Serpent SMM - Leak

[Daniel Lucas]

Hi Everyone,

I bought a Serpent SMM and I´m facing 2 issues:

1 - Leak at the AIRFLOW
2 - A lot of condensation

I´ve been trying various wicks and still not success.
Im putting the photos of my wicks, can you help me in how to wick in the right manner?
How can I measure the cotton to put? The cotton needs to be tight at the coil? In the first try I put much cotton I thing because the coil moved when I insert the cotton.
In the second try the cotton was inserted easily.

Thanks a lot.

Daniel


This is the LEAK
Condensation

First wick try

Second Wick Try

 

[Tonee N]

That looks like you're getting spitback through the AFC.(weird I know, it's just like flooding)
I want to say that the well isn't soaking up the liquid quick enough from having a bit too much wick going into the well.
Just my observation.
Hth




Sent from the future

 

[MrStik]

How tight is the wicking? I find that when it is looser, you can get overwicking to the coil and juice getting into the air flow holes. The only times I get flooding and possible leakage is when I try to refill when the tank is not quite empty. The opening of the top cap seems to cause suction and pulls more juice into the deck since the tank does not have juice control. But when I run it close to empty, I can without flooding the coil. But when the coil floods, I just vape on it until it burns off the excess flooded juice. But 90% of the time, I fill after I don't see juice through the glass and it works fine for me.

The condensation is coming from the residual vape from the the coil. Most people will stop inhaling once they stop pressing the fire button. But with these exotic coils, they ramp down slow, meaning the coil still heats up the juice for a second or so after releasing the fire button. I have heard some vapers releasing the button a split second before they are done with their pull. I just wipe away the condensation.

 

[ScottP]

The condensation is coming from the residual vape from the the coil. Most people will stop inhaling once they stop pressing the fire button. But with these exotic coils, they ramp down slow, meaning the coil still heats up the juice for a second or so after releasing the fire button. I have heard some vapers releasing the button a split second before they are done with their pull. I just wipe away the condensation.

I have noticed that with multiple tanks and like you said with more exotic coils as well. When I am done vaping for a bit and before I set the device down, I will take a few "puffs" without even pressing the button until vapor stops coming out and the coil has cooled.

 

[Walee]

I have three thoughts. May be applicable, may not be.

I found the SMM to be a bit finiky about how much cotton is in the hole at the bottom of the deck. I had to put a fair amount in there and leave. I do leave the ends dangling in the liquid as you did.

I can't see the cotton over the airflow under the center of the coil. I had to keep the cotton away from the airflow holes.

I get the condensation you are showing. I use fused SS Claptons. As per above the cool slowly. I live with it.

 

[hat.jr]

I've had my Serpent SMM for a month and a half, and I enjoy using it, but it always leaks condensation from the afc and there is almost always a pool of e-liquid under the base of the tank on top of the mod surrounding the 510 pin. I'm using a 6 wrap 26awg SS coil and 50/50 liquid usually using temp control around 420 degrees F. I subscribe to the Goldilocks' theory of cotton wicking - not too much and not too little, but "just right". The tank fits together nicely, and I've replaced all the 0-rings even though they all appeared to be fine, but the tank continues to leak. Interestingly, I see posts all the time from users stating that their Serpent SMM doesn't leak a drop. I don't understand it.

 

[Betrayer]

They don't leak if you build them right, they just condensate like crazy. I have 3 of them, since they it came out, and every single one is making condensation like crazy. It's because of what @MrStik said:

"The condensation is coming from the residual vape from the the coil. Most people will stop inhaling once they stop pressing the fire button. But with these exotic coils, they ramp down slow, meaning the coil still heats up the juice for a second or so after releasing the fire button. I have heard some vapers releasing the button a split second before they are done with their pull. I just wipe away the condensation."

And because I always, first, exhale through the atomizer and then start to inhale. That will also help you get tons of condensation.

 

[fifamymaingame]

My old ammit leaks from air flow and 510 tried so many wicks never fixed it

As far has cutting the right cotton

Take the inner diameter of the coil

Take a ruler look at the centimeter and milimiter part

So double the coil id so my coil is 3mm double that so I need 6 mm of cotton

Now you will see 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc on the ruler that's the centimeter part look at the notches the big ones 5 take cotton line it up cut it there

Hope makes sense I'm mad tired

Watch every Smm video you can

 

[Daniel Lucas]

How tight is the wicking? I find that when it is looser, you can get overwicking to the coil and juice getting into the air flow holes. The only times I get flooding and possible leakage is when I try to refill when the tank is not quite empty. The opening of the top cap seems to cause suction and pulls more juice into the deck since the tank does not have juice control. But when I run it close to empty, I can without flooding the coil. But when the coil floods, I just vape on it until it burns off the excess flooded juice. But 90% of the time, I fill after I don't see juice through the glass and it works fine for me.

The condensation is coming from the residual vape from the the coil. Most people will stop inhaling once they stop pressing the fire button. But with these exotic coils, they ramp down slow, meaning the coil still heats up the juice for a second or so after releasing the fire button. I have heard some vapers releasing the button a split second before they are done with their pull. I just wipe away the condensation.

I tried some wicks! One of them was much loose, the last before the actual is too tight that the coil move when I put the cotton, and the actual is just right I think so (I dont have too much experience in Wick LOL).
This tip about fill the tank when you don´t see juice through the glass is quite good, I did´nt try before and I will try this time!
I´m using a 65/35 VG/PG liquid and is summer here in Brazil, maybe I need to try some juice with 80/20? Makes sense?
About the condensation I´m doing this to release the button for a second and still puffing. Let´s see if changes something.
Thanks a lot!
Daniel

 

[Daniel Lucas]

I have noticed that with multiple tanks and like you said with more exotic coils as well. When I am done vaping for a bit and before I set the device down, I will take a few "puffs" without even pressing the button until vapor stops coming out and the coil has cooled.

