Absolute best Protank head tips?

[MJTP]

Hey guys, I'm down to two more fresh heads. I'm letting my Protank sit in distilled water as we speak.

What are the best tips on getting my head to work?

-If I should dry burn for residue traces, should I soak my head in distilled water first, or simply dry burn it and watch for smoke vapor?
-I won't take out the flavor wicks because it has always led to leaking for me, but is it truly safe to add a drop or two of distilled water to my tank mix?
-About how full should I REALLY fill my tank?
-Should I pre-drip my wick? And if so, should I do it with the straight juice or try to somehow do it with a distilled water mix (the distilled water may have improved my situation on the last test....)
-If my wicks start to taste burnt, is there any dry burning method for fixing this?

Any other tips would be great!

 

[Christopherja]

Well, this is a comprehensive list of troubles, and I'm assuming that "dry hits" are your general problem?

1. Dry burning is best, I've found, when the wicks are slightly wet (from water) - but as long as you do it with short bursts, it shouldn't really matter either way; keep in mind though, that dry wicks/coils with no build-up will simply burn!

2. If you won't remove the flavour wicks, adding distilled water (in small amounts) does no harm - but I can't really see it helping with wicking.

3. Filling your tank all the way, half way, or 1/16th shouldn't really matter for bottom coil devices, like the Protank. Fill level probably isn't the issue.

4. Pre-Dripping might help, and it can be done with straight juice, or with a mix - but again, just the juice is sufficient.

5. If you're getting a burnt taste, it's usually either because of (a) insufficient wicking - not enough juice getting to the coil, or (b) sufficient build-up on the wicks - the latter of which can be usually be cleaned/dry-burned, &c.

Really, if you're having problems with gunky coils due to some particularly heavy juice, the best thing to do, IMHO, is to practice regular cleaning. After every tank, if possible. Regular washes/soaks really helps!

Hope this helps

 

[OlDogNewTricks]

You might want to have a look at Youtube. There are some really well done videos on how to maintain the heads. Also, buy spares. I went through a mess of them and they are too small for my huge finger to rebuild. I really don't use mine anymore anyway. Good luck and have fun!

 

[MJTP]

Well, these two new heads are new right out of the box, what type of tip should I do for them? Is it wise to soak them a minute then burn for any type of oil residue?

 

[cowboy6591]

Do a search for "Vertical microcoil" in the ecf forum search, There is a big discussion on the success of these vertical coils in Pro-II tanks and ego style carto-tanks as well. Supposidly they rock the [moderated] out of any setup, to me it looks like a lot of work.:-( Works like a carto, The air goes through the center of the coil and the wick is a cotton batting around the outside of the coil. I'm not sure on this one myself, [lazy], I have a protank-II that's collecting dust thanx to the infamous fussyness, leaks, dry hits with climate change. After my Reogrand and rm2 atty arrived I haven't toked on anything else.


QUOTE OF THE MOMENT; ""I went out and bought an Apple Computer; it had a worm in it"" [go figures].

 

[Txaggiesaunt]

I always clean all my gear in distilled vodka. Then dry burn. Good luck & VAPE ON

 

[Butters78]

Rebuild with either microcoils or mesh.

 

[InTheClouds]

I clean my coils often, about every other tankful. I use a pair of needle point tweezers to remove the flavor wicks (if I am using them, mostly I use 50/50 and get to many dry hits with the wicks) while holding the wicks with the tweezers I swish them in a tiny bowl of water then set them on a paper towel to absorb the water. Then I hold the coil under warm running water for a few second. Next I blot the part of the wicks that stick out the sides with paper towel. Put the coil back in the base. I then dry burn the coil with short pulses of the power button. If you are using flavor wicks, pick them up with the tweezers and put them back on top of the coil. Put the post back in. Add one drop of liquid to the exposed wick on each side. Fill tank, replace the base, good to go. I chain vape and my coils last for several weeks.

 

[firephly]

the video on the bottom of this page is excellent for teaching how to clean and dry burn
Care and Feeding of Clearomizers | Store Buy E-cigs E-Cigarettes E-liquids Online


She's using an evod tank in the video but the process is the same, I tried it last night following her instructions, it works

 

[Rickb119]

The problem with the Protank/Evod coils is that the wicks (both the coil and flavor) are too small. I would suggest learning how to recoil them. It's real easy and doesn't take long once you do a few. If I have my wire precut and torched, I can recoil one in about 5 minutes. At the very least I would recommend replacing the flavor wicks with cotton or hemp twine. I use cotton cooking twine that I got at Bed Bath and Beyond for $5. Boil it several times (and change the water each time) as it's not bleached. Or, get some white cotton yarn (Peaches and Crème I think) from Wal-Mart.

