Best way to get started?

[sivo]

Hi everyone, Ok so I have been vaping for almost a year, using the following.

started with ego batteries and stardusts, the moved onto the vamo with vivi novas, then innokin svd with cartos and tanks.

Now I am dying to vape like the big boys, I have been thinking to start with a RSST rba, I watched one video so far and I am convinced I can learn, and switch to rba's. (even though i always said to my self that i probably can't do it)

But where do i start? I need to know what to order to start basically. (keep in mind i am in canada, and will probably order from where i usually order from (canvape)

I have some questions though.

1: why does it seem like ohms are always so low with rba's? I am used to 1.9-3.0 ohms with cartos and clearos, whats with the whole 0.5-1.0 ohms?

2: I see tons of people using mech mods, should i use one instead of a vamo, and why?

3: sometimes my vape experience with vivi novas and cartos is very bad, I know rba's have to be learned, but is it worth it in the end?

4: does it end up cheaper? like is it cheaper to use a rba rather than vivi's and cartos (meaning buying new vivi heads and cartos, vs buying new wire and mesh or what ever, for rba's.

5: am i better off starting with a rsst over any other rba? because I have seen many impressive looking ones on the websites i check, but i am fine with the rsst if it's basic enough to start with.

thats it for now, sorry for all the questions, thanks

 

[daleron]

I don't have any answer's for you so I'll just bump you back up in the stream and maybe someone else will come along who does

 

[suspectK]

1- A lot of us in really deep with RBAs use mechanicals. Your power outputs are dependent on your resistance and battery's charge.

2- I started using RBAs about 6months ago..I used them on things similar to the vamo.. I recently got a mechanical because I couldn't get one particular RBA with wide airflow warm enough.. I bought a mech..and I haven't been using anything else since.. I'm going to get a DNA30 mod though, because I still prefer higher resistance.. I'll take the deciohm coils and hotter vape for the exchange in power output though. DNA30 is capable of 8volts, so I can use whatever resistance I want.

3- I think it is totally worth it, but I still enjoy cartomizers.. what kind of cartomizers are you using? and are you using them in a tank?

4- Yes and no... replacing coils and wicks is super, super, super cheap..and you can use whatever you want for wick, and tailor your coil to suit you. There are a lot of different ways to build a RBA..there is plenty of information on all the styles available in this subforum...but one is never good enough..so it can be more expensive if you can't stop buying stuff..like me

5- I suggest a dripper, like an igo-l, or an AGI. The genesis style can take a while to figure out, so an AGI will allow you to say that, I'm going to use this as a dripper.. The RSST is considered good for new users because it is insulated, so you can't cause a short when you use stainless steel mesh or rope.
Youde AGI - 101 Vape

 

[JeremyR]

Hey sivo! Ms
G
1- low ohms Is for. Mechs, you can get maximum wattaGe. !That way. With high drain imrs you. CAn Go to 10 plus amps inteadn of 2.5 with one bat, or 5. With. Stacked 18350 imrs. In the vamo . I use a zmax with 2.2-3.5 ohm coils With My rbas. you just have to stay above 2.2 ohms. To get maximum performance, with Stacked you can go 1.5 ohms

Back later..

 

[SirSteve]

I'll just add this to what suspectK said, you can also rebuild your Viva Nova heads, as well as most clearos that have a replaceable head. This can save you money and with a little practice your rebuilt heads will be better than the stock ones.

Drippers like already stated are a good also, and you don't have to go sub ohm, your Vamo will come in handy to check the resistance of your builds. Vamo won't do sub ohms, but I would wait until you have more experience and knowledge to do sub ohms anyway.

 

[ConradM]

Start with the RSST and use it on your vv/vw mod. People that go nuts with sub ohms are probably doing it for bragging rights. I find the best vape to be between .9 and 1.5.

You'll want to get some 28 and 30g kanthal wire, some 400 or 500 mesh and cotton balls -

A blunt tip syringe -

A butane torch if you don't have one -

Other than that you just need basic tools that most people have.

 

[sivo]

Thanks guys, also, how long does a built coil last with a rba, like the rsst? Vivi heads last long and my cartons used to last long. But now they are lasting 3-4 days. I am a heavy vapor also.

 

[ConradM]

I've heard a mesh wick and coil can last months....

