Atomizer / Cartomizer for life....

[KYFlyer67]

Last 2 pics from my build...

pic6 - Completed build with nichrome coil, needle plugs, and silica wick.
pic7 - Completed build fully assembled - looks like any other 510. Looks can be deceptive.

This build tested at 2.7 ohms. My target was 2.0 ohms. TH on this one is a little less than the LR 510s I've been using. Of course the fix for that is to swap out the coil with a slightly shorter one - that should take about 5 minutes

Bravo l3oertjie.

 

[Shaggy63]

Looking pretty good.

 

[Nobodyatall]

It is bodaciously cool!


Psst.... Would you consider making one for money?

 

[Shaggy63]

Would there be any benefit from running two coils in one cart?

 

[KYFlyer67]

It is bodaciously cool!


Psst.... Would you consider making one for money?

I'd rather not at this point just because I'm not very familiar with it yet. Besides, I think l3oertjie should get first crack at any money-making since he designed/invented the thing.

 

[KYFlyer67]

Would there be any benefit from running two coils in one cart?

I think the 510 is too small for 2 coils. Maybe in a bigger atomizer... It's probably been tried.

 

[Nobodyatall]

It's the 'red glow is bad' that I don't understand, and what you do to avoid it. If I build a 2Ω coil and it glows, it's no good?

What our Boer comrade has done is to use the physical qualities (vaporization point) of one material (PG/VV) to protect another material (Coil) all the way to its connection points. You can boil water in a paper cup because the water absorbs the heat so quickly. Same concept, beautiful execution. It's an elegant solution.

There is an optimum power input for any given heating element configuration, beyond which it simply boils away the protective fluid and begins to overheat to no good effect. That extra power is wasted and will overheat the element (make it glow) and likely shorten the coil life. I've done a little work with this at a larger scale. Sadly, working at the SMT scale and smaller requires the use of large magnifiers and many bad words these days. There's definitely some work yet to be done to advance atty designs. Matching power input to a given design with a particular resistance for maximum vapor volume would seem to be only one. It's not just a simple case of more Watts=more vapor. Personally, I'm trying to find some workable method that isn't so damned small and that the average Joe or Josephine can fix quickly and easily should it run dry and fail.

 

[l3oertjie]

Bravo KY! it looks good my friend! But the burning question I have is how does the silica wick work? I think the coil replacement is now easy enough and certainly cost effective, but the wick is still my no. 1 challenge.

Nobodyatall, you have a very elegant way with words you know.... I guess your fingers are as thick as mine! Fortunately I do have a steady hand and good eyesight though.

Another thing KY, I'm not interested in making money, go ahead an make him one man - you are a lot closer that I - shipping costs will kill me if I try and make everyone a demo unit all the way from Africa!

 

[l3oertjie]

Last 2 pics from my build...

pic7 - Completed build fully assembled - looks like any other 510. Looks can be deceptive.

Another thing KY, I never mentioned that in the first few "how to" posts. My first prototype also made use of the standard atty casing sleeve. The one I'm using now is about 10mm longer and the juice holding capacity is also better off course. With the standard sleeve I could only manage to get about 14 drop of e-juice in there - I can now easily get about 20 to 25 drops per fill. Hence the use of an old battery casing. It is off course so easy to refill that it doesn't really matter. personal choice I guess...

 

[KYFlyer67]

Bravo KY! it looks good my friend! But the burning question I have is how does the silica wick work? I think the coil replacement is now easy enough and certainly cost effective, but the wick is still my no. 1 challenge.

Nobodyatall, you have a very elegant way with words you know.... I guess your fingers are as thick as mine! Fortunately I do have a steady hand and good eyesight though.

Another thing KY, I'm not interested in making money, go ahead an make him one man - you are a lot closer that I - shipping costs will kill me if I try and make everyone a demo unit all the way from Africa!

The silica wick works very well. I'm curious how long it will last before it degrades. I'll let you know how it goes. I suspect your braided sleeves hold up better over time than the silica wicks will.

 

[KYFlyer67]

Bravo KY! it looks good my friend! But the burning question I have is how does the silica wick work? I think the coil replacement is now easy enough and certainly cost effective, but the wick is still my no. 1 challenge.

Nobodyatall, you have a very elegant way with words you know.... I guess your fingers are as thick as mine! Fortunately I do have a steady hand and good eyesight though.

Another thing KY, I'm not interested in making money, go ahead an make him one man - you are a lot closer that I - shipping costs will kill me if I try and make everyone a demo unit all the way from Africa!

