AGA-T + Can't make it work ???

[Keithhe]

Just received two of the AGA-T + rba's today and can't get this to work, to save my life.

I have watched hours and hours of videos on these, and others, so totally understand what "should work". I also have a lot of electrical knowledge and expertice, so no issues there.

I had no issue at all rolling my first SS wick and went through the cursory burns, quenches 4-5 times, along with 3-4 jucie burns. OK, this should be easy.

I got to wrap my Kanthal ( have tried 30 and 32 awg) and test resistance and getting between 1.4 and 1.8 depending on the wire and wraps. Great, should work fine. With my Zmax at lowest setting (3 volts), I try the resistance to see if it matches my VOM. Yep, no problem.

Go to fire it up and burns about less than 2 seconds and "pop" I see a little flash and the wire cooks to an open circuit. I have tried this now about 4 times per wire gauge, 4-5 wraps and with same result every time.

What am I missing??? I have even carefully followed a video from start to finish to ensure not missing something and can't find a thing I might be doing wrong.

For the record, although not related to above:

The videos I found were all for the AGA-T (no +). There are subtle difference between them. For one, the center post is not the same and the + has two different milles on shaft that is a bit confusing as to why. Fits the same flipping either way, so no idea why that would be.


The center shaft retaining nuts are all now the same size. No "little" nut on the plus.


Top cover no longer threads down, but rather is a push fitting with two "O" rings, so can be positioned easier to align hole with wick.

 

[KillTheNoise]

Don't know bud, I just got mine two days ago and I'm on my second successful wick/wire install. I don't quench the wick but that may have nothing to do with it.

Post this in the rebuildable section, you may have better luck.

 

[Keithhe]

Thanks Cunning. I also see there a AGA-T thread a few down here, but did not want to hijack her thread. What size wire are you using and how many wraps??

 

[Extraunordinary]

If you're not hell bent on using SS mesh with this it does work well with silica. Myself, I'm not a fan of SS, and silica is working stellar in my AGA-T:

One tip I can give, either way, is to ignore the hole in the negative post, and wrap the wire directly around the screw. The Ohms jumped around until I tried this.

 

[jimmyh]

Try here http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...nyone-tried-aga-tiamat-plus-w-glass-tank.html

 

[Keithhe]

Thanks Extra. The only thing I have yet to order is any silica wick. I have cotton, and SS, three sizes of wire. You have a good vendor for that?

JimmyH. I'll look through the thread and see if there might be any answers. Really odd though. I seem to be using the exact same stuff as the many videos I've seen, some 3-4 or 5 times or more. Can't figure out why my wire keeps melting.

 

[94civic3door]

sounds like my biggest enemy! HOT SPOTS....before it pops is it really really bright red before it gets to the center pin? or is that were its breaking?

 

[Trick]

It's almost certainly shorting against the wick. Make sure the wire fits close, but loosely, around the center post, and that both the wick and wire are sufficiently oxidized.

For what it's worth, I find thing like juice-burning and quenching a total waste of time. Just make sure your wick is good and oxidized and that should be enough to prevent shorts if you haven't wrapped it too tight.

It also helps on the AGA's to pull your wick toward the center post a bit so the run's not too long.

 

[davros]

Are you getting a hot leg on the wire coming of the positive post? When I first got an AGA, I had issues with that and it would "pop" the coil. Try leaning the SS wick over towards the positive post to minimize the gap from post to wick. Some people even add in washers to minimize the gap.

 

[Extraunordinary]

I've wrapped the perfect SS wick, and still find myself having to tweak, and tweak, and tweak...

Lots of places sell silica, but I like the wick from this place a lot:

OKC Vapes

2.5 MM is what I use; not a bad price either. You would think all silica is created equal, but it is not. Steer clear of the silica from Got(attitude)Vapes!

 

[boxley]

I had the same problem with mine actually. Just like the previous posts stated, shortening the positive leg by leaning the wick closer ended that issue.

I also agree with Trick. I never quench or juice burn. Just roll it, torch it and wrap it.

 

[XfooYen]

Just a thought. If you're using the Vmax, make sure you're running it in RMS mode (It's the 8th menu item). If you're running in AVG mode or if you have the v1 of the Zmax without the 8th menu, then you are probably not getting correct voltage/wattage readings and it's firing too hot.

 

[Keithhe]

The JimmyH thread link has a lot of good information. Very long and I'm only about 3/4 way through it, but figured out quite a few things.

For those that asked, yes, mine were cooking at the top, and the other thread detailed the hows and whys to that, so I have something to work with there.