 

[Gimpy1261]

Thanks guys, also, how long does a built coil last with a rba, like the rsst? Vivi heads last long and my cartons used to last long. But now they are lasting 3-4 days. I am a heavy vapor also.

How long a setup lasts depends on how you build, and what you build with. Not to give a short or smart--- answer!
Mesh long time
Silica not so long
Cotton 3-4 days YMMV
Wire coil depends on how careful you are and gauge mostly!
I get a couple weeks from my builds, sometimes.
Juice viscosity factors in also.

 

[bender817]

Just a little trick for the RSST if you decide to go with mesh for durability. That wick hole is almost exactly 3/8", and what that means for you is that you can drop a drill bit in that hole so you have something nice and sturdy to wrap coils on. DO NOT FIRE IT with the drill bit in there. Adjust your coils and carefully remove the drill bit. Drop in the 3/8" oxidized mesh wick. Pulse until it glows evenly. Once its set up right you don't have to mess with it for months

 

[sivo]

Just a little trick for the RSST if you decide to go with mesh for durability. That wick hole is almost exactly 3/8", and what that means for you is that you can drop a drill bit in that hole so you have something nice and sturdy to wrap coils on. DO NOT FIRE IT with the drill bit in there. Adjust your coils and carefully remove the drill bit. Drop in the 3/8" oxidized mesh wick. Pulse until it glows evenly. Once its set up right you don't have to mess with it for months

Wow, so its not like a carto where it dies after a week? Also what happens if you want to change flavors? And what about the while torch thing, is it necessary to do that with that mesh? Its so confusing. No matter how many videos I watch there is still things I can figure out.

 

[ConradM]

When I change flavors I just suck the old juice out with a syringe and refill. Then I'll drip and burn the new flavor on the wick a few times so I don't have to vape the old flavor.

 

[alkaiser]

1: why does it seem like ohms are always so low with rba's? I am used to 1.9-3.0 ohms with cartos and clearos, whats with the whole 0.5-1.0 ohms?

some people prefer difference watt output. some people are happy vaping at 5-15 watts, and some people (like me) like it at 30+. lower ohms allows for higher amps and watts. airflow also comes into play here. if you want just mouth inhales, you'll want low airflow and less watts. if you want lung inhales, you'll definitely want more airflow.

2: I see tons of people using mech mods, should i use one instead of a vamo, and why?

depends on what you want. if you are satisfied with vaping at low watts and you don't want to cloud chase, i'd say to stick with what you have.

3: sometimes my vape experience with vivi novas and cartos is very bad, I know rba's have to be learned, but is it worth it in the end?

to me it was worth it. i've always hated cartos/clearos. i also like to tinker with things, so it gives me the perfect outlet to mess with new builds and configurations. rbas with adjustable airflow gives you infinite options to how you like your vape.

4: does it end up cheaper? like is it cheaper to use a rba rather than vivi's and cartos (meaning buying new vivi heads and cartos, vs buying new wire and mesh or what ever, for rba's.

wire and cotton are super cheap. 100 ft of wire can be bought for like $7 and will last a LONG time. in the long run, it's way cheaper than disposables. (unless you're like many people who start acquiring new gear...it's addicting)

5: am i better off starting with a rsst over any other rba? because I have seen many impressive looking ones on the websites i check, but i am fine with the rsst if it's basic enough to start with.

There's different types of rbas. for a starter type, i would go with a dripper that's pretty cheap (igo w2). i wouldn't mess with genesis type tanks just yet. if you want flavor over vapor production, i'd go with a kayfun style tank. very easy to build in and maintain and tons of guides everywhere.

 

[sivo]

Hmm I do like the idea of big clouds. So what volts would I set a vamo at if I used a rba? Also I was looking at the rsst cause it looks easier then say a aga-t to deal with, I don't fully get the dripper thing. Gonna have to read more. Thanks a lot guys, more advice welcome

edit: was on my phone, on pc now.

Ok so i'm confused about something, I watch all videos about the RSST, and I see the guys use mesh, they burn it, roll it up, put it in the rba, wrap it, pulse it, drip on it, then it's done.

but is there something else besides the mesh that needs to be burned? like a cotten type thing like whats on the vivi heads.

