Acrid Taste urgent help please

[VapexTwin]

Hi I'm new to the forum and I've been vaping 6 months. I've been enjoying the Billow V2 for the last 4.. up to 3 days ago when every juice just started tasting rank. It's not the juice. It's not even the wicks. When just the coils (after being fully torched) are pulsed - a smoke rises which stings the nose. I have taken it apart, cleaned with warm water, 99.9% alcohol. No 'O' rings appeared singed, but I've replaced them all anyway.

I thought maybe the juice was gathering between the +/- posts (billow deck quite small) or on top/in the grub screws and was burning, but I've scrubbed between each post, taken it apart to every component (including the + pin) and cleaned cleaned cleaned (interdental brushes handy there btw). I've a drop-in mod (kick2) in a mech (Super-T Precise ELA v2). This is making contact ok and is adjusting the power. I'm running 3.7v unprotected IMR with 1 ohm build (2 x 2ohm) and keeping it low at around 9 watts.

Can anyone help please? I can't get a decent puff without a hit of acrid smoke too. I'm ready to hit the fegs again. I'm back on the £2 clearos in the mean time, but my face is going to implode with the suction required there.

The billow was working fine for months (fantastic really). I can't find any advice on the internet re this at all. They all state it's the juice/new coils/new wicks/too much power etc but I've eliminated those. Possibly it's coming from deep inside/under the coils - but I'm totally stumped.

 

[Tagi]

I have no experience with that tank, but there is a version of the Veritas clone that the Cloner put a silicon insulator where PEEK is really needed. with this clone there are reports of a weird added taste from the silicone cooking in the heat but not flat out melting or even showing singe marks.

Edit - no need to torch the coils, just fire em til they glow from the mods power. You could possible be torching more then just the coil.

 

[Jwaterski]

Sorry, would help if I could but you've covered everything I would know to check.

 

[VapexTwin]

Thanks for that advice. I think you're on the right track. I'd no problems up to trying a sub ohm build recently and the taste has stayed, possibly from whacking up the wattage. I'm thinking that maybe the 'drop in/kick2' isn't making contact with the battery inner tube every time and it's then being bypassed and firing at the full 4.2v, rather than regulating this down to match the build. So the hotter resulting heat is making an internal part (where a peek insulator is maybe needed) - burn. The odd hit tastes normal.

I'm guessing. I'd like to know so it doesn't happen again no matter what my next atty is. Took ages to pick that one too.

 

[JeremyR]

Hey bud welcome to the forum, kinda wished you wouldn't have been rude. Posts usually get very quick responses but you have a wierd complicated problem.

So with no Wick the coil is smoking? Is it coming from The plastic insulator in the positive post??

If is silcone and got singed the taste will not go away.

Have you cleaned the coil and dry burned it then rewicked? Smoke will rise when you dry burn the gunk off. If it gets gunking it will taste burnt for good till cleaned. Your coils probably only last a week or two before they get bad and need maintenance.

Other wise this would be caused by a hot spot in the coil, an almost broken coil, a short, or touching the chamber wall making a short.

If a leg is loose it can get really hot.

Answer my first concern and we can continue to find your problem. Ecf will not fail you.

 

[VapexTwin]

That's good to know. No offense meant btw. (I suck way more - with this cheap clearo anyway). Yes even without wicks there is still a faint smoke, but it stings like heck. I took the chimney off (no coils) and tried and it's gone. The chimney has an 'O' ring at the top. Removed it and put the chimney back. Smoke gone, but 'O' ring is perfect. Smoke back with a new 'O' ring.
I'm wondering if I removed the ring (top of 2nd pic form left) and kept it upright if it would it leak/still work to get a decent puff. I still can't understand the issue though and that bugs me.
Thanks for any help. I'm a bear without a smoke.

 

[Bunnykiller]

of course we suck, we also inhale, and breathe deeply...

 

[JeremyR]

Ok if you leave the oring off the top it doesn't smoke? I'm trying to follow here. My first instinct says the coils are touching the chimney when your vaping causing a short. Leaving to oring off gives it just a little more room that it doesn't short... Adjust the coils.

Otherwise you burnt the insulator when subohming. But you would be able to smell the insulator, and see if it was when you have it apart.. Does the smoke smell or taste like plastic?

 

[VapexTwin]

This is sounding like good advice, yes although the 'smoke' is hardly visible it faintly smells like a tyre on a BBQ. It's more a sharp sting when I sniff it though than a smell. I've always worried that the coils touch the chimney as the deck is tiny (2mm wrap in and it's close) >1ohm there were no issues .

No hot spots/hot legs. Coils glow evenly from the middle, they are new but have been pulsed. The O ring is at the top of the chimney. I could understand a short, but would the current travel up to that ring and make it burn? I thought the chimney inside would be insulated maybe.

I have noticed that when wicked juiced and vaped, the acrid taste is ten times worse. Your kind advice has me wondering if the wicks are pushing the coils out even further into the chimney. I'll try another set. A tiny set.

(err just noticed you guys are not all in the UK and were probably then sleeping when I wrote the post. I really do apologise. It's great news for me though - you're a good 7 years ahead of the UK in vaping)

 

[VapexTwin]

Considering your post further, by 'insulator' do you mean the chimney top black O ring, or something else?

There is a ceramic (I think) disk in the very centre around the positive pins (cream colour). It does not come out so I can't see if it's burned. It would make a lot of sense if this was some how damaged by the higher wattage. Is that possible and would it give off a stink you think?

 

[dcfluegel]

Considering your post further, by 'insulator' do you mean the chimney top black O ring, or something else?

There is a ceramic (I think) disk in the very centre around the positive pins (cream colour). It does not come out so I can't see if it's burned. It would make a lot of sense if this was some how damaged by the higher wattage. Is that possible and would it give off a stink you think?

likely referring to the peek insulator - that would be likely be the cream colored ring around the post - it's a non conductive thermo polymer that keeps postive/ negative contacts from shorting directly - those can get burned and in many attys are replaceable, but i am not specifically familiar with that tank

 

[VapexTwin]

Thanks dcfluegel too. This is my first tank (other than a Kanger Aero, and everything tastes of Heizenburg in that now).

Right, if it is the peek insulator (around the positive pin) it would certainly explain the mystery smoke. It just keeps coming. There has to be a material in it to give off even a faint smoke - and it's all steel, other than this insulator guy.

I'm going to buy a new rta today (not a lot of choice in Belfast) and once it's in hand, I'm smashing this Billow V2 to get a look at that insulator. By hook or by crook I'll find a scorch mark.

I shall post a pic once disassembled by hammer, so that we all know for future reference.

 

[JeremyR]

It should be removable by means other than a hammer..

The peek is hard to burn in regular use. Maybe you have a short in the 510 connection somehow.

Good luck man.

 

[VapexTwin]

T'was only 15 watts but I'll check for that too with my hammer. I'm convinced there's a burn mark somewhere and that'll solve the mystery. Billow v2 useless now anyway but for parts.

3 stores here. One RTA between them (display model). Orchid v4 - £20 (and staff said it was an RDA). Air holes not adjustable (might try drilling) but it's hitting hard and I've avoided the cig shop.

 

[JeremyR]

Well problem solved then..

Yeha but, that insulator should be able to handle 100w+ if its peek..