What the hell is that taste (burnt)

[Haps]

After a small absence I grabbed my eroll last night and unfortunately discovered a horrible burnt taste(great TH though LOL)

A quick cover of the airhole to suction some ejuice would fix it for a few drags. Switched to the other atomizer I had but it had already begun to have that issue.

Pulled the atomizer apart. Despite the initial video I saw about cleaning these things I don't use needlenose pliers to pull the Stem out of the atomizer. It seems delicate and I worry about deforming the shape leading to leaking.

Using a small screwdriver or even knifeblade to pry the stem out of the bottom of the atomizer works just fine.

Once open have a look at your coil. If it looks like a mouse turd then you got a problem. It should be grey and the wick inside the coil should be detectable. If it looks like a solid black mouse turd in there then that's the issue.

Using a pin I gently tried to scrape the bigger stuff stuck to the coil. and then took a q-tip soaked in rubbing alcohol and jammed it in the atomizer and spin it to clean the coil. Between rotating the q-tip and using a pin to gently pick out pieces(not disform/pry/stab the coil) I was able to get it clean. Grey coil and visible wick in the coil.

Put it all back together and bang. Wicking properly. No more burnt taste. Repeated process on other atomizer I had. Took maybe 5 mins. Time would have been cut in half if I wasn't walking all over house looking for supplies.

 

[ostego]

The burnt taste is the burnt in sludge that has not been vaporised fully that encases the coil after a certain period of usage

I've always opted for using pliers instead of prying the spike out with a screwdriver. since the circular metal on the atomizer body is quite easily bent when using it for leverage to raise the spike, i found it's form could easily become mis-shaped. Even if it doesn't look like it to the human eye, it then becomes impossible to fit the eroll cone back around once re-assembled, as the eroll cone is a very tight fit given it needs to be airtight.

The spikes really arent that delicate, trust me, I've gripped them with pliers with my full might whilst i try to wiggle the other end off, and they always hold out fine!

I've always opted for the alcohol soak for 12 hours, then a quick dry burn to get off the last of the black sludge. But may give your pin and q-tip method a try as dry burning with an eroll is never a safe or easy experience!

Can you be quite rough when rubbing/pinning the coil? Would imagine it would take a fair amount of pressure to truly get to the bottom of the sludge. I've always been quite scared to make too much contact with the coils when cleaning as they seem so delicate!

 

[misterholidayhouse]

The wire wraps on the coil itself aren't particularly fragile but if you push the coil around much the end of the wire will break off and then it's done for. I prefer dry burning to scraping. The burnt taste is more likely the wick slagging to the coil due to inadequate liquid flow through the wick. The main cause is running the tank empty or using thick juices above 50% VG. It took me awhile to learn to be more disciplined about watching my tank level but since then I have not had a single dry hit or burned vape.

 

[greenskeeper805]

The wire wraps on the coil itself aren't particularly fragile but if you push the coil around much the end of the wire will break off and then it's done for. I prefer dry burning to scraping. The burnt taste is more likely the wick slagging to the coil due to inadequate liquid flow through the wick. The main cause is running the tank empty or using thick juices above 50% VG. It took me awhile to learn to be more disciplined about watching my tank level but since then I have not had a single dry hit or burned vape.

I vape 100% VG and never have an issue. I do a dry burn once a week though and burn the wick back white over a stove. Takes 5 minutes. Vicki from CigNot has a great video on the website.

 

[misterholidayhouse]

I vape 100% VG and never have an issue. I do a dry burn once a week though and burn the wick back white over a stove. Takes 5 minutes. Vicki from CigNot has a great video on the website.

Do you remove the wick from the steel foam when you torch it clean? I did it on several, still wrapped in the steel foam, and it tasted terrible afterward.

 

[telsie]

Do you remove the wick from the steel foam when you torch it clean? I did it on several, still wrapped in the steel foam, and it tasted terrible afterward.

When I've torch-cleaned my wick, I left it in the steel mesh, but didn't torch the steel mesh. What I did was hold it by the steel mesh end with a pair of tweezers and use a cigarette lighter to torch the exposed wick. It worked fine for me, turning the wick white again without burning the mesh.

 

[chefkeith]

Seriously, wicks are so cheap, I just replace them when cleaning an atty. No burnt taste!

 

[patkin]

I really envy all of you. I've tried and tried to get the spike off and my hands/fingers just aren't strong enough. I've tried a small flat-head screw driver to pry with and pliers to pull with and none of them budge.

