The secrets of a durable, reliable and efficient electronic cigarette can be summed up in one word: maintenance. Regularly cleaning your vape device has a magical effect on your vaping: it lasts longer and tastes better.
You should also know that all the little problems you may encounter with your vape are very easy to solve. Repairing an electronic cigarette does not require any particular expertise, but only your sense of observation.
Cleaning your electronic cigarette: instructions for use
An electronic cigarette is divided into two parts:
- The box
- The clearomizer
The first contains the battery which can be directly integrated into the box or take the form of removable accumulators. The second consists of the drip tip, the resistance and the pyrex tank. The huge advantage of the clearomiser is that it is often completely removable. Cleaning and maintenance are therefore easier.
When you want to take care of your vaper, you have to do it 200%. Clean both the box and the clearomiser. Detach all the parts you can separate and embark on a great cleaning operation.
For the box, bring a sheet of paper towel or, better, a microfiber cloth. Never immerse your ecig in water. Its lower part is entirely composed of electronics, you would damage it considerably. Just use a cloth to remove any dust that may have settled.
Pass the paper towel or the cloth in the USB port to dislodge the residues. Insist on the screen to restore all its luminosity and do not forget to pass a blow on the screw threads. Use a cotton swab previously moistened with white vinegar and pass it in inaccessible places with a cloth.
Cleaning the box takes you no more than five minutes.
Go even further in the interview by planning. Use a silicone case or protection to reinforce your mod. The slightest shock can crack the screen, cause scratches or even dirty your clean box. Coating it with an additional protective layer can only embellish and solidify it.
What products to use for the maintenance of your e-cigarette?
Take out your shopping list. To properly maintain your e-cigarette, you will need a few products. Don’t worry, they are very common and you may already have them in your kitchen.
To clean your battery and your clearomiser, you will need:
- A microfiber cloth or paper towel
- With a cotton swab
- A bowl or salad bowl filled with hot water
- Dishwashing liquid
- baking soda (optional)
- White vinegar (optional)
And that’s all. With these few products, you have enough to succeed in the great spring cleaning of your electronic cigarette.
Cleaning the clearomiser: how to do it?
The clearomizer is the most important part to maintain on an electronic cigarette. Regularly, as soon as you change e-liquid flavours or as soon as you replace the resistance, carry out a complete cleaning. For that, nothing could be simpler: all the parts of the clearomiser are detachable.
First, unscrew your tank from the battery, then unscrew anything you can disassemble. The drip tip, the pyrex glass, the resistance, the seals, etc. The ideal time to clean your clearomiser is when you change the atomiser.
Once your parts are separated, dust them off. A very effective technique is to fill a bowl or a bowl with very hot water mixed with soap. For a really powerful scrub, mix hot water and white vinegar (half, half) and add two tablespoons of baking soda.
Be careful, the mixture of the two components creates a thick foam. Take your time. Once the anti-dross mixture has been prepared, immerse all the parts of your clearomiser inside. Throw the resistance, you will screw a new one later when reassembling your tank.
Leave to bathe for about an hour. If you only have dish soap, this recipe works just as well. Just remember to rub the pyrex glass well with a sponge (without going too hard) and the drip tip.
Indeed, what is most difficult to remove on a clearomiser are the residues left by the e-liquid. Especially if you vape a liquid high in vegetable glycerin. This is so greasy that it “sticks” to the walls of the tank. By burning, it clogs the resistance and leaves charred pieces between the coils.
Its viscosity, therefore, makes it longer to clean, but not impossible. The most formidable weapon, inevitable for cloud chasers who vape High VG liquid, is baking soda and white vinegar.
An hour passes and you can finally take the parts out of your atomizer. Pass them immediately under clear water to remove the taste and the perfume of the vinegar. Don’t skip this step or you could end up with a much less delicious vapour than usual.
One or two rinses are enough to remove all traces of vinegar. Wipe down your pieces and allow them to air dry completely.
For complete maintenance of your clearomiser, change the seals. These are fixed from one end to the other of the pyrex tank. They drastically reduce the risk of e-liquid leakage.
Also, insert a new resistance that you will not forget to initiate. To do this, soak the cotton wick with liquid, fill the tank and wait about ten minutes. The priming is done at each change of atomizer. Activating your mod with a dry resistance causes a dry hit (burnt taste) from the first puff.
Even change the glass of your clearomiser to erase all possible parasitic tastes related to your old e-liquid. Vary the pleasures by savouring other very different aromas, without feeling traces of your old perfume.
Once your clearomiser is completely clean, reassemble the parts and screw it back into the box. Then enjoy your brand new e-cigarette!
Maintenance of the clearomiser: change the resistance
Resistance is the heart of your vape. It is she who heats the e-liquid in the tank. Without it, your vaping falls into oblivion. So to live a high-quality vapour experience, remember to properly maintain your atomizer.