If you recoil with cotton (or hemp) you won't be able to dry burn. If you just replace just the flavor wick, you will be able to (after removing the flavor wick).

One more thing. When replacing the flavor wick you don't need to worry about placing tiny pieces in there "perfect". Just lay a long piece in, replace the stem and plastic cap and cut the excess off with some wire cutters or fingernail clippers.

 

[firephly]

The problem with the Protank/Evod coils is that the wicks (both the coil and flavor) are too small. I would suggest learning how to recoil them. It's real easy and doesn't take long once you do a few. If I have my wire precut and torched, I can recoil one in about 5 minutes. At the very least I would recommend replacing the flavor wicks with cotton or hemp twine. I use cotton cooking twine that I got at Bed Bath and Beyond for $5. Boil it several times (and change the water each time) as it's not bleached. Or, get some white cotton yarn (Peaches and Crème I think) from Wal-Mart.

If you recoil with cotton (or hemp) you won't be able to dry burn. If you just replace just the flavor wick, you will be able to (after removing the flavor wick).

One more thing. When replacing the flavor wick you don't need to worry about placing tiny pieces in there "perfect". Just lay a long piece in, replace the stem and plastic cap and cut the excess off with some wire cutters or fingernail clippers.

Do you know where to get the hemp? And also can you suggest a detailed video showing how to do this? Thanks!

 

[salemgold]

I boil mine for 20 minutes, soak in PGA or high proof vodka for several hours. Air dry.

 

[crxess]

New wick
Remove from packaging
Attach to base
Remove pipe from coil head
Fire battery in 3-5 second burst several times to burn off Contaminants and season coil - May smoke a little the first 2-3 times fired.
Place a drop of e-liquid on flavor wicks(Should soak right in)
Replace pipe on coil head and press into place.
Loosely set silicone cap to coil on pipe/coil - let upper pipe fully seat
Fill tank
Install base
Do 3-4 primer pulls
Test vape
If dry hit - do 3-4 more primer pulls
Test vape again
Vape lightly the first 1/2 tank on a new coil(no chain vape) to give wicks a chance to expand apart and maximize wicking

 

[Vwls]

You can rebuild (wrap your own coils) but they are tricky to get installed without shorts. Rip Trippers has a great YouTube video instructional on this. If you do manage to get a rebuilt coil in, cotton wicks very well in a Protank.

All that said, I have found that there are some liquids that simply don't wick well in a Protank no matter what you do. Even with a great rebuild and cotton, I have a 50/50 dark coffee juice that just burns every time after the first three hits in a Protank. If it's your juice that's the issue, it's time to move to a rebuildable dripping atomizer and save the thinner juices for your Protanks.

 

[Rickb119]

Do you know where to get the hemp? And also can you suggest a detailed video showing how to do this? Thanks!

Go to google and type in "hemp twine". Several places sell it. I'd advise boiling first and air dry. Here's a good video on the evod which uses the same coil as the Protank. The recoil part start at about 16:00 and will give you a basis to start with. A PBusardo Review All About The EVOD - Includes Recoiling - YouTube Personally, I do it a little different. I have a large needle (about 2mm) that I use to wrap my coil. I then use a bead threading needle (Hobby Lobby) to pull the cotton threads into the coil. Since I don't have the ability (or desire) to make a video, I'll try to explain.

The twine I use has 8 "threads". I cut a 4" piece and pull off 3 of those threads and set them aside. I take the 5 threads and thread them through the eye of the bead needle. I then thread the other end of the bead needle through the coil to pull the folded over, 10 threads into the coil. At this point I may have to separate the wires a little to make sure they're not touching. I then install the coil just like in the video. I use the remaining 3 threads (folded over to make 6) as the flavor wicks. Replace the stem, cut the excess, replace the plastic part and test the resistance on my Vamo. I get right around 2 ohms +/-.

I get no dry hits and no gurgling. Just great flavor! I started out using fewer strands and it kept gurgling so I went to the 10/6 and love it. Experiment a little and as always, YMMV.

