Aga T2 metallic taste

[Cavere]

Just like the title says. I put together my set up. Oxidized mesh with a torch. Coiled is 32g kanthal wrapped to 1.5 ohm. But I'm getting a nasty metallic flavor.

Could I not have oxidized enough? Or should I torch the coil as well?

 

[Cavere]

I rebuilt with oxidizing the kanthal first. coils are glowing evenly and I got good flavor dripping onto the coils. But with the tank filled all I am getting is a nasty burning flavor. Wire has good contact to the mesh. And I pulsed to make sure there was good oxidation.

Any suggestions?

 

[michliu]

Take the cap off and fire it for a few seconds to see where it's glowing. You have a hot spot somewhere. It's probably the legs, usually the top leg. You want to decrease the diastance the wire has to travel from the wick to the center post. A few fixes for this: 1) when wrapping to the top coil and securing to the center post, wrap it in a S shape, around the wick and to the far side of the center post, 2) secure wire to the center post tightly, 3) try leaning the wick otwards the center post, without touching the wick to the center post, 4) pinch the top coil so that the wire comes off the wick looking like a "Q", 5) after wrapping the wire around the center post, take wire and wrap in tight circles like a micro coil around that top leg. Just a few of the tricks I've read about on ECF. Good luck.

 

[Cavere]

Yeah it's the top leg. It seems like I get it resolved and a few pulls later it returns. I have the wick less that a mm from the top nut. I've tried micro coil wraps, 3-4 wraps. I've gone through a ton of kanthal and juice and its just frustrating. I'm determined to get it.

It's been five hours of work and I think I need a break. But any other suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Cavere]

Could it be a wicking issue? Maybe my wick is too tight and not allowing juice to flow all the way up perhaps?

 

[Mr.Bungle]

One detail some people miss when addressing hot legs is making sure the top and bottom legs are the same length. Try moving your wick closer to the center post so the length matches that of the neg post to the bottom of the wick.

Good luck.

 

[grainey1968]

Could it be a wicking issue? Maybe my wick is too tight and not allowing juice to flow all the way up perhaps?

It could be, but most times the hot leg is caused by either the top leg being too loose or too tightly wrapped. Make sure that the coils are definitely glowing evenly and that they glow hot at the same time. Also make sure your wick is NOT touching the base inside the tank.
My only tip would be to make sure that you wrap your coil in a 'S' shape (Birds eye view of your AGA T2).

Keep at it - it will be worth it!!

 

[holcombgl]

Bending the wick works but for me and I am a newb it was temperamental one slight movement by the wick seemed to bring it back and then I would have to re-adjust it again. The best fix I found was the spring and washer mod made my life a lot easier.

 

[Cavere]

I have an S shape to the center post and I've rewrapped the coil a ton of times with varying pressure.

I am trying to match the distance from coil to post on either leg and just not sure what I am doing wrong.

 

[Cavere]

This is what I have so far. The top coil lights first and glows the brightest. This is after putting some juice on and burning it off. Is this what I am going for or should I continue to play until all four light evenly?

 

[Cavere]

Forgot the photo

 

[FogHawg]

None of the lower wraps appear to be glowing. Was the wick completely dry when you took the pic? And you have a hot 'leg' to the + terminal. It looks like the wire from the wick to nut may be too taunt. Try loosening up the nut & putting a crook in the lead & then retighten. Hang in there, you'll get this.

 

[Cavere]

Thanks. The wick was not completely dry when I took this photo. I had burned off most of the juice I dripped on at that point. But the coils seem to be glowing evenly before I dripped. The hot leg isn't there when the wick is wet but I can't get the damn thing to go away. I put some juice in the tank after the photo and it seemed so so. No real wicking to speak of and the flavor wasn't great but I am hoping the wick needs to season. Does a new wick usually taste weak?

 

[grainey1968]

Taste is usually weak for a tank or maybe 2 depending upon the type of juice you use. I would not put any juice in the tank until you have a proper even coil. From your photo, you definitely have a hotspot to the top +ve post.

If you have a mechanical mod, have you tried pulsing? Pulsing the coil and work out all the hotspots and obtain an even glow?

If not, are you working the coil i.e. nudging the coil up & down with a tooth pick (of something similar) to move the hotspot towards the middle of your coil? There are some great videos (from Zen) on youtube showing how to do this effectively.

 

[FogHawg]

Do you have the fill hole plugged?

 

[Cavere]

No mech mod but with a wet wick no glowing in the top leg. I have been nudging the coils an got them when dry (previous to that photo) glowing evenly. With a little glowing towards the + but not all the way to the post. I've been watching videos like crazy trying to get this to work. I filled with 80/20 pg/vg juice with a not very dense wick.

I have tried with the fill plug in and out.

 

[FogHawg]

It's very difficult to diagnose a hotspot w/a wet wick.

 

[Cavere]

Yes I have noticed that. I am going to pick up a syringe tomorrow and pull the juice out. I believe I had it. Good vapor just had that weak taste. I kept nudging it and popped the coil so back at it. Will pulsing get rid of a center post hotspot or just on the wick due to oxidizing? Thanks for all of this help btw I really appreciate it.

 

[Cavere]

Well I believe I've gotten it!

I used the drill but method and used 28g kanthal to basically make a micro coil with 10-15 wraps for 1.9 ohms. I filled up the tank and its vaping decent. Clouds aren't very big and flavor is slightly off but I'm guessing the wick still has some breaking in to do.

If I'm wrong about flavor being off I hope someone will fill me in but I think it's running decent. Not great but enjoyable.

The other thing I've noticed is that the aga t+ gets really hot. Like burn my fingers on the top cap hot. Is this normal?

 

[FogHawg]

Check to be sure none of your wick is touching the top cap.