It starts with knowing when and how to change it. A resistance is replaced every two to three weeks. Indeed, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin burn and clog the coils and cotton of the atomizer. The latter is no longer effective and becomes unusable.
Warning signs warn you of the state of fouling of your resistance:
- Less dense vapour than usual
- Weak flavours
- A dry hit
If you feel any of these three elements, consider resistance.
Replace it by unscrewing the clearomiser from the box and removing its base. Remove the clogged atomizer and insert a new one. Prime before vaping. Wait at least ten minutes, or even more if you vape with a High VG liquid. You can speed up this process by successively pulling your drip tip, without activating the mod.
Keep your used coil in a box until you can throw it away. Indeed, the resistor is made up of metal wires and is particularly polluting if it is thrown into household trash. Recycle it by throwing it in the bin dedicated to metals, at the recycling centre.
Changing your resistance every 15-20 days allows you to prolong the pleasure of your vape without damaging your equipment. This is part of the overall maintenance of your electronic cigarette. It also saves you from having to repair leaks or other possible problems related to the fouling of your resistance.
Rebuildable atomizers: cleaning the coils
Rebuildable atomizers are clearomizers that have an assembly plate. The vaper uses it to mount the coils of his resistance himself. He personalizes his vape and benefits from all the advantages of a “rebuilt” electronic cigarette.
There are several types of rebuildable atomizers. Drippers like the Tsunami 24 from Geek Vape do not have a tank but are compatible with the bottom feeder. Those of the RTA type like the Vandy Vape Kylin has a tank. Finally, those of the RDTA type like the Combo Squonk from iJoy are kinds of drippers with reservoirs.
The advantage of rebuildable is that you have access to the inside of your resistance. You can therefore completely clean your coils (as far as possible). Of course, if you see rust or if you find that the resistive wires are too dirty and unrecoverable, grab your assembly tools and make new coils.
Here is how to clean coils in 10 steps:
- Disassemble your atomizer
- Remove the pieces of cotton using pliers
- Heat empty (dry burn) to burn the last residues of cotton and pg VG
- Brush the coils with ceramic pliers or a wire brush
- Rinse them with clear water and dry them impeccably
- Perform a dry burn again to tighten the coils
- Refocus if needed
- Put cotton between the coils and form a wick
- Cut the ends and insert them into the tank
- It’s ready!
Once the cleaning of your coils is done, reassemble your atomizer and use it as you are used to.
Attention, the rebuildable is primarily intended for vapers who already have some experience with an electronic cigarette. This requires specific technical knowledge, such as mastering ohm’s law. Beginner vapers are advised to start vaping with a clearomizer that uses pre-assembled coils.
Frequent problems encountered while vaping
Frequent problems that vapers encounter when vaping are leaks and splashes of liquid, vapour that is too hot or the device overheats, a dry hit or poor vapour suction.
These most common problems have a very easy solution. Know that, in most cases, the resistance, a bad adjustment of the e-cigarette or bad use of this one are the causes of dysfunctions during the vape.
In 99% of cases, you can fix these small faults yourself.
To do this, start by identifying the source of the problem. E-liquid leaks are often due to poor vapour draw or the use of a coil that is unsuitable for your way of vaping.
It can also be an overfilled pyrex tank or badly closed airflows when filling. The e-liquid can also be the cause and more particularly when propylene is present in greater quantity in the composition.
A vapour that is too hot is generally explained by a bad adjustment of the electronic cigarette. But maybe, vape with an atomizer whose value is incompatible with your way of inhaling (direct inhaling DL and indirect inhaling MTL).
Overheating is often linked to incorrect use of the resistance. If you vape with the air inlets of the clearomiser completely open, in a DL vape, with an atomiser whose value is greater than 1 ohm, you risk overloading it and causing overheating.
Use the temperature control mode to regulate and adjust the temperature of your vapour. If it is still hot, consider changing the drip tip. Prefer a long and thin one.
The dry hit meanwhile, is often caused by a resistance not or no longer sufficiently impregnated with liquid. Check your stock of e-liquid in the pyrex and fill it up with flavours if you are missing some. If, on the contrary, your tank is full, it means that your resistance is dirty and needs to be changed.
Finally, poor vapour suction refers to improper use of your electronic cigarette. Look at the airflow. You probably forgot to open the air vents enough to be able to inhale the steam. You may also be vaping with an unsuitable coil.
Also, remember that you don’t pull on an e-cigarette as you pull on the filter of a classic tobacco cigarette. A puff of steam takes about 3-6 seconds. Similarly, space the puffs so as not to cause the coil to overheat or dry hit.
Cracked clearomizer: what to do?