 

[MJTP]

Honestly, my thing is I'm just nowhere near ready for rebuilding yet; I don't even have pliers in my home. The truth is I mainly chose the Protank II because of safety reasons; I'm very paranoid about plastics and glue, and that's it. Little bit because it's a bottom feeder too. I never wanted to rebuild anything. At this point, if someone wanted to recommend me a cheapo clearomizer that actually works like it's supposed to, I'd just go ahead and order that, and stay away from cinnamon vapes and stuff. I need some way to be able to taste my vapes without wasting $2 every minute. I'm going to go nuts if I can't hurry up and actually vape something; in all reality, this whole situation's making me very depressed, even a little suicidal to be frank because cigarettes have cost me so much health and sanity that for me, vaping was going to be a lifesaver. I know I love it because I'd practically have sex with a Blu disposable; even that junk satisfies me. But they're $10 and they last an hour... on light vaping. I just want something to work for once in my life! (My whole Blu kit, both batteries and the charger pack, died 6 days after buying, and all the cartos burnt up on it before that anyway.)

Also, for me, I believe distilled water actually did help my coffee juice quite a bit; the negative is that the extra H2O in the juice causes a lot of water condensation (not juice) on the battery pin. The water didn't completely rid my vape of a burnt taste though, so I'm not sure if it just didn't really work much or that my already possibly burned head was making it taste bad. I'm actually scared to try out the remaining two heads; I don't want to waste $4 and the only vaping method I have left for days if they're going to burn up in a second.

 

[peraspera]

Thick juices can certainly pose a wicking challenge but don't give up hope. There are ways they can be tamed.

Replace your Pro Tank's flavor wicks with with sterilized cotton ball cotton rather than cotton yarn. It wicks better. The cotton expands when it gets wet with juice so allow room for expansion when adding the flavor wick. If you use too much it will choke the wicking so just use enough to keep your Pro Tank from leaking. You can get the sterilized cotton ball material in rolls at any pharmacy.

When the cotton gets dirty just pitch and replace it as cotton can not be dry burned. Happily, the cotton ball material is dirt cheap.

You may still have to dilute a very thick juice with a couple of drops of distilled water per tank but it should wick.

If a lot of your juices are thick, you continue to have problems with wicking and don't want to build your own coils pick up a Vision Aurora BFT when they start appearing in the U.S. again. Check with Vapor Beast or Mad Vapes as they have both have Aurora's on order but it might be a couple of weeks before they get them.

The Aurora doesn't depend on wicking so it will work well with thick juices. You will need to squeeze a bottle to feed the atty rather than it auto feeding like your Pro Tank but it is very easy and quick to do. An added plus is that the Aurora will produce flavor noticeably superior to that you are getting from your Pro Tank.

Todd's review of the Vision Aurora BFT Kit

 

[mightymen]

I use a 16ga Blunt Tip Luer-Lock Needle 1.5" Cost $0.65 one time purchase; last for ever.

Coil my wire around about 5 or 6 turns (5 turns give me 1.9 ohm coil which I like) cut the legs about one inch, take it off the needle burn with lighter than put it back on needle. Grab some cotton(CVS swabs or Q-tip) cut a small piece roll it in my fingers insert cotton into needle with coil on then place on head secure it in hold the end of the cotton pull the needle out and trim any cotton with a nail clipper takes me 3 min from start to finish.

I came up idea of the needle when I got my first Pro-tank after using the Pro-tank I put my Nova and everything else in a draw don't use them anymore; took me five min to master it, hardest part of system is using right amount of cotton to thread into the needle.

Cost less than a penny to re-wick.
I have one roll of wire that I bought will last me my hole life same with the CVS cotton swabs and I always have Q-Tips in the house.

One of the best part of this system is when you need to re-wick pull old wick out dry burn and wash coil under water re wick using the needle, no need to make another coil my coils are like that bunny guy goes on on on on only reason to make a new coil if it shorts or I dry burn to long and wire breaks.

 

[mightymen]

Honestly, my thing is I'm just nowhere near ready for rebuilding yet; I don't even have pliers in my home.

Don't need pliers only a nail clipper nothing else. Look at my post #18
All you need to buy is wire which you can get on internet cotton I bet you got Q-tips in you house and a Blunt Tip Luer-Lock Needle on your next e-cig order pick one up.

Give it a try become a Master in the art of re-wicking and coiling. Grasshopper

 

[Dsim4]

amazes me how no one ever mentions the hot leg issue when rebuilding the protank heads. burns the grommet and you sure dont want to be smoking burning rubber.