Rba?

[m3ntalx09]

Alright guys, I'm pretty sure things I will talk about has already been discussed. I have done some reading as well for the past 6 hours on batteries and what not.

Basically, I'm planning to get into mechanical mods in the very near future. In doing so, I want to test out the rba's. I do have questions for both.

I'm currently using a VAMO V3 and the rba's that I was looking into are:

AGA-T2/T3
A8
REO
RSST

I'm pretty much new at this stuff and I know that RSST is the most recommended for beginners in the RBA world. However, I get used to things very quickly so I'm not really too concerned about learning from one thing and then going onto the next purchase (If this is stupid, and I'm putting myself in some kind of risk, then let me know!! I can take criticism well =])

The price range I'm looking into is $50 and below (Preferably below $30). Now, the things I don't get is as follows:

1. When do you use a wick?
2. When do you use a mesh?
3. Do you use both or just one?
4. Advantages and disadvantages?
5. Which one should you used if you want to get the most vapor production? What about the wire gauge?
6. Can you use both wicks and mesh for a mechanical mod?

Thanks!!

 

[Thrasher]

OK first the reo is a mod not an atty.

mesh is a kind of wick used in genesis attys, others have used it in everything from vivi nova's to drippers in place of silica.but it performs best in something like the rsst or aga, you use one or the other, silica, mesh, cotton and a few others are out there.

pro/con; mesh is harder to set up, has more of a learning curve, and can be fussy until you get the hang of it, but once it working it is hard to beat in a genesis atty, lasts a very long time and ends up being very cheap over time.

I think the A8 is a dripper? not sure, so you would probably use silica or cotton, silica is very easy to work with. wrap the coil on the silica attach to the device, check for hotspots etc and go. silica will stand up to dry burning and lasts a while, is easy to replace, and is pretty cheap.

for a regulated mod like the vamo i would use either 32 or 30 gauge kanthal and try to wrap coils around 1.5 ohms or higher.
for a mechanical i use 28 gauge kanthal around .8-.9 ohms for best efficiency of the battery, not too low of a resistance to cause problems but low enough to get a decent amount of time off the battery charge.

as for vapor production? this will come down to how well you set up the wick in the atty, rebuildables only perform as good or bad as the set up you put in there. (there are a few that just plain suck but they are not the norm) sometimes you need to drill the airhole to get a little more airflow but overall it is the setup that counts.

you can watch a ton of videos and read a million posts but nothing will substitute good old hands on learning. the more you play and experiment with different setups the more you can tune the setup to give you the results you are looking for.

Im sure you have a ton more questions now so ask away lol.....................................

one word of caution, for many people once they get rebuildables working well theres no going back to cheap clearos and stuff like that.

 

[JmanEspresso]

The way I got to where I am now, which is exclusively vaping rebuildable things on mechanical things(lol), was to start out with the cheap and simple, see whats what, then graduate, if desired, to the high end, which is where I find myself today.

Get two attys.

Igo-L

RSST or AGA-T2.

I havent used the RSST, so Im not sure, but Im alsmot sure, its the easier one to build. The AGA T2 ain't bad, and because of the way its setup, you have a couple variations you can do.. but I still thik the RSST wins as far as ease of use. Either way, one of these.

28, 30 and 32 gauge Kanthal

325 and 400 SS mesh

3mm Silica


Setup the Igo-L using Silica and one of the kanthal wires.. shoot for 1.5ohms on a regulated device, .8-1ohm on a mech. (1.5ohms will be, like 4 wraps on 32guage, 5-6wraps on 30guage, and im not positive for 28.. Id assue like 8-10. I use 28guage for my lowest ohm coils, 30gauge for the nieghborhood of 1ohm, and I dont really use 32gauge anymore. But for a regulated device, 32gauge allows you to not have to have a lot of wraps, and still get high ohms if need be)

Setup the Genesis for the lowest ohms you can do. I personally believe that genesis attys do not excel above 1.2ohms, even though you can crank up the volts on a device. I think they do much better at an ohm, or less, on a mech. Or a full hybrid, which is my preffered device these days.


PBusardo has great videos on both the IGo-L and the RSST(and the Igo-W, and the whole AGA series attys), and his build technique is very solid to start out with. As far as genesis builds go, there is kindof the right way to do it, and the wrong way. There is definitely room to play around, but aside from wick material, most builds look similar. Now, on RDAs, like the IGO-L.. and more specifically, the Dual Coil ready Igo-W, the amount of different coil and wick builds you can do is insane. For now, learn how to setup a single coil on silica, then you can branch out and learn the new Tricro build lol.


If you DO have a little patience and get these setup properly(and its not hard), it will definitely become the new way you vape. It happened to me in a little less than a weeks time. Went from having three devices with carto tanks in rotation, to having rebuildables, and then only rebuildables on mechanicals. Only exception is my Provari usually rocks an Igo-L along with my mechs, as I like to have a gentle vape setup in case a juice doesnt like subohming.

 

[m3ntalx09]

So.. will either AGA or RSST work with a mechanical?

