I think it would depend on how much you vape but for me I go 2 wks before having to clean it. you can dry burn them if you want too
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Thanks torozzgrl, that helps. When you say clean them, how elaborate is your regimin? Will a basic rinse and dry burn do a good job?
yeah I just rinse mine with warm water until it's clear and then dry burn on the ego but while dry burning I blow into it as it seems to dry it and burn it quicker and faster. Two to 3 second intervals of dry burning. Once I see the red coils I know I'm done. Sometimes (not always) I end up with one that tastes burnt. I just toss it out but I imagine there are ways to remove that too..maybe soaking in vinegar and rinsing well. I haven't tried it but that might work.
Thanks a million, they sound like they are long lasting and easy to clean, WIN!
I have some coming and haven't tried any yet. I was hoping they'd last a good while.
I have some coming and haven't tried any yet. I was hoping they'd last a good while.
I like them a lot. I also like the smoktech dual could too. They hold a lot and last a long time and you don't get that hassle of having to refill every 10 min or the icky filler taste.
Yeah, that's the new version I'm talking about in my posts. Like I say, it improves on it a bit but not enough that I'd pay for one.
I have one, goes through juice fast, get liquid in mouth tipping them (probably condensation as I am a heavy vaper), lasts about as long as a dct at 4 times the price. they work ok otherwise to me, I just prefer the 3ml dct and less diddling around
Agreed, Pipe. I don't think it's condensation though because it always seems waaay too concentrated when I get it on my tongue... uggh, the thought makes me shiver. NASTY!
weird how you guys have probs with leakage. I've been using them a couple of months now I think and not a problem. Interesting I must say!
I have five Stardusts with the hollow metal posts (second generation, I suppose) and am quite happy with them.
I fill them just up to the wick level, then refill when the e-liquid gets to within 3 mm. of the bottom. After two to five refills, the wick and the coil get somewhat gunked up with caramelized goop from the e-liquid and start to "brown" the remaining e-liquid. This is somewhat unsightly -- the color is not unlike a baccy-chewer's spittle -- but doesn't seem to change the flavor much. When this happens, I vape them down to the 3 mm. level, then wash them out in hot water and give them about six three-minute cycles in my ultrasonic jewelry cleaner using 91% isopropyl alcohol.
Once they've dried thoroughly for a few hours, I check the bases for new cracks with an 8-power loupe. I then baste the new cracks with Amberoid plastic solvent, which "welds" shut the cracks. The Amberoid dries thoroughly in a couple of hours. Then I put them on a fresh battery and dry-burn -- a couple to ten five-second cycles until they stop smoking. I refill up to the wick level and make sure the wick is wet. Then I vape away. The first few pulls are dull in flavor, but then they're just like brand new.
The first two I bought have been through the vape-rinse-ultrasonic clean-dry burn cycle about 20 times now and have had at least 100 ml. of e-liquid run through them. After each cleaning they're like they've come fresh out of the box.
I destroyed one of these second-generation Stardusts by trying to take it apart. That hollow metal post that sticks up through the white plastic cap over the wick will require a specialized tool to take these apart successfully. But I can foresee making myself such a tool. After that, rewicking and recoiling shouldn't be a problem, if one has good enough hand-eye coordination. So these Stardusts have the possibility of being last-almost-forever devices. At least, I can foresee one Stardust lasting as long as one eGo-T 1000 mAh battery, which is close to "forever" in the current vaping world.
Stardusts are about $6.00 apiece. By contrast, Boge cartos are about $1.25 apiece. Even running the Boges in tanks, and cleaning them once, I can only get about a maximum of 40 ml. of e-liquid through them before something bad happens (the center tube terminally collapses, or I break the wire when I probe them with a needle to scrape gunk after cleaning, or they short out, or whatever). And for the last half of their life, Boges are not as good as new: they get tight in the draw and/or the flavor goes "off" somewhat.
Needless to say, I'm sold on Stardusts. They fit fine on eGo-type fat batteries. And, with a spacer, they'll fit on almost any other vaping device I have. They don't leak. They're cleanable and repairable. The "futz-factor" isn't excessively high from my standpoint. I'm going to buy a huge bunch of these for my "when the FDA shuts us down" stash.
I fill them just up to the wick level, then refill when the e-liquid gets to within 3 mm. of the bottom. After two to five refills, the wick and the coil get somewhat gunked up with caramelized goop from the e-liquid and start to "brown" the remaining e-liquid. This is somewhat unsightly -- the color is not unlike a baccy-chewer's spittle -- but doesn't seem to change the flavor much. When this happens, I vape them down to the 3 mm. level, then wash them out in hot water and give them about six three-minute cycles in my ultrasonic jewelry cleaner using 91% isopropyl alcohol.
Once they've dried thoroughly for a few hours, I check the bases for new cracks with an 8-power loupe. I then baste the new cracks with Amberoid plastic solvent, which "welds" shut the cracks. The Amberoid dries thoroughly in a couple of hours. Then I put them on a fresh battery and dry-burn -- a couple to ten five-second cycles until they stop smoking. I refill up to the wick level and make sure the wick is wet. Then I vape away. The first few pulls are dull in flavor, but then they're just like brand new.
