20 Most Recent Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer 1.5 Gallon Humidifier - Page 4 Questions & Answers

If it doesn't have a filter(mold ). Then I seem To remember it might be a mineral deposit Overload on the heating coils, especially If you have to use baking soda to make Steam. Try soaking it overnight with vinegar And water. If you can scrub it, do so. Then Rinse well

The humidifier may be partially clogged with mineral scale. Especially, if you're using well water. It can be cleaned by running the humidifier with with a 50/50 solution of Bottled Distilled Water and White Vinegar in it. Then flushing it with bottled distilled water through another complete cycle.

In the the future, you may want to use Bottled Distilled Water rather than tap water. It's inexpensive (about $1.00 per gallon) and can purchased at most super markets and pharmacies.

Hope this helps solve your problem.

No, it only humidifies (puts moisture) in the room air. As a matter of fact. that much humidity, the cigarette smoke may stain the walls and ceiling.

make sure you mix 1-2 tablespoons of table salt with the water and stir until the salt dissolves.

you add vicks petroleum paste/jelly at the top where the air vent is. Add 1-2 tablespoons of salt with tap water in the tank, plug in the unit and warm steam will produce.

A 50/50 solution of White Vinegar and Water run through the system should clean it up. If it's really bad, you may have to do it twice. Just flush out the solution with claer water, before trying to use the Vaporizer, as it's intended.

In the future, due to high mineral content of your water, use Distilled Water. You can buy it by the gallon very inexpensively at pharmacies and grocery stores.

This vaporizer has two carbon electrodes covered by a 3in black cylinder with a couple of recessed phillips screws that take a narrow long shaft phillips screwdriver. Those two carbon electrodes are about 3/4 inches apart, and the water + a sprinkle of salt set up a resistive path between the electrodes that produces a boiling action on the water, thus steam.The electrolytes in the water, (calcium, iron, magnesium) eventually create a bridge between the electrodes, that allows the voltage to cross the electrodes without heating the water. You would have to take the cylinder off and scrape the built up electrolytes off of the carbon electrodes and reassemble the device, but you can buy another for about 15 bucks, but the same thing will happen again. If you try to use a little less or no salt on the next one it will last a lot longer.

Well, let's consider what we have:

How old is the vaporizer?-- Could the heating coil be all limed up?
Lime-Away, or Vinegar might help clear the Calcium and mineral build up on the heating element-
Or there might be a bad connection?-- Do you have any lights lit?

Open it up, and tell us what you find-

Mack B

Add salt. No more then 1/2 to 3/4tps max depending on the mineral content in your area.

The unit has two electrodes dipped into the water. Since water its self is none conductive without heavy minerals such as iron and such. You will have to add a small amount of salt until current starts flowing between the electrodes. I suggest a small pinch of salt each try until it produces the steam effect you desire.

ya u can we do it all the time in my house since my wife said the vapor stuff is to strong for her.

i do apologize for the inconvenience but the unit will need to be cleaned by hand or you can go to a local hardware store and get a solution that you put in your water to help kill the residue. it's basically from your hard water. now if you do it by hand you will need to get a soft toothbrush. you'll have to scrub the coils. then rinse the particals away. now doing this the unit needs to be turned off and cooled. after you do the cleaning you can run it like normal. if you have any other concerns or questions please feel free to ask.

a lot of times you must add a little salt for them to work..it depends on the mineral content of yor water