I am using the Zmax, RMS, so that is not the issue. From what I've learned on the other thread, I think I'll try the 30 awg and a few of the hints I got over there. I'll scrap the wick I made, and try that again. Seemed perfect, and well oxidized, but who knows?? I had seen so many videos that showed the process of the wik, and nearly all had the burn, quench x3 and the juice burn x3. I did all that. The other thread says not to do any of that, and even to pre-burn the mesh, then roll.

Thought this would be relatively easy, but from the amount of folks over there this is a steeper than I imagined learning curve.

The odd part is that although nearly all new to the RBA's over there nearly all had hot spots they had to deal with, but not one had the wire melt like I did. I have not posted there yet until I try again and see what happens. Lucky I bout 100' as the shorter available lengths I'd be running out quick

 

[Ryedan]

I had the wire melt a couple of times too Keithhe. The trick is to use low power (volts) at first and pulse it on and off so the wire never gets too hot while you are adjusting the coils. That thread really helped me figure things out. I'm in no way any kind of expert now after a couple of weeks, but my AGA T+ is doing fine. Took a bit of working through things though. One thing to remember is that what one person means by 'not too tight' for example can be completely different from another persons interpretation of those words.

You're on the right track. If you get frustrated, walk away for a bit and then come back to it when you have patience again. Best of luck with it

 

[Elias]

Hi All

Well this is my first post in this forum, so a brief introduction, My name is Elias, I'm 47, new to rebuilding AGA T's, and Im hooked on juice... lol
Well Today was the first time I ever made a wick and coil, I read so many posts, seen so many video's, and I had success with my very first setup, I was proud, I thought wow I nailed it first go, no hot spots, wicking well.
Then suddenly out of no where I got a burnt hit, I thought hmmm so I took the cover off, lit it up and saw the wire from the center post to the wick glowing bright red when I touched the button.
I thought ok its shorted onto the wick somewhere, the next fire to check I saw an internal wick glowing strandy type glow like a couple of strands just went crazy then the coil burnt out half way through the windings.

Could this be because the wick had not been prepared well? or could it be that the the coil was not so smooth and simply generated a hot spot and burnt out.

I had 5 turns well 4 one side 5 the other depending which side you look at and 2.1 ohms set to 3.2volts on a vamo.

The wick was pulling juice from the bottom without issue, the coil was not tight on the wick, actually I think perhaps even a tad on the loose side but still didnt have any hot spots.

Needless to say as this kit arrived today I dont have any spare wire at this point, I have plenty of stainless because I pre ordered that, but the supplier I know for the wire ran out so I had one shot at it.

Any suggestions / experiences etc welcome

Regards
Elias

 

[Johaneith F'farsya]

good ideas...
think can give a try...

 

[boblin]

I've gone thru millions of hot spots. Try warping with ecig paper and make sure your top coil is really loose. For me it was the key factor.

 

[ASH1973]

Hi Keith

Im very new to all of this so cannot offer much except my own limited experience. I bought my first RBA recently, an AGA-T2, as did two of my friends. We got together to set them up and each initially followed a different method that we'd seen on youtube. We were all using 400 mesh and 0.20 kanthal.

I attached my coil to the negative post (following manufacturers obvious intent) and wrapped it tightly around my wick. Whilst poking it to try and get a decent and even, coil it burnt out at the point at which the coil first touched the wick nearest the positive post.

My friends both attached it to one of the spare screws in the atomiser head and wrapped around the wick. They had problems of their own.

I decided to follow the drill bit method (search on youtube, plenty of vids) and attached the coil to the spare screw ignoring the negative post altogether. 10 mins later it was firing beautifully and I inserted my wick, a little more fiddling and it was working perfectly. Both my friends then tried the drill bit method and the spare screw connection with the same success.

Hope that helps.
Adam

 

[peraspera]

Needless to say as this kit arrived today I dont have any spare wire at this point, I have plenty of stainless because I pre ordered that, but the supplier I know for the wire ran out so I had one shot at it.

Any suggestions / experiences etc welcome

Try calling a local heating and/or appliance parts supply place locally to see if they will sell you a small amount of Kanthal A-1 32 or 34 gauge wire. I just picked up some on eBay from temco_industrial_power. They ship internationally but it will take a good long time to get to you unless you pay very high shipping.

 

[boblin]

Are you getting a hot leg on the wire coming of the positive post? When I first got an AGA, I had issues with that and it would "pop" the coil. Try leaning the SS wick over towards the positive post to minimize the gap from post to wick. Some people even add in washers to minimize the gap.

leanig wick towards center post usually creates extra tension at top coil, so it might work against you.