Cleaning Atomizers

[Tektronik]

I change juices quite frequently throughout the day while i'm at work. By the time I get home, my attys usually don't produce a very good taste. I believe it's because I've used it so much that there's residual juice left in the chamber that has gone bad because of the heat its put through (high volts), so even if I add more drops of any juice, it just dilutes into the already pooled heat-spoiled leftovers and just tastes bland.

I've fallen into this habit of rotating 6 atomizers for one device setup. I keep two of the same on me while i'm out of the house. Ine primary, and one backup.

When I get home i clean them--just to get the leftover crap liquid that's built up in the chamber out so I can start anew. This is how I do it, and it's real quick and effective.

I keep a small bottle of Everclear in my desk drawer. I also use one of those GLADWARE sealable containers-the really small size, the one that holds about 4 ounces or 1/2 a cup of liquid. I pour some everclear into it and use a "snot sucker"--I don't know the correct name for it--It's one of those bulbs that you use to suck the snot out of a baby's nose when they are sick. Anyhow, I've cut the nozzle back far enough to fit an atomizer into it. I insert the atty, threads first, into the opening. I use it to suck up about a 1/4 cup of (2 oz) of everclear and squeeze it out again. Repeat for about 3 or 4 times and the liquid now looks like the color of apple juice. I throw it (the liquid) out after I clean the second atomizer. i let them dry, and just use the second pair (remember, I rotate 3 pairs). This works best for me to get rid of the old nasty juices left in a atomizer.

It's not actually cleaning the heating element, it's just cleaning out anything left in the wire mesh and fibers inside the chamber. My attys seem to last longer by doing this once a day. You can do this with water, or just about anything liquid, I just think that the everclear works fairly well.

[Christopher]

Take a look at this: http://www.theecigguru.com/2010/05/ecig-atomizers-to-clean-or-not-to-clean.html

[ddavelarsen]

Tekronik, that sounds like a really good idea. Though I might be tempted to dump a little everclear in my coffee from time to time. Where did you find the snot sucker? Pharmacy I guess. I'll go looking for one, that sounds like a good idea. I have a few dead attys I haven't had the strength to throw away, maybe I can revive one of them.

Chris I've tried boiling and I guess I've been a little hard on them; none of the boiled ones have ever come out alive again. 'Course, that was before I got distilled water, which might have made a big difference. Your new blog articles are fantastic by the way!

[DAYVAPE]

Another great find!

The theory I came up with today was to use the heat approach. How do you clean the burnt drippings in your oven? If you have an oven with self cleaning, you hit it with such extreme heat, it turns the carbon into dust, essentially. i was going to stick a nasty atty or 2 into the oven to see if that will break up the burned on sludge. In fact, I am still going to do it and see if that is possible but it does look like the promised land may be a few days of UPS Ground shipping away.

This is exactly why I do a short "dry burn" when I'm done with an atty, or if it's getting gunk built up.

I know many folks here will disagree with me on this theory... but I honestly feel like if it shortened their lifespan, then I would probably have lost more than 2-3 atty's over a 6 month period. I'm just going to keep on doing what works for me... and that's just doing the dry burn every so often as I feel necessary.

[ddavelarsen]

This is exactly why I do a short "dry burn" when I'm done with an atty, or if it's getting gunk built up.

I know many folks here will disagree with me on this theory... but I honestly feel like if it shortened their lifespan, then I would probably have lost more than 2-3 atty's over a 6 month period. I'm just going to keep on doing what works for me... and that's just doing the dry burn every so often as I feel necessary.

That's my preferred method too, but I did kill one the other day doing it. I've killed a few, but to me it's by far the best way to get the flavor back.

[miatafrank]

For me I just flip my atties upside down over night and do a dry burn from time to time. Has been working just fine for me.

I did this last night, even before I read this post. I got the atty warmed up real good to melt the crud, then turn it upside down over night, and it's absolutely unbelievable how much crud comes out. I'd say this is a very effective method.

[ThaHodgehound]

I'm only a week old at this. Dry Burn? How is this done? Just turning it on with no juice? I've noticed I'm getting a funny taste after a week or so. Does that mean I need to do it?

[JaySleazy]

The way I was told. Buy a baby booger sucker, cut the tip off, buy some everclear or other 190 proofish alcohol, install atty thread outside of booger sucker, put in cup of everclear, squeeze 5 or so times, allow to dry, prime and use. Was told everclear since it has no impurity's that can cause residue like isopropyl alcohol. I found this works very well since the alcohol evaporates in 20 or so minutes and doesn't leave a nasty taste behind.

[ddavelarsen]

I haven't tried the everclear method but that's on my agenda. The way I do a dry burn is a little different than what you'll hear from others or see in videos. I start hitting it repeatedly with no juice, and keep that up until the vapor begins to feel a little 'dry.' Then I let off the battery and keep drawing a few times to cool down that coil. Then repeat until little or no vapor remains. Be sure to prime it well with four or so drops of juice before you turn it on again, and it might take a few more drops to start getting flavor again. Be aware that you can kill an atty this way. Mostly I only do this on LR attys that tend to build up a pretty noticeable burnt taste after a few days, and once this starts then it's burn time at least once a day until it dies. I would say that my LR attys do not last as long as normal 510s; this could well be because of the dry burn regimen.

[FTJoe]

My first LR atty went south (burnt taste after a month). I'm torn between chucking it and cleaning it. I used to have everclear in the house but apparently I ran out of vodka one night and hit the everclear. I just remember it being a pain to clean.

[ThaHodgehound]

I just did a dry burn on the original atty that came with my 901. WOW !!! What a difference! And i did not even clean it out first!

It definitely works!!!