at all.

And yes, boiling them is one method that many people use.

No matter what you do, just make sure to let them dry thoroughly.
I find that if I don't let mine dry at least 24 hours it isn't enough.

And remember too that they are going to take a LOT more drops before they are ready to go again because they are completely dry and totally out of juice at that point.

 

[Scottbee]

I am going to make a longer post on this one of these days..... but here's the bottom line on the 510 atty:

There is a plastic buffer disk down by the battery end of the atty. This disk can actually melt when the atty gets really hot, and when it does, the hole in the center of it closes down and the draw can get hard. If you have good illumination, you can look down through the center hole in the battery end and see the hole in the plastic disk.

The plastic buffer disk is not your problem though. I have soaked it in heated 99% IPA and the disk hasn't gotten soft or deteriorated. The problem is the silicone-like (it is not truly silicone) caulk/adhesive that they use down in the battery end. My 99% heated IPA softens and dissolves this adhesive caulk.. causing it to reflow. And usually it will reflow and clog up the hole in the plastic buffer disk. If that happens, you can clear it back out with an .063" (1/16") drill bit... but you have to assume that some of the stuff probably got down into the nickel mesh as well.

 

[Dillan]

As a former/possibly future again chemist, I'd make the point that I think I've seen made before in other threads; avoid using any chemical in your unit that you would not want to inhale or drink. Cleaning solutions like the sodas, or (drinking!) alcohols, are probably the safest after straight water. I've seen a thread somewhere on the board that uses a (non-alchohol based) mouthwash, that's probably also doable, although if soda or booze worked better, I'd prefer them as they're substantially less toxic to humans.

But any of the more toxic alcohols or ketones, I'd avoid like the plague where possible. If entirely unavoidable, I'd make very sure to use multiple after-wash water and/or booze soaks to try and get the toxins diluted into harmlessness (you can never entirely get rid of a toxic compound once you've used it, but getting it below part-per-trillion levels is the next best thing at least, and few chemicals are THAT toxic at PPT levels, fortunately). An IPA, methanol, etc wash would be an absolute last-resort.