A chemist's advice - dont dry burn your coil

[Silver]

Came across this article on vapingpost.com

https://www.vapingpost.com/2016/03/08/a-chemists-advice-dont-dry-burn-your-coil/


Quite interesting. Basically, they are saying that the practice of dry burning a coil (to clean it) is not good because it can degrade the coil faster and let off certain particles that might be dangerous to inhale. They still say that its not like smoking but this practice might make vaping a bit more dangerous than it could be.

My issue with this is that I use custom coils for quite a long time and dry burn them to get the gunk off them. If I didnt dry burn them I would probably have to replace them each time I rewick. That would mean either I need to make more coils (I can only make simple ones) or buy more custom coils (eg aliens etc) and that would be quite expensive.

Hmmm....

What are your thoughts?

 

[Puff the Magic Dragon]

Maybe we should go back to simple round wire coils and throw them away once a week.

The strange thing is that we were very happy with them when exotic coils didn't yet exist.

 

[Silver]

I hear you @Puff the Magic Dragon

I still use simple round wire coils in several of my devices but I use exotics in a few as well

We need to do more research on this. Maybe some materials can withstand a bit of a dry burn better than others.

We need the metallurgists now!

 

[blujeenz]

@Silver quoting my post from sept 2016.
If I remember correctly, the consensus was a cherry red burn was the way to go and not a white hot burn.

According to Dr Farsalinos research its not a good thing to dry burn coils, its not seen as bad as smoking, but its a risk which can be mitigated.
http://www.ecigarette-research.org/research/index.php/research/research-2015/212-db

 

[Smoke_A_Llama]

If you dont want to dry burn, an old toothbrush and dish soap will also work

 

[CaliGuy]

Interesting article to say the least. There has been a lot said and written about mild vaping versus heavy and high wattage vaping, which do you think makes more sense and if I had to make a half educated I would lean towards less power, less vapour possible being safer in the long run. Yes this does sometimes mean a reduction in flavour or vapour but not always the case.

Same thing comes to my mind when I think about coils, being made of various types of metal with Ni80 being the most common used is that with any degree of excessive or continues high heat it is going to change the metal structure and likely give off some sort of substance with a negative affect. This negative effect is somewhat negated when their is cotton and eLiquid to keep the coil from over heating.

For my own personal experience, preference and what one could say is a false sense of security I have opted to and prefer vaping at lower wattages and replace coils as often as every 3rd or 4th rewick. I use low cost 3 Core Fused Clapton Wire to make my own coils so have no problem replacing my coils more frequently as it’s only a R2 - R8 sacrifice.

I also pulse all my new and used coils below 20w regardless of build or resistance preferring to rather use a low steady heat and a steel brush to clean my coils. I don’t submerge a hot coil in water either rather allowing the coil to cool down completely and then soak it in water and further scrub it clean with a toothbrush using just water.

As with most things we come across or do, having a sensible approach coupled with a healthy dose of caution and consideration for ones personal safety makes more sense than a balls to wall approach. As is often heard and said in vaping circles, “less is more”!

 

[Silver]

@Silver quoting my post from sept 2016.
If I remember correctly, the consensus was a cherry red burn was the way to go and not a white hot burn.

Thanks @blujeenz !

 

[Grand Guru]

I concur with using normal round wire and feel that I’m getting as much flavour from them as from exotic coils. All this is obviously subjective and I’m guessing what makes exotic ones more flavourfull is there surface of contact with the cotton (the juice) is bigger which on the other hand makes them ploughing through your juice a lot more. So I prefer more restrictive devices and your normal round wire at a lower resistance range. I get loads of flavour and very decent clouds at a much lower cost and probably more safety. My two cents...

 

[Silver]

If you dont want to dry burn, an old toothbrush and dish soap will also work

I hear you @Smoke_A_Llama
I dry burn and then I scrub the coil lightly with a toothbrush after cooling it down in a stream of water. But I think the immediate cooling after it’s hot is not a good thing. I probably need to just scrub it without dry burning and see how it holds up

 

[Silver]

Interesting article to say the least. There has been a lot said and written about mild vaping versus heavy and high wattage vaping, which do you think makes more sense and if I had to make a half educated I would lean towards less power, less vapour possible being safer in the long run. Yes this does sometimes mean a reduction in flavour or vapour but not always the case.

Same thing comes to my mind when I think about coils, being made of various types of metal with Ni80 being the most common used is that with any degree of excessive or continues high heat it is going to change the metal structure and likely give off some sort of substance with a negative affect. This negative effect is somewhat negated when their is cotton and eLiquid to keep the coil from over heating.

For my own personal experience, preference and what one could say is a false sense of security I have opted to and prefer vaping at lower wattages and replace coils as often as every 3rd or 4th rewick. I use low cost 3 Core Fused Clapton Wire to make my own coils so have no problem replacing my coils more frequently as it’s only a R2 - R8 sacrifice.

I also pulse all my new and used coils below 20w regardless of build or resistance preferring to rather use a low steady heat and a steel brush to clean my coils. I don’t submerge a hot coil in water either rather allowing the coil to cool down completely and then soak it in water and further scrub it clean with a toothbrush using just water.

As with most things we come across or do, having a sensible approach coupled with a healthy dose of caution and consideration for ones personal safety makes more sense than a balls to wall approach. As is often heard and said in vaping circles, “less is more”!

Thanks @CaliGuy
You are probably right. It’s best to replace the coil frequently. It’s just a bit of a schlepp for me that’s why I’ve been resorting to dry burning and keeping the coil. Some of my coils last for ages. Months even.

 

[Silver]

For me I am getting tired of pitstopping.

Vaping should be easy and while I have simplified things quite a lot I still have tedious processes in my vaping routine.

