304 / 316 SS and TC

[jj6404]

I have ordered SS 316L, just waiting delivery. What interests me the most is that SS can be used in straight wattage mode and in TC. Sometimes I forget which wire I have in a particular atomizer. Am I correct to believe that if I forget if a atomizer has Kanthal or SS wire coils I will be safe just using it in a mod without TC?

Reasonably safe...

From my personal experience, it depends on how you built it and the wattage applied of course. SS has a lower resistance than Kanthal so your similar-sized builds will be lower resistance and inherently hit harder and hotter on a mech mod. An important thing to note is that if you don't dry-burn your SS (which many people don't especially when using in TC), you may get hot legs or hot spots and warp your coil and/or get dry hits if hitting it at an improper wattage without TC. My favorite SS build to use in TC mode so far is a 24g spaced dual coil build and one time I was using it on a DNA200 on a TC profile and accidentally switched profiles to one with TC but with a much hotter preheat. Just the 1 second preheat at that higher wattage on one hit oxidized one of the legs on my build and warped my coil.

 

[sketch804]

What gauge are most people getting here? I am waiting on 28g 316 ss but is that really a good choice? I figured since most of my kanthal builds use 28g why not get the same in ss..hopefully it'll work out well. Thanks all for the great info here!

 

[Eric Auer]

SS430 is pretty good stuff.

I use it in TC, Regulated and Mech mods.

28AWG

For me, I see no reason to have any other wire atm.

SS430 is just so simple and easy.

And I like that in my life.

Eric

 

[NHXJer]

^ Agree with Eric 100%

 

[jj6404]

SS430 is pretty good stuff.

I use it in TC, Regulated and Mech mods.

28AWG

For me, I see no reason to have any other wire atm.

SS430 is just so simple and easy.

And I like that in my life.

Eric

In what ways is it better than 316L? What I'm particularly interested in is its accuracy and stability with the DNA 200. I've seen maybe a dozen CSV files for SS316 and a couple for SS304 but none for 430. I feel that the popularity of 316 motivates more people to program curves and do tests with it.

 

[zoiDman]

What gauge are most people getting here? I am waiting on 28g 316 ss but is that really a good choice? I figured since most of my kanthal builds use 28g why not get the same in ss..hopefully it'll work out well. Thanks all for the great info here!

I think you are going to need to Increase the Amount of Wraps to get the same Ohms as you did when using Kanthal 28g.

Here is a Good Site to do "What If's"....

Coil wrapping | Steam Engine | free vaping calculators

BTW - Congratulations on Winning one of those eVic VTC Mini's. That looks like a Very Cool Mod.

 

[sketch804]

Thanks very much! I can't wait to try that mod out, looks nice. Eh I'm not to concerned about ohm numbers as long as it does its job. So far not but so impressed with 316ss, no real wow factor yet. Seems like kanthal but had a bit more spring when you twist it. Only time will tell if it was a good choice, I need to run a few different juices through it 1st.

 

[jefx]

I've gotta say, I really enjoyed the back and forth discussion between jj6404 and froth in this thread. Thank you both for providing thoughts and information on the safety of vaping wire.

I have been using the VTC Mini since it came out and the latest firmware update has a SS function. It's a great little TC mod and Joyetech's commitment to upgrading it makes it even more valuable. The new SS feature is what brought me to this thread as I'm considering making a switch from titanium to SS for increased safety reasons.

Although titanium seems relatively safe from what I've read, it appears SS may be even safer,.... correct?

 

[jj6404]

I've gotta say, I really enjoyed the back and forth discussion between jj6404 and froth in this thread. Thank you both for providing thoughts and information on the safety of vaping wire.

I have been using the VTC Mini since it came out and the latest firmware update has a SS function. It's a great little TC mod and Joyetech's commitment to upgrading it makes it even more valuable. The new SS feature is what brought me to this thread as I'm considering making a switch from titanium to SS for increased safety reasons.

Although titanium seems relatively safe from what I've read, it appears SS may be even safer,.... correct?

Actually, no, lol. David Jaquith is a pretty knowledgeable and active guy on the Evolv forums and he taught me alot. I thought same as you initially but it turns out that, if used correctly of course considering both materials, titanium is the cleanest material used for vaping right now. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by safe though... Titanium is cleaner than SS. They are both biocompatible. SS right now has such a huge variance in alloy composition because of the way it is graded. This results in the least stability and consistency in temp control. Titanium if it is grade 1, it's grade 1, and is the second most stable and consistent and reliable vape in temp control next to nickel, which as the community is finally learning, I hope, is not safe to vape. With that being said I have half of my rdas with Ti builds and the other with SS. I like both.