You are vaping quietly in the street when suddenly someone jostles you. Your e-cigarette feverishly wedged between your fingers makes a remarkable leap and lands on the asphalt. This is the drama. After the surprise, here is the amazement. You rush over to her to inspect her condition…
The observation is alarming: your Pyrex glass is completely broken. The e-liquid has spread on the pavement and you realize that you can no longer use your electronic cigarette.
A shock and a crack quickly arrived. Don’t forget that your pyrex is above all made of glass. Admittedly, borosilicate glass withstands high heat but does not resist a bad blow more than any other.
A broken pyrex leads to an unusable e-cigarette. But, fortunately, there is a quick and simple solution to repair your clearomiser. Spare pyrex glasses are available and allow you to refurbish your tank very quickly. Always have two or three spare lenses on hand in case this kind of situation happens to you.
To change the pyrex of your clearomiser, you must first get rid of all the pieces of glass. Place a paper towel under your tank that you have previously unscrewed from the battery.
Using pliers to avoid cutting yourself, remove the debris. Checking that there is no glass in the drip tip is very important. Imagine inhaling the steam and surprisingly sucking up a piece of sharp glass in the process. For a safe vape, clean your mouthpiece.
Once the glass is removed, screw the new reservoir onto the clearomiser, in the same place as the previous one. Put it all back together and you’re done! Remember to start your resistance well and refill your liquid. You may have lost a few minutes of vaping, but you find a brilliant clearomiser!
Of course, you don’t have to wait for your pyrex to break to be able to change it. Rebuild your vape by replacing the tank. In addition, you eliminate all possible parasitic tastes and you find a homogeneous and smooth vape, as in the first days.
Maintenance of the e-cig: silicone protections
There are many protective accessories for electronic cigarettes. Most are made of silicone, an ideal material for withstanding the heat. Its thickness absorbs shocks and takes the hits instead of your vaper.
Silicone protections are essential tools to enjoy a serene vape. They take the form of silicone cases for boxes, silicone caps for drip tips or even silicone protection rings to be inserted around the clearomiser.
By equipping yourself with the complete range, you transform your e-cig into a real indestructible tank. A robust and unbreakable electronic cigarette is the key to quiet vaping. You may be jostled and drop your vape on the pavement, it will not bear any trace!
Broken airflow ring: how to fix it?
The airflows are the air inlets of your clearomiser. They have the shape of small holes with a more or less large diameter. They are generally accompanied and on the majority of modern clearomisers, by a small rotating ring which allows you to tighten or widen these openings.
The more you close the air inlets, the tighter the vapour draw. The more you open them, the airier your vape. It is an essential tool to be able to modulate your airflow and therefore adjust your vaping according to the situation (for example a tight draw at work) or your desires.
But now, your airflow ring no longer works. You are distraught again. How to fix it?
Unscrew the clearomizer from the battery. Then pull on the ring of your airflow or use pliers or a thin screwdriver to release it. Be careful not to deform it, otherwise, you will not be able to put it back in its place and it will no longer work.
Reposition the ring so that it is put back in the right direction or the right place. It must hide the holes when turning it. Readjusting its position allows you to find a functional airflow.
Failing to properly inhale steam
If you encounter difficulty when drawing your vapour, start by seeing if the airflow of your clearomiser is open enough. You may have forgotten it. This makes it impossible for you to inhale the vapour properly.
If the problem persists, look at the drip tip. Thorough cleaning of the latter is effective in the event of a problem with drawing steam. PG and VG residue may be clogging the chimney or your mouthpiece. Proceed to a complete cleaning as we explained above.
You will see, that you will succeed in pulling your drip tip again as before. The problem is solved!
Electronics problem: who to see?
Your e-cigarette is 80% made up of electronics. As with any device of this type, a malfunction may come from within. It could be a construction defect, a faulty chipset or a short circuit in the system.
But now, with an electronic problem, you cannot repair your e-cigarette on your own. You are going to need expert hands! To eliminate certain hypotheses, recharge the battery or charge the batteries to see if the malfunction persists.
If so, go to a speciality store first. Vaping professionals have a trained eye for spotting what’s wrong with your vaporizer. If they can fix your device, they will. Otherwise, you can go to repairers who specialize in electronics.
Some may have already seen vapers pass behind their counter and will know how to help you. You can also contact the manufacturer to explain the procedure to follow in the event of a malfunction. If you have a warranty, make it work, it will save you from having to buy a box.
Fortunately, this kind of problem is very rare. Especially if you have chosen a high-quality electronic cigarette and purchased it from an expert vaping shop. Always go to recognized brands in the world of vaping to ensure a certain quality of manufacture. Thus, you will not end up with a faulty e-cig from the first use.
Remember that cleaning your vape regularly prevents malfunctions from setting in. In most cases, you can repair your electronic cigarette yourself without the need for professional help. A little research on how to maintain or repair an e-cigarette is enough to know what to do.
It’s your turn!