Leading me to believe I should try out a few of the commercial coils again. I haven’t tried out a commercial coil (other than my evod) for years. I believe their flavour has improved a lot. So while it might be more expensive it might just be better to just replace coils regularly on something that offers good flavour.

 

[CaliGuy]

Thanks @CaliGuy
You are probably right. It’s best to replace the coil frequently. It’s just a bit of a schlepp for me that’s why I’ve been resorting to dry burning and keeping the coil. Some of my coils last for ages. Months even.

If it’s a expensive hand made exotic coil the keeping and looking after them is worth it. Keep the watts low with dry burning should prevent any negative effects.

Only time I will pulse or dry burn a coil at the higher resistance recommend wattage is to double check a brand new coil for hot spots and then it’s a quick full power burst. I do this after I worked out the all hotspots pulse at 20w and lower.

 

[zadiac]

I hear you @Smoke_A_Llama
I dry burn and then I scrub the coil lightly with a toothbrush after cooling it down in a stream of water. But I think the immediate cooling after it’s hot is not a good thing. I probably need to just scrub it without dry burning and see how it holds up

I bought a pack of mascara brushes from FT and I can clean the inside of my coils as well. The outside I clean with a toothbrush. https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10035804/7813500-disposable-eyelash-makeup-brushes-set-50-pieces

I just trim the bristles a bit so they're shorter in order to fit inside the coils.

 

[Silver]

I bought a pack of mascara brushes from FT and I can clean the inside of my coils as well. The outside I clean with a toothbrush. https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10035804/7813500-disposable-eyelash-makeup-brushes-set-50-pieces

I just trim the bristles a bit so they're shorter in order to fit inside the coils.

Great idea @zadiac !!

 

[Adephi]

One might also argue that the small amount of friction caused by the brushes let small particles break from the coil that can also remain. Having the same effect.

I haven't used an ultrasonic cleaner before so I don't know if that might help.

So far I soak my atties in 70% ethanol for 5 minutes and dryburn at half the watts that I vape on. If there is a lot of visible gunk I use an earbud to rub it off.

 

[Adephi]

For me I am getting tired of pitstopping.

Vaping should be easy and while I have simplified things quite a lot I still have tedious processes in my vaping routine.

Leading me to believe I should try out a few of the commercial coils again. I haven’t tried out a commercial coil (other than my evod) for years. I believe their flavour has improved a lot. So while it might be more expensive it might just be better to just replace coils regularly on something that offers good flavour.

Totally agree. It feels like I need to set aside a whole evening every 2 weeks to do a proper clean. Last night I did 8 RDA's and my BB and that took about 4 to 5 hours. By no 4 I was agreeing with my wife, I have too many vape stuff.

 

[Silver]

Totally agree. It feels like I need to set aside a whole evening every 2 weeks to do a proper clean. Last night I did 8 RDA's and my BB and that took about 4 to 5 hours. By no 4 I was agreeing with my wife, I have too many vape stuff.

I hear you
I think I will always have a few custom rebuildable setups because I do like the occasional pitstop. But I think I need to investigate a simpler good flavour commercial coil setup to ease the pitstop burden on a regular basis.

 

[Rob Fisher]

I guess having retired many years ago I am lucky to have time on my hands and I really enjoy pit stopping my atties... plus having so many of my beloved Dvarw DL's I have a major pitstop once every week and a half and I do them all at once. Then for the next week and a half I just add juice and Banzinga!

 

[Resistance]

I agree with @blujeenz and @Adephi on this one.
I personally dry burn with pulse intervals till medi to bright orange and if its a gunked up coil I like I soak them.

 

[Faiyaz Cheulkar]

If the article is right, I think ultrasonic devices are the next big thing in vaping.
https://www.ecigssa.co.za/usonicig-rhythm-ultrasonic-vape-kit-1500mah-lite-edition.t54778/

It looks like a good upgrade.
https://digicig.co.za/product/usonicig-rhythm-kit/

 

[Puff the Magic Dragon]

I need to investigate a simpler good flavour commercial coil setup

What about using cheap disposable mesh tanks. Never dry burn the coil, just chuck it away when flavour reduces.

l

 

[Silver]

What about using cheap disposable mesh tanks. Never dry burn the coil, just chuck it away when flavour reduces.

l

Agreed @Puff the Magic Dragon - Ive been meaning to try those iJoy Mystiques. Just havent had the time. (ironically, this will save me time) - haha

 

[Jean]

I rebuild my coils every time. I don't trust that I can get the coil as clean as a new one and the couple of times I did clean them I must say I don't get the desired taste or satisfaction as with new coils. But that is obviously my opinion. Faster for me to build a coil than for me to run and round cleaning coils.

 

[Crafted Coils]

I will be dedicating some time into researching this @Silver as soon as I can get some defining result I shall post them up, I'm currently collecting samples and once my samples are ready, off to the lab they shall go, I want to know from a scientific point of view what happens to a coil as it ages.

@Jean Personally I've pulled more than 6 months without a drop in flavour or vapour production with the wire I use, so loss of flavour would definitely warrant a coil change for sure, just check you get yourself some quality wire, I'd suggest having a look at Gasphase wire as it is some of the best quality wire I've seen locally.

 

[Arthster]

I have to be honest on this one. I also dry burn on a rebuild and then into the Ultra Sonic they go. I haven't really noticed a drop in flavor or vapor. as for the metal giving off poisons this to has been a debate thats gone on for years now.

It would be interesting to see the results from @Crafted Coils research.

As for the disposables I only have one concern with those... it's the environmental impact. Don't get me wrong i am all for the idea, but do we have any information on degradability and lifetime? I would hate for more plastic ending up in the ocean and choking more wild life.