So yeah, what do you mean increased safety reasons with SS versus titanium? I'll tell you one thing, every grade of SS has a different TCR and they vary pretty significantly. Because of the poor standardization of SS manufacturing and labeling, TCRs can vary even within the same grade bought from two different manufacturers. This is why I have 5 out of my 8 profiles on my DNA200 as 5 different SS TCR files. The evic mini, which I also own, has a "SS mode" but who knows what grade of SS it is programmed for? 304? 316? 430? And even if we knew what it was set to, without the ability to adjust it's TCR, you just have to hope for the best. The 5 SS profiles on my DNA200 are all for 316 and they all behave differently.

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[jefx]

By safer, I mean a lower chance to cause negative health effects.

I never liked the idea of using Kanthal, due to it's composition including aluminum. I used it anyway because I liked the idea of nickel wire even less. I've never used nickel because that just sounds crazy to me.

I've been using titanium gr1 for a while now and I really like it, but I'm always open to try something else as better info comes along.

I'm interested in the safest possible vaping wire. I saw a chart that graded the common vaping wires according to safety, with SS being #1, titanium being #3, and nickel being last. However, I'm unable to find that chart again to investigate it's source further.

In my uneducated presumptuous opinion, I always thought (perhaps incorrectly) that the safest wires for vaping (if they would even work) would be:
gold
titanium
stainless steel
and possibly platinum

However, I'm no scientist.

 

[jj6404]

By safer, I mean a lower chance to cause negative health effects.

I never liked the idea of using Kanthal, due to it's composition including aluminum. I used it anyway because I liked the idea of nickel wire even less. I've never used nickel because that just sounds crazy to me.

I've been using titanium gr1 for a while now and I really like it, but I'm always open to try something else as better info comes along.

I'm interested in the safest possible vaping wire. I saw a chart that graded the common vaping wires according to safety, with SS being #1, titanium being #3, and nickel being last. However, I'm unable to find that chart again to investigate it's source further.

In my uneducated presumptuous opinion, I always thought (perhaps incorrectly) that the safest wires for vaping (if they would even work) would be:
gold
titanium
stainless steel
and possibly platinum

However, I'm no scientist.

I think I read that same list. Did you read why titanium was 3? It was rated 3 solely because of the potential formation of Ti oxide, a potential carcinogen, which only happens if you misuse it without temp control... SS is an alloy with nickel and iron in it. SS misused can form hexavalent chromium, a KNOWN carcinogen, if overheated as well. Used correctly, titanium grade 1 is clean and even if it were to leach it would leach titanium which is biocompatible and non-toxic to humans. Just make sure you build and use it correctly with a good TC device and I believe Ti is the safest material health-wise in vaping today.


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[jefx]

Do you have any idea what the foul taste is that comes from a fresh un-pulsed titanium coil? I have washed Ti wire with soap and water, and alcohol before use, but it always tastes very bad for the first couple MLs of juice.

I've even tried (so called) vape specific ti wire that is supposed to be steam cleaned and whatnot before packaged. But they all taste bad at first.

my solution is light pulsing at 10 watts in a dark room to burn off what ever causes the bad taste.

What the heck is that?

 

[Phone Guy]

So I got some 316L off ebay, 28g, very high in ohms. I installed the 316L .csv file from steam engine on my dna200, not having good luck keeping it in TC mode...always wants to jump back to straight power mode.

Trying twisting 2 strands earier, 5-6 wraps on 3mm gave me about 0.5ohm, but as soon as I test fired it, it deformed the coil badly. Getting frustrated.

 

[jj6404]

So I got some 316L off ebay, 28g, very high in ohms. I installed the 316L .csv file from steam engine on my dna200, not having good luck keeping it in TC mode...always wants to jump back to straight power mode.

Trying twisting 2 strands earier, 5-6 wraps on 3mm gave me about 0.5ohm, but as soon as I test fired it, it deformed the coil badly. Getting frustrated.

F the Steam Engine SS CSV files. You need to use David Jaquith's Files. Are you a member of the DNA Early Adopters Forum? I have 3 of Jaquith's SS CSVs as profiles on my DNA200 right now: one for my TM atty with 24g SS when I want it hot and fast, one for a smoother vape, and one for my Crown.

