50% Fire rate on rebuilding PT2 tanks

[KILL_ROCK_STARS]

Good morning!
So I've been rebuilding for a couple of months now using pre-made wick/wires from PT. I get about 50% fire rate once built, and I'm trying to pinpoint what my problem is. My method is:
1. Place pre made wick/wire on seat and thread both wires in hole, 90 both wires in opposite directions.
2. Place insulator through 1 wire and attach to bottom of seat.
3. Clip wire excess on both.
4. Attach center pin.
5. Shift coil around with mini screwdriver to make sure it's center and not touching metal.

Am I clipping the wire too soon? I've seen youtube clips where people clip the wires after they attach the center pin, not before. I don't know anything about wiring and electrical, does the positive wire (the one going through the insulator) need to come in contact with the center pin? Is that why I'm getting a short because I'm cutting the wires prematurely? If not, any ideas?

Thanks for the help, it's great to have a resource like this.

Mike

 

[drunkenbatman]

What gauge of wire are you using, and at what ohm? And how old are the coils you're using? You're most likely getting a short, and for what it's worth I do these as microcoils and only have had issues with shorts when experimenting -- getting the wicking right is usually the issue.

Clipping the wires early could be causing it if it means the coils aren't really secure, but you could also just have too large of a coil too high. If there isn't enough tolerance, if the coil shifts when screwing it on it could touch the sides. If it's too large/high, the chimney could be making contact. If the insulators are sliding around, that could be helping let the coil slip, etc.

 

[KILL_ROCK_STARS]

I'm using 32 awg, 4 wick, 1.5ohm. On the 50% of the time it does work, I get a spot on 1.5, or 1.4/1.6 and they are great.

 

[Rsunderl]

Are you sure that when you put the center pin in after clipping the wires that you're not pushing the center wire up into the chimney? That's why you see folks clipping after putting the center pin in. If you clip after inserting the center pin, you are assured that the wire hasn't been dislocated by inserting the center pin.

 

[retired1]

Generally, when I rebuild Protank heads, I don't clip until the center pin is inserted and I'm happy with the coil location inside the head. It sounds to me as if you're getting shorts, which is why half of them don't fire.

Rather than purchasing "prebuilt" coils, I think you'll find that making them yourself is rather easy. I use a paper clip to wrap the coil and don't remove it until the coil has been set and insulator and center pin inserted.

 

[KILL_ROCK_STARS]

That makes total sense and I assume that could easily happen. So you are suggesting running the center pin through the wire first, then attaching and clipping?

How's lovely Silver Spring, MD? Born and raised in Gaithersburg, MD, now I'm in the seventh ring of hell Rochester NY with 18 inches of snow and 17 inches more coming.

 

[wheelie]

Put the bottom pin in then clip the wire. another note, I build my coil then I put it on a tattoo bar and it slides down the two slots and holds my coil center and always at the same spot. Perhaps you could poke a pin through the wick to hold premade coil inplace as I am not sure. No adjustment of coil necessary when I finish. I put my cotton wicks in after the coil is installed. Use a good wire and you only actually have to rewick 10 or so times before you have to change the coil. CHEERS!

I tried some precoiled coils from FastTech and they were garbage. I would try dry burning them and they would just pop.

 

[drunkenbatman]

I'm using 32 awg, 4 wick, 1.5ohm. On the 50% of the time it does work, I get a spot on 1.5, or 1.4/1.6 and they are great.

4-wick? Those aren't generally what are used for this, assuming it's the fasttech ones that's four 1mm wicks with the wire around them, as opposed to a single 2mm wick with the coil around it covered with a flavor wick, or single 3mm wick.

I'm not entirely sure it's the cause, but I have a feeling your chimney is making contact and causing a short, or something along those lines. You could test it by removing the chimney from a dud and seeing if it then fires, and if not raising it slightly -- but you just don't have much tolerance.

 

[Brandon David]

I'm betting you aren't clipping the leads short enough. They have to be almost flush or it will short. I had the same problem when I first started rebuilding my old t3s coils (same ones as the pt2).

 

[drunkenbatman]

Brandon has a good point, I just sort of assumed that was sorted since you were clipping before you had the pin in to have them be short, and was silly of me. If you aren't able to clip close enough, you can get pretty close and then file them down.

 

[Grimwald]

I'm betting you aren't clipping the leads short enough. They have to be almost flush or it will short. I had the same problem when I first started rebuilding my old t3s coils (same ones as the pt2).

This is my #1 error. ^^^^^ Usually I just get a blinking battery (ego type) if there is a short. You could also get an ohm's meter to check everything. No worries, they are very easy to use...no electrical experience necessary.

Yes the center pin has to come in contact with 1 wire...this is your positive connection. Don't clip the wires until you have everything set, then clip as close as possible.

 

[Rsunderl]

Silver Spring is a bit chilly right now. It's supposed to get down into the teens tonight.

 

[drunkenbatman]

Silver Spring is a bit chilly right now. It's supposed to get down into the teens tonight.

Ruh roh Rsunderl is drunk again and thinks he's txt'ing the inlaws while on ECF.

And yeah, I just got done walking home in the cold and snow. Shovel your walks people, I buy an extra dozen eggs just for the ones I pass who haven't.

 

[Marc411]

I learned a ton from this thread. It all about rebuilding your PT2.

They have good information on a vertical that adds a ton of flavor.

it's a long read but well worth the time.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/clearomizers/486794-protank-microcoil-discussion.html