Gotvapes Stardust: How to re-wick and replace the coil

[RockinRobbieSF]

I get a bad taste with the kanthal if I just use it off the spool. But if I run a flame over it until it turns red and then wash it, I don't get that taste (not sure if that's the iron taste you mean). That said, you've made me curious about the N80!

 

[nicotime]

I get a bad taste with the kanthal if I just use it off the spool. But if I run a flame over it until it turns red and then wash it, I don't get that taste (not sure if that's the iron taste you mean). That said, you've made me curious about the N80!

No...thats the machining oil that burns off first...I get a metallic taste all the time. Kanthal is about 70% iron after all. Some people may be more sensitive to the high nickle content of the nichrome too...so you have to go with what works for you.

 

[vapspaz]

When it comes to gunking up from your juice does one (nichrome vs. Kanthal) perform better than the other?
Also, If I went with the N80 what gage should I use if I want something in the 2.4 to 2.6 range?

thanks!

 

[nicotime]

When it comes to gunking up from your juice does one (nichrome vs. Kanthal) perform better than the other?
Also, If I went with the N80 what gage should I use if I want something in the 2.4 to 2.6 range?

thanks!

The gunk will be determined by your juice and how hot you run the coil...the material of the coil has nothing to do with it. 32ga is a good size for that range.

 

[vapspaz]

Cool thanks. I based that gunk question on the fact that I use the same juice 24/7/365 but have noticed that some E2 type carto's gunk up faster than others even though everything else is the same. I have also noticed this change after cleaning and dry burning. After the cleaning process some coils seem to gunk up faster and I have always assumed that the coil materials must be different.

Could this be caused by how tight the coils are on the wick? I've seen this fluctuate a lot from one to the next.

Thaks again for the feed back.

 

[zoiDman]

...

Could this be caused by how tight the coils are on the wick? I've seen this fluctuate a lot from one to the next.

Thaks again for the feed back.

I think it can.

Remeber when the CE2 Rev"3.x" come out? The "Big" improvement was supposed to be "Loozer Coils".

 

[nicotime]

Cool thanks. I based that gunk question on the fact that I use the same juice 24/7/365 but have noticed that some E2 type carto's gunk up faster than others even though everything else is the same. I have also noticed this change after cleaning and dry burning. After the cleaning process some coils seem to gunk up faster and I have always assumed that the coil materials must be different.

Could this be caused by how tight the coils are on the wick? I've seen this fluctuate a lot from one to the next.

Thaks again for the feed back.

Yeah the efficiency of the E2's are hit and miss from my experience. A small tight coil and wick will tend to put a lot of heat in a small area...so it will carbonize the juice faster...and not flow as well. Take a bad one apart and you will see the wick has been fused solid. The darker your juice is the more gunk you will have also...it has more non-volatile solids (flavorings and such) in it that the wick filters out then burns. When I used them I always pulsed the button so the coil would never get red hot...it helped a little.

 

[nicotime]

I think it can.

Remeber when the CE2 Rev"3.x" come out? The "Big" improvement was supposed to be "Loozer Coils".

Was the before or after the latest and greatest version zoid?? I still have about 50 of the 3.75 versions sitting in a box yet untouched!

 

[RockinRobbieSF]

Ok, just used 32g kanthal for 5 wraps (on two tanks) and compared to 4 wraps (on two tanks).

As measured on a Provari:
5 wraps: 2.1, 2.2
4 wraps: 1.8, 1.9

 

[vapspaz]

Remeber when the CE2 Rev"3.x" come out? The "Big" improvement was supposed to be "Loozer Coils".

LOL "loozer coils" sadly yes I do remember them.

Ok, just used 32g kanthal for 5 wraps (on two tanks) and compared to 4 wraps (on two tanks).

As measured on a Provari:
5 wraps: 2.1, 2.2
4 wraps: 1.8, 1.9

That's some good info Robbie. Thanks

I just ordered 10 ft each of 32, 34 and 36ga N80. That should cover all my options and last me a few decades. LOL

Now for my next question. Someplace I saw some discussions on different wick materials. What material is most everyone happy with?

