Problems with the Eleaf Istick TC100w

[Rarebird]

I received my new mod from MVS and I am loving it. However, it's got a few glitches that seem to indicate I might have to return it.

1) The resistance lock isn't working. I have tried and retried again the button combination to turn this feature on and nothing I do works. The lock icon just won't show.

2) I can't get the new atomizer message to come up. I have tried the recommended options for getting it to appear, and nothing seems to work.

3) With batteries that I am sure of, basically new LG HG2's that work great in my other devices, after a couple of hours of vaping don't work. The battery icon on the device shows them to be at about 80% charge, and when I charge them the same seems to be the case. The device stops working and says "atomizer short" when I fire the device.

I tried upgrading the firmware but the problems did not go away. I am using Kanthal A1 coils to start with on wattage mode. The resistance read .51 ohms, but keeps changing.

Should I return the device to MVS? I hate to do that, because I have had to contact their customer support twice before, and they were very helpful.

Recommendations? Thanks in advance for any help!

*edit* Oh, btw I am using the Billow V.2 tank.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

Item 1. Resistance Lock only works in TC mode. With Kanthal, it's not an option.

Item 2. What atomizer message are you looking for?

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[Rarebird]

The instruction manual says it will say "new coil up same down".

 

[Rarebird]

And thanks for the info on the resistance lock. I missed that part in the instructions. But what exactly is an "atomizer short"? Crossed wires? They're definitely not crossed.

 

[benley73]

Could be coils touching the sides of chamber , or not installed properly

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[Rarebird]

I will check to see it they are touching the sides of the chamber, but it seems like it would show up before I have used 20% of my battery. It doesn't happen with freshly charged batteries. But "not installed properly?" This is my first dual coil device and I watched a video on how to install the coils. Alternate posts, first and third for one side, second and fourth for the other in the Billow V.2. The coils are not touching each other.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

The instruction manual says it will say "new coil up same down".

Again, that is a feature only needed for Temperature Control builds.

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[Shawn Hoefer]

And thanks for the info on the resistance lock. I missed that part in the instructions. But what exactly is an "atomizer short"? Crossed wires? They're definitely not crossed.

Unsure on this one. I imagine it might be the build. Sometimes, the grub screws will back out a bit and lead to wonky readings...

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[Rarebird]

I will try re-coiling it and see if that works better. The coils did not appear to be touching the sides of the chamber but one might have been touching a post. I need better reading glasses. Rebuilding coils reminds me of that guy from the book Catch-22 who would work on very tiny things to make time drag so that his life would last longer.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

Try 2.4 mm, 6 wrap, 28 AWG. That'll bring you back to .5ish with coils that will fit easily.

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[Rarebird]

I installed SS316 coils in it making sure the coils were not touching the posts or the sides of the chamber. The resistance lock is working now and the ohms read .41. I'm still not getting the new coil message, and I'm in SS TC mode. I will have to see if I get the atomizer short message once I run down my batteries a little bit.

The vape is tremendous, however.

I'm finding the Billow V.2 a little hard to work with because the inner diameter of the chamber is so small.

And btw, I don't have a 2.4 mm mandrel. The Coilmaster kit I bought only has a 2.5 and others, multiples of .5

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

I installed SS316 coils in it making sure the coils were not touching the posts or the sides of the chamber. The resistance lock is working now and the ohms read .41. I'm still not getting the new coil message, and I'm in SS TC mode. I will have to see if I get the atomizer short message once I run down my batteries a little bit.

The vape is tremendous, however.

I'm finding the Billow V.2 a little hard to work with because the inner diameter of the chamber is so small.

And btw, I don't have a 2.4 mm mandrel. The Coilmaster kit I bought only has a 2.5 and others, multiples of .5

2.5 is fine

If you take the tank off, fire the mod once (kinda clears it), then attach the tank, you'll see the message... it only displays when a new atomizer is attached with, I think, a 10% difference in resistance from the previous atomizer.

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[Rarebird]

Ah, that worked, got the message. But now I'm getting an awful burned cotton taste on 400 F. I'm going to put the device down for awhile and come back to it. Thanks for all your help!

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

Ah, that worked, got the message. But now I'm getting an awful burned cotton taste on 400 F. I'm going to put the device down for awhile and come back to it. Thanks for all your help!

If you told it new atomizer, it would have recalibrated the device. If the coils was hot when reattached, it would lead to a burned hit.

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[93gc40]

Atomizer short could mean the atty is loose the coil is loose or just reading too low...

If you ever get burned cotton taste.. REPLACE the cotton it us burned... you won't get you flavor back till you do. Reduce wattage before you fire on the next wick.

Again if you are using the Kanthal wire TC won't work and you might get burning and error messages... or the mod will switch itself to VW mode.

If you want to play with TC get some Stainless wire. That you can you in VW and TC.

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[Rarebird]

OK, this morning I got up and recalibrated my device before I vaped and while it was at room temperature. Then I locked the resistance. I'm getting a burned cotton taste at under 400 F. It is my understanding that cotton burns at 420 F. so I'm wondering why it is burning. The device is working fine and no more "atomizer short" message since I rebuilt the atomizer (very carefully) with SS316 coils. I wasn't getting burned cotton taste with Kanthal in wattage mode, even at 50 watts. I think I need to understand Ohm's Law better, and am fixing to post in the coil section of the forums to ask a couple of questions about it. I watched a video on it and I am still a little confused. Thanks again!

 

[93gc40]

Is enough juice getting into the coils to prevent burning?

Are the coil so big they are staying hot way too long. Thus burning the wick while cooling.

What is you wattage set at? Default is max in TC...... 4 clicks on fire to adjust.

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[Rarebird]

I had set the wattage to 43. Too high?

I hate to admit it but I don't know the diameter of the coils. They are prebuilt SS coils I bought a long time ago. I'm not even sure of the awg on the wire. I wrap my own coils now and that is the next step. The coils are reading at .33 ohms on the dual coils device.

They should be getting plenty of juice, but since cotton burns at 420 F. dry, I think is shouldn't matter. From what I understand, the temperature you set the device at is the max temperature the coils will reach, after which the device adjusts the current. Am I wrong?

Thanks!

 

[93gc40]

Is enough juice getting into the coils to prevent burning?

Are the coil so big they are staying hot way too long. Thus burning the wick while cooling.

What is you wattage set at? Default is max in TC...... 4 clicks on fire to adjust.

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I see now.41 on 28ss. That's a hot coil.. I'd add a wrap or 3. Or twist 2 strands together try 5 or 6 wraps of that. You got a 100 watt mod go for 3x28 parallel or twisted. Don't worry much about ohm... you can always add wraps to cool a vape, remove to warm... keep the builds between about .1 and about 1.5 ohm. And experiment.

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[93gc40]

I had set the wattage to 43. Too high?

I hate to admit it but I don't know the diameter of the coils. They are prebuilt SS coils I bought a long time ago. I'm not even sure of the awg on the wire. I wrap my own coils now and that is the next step. The coils are reading at .33 ohms on the dual coils device.

They should be getting plenty of juice, but since cotton burns at 420 F. dry, I think is shouldn't matter. From what I understand, the temperature you set the device at is the max temperature the coils will reach, after which the device adjusts the current. Am I wrong?

Thanks!

Fwiw I regularly vape with cotton wick at 500 to 600 degrees.... although I prefer 350 to about 450.... 420 may be when dry cotton burns..... wet cotton can go much higher.

Can't advise on watts.. don't know fir sure what you have........ I do know if you are burning wicks the power is to high or the coil is dry.

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