 

[Thrasher]

So.. will either AGA or RSST work with a mechanical?

sure will, just have to wrap the resistance a little lower for best performance.

 

[Baditude]

I got my start with rebuildables with an AGA-T2, with all intents of using it on my Silver Bullet mechanical mod which had been collecting dust. Although I had a multimeter to test my coils, I liked the video that Zen did for setting up his ZAP on the Provari so much that I set my coils up with my Provari, and tested the coils with its built-in ohm meter. Z-ATTY-PRO Rebuildable Atomizers For ProVari - YouTube

The AGA on the Silver Bullet was "OK", but I won't do sub-ohm. I found that I preferred using it on the Provari. I currently use 30g Kanthal 6 - 7 wraps to make a 2.0 ohm coil. I found making my own SS mesh wicks to be sub-par, so I buy them pre-rolled from Vapor King.

Resource Information for Your First RBA

 

[Scarey]

I like my AGA-T2. I looked at the RSST for a bit, but I didn't like that it had a plastic tank. I just won't buy plastic anymore, unless it's something I plan on scrapping or upgrading soon.

 

[m3ntalx09]

it also seems like you need to torch the mesh as well... is this really necessary? also, i don't have any ways to drill holes and i don't really want to go out and buy a tool just to drill bigger holes in couple of rba's. are there any tricks around this? I heard that this is necessary if you want big plumes of cloud.

I know that life expectancy varies quite a bit from person to person, but how often do you need to rebuild it? I usually get 70VG/30PG and i chain vape for about 5-10 min. i go through around 3ml per day as well.

another question.. i'm currently using a carto.. would there be any taste or vapor improvement going over to a rba?

 

[Jazzi Mike]

I noticed a definite increase in flavor and vapor production when I started using RBAs. The RSST is definitely the genesis you should begin with. However, really you should start with a dripper as your first. They are the easiest build; you can hone your coil wrapping skills before you try building a genesis with SS mesh.

Stay away from the A8. It has some serious issues. However, the A7 and the A6 and their mini versions are nice drippers. SS mesh has the best flavor, which is why people have been struggling with making a coil out of SS mesh.

 

[Baditude]

it also seems like you need to torch the mesh as well... is this really necessary? also, i don't have any ways to drill holes and i don't really want to go out and buy a tool just to drill bigger holes in couple of rba's. are there any tricks around this? I heard that this is necessary if you want big plumes of cloud.

I know that life expectancy varies quite a bit from person to person, but how often do you need to rebuild it? I usually get 70VG/30PG and i chain vape for about 5-10 min. i go through around 3ml per day as well.

another question.. i'm currently using a carto.. would there be any taste or vapor improvement going over to a rba?

You'll go thru more juice with an RBA. You'll also drain batteries faster with an RBA.

You'll get more vapor production with an RBA. My experience, I get just as good flavor production with a good carto in a tank as I do with an RBA. I get a more dependable and consistant vaping experience with a cartotank. Cartotanks are my specialty, so they are and likely will always be my staple delivery attachment.

My experience with RBA's has been that they can be finicky and inconsistant, requiring frequent tinkering to keep them functioning optimally. Perhaps this is because I began RBA's with the AGA-T2, which from what I hear can have a higher learning curve than other Genesis-style tanks or a RDA. YMMV.

I've had SS wicks last over a month, and coils last a couple of weeks or more with intermittant use. My wicks are pre-rolled and partially oxidized when purchased. Doing dry burn pulses when setting up the coil wrapped around the wick further oxidizes the wick where it needs it most.

I found my RBA's would leak if taken out of the house, so they became an at home device only. I enjoy my RBA's, but often do not want to take the time to tinker with them if mine are performing sub-par. Some vapors enjoy this aspect of vaping, I don't. My cartotanks are easier and maintanance free, so they are my mainstay.

That's my experience, and the experience of others will be different.

 

[Jazzi Mike]

You'll go thru more juice with an RBA. You'll also drain batteries faster with an RBA.

You'll get more vapor production with an RBA. My experience, I get just as good flavor production with a good carto in a tank as I do with an RBA. I get a more dependable and consistant vaping experience with a cartotank, so it is my staple delivery attachment. My experience with RBA's has been that they can be finicky and inconsistant, requiring frequent tinkering to keep them functioning optimally. YMMV.

I primarily use cartotanks, and use my RBA's only at home along with the cartotanks. I've had SS wicks last over a month, and coils last a couple of weeks or more with intermittant use. My wicks are pre-rolled and partially oxidized when purchased. Doing pulse dry burns when setting up the coil wrapped around the wick further oxidizes the wick where it needs it most.

I found my RBA's would leak if taken out of the house, so they became an at home device only. I enjoy my RBA's, but often do not want to take the time to tinker with them if mine are performing sub-par. Some vapors enjoy this aspect of vaping, I don't. My cartotanks are easier and maintanance free, so they are my mainstay.

That's my experience, and the experience of others will be different.

Hah, that is why I love my REO!

 

[m3ntalx09]

i drive an hour to and from work daily and i can't really be dripping while driving. main reason why i don't want to go with an rda...

i had another question.. what mesh should i be getting? why does it matter which mesh you get?