The first two I bought have been through the vape-rinse-ultrasonic clean-dry burn cycle about 20 times now and have had at least 100 ml. of e-liquid run through them. After each cleaning they're like they've come fresh out of the box.
I destroyed one of these second-generation Stardusts by trying to take it apart. That hollow metal post that sticks up through the white plastic cap over the wick will require a specialized tool to take these apart successfully. But I can foresee making myself such a tool. After that, rewicking and recoiling shouldn't be a problem, if one has good enough hand-eye coordination. So these Stardusts have the possibility of being last-almost-forever devices. At least, I can foresee one Stardust lasting as long as one eGo-T 1000 mAh battery, which is close to "forever" in the current vaping world.
Stardusts are about $6.00 apiece. By contrast, Boge cartos are about $1.25 apiece. Even running the Boges in tanks, and cleaning them once, I can only get about a maximum of 40 ml. of e-liquid through them before something bad happens (the center tube terminally collapses, or I break the wire when I probe them with a needle to scrape gunk after cleaning, or they short out, or whatever). And for the last half of their life, Boges are not as good as new: they get tight in the draw and/or the flavor goes "off" somewhat.
Needless to say, I'm sold on Stardusts. They fit fine on eGo-type fat batteries. And, with a spacer, they'll fit on almost any other vaping device I have. They don't leak. They're cleanable and repairable. The "futz-factor" isn't excessively high from my standpoint. I'm going to buy a huge bunch of these for my "when the FDA shuts us down" stash.
Wow! cool post!! You're very thorough. I might have to get myself on of those cleaners!
Since when does an Ego 1000mah battery last forever? That made me snicker. What you haven't factored into your cost analysis is time. Time is money. Judging by the amount of care you take with the Stardust, you spend quite a bit of time just up-keeping them. And that is where convenience comes in. Someone who doesn't have that time, or doesn't want to take that time, etc. will be much happier with something that works consistently until they toss it, and costs about a buck or less depending where you buy it from. Eventually the plastic and other components will break down in the SD, the wick and wire costs money (perhaps not much), and as I mentioned, the time involved, as well as the inconsistent construction of the SD is what makes them not for everyone. Nothing is for everyone, really. Pleasurable vaping is pretty much solely dependent on the user's preference. 
I will gladly sell you my bent piece of wire that I use for them. Offers?
Thin wire (0.032 or less) with a hook bent on the end can hook under the cap and by working a little on each side it usually lifts up with the post stuck to it and it can be lifted enough to gently grasp the post with needle nose pliers and they pull out together. If the post doesn't lift with the cup then a smaller hook can go down the center to lift the post by the bottom, after the seal has been broken between the cup and post.
I haven't had to throw out a Star Dust yet, but I did temporarily retire 2 of the SR (after 5 weeks use) when I got the LRs (I use 3.7 volts) and I don't use any juice that cracks them (apparently).
Works for me!
Enjoy!
ChellyNelly, I may spend as much as one whole minute, in few-second chunks of valuable time, cleaning and refurbishing a Stardust. And that's after I've run between five and 20 ml. through it. If I had a whole bunch of them and processed them in batches, that time might come down to 30 seconds per.
With regard to the cracks, once they've been basted with Amberoid, they never open again. And after about four to 10 cracks, the pressure on the plastic is relieved, and they don't crack again. The cracking occurs only at the base and extends maybe three or so millimeters into the tank area.
And, as I tried to make clear, nothing is "forever" in vaping. I have yet to wear out an eGo-T 1000 mAh battery, but I did have one of my first 650 mAh eGo batts go sour after about 250 recharges and having been dropped on concrete several times. I assume an eGo-T 1000 mAh battery will last for about 250 charges. So, if I can get a Stardust to last as long as an eGo-T 1000 mAh battery, that qualifies as "forever" in the vaping world. Even using tanks, it's my estimate that I'd go through 30-40 Boge cartos during the effective life of an eGo-T 1000 mAh battery. Big difference, especially if the FDA "deems" vaping hardware as being "drug devices."
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X P3 Flight Engineer, thanks for the offer. But I have fat, splayed fingertips and find it difficult to work in enclosed places.
It is possible to drive the whole column assembly out through the base. What I'll need is a metal rod with a hollow space slightly larger than the post.
It is possible to drive the whole column assembly out through the base. What I'll need is a metal rod with a hollow space slightly larger than the post.
I just had to say my 2 bits after all the hype on here. I got a couple to try and while every product will have it's own cheerleaders, I don't understand how these are being touted as the next best thing. glad some like them, I just found other similar tank setups like the riva t, the phatclouds tank etc provided a better setup overall.
This is the Canada forum so the FDA has no bearing over us
I believe that if the US banned e-cigs Canada would follow suit just as we have always done when they pressure us to help with their "war on fill in the blank". That would be a bad day for us all.
kato
This is the Canada forum so the FDA has no bearing over us
I dunno...the DEA marched right in and arrested Mark Emery for selling pot seeds to Americans AND WE LET THEM TAKE HIM!
ticks me right off.
Or, to put it another way, if the FDA stopped suddenly, HC's head would disappear completely!
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