Beginner: Muted Flavor

[Cstober]

Do different types/sizes of coils really influence flavor that much?

I'm new to building. I've had a positive transition to RDAs so far. I use DROP by Digiflavor with GeekVape Aegis.

I used a pre-built Clapton coil (twisted 26ga+32ga) and the performance was great. Single coil build at 0.5 ohms. That said, I actually didn't know how great it was until I built and installed my first coil.

26ga kanthal A1, slightly spaced single coil build at 1.5ohms. Granted the coil is a little wonky but it wicked and it fires nicely. The problem is the flavor seems so muted (yet the throat hit is strong).

Now I'm trying to figure out what is causing this muted flavor. Am I just spoiled after using a pre-built Clapton before anything else?

I wicked it appropriately, as far as I can tell. The inner diameter of my first built coil is 3.5mm because I still have trouble measuring and fitting cotton into the smaller coils. I believe the inner diameter of the Clapton was 2.5-3mm. However, it seems to be the same surface area as the Clapton.

I ran both coils at 30-40 watts. While the Clapton was much lower resistance, it had less of a throat hit so I used it closer to 40w VS this first built coil closer to 30w.

I've tried using less air flow, changing to the 510 drip tip (tall and narrow) but it still seems muted. Perhaps the coil just needs to "break in"? I changed it yesterday.

I'm debating whether to scrap this build and use another Clapton. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I will attach a photo of each build below.




^ 26ga kanthal a1


^ Clapton (26ga+32ga)

 

[stols001]

You are probably used to your Clapton's flavor. Exotic builds can improve flavor a great deal (when used correctly which it seems like you are doing). You may not be able to replicate that flavor with a simple round wire, but I would do some experimenting, with resistance and coil placement and wattage, and all those good things before giving up on round wire entirely.

It's your first build. If the flavor seems muted and you liked a lower resistance coil, build one with round wire that is similar (and you could use a larger gauge wire too, to give you a bit more "robustness." I mean... 0.5 and 1.5 that is a huge difference right there. I would imagine you can get better flavor experimenting with resistance and the amount of mass in your tank (which does not have to be an exotic build).

I also wouldn't give up yet, as honestly, it's good to be able to build your own coils that you can vape, rather than always buying premade coils. As some things (from the looks of it) may become harder to acquire as time passes and the FDA does its thing. I have a feeling with some experimentation, you may be able to find a build you do enjoy although there is nothing wrong with using premade coils, either. But true self-sufficiency is being able to build and install your own coils.

Best of luck,

Anna

 

[Solaire]

Trial & error , patience , practice, and a .... load of fiddling is the name of the game when you get to " fooling around " with building your own coils ,,,
And All of what Anna said above is very sound advice,, best of all it's plain freaking fun.
So I guess fun is the name of the game,,,, and some fiddling,,,

 

[Mr. Relentless]

Vaping the same juice all the time could be the problem.

 

[Cstober]

this is all great advice thank you.

I wish I started with my own coil lol! because I kinda feel like I'm wasting my good juice, or not getting it's full potential.

I'm spoiled, already haha.

I've also noticed with this build, I get dry hits with no warning. Or in better words, with the Clapton I could tell when it was time to drip- right before a fully dry hit.

Is it weird to take this coil out and save it for later? I don't have any other decks at this point.

Wellp, next notch on my list of achievements is to twist wire together. I'm hoping that will give a boost of flavor!

Vaping the same juice all the time could be the problem.

I probably have 50+ flavors, most premium. But some are more muted than others. I noticed especially with a cranberry limeade flavor that was very strong with the Clapton and old sub ohm tanks but with this new coil I can barely acknowledge the flavor.

 

[AzPlumber]

Yes, coil gauge, size, wire type, resistance, wicking and location within the atomizer will effect flavor. Yes, you can get good flavor from a single wire coil. In fact some don't find the extra time it takes to make a clapton worth the little extra flavor it may provide.

 

[Cstober]

Yes, coil gauge, size, wire type, resistance, wicking and location within the atomizer will effect flavor. Yes, you can get good flavor from a single wire coil. In fact some don't find the extra time it takes to make a clapton worth the little extra flavor it may provide.

In that case, something else must be affecting my flavor because I'd say my coil isn't half as flavorful as the Clapton. I'll have to play around with it.

There is no main culprit when it comes to muted flavor?

Either the 1.5ohms or spaced coil would be my guess, if twisted wire doesn't dramatically increase flavor that is.

 

[Steve Parry]

Generally speaking, a drop in flavor and occasional dry hits on a dripper means not enough cotton in the coil. You shouldn't have to jam it in there, but you should feel resistance as you're pulling it through.

Did you dry burn the coil before wicking to work out any hot spots? From the pic (could just be my eyes) it looks like the coils are touching in places at the top. That could give you a problem also.

 

[CagedSpam]

Just noticed with your kanthal build it seems high up?

I do not own a Drop but some have said to get the coil a bit lower in between the posts and in front of the air holes while running single coil.

 

[dc99]

What type of juice? What ratio of pg/vg? That coil looks awful big. The inside diameter can make quite a bit of difference. I would say its mainly the difference in ohms. I would drop the ohms closer to the clapton with no more than 3mm inside.

 

[JC Okie]

Seems “off” to compare a .05 Ohms Clapton to a 1.5 Ohms single wire coil. Make that single wire coil lower Ohms, I’m thinking.

 

[Cstober]

Just noticed with your kanthal build it seems high up?

I do not own a Drop but some have said to get the coil a bit lower in between the posts and in front of the air holes while running single coil.

Your leads go through the top of the Drop's posts, so you basically drop the coil in- hence the name. So it can't go much lower. the air flow holes are level though, it's a deep RDA

 

[Cstober]

What type of juice? What ratio of pg/vg? That coil looks awful big. The inside diameter can make quite a bit of difference. I would say its mainly the difference in ohms. I would drop the ohms closer to the clapton with no more than 3mm inside.

Perhaps that's my problem, I used 3.5mm. I'll definitely make it smaller next time. I've wasted a lot of cotton from trial and error lol so I wanted it to be easier. I use High VG, I'd guess 70:30 or higher.

Seems “off” to compare a .05 Ohms Clapton to a 1.5 Ohms single wire coil. Make that single wire coil lower Ohms, I’m thinking.

One option is to make dual coils to cut the ohms in half, I'm just very skeptical of making 2 identical coils like everyone says needs to happen. I need more practice

 

[Zaryk]

Your leads go through the top of the Drop's posts, so you basically drop the coil in- hence the name. So it can't go much lower. the air flow holes are level though, it's a deep RDA

You absolutely can bend your coil down in between the posts. You just have to leave a little bit extra length on your coil legs.

I find, in my drop, I have to be more mindful of coil placement because of the limited amount of direct airflow (airflow that directly hits the coil) or flavor will suffer. Also if I close off the top row of airflow holes, the flavor decreases a noticeable amount.

Pulling your coil to the middle of the RDA and dropping it down between the posts some will increase the direct airflow which should give you better flavor. I am getting ready to try putting the coils in upside down in mine (run the legs up into the post hole from the bottom) just so I can test it and see if it will let me shut down some of the airflow but not cut off the direct airflow on the coil, and I may try a vertical coil set up, as it looks like the airflow was designed for vertical coils anyway.

 

[QcVaper]

i use a drop rda,with a dual fused clapton setup (3mm id, about .4 0hm each so rounded to about .2) i use max vg juice and i get tons of flavor. my coils are pretty much centered nothing fancy or complicated no idea what you're doing wrong but it could be just the fact your taste buds aren't healed or tasting, imho some juice have less taste than others aswell.

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