My Dream RBA tastes bad

[Mitey F]

I bought a Dream and an AGA-T a week or so ago, and recently tried the Dream dripper. I stuck it on my ego temporarily, until I finish my VV box mod. It came preassembled (with a wick and coil). I washed everything thoroughly as I do with all other equipment to get off any machine oil etc. before use.

Here's the thing. It tastes (MODERATED) NASTY. I've tried breaking it in with some juice I don't particularly care for, just taking a pull and not inhaling to see if that helps. It hasn't. It's to the point now where I don't even want to try and break it in any further, because it tastes so horrid. Do I just have to struggle through some more of this before it starts to work, or am I doing something completely wrong?

 

[jaco944]

First off I'm far from an expert but I had the same problem. After I rebuilt and started using cotton yarn as a wick I finally got a set up that tastes and vapes great. I think there are a lot of variables (wick size/material, coil ect).
One other thing I noticed was the 1st coil was sitting too close to the plastic ring around where the screws are and had melted that plastic a little. That may be the source of your (MODERATED) taste.
Also if you're using cotton as a wick, once it tastes nasty or burnt it's probably been dry burned and should be replaced.
I'm not completely sold on RBA's but when they work right they are awesome.
Good luck

 

[latexyankee]

Im not completely sure, but I'd try rolling your own wick and coil before passing judgement. I've never used any premade material that came with a setup, it's usually crazy tight and hard as a rock, I couldn't see it wicking water.

 

[Mitey F]

These are my first 2 RBA's, and I have never built a wick/coil before. This is just the setup that came pre-assembled in the Dream, so I figured I'd try it that way first. I know it's wicking, because it produces great vapor. The vapor is just nasty

Jaco, I'm not sure what plastic you're talking about, the Dream is all stainless, save the o-ring.

Does anyone have any suggestions for where to buy wick/coil, and what to get?

 

[Thrasher]

until you make your own, two things real quick, make sure the coils are spaced and glowing evenly and turn down the votage a touch. i have a couple silica wick atty's that just dont taste good at the voltage you would expect to run them

 

[Mitey F]

I will indeed check the coils, and I fiddled with the voltage from 3 on up to 4, and nothing helped unfortunately.

 

[Thrasher]

could just be a crappy coil/wick from the factory. i rarely if ever use the ones that come with a product as they look so wimpy.

 

[Jerms]

The coil that came with my Dream was on the opposite side of where the air hole was, creating a very unpleasant vape. Make sure the coil is lined up pretty close to the air holes, so the air flow is directed on it. It's taken some experimentation to make a proper wick and coil setup that works well, but now it vapes like a... yes I'll say it.... like a Dream.

Sent from my LGL55C using Tapatalk 2

 

[Rule62]

The only wick/coil set-up from the factory that ever worked for me is the ZAP.

 

[latexyankee]

The coil that came with my Dream was on the opposite side of where the air hole was, creating a very unpleasant vape. Make sure the coil is lined up pretty close to the air holes, so the air flow is directed on it. It's taken some experimentation to make a proper wick and coil setup that works well, but now it vapes like a... yes I'll say it.... like a Dream.

Sent from my LGL55C using Tapatalk 2

^what he said +1. The airhole not lining up can cause all kinds of issues. I'm witcha Mitey, built my first 2 good performing setups last night and today they started acting finicky. Scrapped em and rolled new wick and coil an hour ago, it's gotta get easier, keep at it.

 

[Mitey F]

So where is a good place to buy new wick/coil, and what setup might be good for the Dream?

Thanks guys!

 

[Jerms]

So where is a good place to buy new wick/coil, and what setup might be good for the Dream?

Thanks guys!

As I'm still pretty new to RBAs and the Dream being my first one, I'll let others answer as I'm still curious myself how other people set it up. I'll get back to this thread after work and mention what's worked for me so far if others haven't chimed in.

Sent from my LGL55C using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mitey F]

OOORRRR, just say "I'm new to this too, but XXXX has worked for me"

That's helpful too, from RBA newb to RBA newb. All info is helpful!

 

[Thrasher]

Wick and Wire

i use the 3mm wick they sell in everything with usually 4 or 5 wraps of 32g kanthal right now it kicks it in my spheroid.

other places have wick cheaper but for me i think its ok as i got wire there also so i saved on shipping, and besides how fast are you going to use 10 feet of wick 2 inches at a time lol

 

[Mitey F]

Thanks! Now I just need to do MORE reading on building coils, I figure I might as well stock up on some wick, SS wick, and coil wire all at once for both my Dream and my AGA-T.

 

[michliu]

Search Youtube for videos on rebuilding. There are lots of them. When I did my first rebuild, I didn't have any silica so I just used some cheesecloth. I haven't gone back to using silica wicks in anything, it's cheesecloth or stainless steel mesh all the way.

 

[Jerms]

OOORRRR, just say "I'm new to this too, but XXXX has worked for me"

That's helpful too, from RBA newb to RBA newb. All info is helpful!

Lol, I will, it will be a long post tho so waiting til after work.

Sent from my LGL55C using Tapatalk 2

 

[Azphat12]

If your using your EGO for right now.... I would recommend 32awg Kanthal A-1
Anything lower and it will probably be too low of a resistance to fire on an EGO.
I use a Vamo, and with about 5 coils I end up around 2 ohms give or take.

I would also get 400 mesh or 500 even. I use 500 in my Aga-T and Ata-T+ with a 50/50 pg/vg and it works good.

You can get 100ft of Kanthal 32awg A1 on Ebay for around 8 dollars plus shipping. Thats cheap....
You can get 400/500 sheets of 12x12 mesh from OKCVapes for 14.99 (or a smaller size if you want).
They are US based so shipping is good if your in US.
There is also a UK seller for mesh.... TheMeshCompany.... I think.... if your in UK area.

That handles supplies.... the rest is just practice man.
Honestly I would go to Walmart and buy some VG.... and just make a wick and coil.
Use the VG while testing hotspots....so your not wasting good juice. Or use PG...your preference.
Once the hotspots are pretty much handled....then drip the good stuff right on the wick/coil uptop and vape it.
See if you are good.... if you are...fill the tank. If not.... keep using the VG or PG to work the hotspot.

 

[Mitey F]

Thanks!!!! I'm using an ego right now, but it's also the VV SLB, so I'm not stuck at a set voltage. I'm about halfway through a homemade VV box mod, just waiting on a new potentiometer so I can build my case and fire it up.

I'm pretty confident I can get the coil/wick building down, albeit after some practice... I'm a fabricator by trade, and moonlight as a motorcycle builder. A little piece of wire doesn't scare me!

I plan on ordering an assortment of wires/wicks to find out what works well for me.

Thanks again for the list, much appreciated!

 

[Thrasher]

steam monkey has mesh a bit cheaper, someone here turned me on to them and for mass spools i get wire here:
Kanthal Wire - for lower prices order online through Pricedumper.com
like 9 bucks from temco with free shipping last time i ordered, even found silica wick here as well just dont need anymore, but cotton, cheeshcloth and bamboo have even been used for wicks.

and if you like to tinker RBA's are the way to go, so many different ways to set things up and much to experiment and play with.