 

[chefkeith]

I really envy all of you. I've tried and tried to get the spike off and my hands/fingers just aren't strong enough. I've tried a small flat-head screw driver to pry with and pliers to pull with and none of them budge.

You might be able to remove the wick with a pair of tweezers before soaking and dry-burning with the spike in place. Then, just cut a new wick to fit. Hope this helps!

 

[Haps]

Time for another cleaning. Full carts and burnt taste again.

 

[greenskeeper805]

I noticed that using a bic lighter to burn the wicks caused a black soot to form. Had to replace the wick (no biggie) but Vicki from CigNot says to use natural gas or propane if you can.

 

[kissprof]

How long do you guys make the wick when you replace it? How far does it need to stick out the bottom?

 

[unknown_shooter]

Seriously, wicks are so cheap, I just replace them when cleaning an atty. No burnt taste!

what size is the wick you're using? are you wrapping it in mesh too?

 

[chefkeith]

I'm using 2mm silica that I've removed one main strand from. My procedure goes like this:

1. Dry burn the atty while the wick is in place (remove the tank, cover the hole on the side, and draw gently on the cone for 4-5 seconds. Don't inhale the dry burned vapor. Repeat 2-3 times).

2. Optionally, soak attys in generic everclear. I use a shot glass for this or an ultrasonic cavitator.

3. Carefully remove the spike from the atty being careful not to rip out the coil if it's fused to the wick. I use a small screwdriver for this and pry between the spike and the atty. Be careful not to warp the atty when doing this or the cone won't easily slide over the atty anymore.

4. Toss the atty back in the alcohol.

5. Remove wick from old spike by pushing with a toothpick. Toss the spike into the alcohol.

6. Optionally, pull mesh from the old wick (otherwise, skip to step nine and don't use the mesh).

7. With the toothpick, open the rolled up mesh into a flat strip.

8. Grasp a length of new wick, about 1/2 - 3/8" and wrap the mesh strip around it.

9. Cut the wick near the mesh, leaving about 1/2" sticking out of the mesh.

10. Remove the spike from the alcohol and clean it if necessary.

11. Moisten the wick with a bit of distilled water or alcohol and insert into the spike leaving the mesh wrap lodged in the spike and the wick end protruding from the bottom. The wick will most likely fray at this point - that's OK.

12. Remove the atty from the alcohol and scrape the coil gently with a toothpick. Blow through the atty from the bottom hole into a napkin or tissue. Keep dipping the toothpick into the alcohol and using it to scrape the coil.

13. Dry burn the atty again. Repeat steps 12 and 13 until the coils are visible and gunk free.

14. Reassemble spike and atty. Trim wick at an angle matching the spike. Blow on the wick to remove loose silica threads.

 

[EricDykstra]

Awesome instructions. I pretty much do the exact same thing.I am going to have to try the toothpick for scraping the coil. I am currently using a 1/16 flat head screw driver for scraping.

 

[patkin]

Thanks Chefkeith. I did my first one tonight. For the most part I followed your instructions. I just couldn't get the mesh back in from the top and had to go from the bottom and finally just jammed it in there enough to keep it lodged. I don't think my wick is cut on an angle and I tried twice, two different length on the inside. Finally, the best performance was cutting it flush with the botton (inside) of the bridge. It works, tastes good and crackles and pops like a new one. However, I got my wicking material at litecigusa and my juice tastes just a tad different than the Joye wick. Not a bad taste at all but I do notice a slight difference. Will I do this again? Only in a pinch. I just was not blessed with this much patience. Maybe my long finger nails are a problem. They're pretty close to "dragon lady" length right now sorely in need of clipping. They grow like weeds and I'm not willing to do more manicures than I already do just to do attys so, yeh, in a pinch. But at least I know I can if needed. Thanks again.

Edit: Oh, btw, I also only had 2mm wick and it was too fat. I wrapped the old mesh around it, pinched, wet with juice and pulled one (tiny) string out enough for the mesh to enclose it all. I did this after first trying to use only one fat strand of the wick so the mesh would fit better but that didn't work... not enough for 70/30 juice. I don't know what Joye is using but its different. In fact, at this point, I think one of the "secrets" of the atty is the wick.

 

[chefkeith]

Glad I could help. I usually sit down and do 12 at a time - takes about 1.5 hrs and saves me around $40, which I figure is about $26/hr.

 

[lauraeleven]

Thanks ChefKeith, The dry burn method worked perfectly, my addys are crackling like new! and quickly covering the air hole really gets things going nicely. I can't believe the vapor this thing produces. ~L~