All my coils only last 1-3 days

[kirschm]

I think addressing the actual problem of incredibly short head life with a change in user technique or settings, or a change in liquids would be a better solution.

I have many different juices (I ordered like hell...), but for a consistent 'test environment' I simply want to stick to my 'test-juice' and only change the other parameters... in orders to see their impact...

What about:

o max 3 Secs per puff
o highest airflow
o 10.5 Watt

If this setup significantly increases the head life I can still test other juices...

 

[leftyandsparky]

You can always get a cheap dripper for testing juice.

 

[Joakim Langborg]

Maybe try and find a SS316L coil and run it in TC with a max temperature of 210C? Then it should be impossible to burn the coil.

 

[Topwater Elvis]

I have many different juices (I ordered like hell...), but for a consistent 'test environment' I simply want to stick to my 'test-juice' and only change the other parameters... in orders to see their impact...

What about:

o max 3 Secs per puff
o highest airflow
o 10.5 Watt

If this setup significantly increases the head life I can still test other juices...

I think whatever works best for you is what you should do.

I'd start off considerably lower in power, a 3 second puff probably isn't long enough to pull enough liquid into the wicking material at 10.5w to prevent burning on successive puffs. The wicking is fed liquid not only by capillary action but also by a slight negative pressure variance inside the tank.
3 second draws on a MTL type 'tank' is extremely short, mine are usually double to triple that, a long smooth inhale is what mtl tanks were designed for.
again whatever works best for you.
3 seconds? Are you trying to DTL the nautilus?
Have you tried the .7Ω nautilus bvc head?

I think you're way over thinking this.
Prime new head, set airflow to where you like it best, start at a low power to 'break in' the new head & to ensure it is wicking properly. like 8.5w - 9w over the first at least 1/2 tank.
Should see air bubbles rise from the wicking holes occasionally.
Take long smooth medium strength drags / inhales.
Gradually increase power in small increments taking a vape or three on each setting until you find what you like.

 

[kirschm]

3 second draws on a MTL type 'tank' is extremely short, mine are usually double to triple that, a long smooth inhale is what mtl tanks were designed for.

Glad to hear this... I would really be frustrated if I had to limit my MTL puffs down to 3 secs... I like the long and smooth puffs...

So, what is left as 'remedies'?

o Wattage below 11W
o air holes wide open
o and what I didn't do so far: I did the wattage related priming (e.g. 6 to 11 Watts) within e.g. 30-50 puffs... way below 1/2 tank... perhaps I need to invest this 1/2-tank-patience to solve my issue...

 

[Topwater Elvis]

I don't mean to be rude, could be a language barrier, but , Ive given the same suggestions in my previous responses.

Condescend version.
Thoroughly prime new / unused head. drip drops of liquid on exposed wicking & on top of screen inside head until wicking material is fully saturated.
Install head into base tight, fill tank thread tank & base together, let sit a few minutes.
Adjust airflow to where you like it.
Start off at a low w setting 8.5w - 9w.
You should see bubble rise from the wicking holes, this means it is wicking enough to start turning up the power slightly.
Gradually increase power in small increments taking long smooth medium strength pulls / inhales on each setting until you find what you like.

The nautilus is a very simple delivery device to use, if your having this much trouble getting it to work, I'd lean towards knockoff heads or poor quality liquids.

I'd be disappointed if an authentic aspire bvc head only lasted 80mls,,, 20mls is horrid.

 

[djsvapour]

Some thoughts.
I used large amounts of Hangsen 80/20 (PG) during my time (18 months) with mini Nautilus. Mostly RY6 Golden tobacco and RY4.
I never had serious coil life issues. I did with some 60/40 (VG) locally bought liquids.
I ran PG based up to 15 watts and was forced to drop under 13 with VG.
12.8 became my default setting.

Average puff time (totally individual i.m.o) was 2.8-3.4 seconds. I know that sounds nerdy but I used to check as I often thought I had limited puff time MTL. (I certainly can't do 4 or 5 seconds).
Average 2 fills per day.
Average 6-8 days coil life.

So, not giving it too much thought - about 24 to 40 ml per coil. Not great really, but I sourced coils for £1.20 from Fasttech. (1.3 euros).

Maybe some of that has some useful information.

Good luck.

 

[kirschm]

about 24 to 40 ml per coil

thanks, so either you have the same problem as I am facing... or this range of head life is 'normal'...

But I am somehow quite sure that people talking about 'weeks' of head life either...
o are moderate vapers...
o or they forget and don't 'recalculate' that they use 5 tanks in parallel...

 

[Dubminer]

My wife vapes around 5 ml a day of 50/50 juice in a Nautilus at 10 watts.. I change her coil every four weeks so around 140 ml of juice.They still work fine then just think that is long enough.I do unscrew the coil and clean out any condensation in the bottom of air chamber every week.She has been using this same tank and system every day for 11 months. I do make my own juice for her and she vapes on the largest airflow setting.

 

[djsvapour]

thanks, so either you have the same problem as I am facing... or this range of head life is 'normal'...