 

[zoiDman]

LOL "loozer coils" sadly yes I do remember them.

...

I still have all the e-Mails I got from RS. Some of the "Englesh" in them is Hysterical.

I don’t know about you but I was amazed how small of a space 30 feet of this wire Actually takes up.

I was expecting a Bulging mass of wire wound up around a card. When I first looked at it, it didn’t even look like it was Two layers thick.

 

[RockinRobbieSF]

LOL "loozer coils" sadly yes I do remember them.
Now for my next question. Someplace I saw some discussions on different wick materials. What material is most everyone happy with?

Thread on wicks: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modding-forum/262201-mcmaster-wicks.html

I got some wick from COV (for iatty supplies) which was cheap but they were a lot thinner than I was expecting--you pretty much have use two (maybe three) to get the right thickness. I'd love to find a place that would sell the thick wicks like you get in a stone tank (if anyone knows, please share!). Of course, if you have a lot of old CE2s, just repurpose those wicks!

If you go with McMaster, get the LOOSELY twisted ceramic (McMaster-Carr), don't get what I got. It's relatively expensive ($20) but you get a ton of it. I hear some people like Nextel sleeving (Nextel Braided Ceramic Very High Temperature Sleeving) and some people hate it.

Finding wick you like is a lot more difficult than getting the wire!

 

[vapspaz]

Yup. I can see this is going to take a little reading and research. lol I was just reading this old thread from last summer and it gets a little scary toward the end of the thread before it died.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/gg/205889-wicks-iatty-37.html

 

[zoiDman]

I bought this wick matertial ...

New Odysseus Wick

It's about the same Diameter and Density as a New Version CE2 wick, about 2mm. It's supposed to be Thicker than the iAtty wick.

I haven't used it yet because I am waiting on my Stardusts to arrive.

 

[vapspaz]

Yeah! I know ya wick hog! lol I tried to order some the same day you guys did but they were sold out and still are. lol

 

[nicotime]

Wick is the easy part....if you want nice straight wick that doesnt have a lot of flyaway fibers and is not a nightmare to unwind...look for silica sleeving...not rope. You can gather as many strands as you want to make a thick or thin wick. Two feet of this will give you enough wick for hundreds of attys. You can see what I use in this thread and how it looks. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...15-i-call-my-mod-warning-graphic-intense.html ... and the link.... http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT2?PMAKA=31951064

It literally unwinds itself when I boil it to clean and sterilize it...which everyone should be doing with anything from McMasters or MSC...or anywhere else for that matter. This stuff is not intended for use around something thats going in the human body so you should prepare it for that.

 

[RockinRobbieSF]

Wick is the easy part....if you want nice straight wick that doesnt have a lot of flyaway fibers and is not a nightmare to unwind...look for silica sleeving...not rope. You can gather as many strands as you want to make a thick or thin wick. Two feet of this will give you enough wick for hundreds of attys. You can see what I use in this thread and how it looks. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...15-i-call-my-mod-warning-graphic-intense.html ... and the link.... http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT2?PMAKA=31951064

It literally unwinds itself when I boil it to clean and sterilize it...which everyone should be doing with anything from McMasters or MSC...or anywhere else for that matter. This stuff is not intended for use around something thats going in the human body so you should prepare it for that.

Thanks! I need to start boiling my McMasters!!!

 

[vapspaz]

Wow! I gotta crawl out of my hole and look around in here more. LOL I never saw that thread before. You did a great job on the photo's too! I'll need a little more time to read through that thread but I like what I just saw and read so far. Thanks!

 

[Big Screen D]

Just a heads up for those that have been wanting to try these. Litecigusa has them in stock for the time being.

 

[Big Screen D]

I still have all the e-Mails I got from RS. Some of the "Englesh" in them is Hysterical.

I don’t know about you but I was amazed how small of a space 30 feet of this wire Actually takes up.

I was expecting a Bulging mass of wire wound up around a card. When I first looked at it, it didn’t even look like it was Two layers thick.

That is the same wick material I bought as well. It looks the same diameter as the stock wick to my eye.

Try making one with stacked wicks. Stardust on steroids!