 

[bender817]

Wow, so its not like a carto where it dies after a week? Also what happens if you want to change flavors? And what about the while torch thing, is it necessary to do that with that mesh? Its so confusing. No matter how many videos I watch there is still things I can figure out.

JC West does it the east way. Tutorial: Setting up a genesis atomizer from scratch with hotspot fixing - YouTube

 

[suspectK]

There is no set voltage to apply to a build... it is all about airflow and wicking. That is why I didn't like starting out with genesis style rbas(like the rsst).. I use so many different liquids, it takes a little dialing in with mesh to get it wicking properly for different ratios..even different flavors at the same ratios.

If I'm not using twisted kanthal, I just glow my coils for about 10 seconds a few times... I'm sure I'd be fine with glowing them once, but I like to know for sure I'm not having byproducts/lubricants on the wire. I don't like to torch my wire before I build.. I think it makes it harder to work with..easier to warp.

Silica and ekowool(braided silica) need to be torched too. Hemp, cotton, and bamboo are natural fibers that will catch on fire, so boiling them is generally what people do. Sterile cotton doesn't need to be boiled.

 

[bender817]

Hmm I do like the idea of big clouds. So what volts would I set a vamo at if I used a rba? Also I was looking at the rsst cause it looks easier then say a aga-t to deal with, I don't fully get the dripper thing. Gonna have to read more. Thanks a lot guys, more advice welcome

edit: was on my phone, on pc now.

Ok so i'm confused about something, I watch all videos about the RSST, and I see the guys use mesh, they burn it, roll it up, put it in the rba, wrap it, pulse it, drip on it, then it's done.

but is there something else besides the mesh that needs to be burned? like a cotten type thing like whats on the vivi heads.

Vivi head are silica wick. Silica can be torched to eliminate the break in period and clean off manufacturing contaminates. I wouldn't really recommend silica for an RSST because it doesn't wick fast enough to keep up in most cases. Some people do it, but I, personally, have not had luck with it. Cotton is flammable and should never be torched or dry fired because it will just catch fire. It is a good habit to heat, torch, fire your coils without a wick before you use them just for a quick and easy cleaning.

I am currently using my RSST on my vamo because I have a 1.3 ohm coil right now. Anything lower than 1.25 ohms will not fire on the vamo, the chip will not allow it. If I were you I'd shoot for 1.5-2.0 ohms, switch the vamo to wattage and let it adjust the voltage itself. Voltage is relative to the ohm load more so than wattage. Wattage closer to a true power output, and set on wattage the vamo will adjust the voltage as needed. Start around 5w and work your way up until you like it.

 

[amp79423]

I was in the same boat as you, wondering where to start with RBAs recently. When I was using ego batteries I bought a bunch of evods and mini protanks, then switched to a Provari. Got a protank 2 and had leaking issues so I went to a carto tank with ikenvape cartos. Love it, but I don't want to always be at the mercy of when ikenvape gets new cartos in, so I picked up an igo-l (cheap dripper) just to see if I could build a working coil. Turns out that after a few tries, its pretty easy to wrap one consistently. I use cotton in my igo-l because it is dead simple to change flavors and I have flavor ADD. Pull wick out, rinse, dry burn, shove new wick in.

After that I went and picked up an RSST. I don't use it too much because of the way the genesis style atomizers work, there is a high potential for leaking out of the device and onto my jeans pocket. If you keep yours upright all the time, that won't matter at all. It performs great considering the price. I just ordered a Russian 91 and hope it will be as good as everyone who has reviewed it says.

Long story short - cheap dripper like igo-l (or igo-w) to see if you can wrap a coil, then be careful with genesis style atomizers if you don't keep them upright 100% of the time. Good luck!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[sivo]

I'm really determined to start with the rsst, but about the igo-l being a dripper. Is that not something that I can just fill up and go for the day? It seems like you drop a few drops in, Vape for a bit. Then constantly drip more drops.. How does that work?

 

[dripdaze]

I'm really determined to start with the rsst, but about the igo-l being a dripper. Is that not something that I can just fill up and go for the day? It seems like you drop a few drops in, Vape for a bit. Then constantly drip more drops.. How does that work?

Yes. You are correct. With a dripper, you have to drip pretty often to keep the wick wet. If you don't drip enough, you will burn the wick. Don't drip and drive!