All my coils only last 1-3 days

[kirschm]

Hello, I am new to vaping... I am using the Aspire Nautilus and Nautilus 2 on an Eleaf iStick pico with 1.8 Ohm Aspire BVC Coils.

My problem is simple: they last max. 1-3 days... or to be precise: 900-1250 puffs (on average 3.9 Sec per puff)... equaling to less than 20ml juice... then they taste burnt...

Here what I do and some other information:

1) production problem of coils? don't think so since those are authentic Aspire coils... a mix and match of various sources (5 pack, 1 pack, included in the Nautilus boxes, etc.)

2) priming: putting juice into the holes, putting juice on top of the coil, drawing without fire, waiting at least 30 mins before the first real draw, starting at only 6 Watt, then slowly increasing up to 11 Watt

3) drawing: MTL... 3-5 Secs... normal drawing (not too fast and not too slow)... pausing at least 30 Secs between each draw... starting to draw, then pushing fire, releasing fire, stopping to draw

4) Liquid: Mix and Match of 'instant' liquids from Gearbest... no thick, dark or sweet flavours... max 50% VG... my test liquid is a very transparent Hangson Tobacco Liquid 12mg...

5) 11 Watts, Airflow in the mid range

Meanwhile I used about 10 coils and all(!) of them are burnt after 900-1250 puffs...

Any help?

(Sorry for my 'strange 'English', I am German)

 

[r77r7r]

I'd still pop in a vape store to try a different eliquid. Seems like you have ruled out pretty much everything else.

Or try same eliquid in a different tank.Have any unflavored around? I get a month out of the same coils that way.

 

[Topwater Elvis]

Have you tried increasing airflow & using less watts?

Airflow largest hole, reduce to 9w - 10w.

 

[kirschm]

Have you tried increasing airflow & using less watts? Airflow largest hole, reduce to 9w - 10w.

I am sure that this will delay the 'sudden death', but:

1) I really don't like this set up
2) I hear people saying that they even puff up to 15 Watts plus smallest AFC hole... and the coils last 2 weeks or more...

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

@Topwater Elvis has a good suggestion. Airflow is your tank and coil's cooling system and the more you can tolerate and still get a satisfying draw, the better.

 

[kirschm]

Given the last reactions and answers... let me formulate my problem in an other way:

Are 900-1250 puffs under my setup-conditions normal? I yes, then it's OK... and my question is answered... if not, I think I am doing something (beyond my setup) wrong...

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Another thing to consider is to measure not how many puffs or how many days/weeks you get out of a coil, but how many ml of liquid you vaporize. Measure throughput by liquid volume, not by time or puffs taken.

 

[kirschm]

... max. 20ml... e.g. 3 days x 3 full tanks in a Nautilus 2 (2ml tank only)

 

[Mike McVape]

3) drawing: MTL... 3-5 Secs... normal drawing (not too fast and not too slow)... pausing at least 30 Secs between each draw... starting to draw, then pushing fire, releasing fire, stopping to draw

My vape style and equipment different but your coil life does seem short to me. The above could possibly be causing the problem. Long 5sec draws not getting enough juice flow to keep the cotton saturated during the fire.

 

[Topwater Elvis]

I am sure that this will delay the 'sudden death', but:

1) I really don't like this set up
2) I hear people saying that they even puff up to 15 Watts plus smallest AFC hole... and the coils last 2 weeks or more...

I wouldn't put much weight on what other people say they do.
everything is true on the interwebz.

What is important is to find a system or a way to use what you currently have to find what works best for you.
20mls is horribly short head life from an authentic aspire nautilus BVC head, I'd be disappointed with 80mls.

All my nautilus style 'tanks' stay on the largest airflow, a few have been drilled out even larger.
Sure I can take a few vapes at 15w even a couple at 17w, but, most of the time I vape between 9.6w - 11.4w, with 10.2w - 10.4w being my ADV happy place.

I can only guess that your issues stem from too little airflow & too high power, of course it could be the liquids you use.
I'd try more airflow, less power - biggest air hole, start at 8.5w - 9w & gradually increase in small increments,, you already know at 11w & restricted airflow head life is terrible.
If you like the restricted airflow you'll most likely need to reduce power even more, like Coastal Cowboy said, airflow is the heads cooling system.

