So I just got my mini protank and I'm done using silica wicks because they make my lungs and airways irritated so I want to use either hemp or cotton wicks now. Every re-wicking tutorial involves making ur own coil as well, is it possible just to slide the silica wick out of the existing new coil and then just slide my new wick back through the existing coil? Also is there any natural fiber that can hold up to heat like silica, I don't want any chance of burning, I use very thick juice.
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What would be causing the issues? I have been vaporizing for 5+ years using a volcano w bags and my throat and lungs have never felt as weird as they do with these e cig silica wicks. And now all of this stuff about silica particles lodging themselves in lung tissue... Yuck. I just want something safe, that will get the job done, and don't make the protank flood.
To answer your question: yes, you can remove the silica wick and replace it with another. I use PandC cotton yarn. Some vapers use the cotton from cotton balls. I'm not sure if there is natural fiber that will not burn.
Silica is designed to withstand higher temperatures. You're not going to find a common natural fiber that you can use to wick and that will hold up against such high ranges of temperatures (up to 1,100-1,200 F).
Cotton works extremely well, but you can't under any circumstances dry burn it - this applies to other fibers as well (butchers twine, hemp etc). Cotton will do the job, will produce vapor and will give you all that silica does (based on my exp. - cotton is all I use), but you have to keep it wet, otherwise you're going to get an equally nasty dry burning hit.
Unlike silica, cotton doesn't really require a break in period and you can pull the silica wick from the Protank head and twist cotton through as a replacement (that's how I started) without having to rebuild a coil, but you need to do is carefully and realize that it doesn't take too much cotton to work as a replacement.
To replace the silica:
1). Gently pull the silica from the coils. Gently. If the silica sticks, run hot water over the coil head to remove the gunk. You can also drop it into some boiling water and that should loosen things up enough to pull it free.
2). Grab some cotton from a cotton ball and twist it into a piece that's about the same size as the silica you pulled out. No larger. The cotton doesn't need to be in there tight. You should be able to pull the cotton through the coil with little or no resistance. If you use too much you risk burning the cotton on the first fire.
3). Trim the cotton down to the same size as the silica - no need for "flavor" wicks with cotton, so nothing goes on top of the coil.
4). Prime the cotton by juicing it up before you put the head back in and put the tank back together.
5). Once the tank is together, let it set for 1-2 minutes (my personal preference) and then vape.
Cotton works extremely well, but you can't under any circumstances dry burn it - this applies to other fibers as well (butchers twine, hemp etc). Cotton will do the job, will produce vapor and will give you all that silica does (based on my exp. - cotton is all I use), but you have to keep it wet, otherwise you're going to get an equally nasty dry burning hit.
Unlike silica, cotton doesn't really require a break in period and you can pull the silica wick from the Protank head and twist cotton through as a replacement (that's how I started) without having to rebuild a coil, but you need to do is carefully and realize that it doesn't take too much cotton to work as a replacement.
To replace the silica:
1). Gently pull the silica from the coils. Gently. If the silica sticks, run hot water over the coil head to remove the gunk. You can also drop it into some boiling water and that should loosen things up enough to pull it free.
2). Grab some cotton from a cotton ball and twist it into a piece that's about the same size as the silica you pulled out. No larger. The cotton doesn't need to be in there tight. You should be able to pull the cotton through the coil with little or no resistance. If you use too much you risk burning the cotton on the first fire.
3). Trim the cotton down to the same size as the silica - no need for "flavor" wicks with cotton, so nothing goes on top of the coil.
4). Prime the cotton by juicing it up before you put the head back in and put the tank back together.
5). Once the tank is together, let it set for 1-2 minutes (my personal preference) and then vape.
Ekowool is synthetic and is essentially braided (instead of twisted) silica. It's normally hollow and sometimes comes with a cotton core. I've not really seen any major benefits of Ekowool over Silica, but that's my personal take on it. There's so many mediums available ranging from cotton to silica to ekowool to cable to mesh to yarn etc, it's sometimes hard to keep up
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Ekowool is just silica that is braided. I have never used it as I get a funny taste from silica and use cotton, but people say ekowool wicks faster.
Tactical pretty much described my method of replacing cotton wicks. I roll one end into a real small tight point to make it easier to put through the coil, and cut that part off afterwords. Just keep in mind that cotton swells once it gets wet, so put in a less than you think you need.
Tactical pretty much described my method of replacing cotton wicks. I roll one end into a real small tight point to make it easier to put through the coil, and cut that part off afterwords. Just keep in mind that cotton swells once it gets wet, so put in a less than you think you need.
Alright, I just cotton wicked my protank mini and added a full tank of thick juice, hopefully I made it small enough to wick, I looked down the mouthpiece using a flashlight after ten minutes and I could see the cotton is still white and dry so I'm just going to leave it overnight before I look again.