 

[Revelene]

I love my Igo-W for dripping <3

I also love my Diver for driving but it is a PITA to set up but the reward is a fantastic vape!

 

[cloudsUnderway]

it also seems like you need to torch the mesh as well... is this really necessary? also, i don't have any ways to drill holes and i don't really want to go out and buy a tool just to drill bigger holes in couple of rba's. are there any tricks around this? I heard that this is necessary if you want big plumes of cloud.

I know that life expectancy varies quite a bit from person to person, but how often do you need to rebuild it? I usually get 70VG/30PG and i chain vape for about 5-10 min. i go through around 3ml per day as well.

another question.. i'm currently using a carto.. would there be any taste or vapor improvement going over to a rba?

Being in LA with so many vape shops around, there has got to be one that features a drill press that either you can use or that they have a trained associate to handle.

 

[m3ntalx09]

Being in LA with so many vape shops around, there has got to be one that features a drill press that either you can use or that they have a trained associate to handle.

i haven't thought of that lol.. oh and i have no idea how big i'm supposed to drill. i'm a cloud chaser and would like to eventually move onto a mechanical for the sole purpose of producing a lot of vapor.

 

[m3ntalx09]

what mesh size should i be getting? what are the benefits for the different size meshing?

 

[Jacob Proctor]

OK first the reo is a mod not an atty.

mesh is a kind of wick used in genesis attys, others have used it in everything from vivi nova's to drippers in place of silica.but it performs best in something like the rsst or aga, you use one or the other, silica, mesh, cotton and a few others are out there.

pro/con; mesh is harder to set up, has more of a learning curve, and can be fussy until you get the hang of it, but once it working it is hard to beat in a genesis atty, lasts a very long time and ends up being very cheap over time.

I think the A8 is a dripper? not sure, so you would probably use silica or cotton, silica is very easy to work with. wrap the coil on the silica attach to the device, check for hotspots etc and go. silica will stand up to dry burning and lasts a while, is easy to replace, and is pretty cheap.

for a regulated mod like the vamo i would use either 32 or 30 gauge kanthal and try to wrap coils around 1.5 ohms or higher.
for a mechanical i use 28 gauge kanthal around .8-.9 ohms for best efficiency of the battery, not too low of a resistance to cause problems but low enough to get a decent amount of time off the battery charge.

as for vapor production? this will come down to how well you set up the wick in the atty, rebuildables only perform as good or bad as the set up you put in there. (there are a few that just plain suck but they are not the norm) sometimes you need to drill the airhole to get a little more airflow but overall it is the setup that counts.

you can watch a ton of videos and read a million posts but nothing will substitute good old hands on learning. the more you play and experiment with different setups the more you can tune the setup to give you the results you are looking for.

Im sure you have a ton more questions now so ask away lol.....................................

one word of caution, for many people once they get rebuildables working well theres no going back to cheap clearos and stuff like that.

I'm using a Tesla and I have an AGA-T2 on the way. If I use 30 guage, how many wraps should I do? I am not entirely sure how the whole variable wattage stuff figures into this, but I am wanting a 1.5-2.0 microcoil and I'd like to vape it around 5v. So, I could do 1.8ohm at 13 watts and get like 5v right? So, then, how many wraps would I want to do with 30guage?

 

[Kirkwood]

There is 350, 400 and 500 mesh that I know of (probably more) Stainless steel in sheets about 10" by 10" for ~ $10.00. Think of the mesh like the thread count on sheets for your bed, the higher the better, although 400 seems to be the most common and readily available.

 

[Baditude]

I'm using a Tesla and I have an AGA-T2 on the way. If I use 30 guage, how many wraps should I do? I am not entirely sure how the whole variable wattage stuff figures into this, but I am wanting a 1.5-2.0 microcoil and I'd like to vape it around 5v. So, I could do 1.8ohm at 13 watts and get like 5v right? So, then, how many wraps would I want to do with 30guage?

It doesn't work that way. You can't set up a certain resistance coil and know exactly what voltage to use, there's to many other variables involved.

I use 30g kanthal wire and make 6 - 7 wraps which usually turns out to be close to 2.0 ohms. I haven't done micro coils yet, but it should be the same length of wire with the same number of wraps. I adjust the voltage to the particular flavor that I'm vaping.

 

[Scarey]

it also seems like you need to torch the mesh as well... is this really necessary? also, i don't have any ways to drill holes and i don't really want to go out and buy a tool just to drill bigger holes in couple of rba's. are there any tricks around this? I heard that this is necessary if you want big plumes of cloud.

Torching the mesh builds a layer of carbon on it, to help eliminate shorts. There are other methods of doing this. pbusardo has a video about setting up genesis atomizers, that covers 3 methods. As for drilling holes, I just use a $20 black and decker corded drill. Just wrap your cap in masking tape mark your drilling position, grab it in some vice grips, and drill it, with each size of bit from smallest to largest, until you hit the size you want. Then hit it with a small precision file to clean up and rough edges. None of that will set you back very far. Harbor Freight for hand tools, and pretty much anyone with tools will have a cheap B&D drill.