I tried to upload them on here for you but it won't let me. Just go look at the DNA forums. He's very active on there.

 

[jj6404]

Do you have any idea what the foul taste is that comes from a fresh un-pulsed titanium coil? I have washed Ti wire with soap and water, and alcohol before use, but it always tastes very bad for the first couple MLs of juice.

I've even tried (so called) vape specific ti wire that is supposed to be steam cleaned and whatnot before packaged. But they all taste bad at first.

my solution is light pulsing at 10 watts in a dark room to burn off what ever causes the bad taste.

What the heck is that?

What Ti wire have you used?? I have no idea what you're talking about. I get no foul taste whatsoever from my Ti. Maybe it's the soap that you're vaping there buddy. I only wipe with alcohol and then a water-dampened paper towel before use. Clean, crisp flavor every time. No hint of anything else. Lightning Vapes Ti Grade 1 btw.

 

[Phone Guy]

F the Steam Engine SS CSV files. You need to use David Jaquith's Files. Are you a member of the DNA Early Adopters Forum? I have 3 of Jaquith's SS CSVs as profiles on my DNA200 right now: one for my TM atty with 24g SS when I want it hot and fast, one for a smoother vape, and one for my Crown.

I tried to upload them on here for you but it won't let me. Just go look at the DNA forums. He's very active on there.

I'm not very active over there on the Evolv forum, but I'll look for sure. Thanks!

 

[jefx]

I've used the Ti grade 1 from Unkamen, and Sweet Spot Vapors Ti wire. The Unkamen has a black residue that comes off with alcohol cleaning. The SSV ti appears clean (no residue). I have tried soap and water THEN alcohol bath, and also JUST an alcohol bath. It's not soap I was experiencing. whatever it is, it only disappears after burning it off by pulsing the Ti wire until it turns blue.

 

[jj6404]

I've used the Ti grade 1 from Unkamen, and Sweet Spot Vapors Ti wire. The Unkamen has a black residue that comes off with alcohol cleaning. The SSV ti appears clean (no residue). I have tried soap and water THEN alcohol bath, and also JUST an alcohol bath. It's not soap I was experiencing. whatever it is, it only disappears after burning it off by pulsing the Ti wire until it turns blue.

I thought about buying this Unkamen wire because of all the talk about it, but after viewing the prices and reading your post, I think I'll stick with Lightning Vapes Ti1. It's about the same price and after I wipe aggressively with 90% isopropyl, there is barely any black or grey residue that ever comes off. And FYI, SSV Ti is not Grade 1. It's their own alloy that is rumored to be grade 2 or lower. This is why they have their own CSV file for their titanium wire and it doesn't work well with Steam Engine's Ti1 CSV. I definitely recommend you try Lightning Vapes Ti1. It's all I use and I never get a funky taste. I didn't even used to wash it after the alcohol wipe. Just alcohol wipe, wrap, wick, and vape.

 

[Phone Guy]

F the Steam Engine SS CSV files. You need to use David Jaquith's Files. Are you a member of the DNA Early Adopters Forum? I have 3 of Jaquith's SS CSVs as profiles on my DNA200 right now: one for my TM atty with 24g SS when I want it hot and fast, one for a smoother vape, and one for my Crown.

I tried to upload them on here for you but it won't let me. Just go look at the DNA forums. He's very active on there.

Just posting here for others who might be looking. These are made by David Jaquith and posted on the Evolv forum.

http://www.filedropper.com/udss316ltcprofiles

From there thread over on the Evolv fourm: SS316L Help - DNA 200 Early Adopters Forum

David Jaquith is the owner, creator of these files. He deserves any praise, credit, etc.. I'm simply posting for others who frequent here (ECF) more than Evolv...David's profile is: Jaquith - Viewing Profile - DNA 200 Early Adopters Forum

 

[LongDraw]

So based on page 3, a poster mentioned unkamensupplies carred 304 ss, i picked up 26, 28 and 30 gauge. Really good price, just wish they carred shorter lengths to see which would work best.

My sx mini ml should be comign in this weekend and wanted to try out temp control, usually use kanthal 26 or 28 gauge around .5 to 1.00 ohm, so hoping the guages i picked for ss will work. I am guessing 316L and 317L would work with the sx ml, but since a video I watched showed the 304 in the settings wanted to stick with that.

Thanks for the links and help. Any other thoughts using ss?