This leads me to an interesting thought. Your design is "bottom-fed", like a cartomizer. I say that because the wick is fed below the coil. An atomizer on the other hand is top-fed - the wick is fed from above the coil. I think your design could easily be modified to be top-fed. I was thinking of trying it like this: First, leave out the foam plugs because there will be nothing to leak out. Form a small section of wire into a "C" shape, so that it will fit tightly inside the atomizer tube. Wrap the "C" shaped wire with silica strands, then push it into the atomizer tube just above the coil. Use the "blue foam" mod on a cartridge and cut the blue foam so it sticks out a little. When you put the cartridge in the atomizer, the saturated blue foam should meet the silica wick. In this setup it might be better to form the nichrome into a zig-zag instead of a coil. I think the bottom-fed design works very well - this is just another option I want to try. There are a number of advantages to the bottom-fed design. A couple of advantages to the top-fed design are: The liquid isn't exposed to copper/brass & epoxy; The wick can be swapped out separately from the coil.

 

[l3oertjie]

This leads me to an interesting thought....

KY, I think that is a great idea - develop one for us now! I want want too please.... If I understand your idea correctly it would be similar to WillyB's post #16 in this thread? (Greencig style) http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...2-atomizer-cartomizer-life-2.html#post1877561

Can you make a sketch of your idea KY?

 

[KYFlyer67]

KY, I think that is a great idea - develop one for us now! I want want too please.... If I understand your idea correctly it would be similar to WillyB's post #16 in this thread? (Greencig style) http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...2-atomizer-cartomizer-life-2.html#post1877561

Can you make a sketch of your idea KY?

I'll have to get back to you on the sketch. It's a little different than #16. In this mod, the wick is in the shape of a flat disk - silica strands wrapped around a c-shaped wire. You push the disk into the atomizer until it's sitting on top of the nichrome coil. Then either drip into the wick or feed it with cart/filler.

I've tried it (as of a few minutes ago) and it works great - sort of... Great vapor and TH, but a problem with leaking. Extra liquid is dripping right down the center tube. The design will need to be altered slightly for this to work well. Probably the thing to do will be to cap the top of the center tube and cut holes/slits near the top of it.

 

[l3oertjie]

I was worried about exactly that.... There has to be a roundabout - so to speak....

 

[asdaq]

l3oertjie, I like the design of this, it's simple, easy to service, and uses no filler. What keeps the juice from leaking from the reservoir down the capillary tube and out the vent holes? Or is there no 'pool' of juice as I imagine??

 

[l3oertjie]

l3oertjie, I like the design of this, it's simple, easy to service, and uses no filler. What keeps the juice from leaking from the reservoir down the capillary tube and out the vent holes? Or is there no 'pool' of juice as I imagine??

Hi Asdaq, the liquid fill should be just below the top of the capillary tube. At the moment I just wind the wick around the tube's top to form a "wick plug" It works pretty good. I am hower busy making a silicone cap to fit over the tube assebly that would prevent accidental leakage. I do antisipate more tedious filling of the cart - but then it takes about 25 drops and lasts long between fills.

 

[WillyB]

Hi Asdaq, the liquid fill should be just below the top of the capillary tube. At the moment I just wind the wick around the tube's top to form a "wick plug" It works pretty good. I am hower busy making a silicone cap to fit over the tube assebly that would prevent accidental leakage. I do antisipate more tedious filling of the cart - but then it takes about 25 drops and lasts long between fills.

Aren't you still doing this?

That seems to be more than enough (the foam slug size can be fined tuned). Making/installing/removing/re-installing a silicone plug that makes for more "more tedious filling" , why?

When I see all the finagling and modding and needle aiming those silicone capped E2 cartos need, I know they ain't made for me.

Are you actually having real problems with normal use? Adding complexity to cover some imagined/possible problem is seldom needed.

If it ain't broke, why 'fix' it.

Is it broke?

 

[asdaq]

Could a longer wick be coiled around further to fulfill the role of filler too? Perhaps not the entire space, but say half?

 

[l3oertjie]

Could a longer wick be coiled around further to fulfill the role of filler too? Perhaps not the entire space, but say half?

That is more or less what I'm doing Asdaq. Very loosely wrapped wick right near the top of the tube. Willy, you are actually right my friend. Why bother fiddling if it works so good? And no, it aint broke.... I did however have some leakage a few days ago when I carried the cig upside down in my pocket. I thought that a silicone plug on top woul prevent that from happening again. Wasn't too bad, but I guess you will always be able to find a fault or shortcoming somewhere in any design. Think I will sit back for a while and just enjoy this lill atty. Given enough time, someone will no doubt add some valuable ideas that could make it better.

 

[asdaq]

If you use a dummy cart as a mouthpiece, it actually has a 2~3mm tube at the hole that extends inwards and makes it hard for juice to leak or splatter out. If you insist on carrying upside down that is

But, have you had any leakage down the capillary tube and out the vent holes?