The protank head had one silica wick in the coil and two more on top so I just replicated that setup with cotton, and tried to make the cotton as thin as the silica or thinner. I put two more on top even tho tactical said I didn't need to bc I've always thought that those also prevented flooding by soaking up any extra juice that makes it into the chamber. If I'm way off then please tell me and I'll try to get em out or just start over
The protank head had one silica wick in the coil and two more on top so I just replicated that setup with cotton, and tried to make the cotton as thin as the silica or thinner. I put two more on top even tho tactical said I didn't need to bc I've always thought that those also prevented flooding by soaking up any extra juice that makes it into the chamber. If I'm way off then please tell me and I'll try to get em out or just start over
I too have noticed an increase in lung irritation with my Protank 2. Maybe I'll try to replace the silica wick on my spare atty and see if that helps. I never had this issue with analogs (unless I was belligerent and churned thru 2 packs in one night). I'm coughing more when I vape... Interesting.
So is it OK to dry burn with silica? I want to switch to cotton but this is my only hang up - I prefer NET juice and it is a coil gunker....I find I have to dry burn my heads at least every other day....if not, I would go broke on the Protank replacement heads. I read somewhere that dry burning was the solution and it has worked for me so far - I just hope I'm not inhaling nasty stuff by doing it.
If you cannot dry-burn cotton or dry burn the coils alone...is the only solution to rebuild/ replace the coil every other day when using cotton wicking? That would be a pain...
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Kick a dry patch of ground
See the cloud rise
Kick a patch of soaking wet earth
Notice no dust cloud
Your information on silica is correctly Wrong.
i.e. truths wrapped up in conjecture.
Processing plants making Silica products have airborne particulate risk. Continuous exposure to dry airborne particles released in the manufacturing process.
After a few 1/2 read reports and personal misunderstanding a whole new theory arises out of misinformed conjecture.
Likely what most experience as sore throat/lung irritation is from flavoring and HOT DRY air. As many have already proven, cotton wicks much faster than other materials. Thus more Liquid vaporized and less heated DRY air entering the airway/lungs.
See the cloud rise
Kick a patch of soaking wet earth
Notice no dust cloud
Your information on silica is correctly Wrong.
i.e. truths wrapped up in conjecture.
Processing plants making Silica products have airborne particulate risk. Continuous exposure to dry airborne particles released in the manufacturing process.
After a few 1/2 read reports and personal misunderstanding a whole new theory arises out of misinformed conjecture.
Likely what most experience as sore throat/lung irritation is from flavoring and HOT DRY air. As many have already proven, cotton wicks much faster than other materials. Thus more Liquid vaporized and less heated DRY air entering the airway/lungs.
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I don't know, I have been breathing hot vapor through volcano bags and box vaporizer whips for a while now and have never felt what happens when I use silica wicks. Granted, I have yet to try any other kind of wick but i do not think it is the hot air causing the irritation, and I know it's not the flavors bc I use a non-flavored juice.
Every time I've vaporized using an ecig so far has caused my throat to swell a bit making it a little bit harder to breathe. I've also had at least two mouth ulcers in the few months since I've started. ( I have good oral hygiene btw) and one sore throat which I thought was a cold but now I'm pretty sure it was caused by the vapor bc I had no other symptoms.
I may just be sensitive to silica and it works for many others but I just can't do it anymore. Hopefully cotton proves better, I'll let you guys know if it's any different when I finally get it going.
Harshness and the kind of symptoms you're describing (e.g. sore throat) can have more than one cause. Relatively dry hits from inadequate wicking, nicotine levels that are too high, sensitivity to another juice component such as PG.
If I'm vaping a Protank on my mod, for example, I have to remove the extra "flavor" wicks so the juice will wick fast enough-- if I don't, the vapor stings. If I'm vaping at a nicotine level that's higher than it should be, my tongue and throat start to feel as if they have chemical burns. Some people are allergic or sensitive to ingredients such as PG, and need to change their PG/VG ratio until they feel comfortable with the results. Lots of factors in play.
If I'm vaping a Protank on my mod, for example, I have to remove the extra "flavor" wicks so the juice will wick fast enough-- if I don't, the vapor stings. If I'm vaping at a nicotine level that's higher than it should be, my tongue and throat start to feel as if they have chemical burns. Some people are allergic or sensitive to ingredients such as PG, and need to change their PG/VG ratio until they feel comfortable with the results. Lots of factors in play.
I rewick with cotton without re coiling. Easy to do. I put a few drops of juice on the cotton before I thread it through. This helps roll it smaller and therefore easier to thread. Also helps get it primed. You were right to put the flavor wicks back in, it would have flooded.
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So I tested out my cotton wick extensively last night and so far it works like a charm. Pretty much the same taste as the silica, maybe slightly better. No flooding yet. And most importantly my throat did not close up and my throat and lungs don't feel weird after a nights sleep, woke up today feeling good. I will be working with cotton wicks from now on, my only question now is how often do I need to change wicks, how will I know when it's time?
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