I wouldn't call it bad or good, normal or not normal. I would call it honest based on my experience and I admit to running them a bit high with PG.
With 10 watts they will last longer.
My friend uses them at 8 watts. He gets 2 weeks minimum but he effectively vapes half as much juice as me.

 

[djsvapour]

My wife vapes around 5 ml a day of 50/50 juice in a Nautilus at 10 watts.. I change her coil every four weeks so around 140 ml of juice.They still work fine then just think that is long enough.I do unscrew the coil and clean out any condensation in the bottom of air chamber every week.She has been using this same tank and system every day for 11 months. I do make my own juice for her and she vapes on the largest airflow setting.

Great evidence! Thank you
It seems power (watts) really makes a difference. 140ml is super!

 

[Topwater Elvis]

I vape 7ml - 10 ml of 50/50 per day, I average 15 days per head / 127.5ml per head.
Wife vapes 5ml - 7 ml 30pg/70vg or 40pg /60vg per day at 9.8w - 10.4w she averages 21 days per head / 126mils per head.

The quality of liquid, flavoring %, sweeteners you use has a major effect on head life.

 

[kirschm]

My wife vapes around 5 ml a day of 50/50 juice in a Nautilus at 10 watts.. I change her coil every four weeks so around 140 ml of juice.They still work fine...

And you are sure, she's not drinking the juice while you are away?

 

[kirschm]

Since it boils also down to the impact of liquid/flavour... which juice (that is internationally available, e.g. via gearbest.com) do you use that lasts 'for weeks' in a BVC coil?

 

[Topwater Elvis]

Hangsen offers 50/50 & high VG line of liquids.
Not saying using hangsen liquids will improve your head life, at least they aren't unknown maker type liquids.

Ever thought about DIY e liquids?
Only way to control quality if you must use 'internationally available' gearbest type liquids.
I don't know anything about getting Nic in your country, pg, vg & flavorings shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Dubminer]

I only mix her flavors to 4-5% flavoring and never add sweetener.I also soak her coil in unflavored first when it is a new coil. I do not know if this has any real effect but i suspect it does.After 4 weeks they still taste perfect.I just change it because i do not want her to get stuck with failure if i am not there.

 

[QcVaper]

thanks, so either you have the same problem as I am facing... or this range of head life is 'normal'...

But I am somehow quite sure that people talking about 'weeks' of head life either...
o are moderate vapers...
o or they forget and don't 'recalculate' that they use 5 tanks in parallel...

I have the original nautilus and used those bvc coils which lasted me an easy 2 weeks, BUT i didn't refill 2-3 times a day i did about 1 tank/day (5ml per tank). Can't say about your usage but coils have an "average" lifetime of 1-4 weeks not everyone has the same life out of the same coils since we don't all vape the same way.

 

[Grimwald]

I once got a free sample of a jackfruit liquid. It was clear-ish. It was very good on the top coil tank I was using at the time. However, it gunked and burned after only 1 mil. So you never know what liquids will do that.

Just as an experiment, you might consider trying some unflavored (perhaps more PG). If that goes 80-100 mils or more, you found the culprit.

 

[kirschm]

Just as an experiment, you might consider trying some unflavored (perhaps more PG). If that goes 80-100 mils or more, you found the culprit.

Great idea!

 

[stols001]

I wash and reuse Nautilus coil heads, and it's one of the easier things I do, as I have to use Max VG. I have to use max VG as I'm sensitive to PG, I DIY and use clear, not too sweet flavors for the most part, and I keep my wattage loowww.... Like 7--12 watts, depending on what coil I'm using. The 0.7 I vape at around 10 or 11 watts usually, that lasts me about 2 weeks with the airflow pretty closed off since I like MTL vaping, even on that coil. I will say the 0.7 coil head handles higher VG more easily than the other Nautilus coils 1.8/1.6. With the 1.8 now, I usually get about 5 days-ish, depending on if I've reused it or not.

ONE thing that seemed to make a big difference for me was consistent wicking. I pull on the coil for a few seconds AFTER I stop hitting the fire button and that seems to bring my gloopy VG liquid up into the coil consistently, so I don't get dry hits. I don't think I've ever gotten one, in fact, but I can TASTE immediately when my coil is starting to go nowadays, which is when I soak it in hot water for at least 12 hours, clean, then air dry. It's pretty labor efficient to get double or so out of a coil, when my coil life isn't terrible, or should probably be worse than it is with those coils.... Airflow is important though, too, I think.

Now, I have gone 1.5 days with my max VG with a Nautilus 1.6 coil in a Kabuki, I'm waiting with interest to see when my coil is going to turn on me, but I'm vaping it at 8.5 watts with the airflow almost totally closed.

Good luck figuring out what might help, I don't think 20 ml is "great" at all, but when I used to vape coco on occasion, (it tasted good, perhaps my darkest, sweetest e-juice) I bet that if I vaped that all the time I might have done 10 refills before gross, but I hardly use any flavoring in my DIY juices now, and I get better coil life....

Let us know how things turn out!

Anna