Some flavorings clog wicking material & gunk coils rapidly, this causes reduced head life.
Clear or not, sweet or not, the quality of the ingredients used in the liquid make a good bit of difference.

 

[kirschm]

Long 5sec draws not getting enough juice flow to keep the cotton saturated during the fire.

In fact this is the parameter that I am currently changing... I attempt to stick below 3 Secs per puff...

 

[kirschm]

Perhaps another observation: it often happens that after only 300-400 puffs the draw is completely clogged even at the biggest hole... I then have to put a paper clip into the top hole of the coil and every is OK then...

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

... max. 20ml... e.g. 3 days x 3 full tanks in a Nautilus 2 (2ml tank only)

Hmm... given the somewhat limited volume of about 8171 cubic mm for that coil, 20ml is not terrible. Not good, but not terrible.

The Kanger xOCC coils have about 11685 cubic mm and the 1.2 ohm coils are good for MTL with a tighter airflow and narrow drip tip on the Subtank mini. I go through almost 70ml before having to change coils.

The Smok BB coils have a whopping 16264 cubic cm volume and the biggest wicking holes I've used yet. Those will never do for MTL, but I only change coils in those when I'm changing my subtankers. I've never measured liquid used in those but if I did, it would likely be well north of 70ml.

 

[Topwater Elvis]

Perhaps another observation: it often happens that after only 300-400 puffs the draw is completely clogged even at the biggest hole... I then have to put a paper clip into the top hole of the coil and every is OK then...

I've never had a head plug up to where you couldn't draw through it, occasionally the airtube will get filled/plugged with some kind of debris that comes in through the drip tip.
Dirt, dust, hay, grease, pocket lint ect...

The coil in the head actually getting plugged sounds like debris coming in through the drip tip or use of horrendously gunky liquids.

When was the last time you thoroughly cleaned the air flow chamber in the base?
Remove tank from base, remove head, wash base/airflow chamber in hot water, scrunch up paper towel/napkin dry airflow chamber, compressed air to ensure nothing left over.

 

[kirschm]

... each time I replace the coil...

 

[Mike McVape]

Perhaps another observation: it often happens that after only 300-400 puffs the draw is completely clogged even at the biggest hole... I then have to put a paper clip into the top hole of the coil and every is OK then...

Perhaps?! Critical missing information! Try cleaning the coils in boiling water after every 150-250 pulls BEFORE they clog (like probably daily your style/juice). This may well greatly extend your coil life, does mine and others who have posted doing it.

 

[kirschm]

Try cleaning the coils in boiling water after every 150-250 pulls BEFORE they clog

Do you really want to say that all of you guys clean their coils after 150-250 puffs? For me that would be 2-3 times a day... in my current newby / testing phase...

 

[Mike McVape]

Do you really want to say that all of you guys clean their coils after 150-250 puffs? For me that would be 2-3 times a day...

NO I clean mine at 2000 (DTL) pulls (avg 2sec 65w pulls Smok Big Baby Beast 0.15 ohm T8 octuple coils). Since I started doing this up to 7000k on a coil so far and still going no performance drop.

Highly possible you have a juice issue combined with your style. As already suggested might try a different juice.

 

[Topwater Elvis]

No, I don't clean replaceable heads.

I'm happy some folks get positive results 'cleaning' replaceable heads.
I've used nautilus since they came out, tried every imaginable way to clean the heads including boiling, nothing works good enough for me to justify the time spent fiddling with them.
In the past, soaking in PGA overnight, blowing them out & allowing to dry was the best cleaning method I found. (still not worth the effort IMO)

I think addressing the actual problem of incredibly short head life with a change in user technique or settings, or a change in liquids would be a better solution.

This thread isn't about the big baby beast, it is about nautilus bvc heads, huge difference.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Do you really want to say that all of you guys clean their coils after 150-250 puffs? For me that would be 2-3 times a day... in my current newby / testing phase...

Not that often, but yes. After a swap, the coil gets a boil. It does extend life. The limit is about three times through. The coils give up sooner or later.