This exotic coils takes some time to cool. Whats is the difference between a normal coil to these coils? Makes a lot of difference when puffing? What you think?
Thanks a lot!

 

[Daniel Lucas]

I've had my Serpent SMM for a month and a half, and I enjoy using it, but it always leaks condensation from the afc and there is almost always a pool of e-liquid under the base of the tank on top of the mod surrounding the 510 pin. I'm using a 6 wrap 26awg SS coil and 50/50 liquid usually using temp control around 420 degrees F. I subscribe to the Goldilocks' theory of cotton wicking - not too much and not too little, but "just right". The tank fits together nicely, and I've replaced all the 0-rings even though they all appeared to be fine, but the tank continues to leak. Interestingly, I see posts all the time from users stating that their Serpent SMM doesn't leak a drop. I don't understand it.

Yes, today I removed the tank and I see a lot of liquid between the Tank and the MOD, it´s sucks. I need to remove the tank every day to clean up.
Which atomizer are you using now?

 

[Daniel Lucas]

They don't leak if you build them right, they just condensate like crazy. I have 3 of them, since they it came out, and every single one is making condensation like crazy. It's because of what @MrStik said:

"The condensation is coming from the residual vape from the the coil. Most people will stop inhaling once they stop pressing the fire button. But with these exotic coils, they ramp down slow, meaning the coil still heats up the juice for a second or so after releasing the fire button. I have heard some vapers releasing the button a split second before they are done with their pull. I just wipe away the condensation."

And because I always, first, exhale through the atomizer and then start to inhale. That will also help you get tons of condensation.

I´m using this technique to keep puffing after release the fire button, but it´s suck. Do you still using the serpent or using another atomizer?

 

[Daniel Lucas]

My old ammit leaks from air flow and 510 tried so many wicks never fixed it

As far has cutting the right cotton

Take the inner diameter of the coil

Take a ruler look at the centimeter and milimiter part

So double the coil id so my coil is 3mm double that so I need 6 mm of cotton

Now you will see 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc on the ruler that's the centimeter part look at the notches the big ones 5 take cotton line it up cut it there

Hope makes sense I'm mad tired

Watch every Smm video you can

This is a very good tip about the ruler, I will try in the next wick. Thank you so much!
Also, I watched every video in youtube about the Serpent SMM, but the problem is, after the wick the juice takes some time to leak, so the guys don´t see the leak in the video because they just wick and puff. As I said, sometime the leak takes about 3 hours to shows up LOL.
But let me try some wicks and get more experience, maybe the proportion 65/35 juice needs to be changed to 80/20 VG/PG.
Thanks again!
Daniel

 

[fifamymaingame]

You will get some condensation if you blow out even then might get some just cuz some vapor stays in after a hit my reload sometime leaks if the wick isn't expanded or long enough when I mess with the air flow i see some in my reload but yeah I get what you mean with 510 leaking sucks

 

[stols001]

I hope you are able to get it resolved. I don't own that tank, and I really should since it's supposed to be easygoing, but this experience is making me leery, I need RTAs that are nice and forgiving with wicks, and leakage of that type drives me absolutely crazy.

Do you think there could be something going on with the center pin or connection?

Anna

 

[ScottP]

I have only had mine since yesterday, bu so far not a drop of leak or condensation. I used Koh Gen Do cotton and cut a strip about 28mm wide, removed the skins, rolled it and stuffed it in. Granted my sample time so far is still low but so far so good for me.

EDIT: I forgot to mention I am using a 4mm standard SS316L coil in TC mode.

 

[ScottP]

This exotic coils takes some time to cool. Whats is the difference between a normal coil to these coils? Makes a lot of difference when puffing? What you think?
Thanks a lot!

The primary difference between a standard coil and an exotic is mass. The more mass you have the more energy it takes to heat up and the longer it takes to cool down.

 

[MrStik]

I always wick my SMM with tight in the coil and I comb out the tails to thin them out. I cut the tails until there is enough to go into the wick holes. No need to have the tails go too far down the hole. I make sure that I can get 1 tip of my needle nose into the wick hole comfortably.

The only way I can see the SMM leaking is from overwicking. I use 2.5 to 3mm diameter coils. I can assume if you build your coils huge and if they are too close to the airflow, then some can wick over into the hole and cause leakage. IF I have to store my mod in the car, which I never recommend, store it upside down. In a hot car, the air inside the tank will expand and push the liquid into the deck and cause huge leaking problems.

Condensation is really a non issue. I just wipe it off whenever I see any. If you are using one of the coils that came with the tank, it is not a standard coil, so it does produce vapor after you are done firing. As a test, go ahead and take a good pull and then when you release the firing button just look at the tank.. you should notice vapor still coming out of the driptip and AFC.

 

[fifamymaingame]

Why 28mm of cotton? You only need double what the I'd is?

 

[ScottP]

Why 28mm of cotton? You only need double what the I'd is?

Watch the DJLsb review of this tank, with a 4mm coil he used a 30mm strip, I thought that was too much and used a bit less. 28 Still seems like a bit much to me, although it has been wicking fine with 0 leaks or condensation. My next build I will drop to 20mm and see what difference that makes.

If you are only using 2xID for cotton then maybe that just isn't enough and that is why the leaking issues?

Here is the video conveniently set to start right at the appropriate timestamp.