Billow RTA by EHPRO & Eciggity

[nopoison]

Why not just flat, wouldn't that fix the wire cutting and create a better connection?

Because when the screw presses the wire down inside the post its less likely to cut it if there is room for it to bend down at less then a 90 degree angle. it pushes it down more so than slicing it tight against the post like a scissor. ya know how a loose scissor wont cut as well as a tight one?

 

[Heespharm]

Yeah mine is leaking out the bottom... I even put Teflon tape around the screws and still leakage!! Back to my orchid!

 

[roxynoodle]

Yeah mine is leaking out the bottom... I even put Teflon tape around the screws and still leakage!! Back to my orchid!

That's disappointing to hear. I'm debating whether I should build it and see how it does, or just return it since I haven't used it. Its one thing if you make a mistake and get a leak, but another if its defective. I got my Orchid last weekend and its been perfect.

 

[WickedBad]

So for the leaking I on a whim decided to tighten up the air flow screws. I tightened them all the way down and leaking stopped. I backed them out a bit to an airflow I was happy with and it seems to have solved the leaking. I have had it sitting on it's side for ~hour and no leaking at all.

Still not leaking at all. I have pushed 1 and a half tanks through now and no leaking.

 

[roxynoodle]

Ok, I've built it. We shall see what happens.

 

[Bman1959]

Wish you luck. Mine does not seem to leak when left vertically. Yet.

 

[CloudKick]

Why not just flat, wouldn't that fix the wire cutting and create a better connection?

More surface area than the wire itself won't give you a better connection unless you're doing a parallel wrap where your wires aren't tight (which you shouldn't do)

 

[roxynoodle]

I did sand all my post screws before building it. It was actually really easy to get them all smooth and slighty rounded.

No leaks...yet.

 

[roxynoodle]

Its doing one weird thing though. A lot of the air bubbles are just sitting in the bottom of the tank. I'm not sure why. The Erlks do this if they get stuck under the chimney, but eventually they go up. With the Billow though, more and more keep accumulating.

 

[WickedBad]

And I thought it was over but sadly mine has started leaking again regardless of the airflow screws. I have moved it to the extended storage area of my vape gear. It is sad because when this thing is working it really is a nice vape.

 

[debinnv]

Seems like the first 2 tanks on mine were fine and now it leaks something awful and I have tried different ways of wicking and different settings on the air hole screws. I have to wonder if it is the rubber gasket that sits on the bottom between the glass and the base. It really is a shame cuz it did put out a wonderful vape but now I can't use it at all. I have a lot of tanks and parts here and I may play around this weekend although I am not sure I have anything that would work besides that rubber gasket. The idea they had was a good one but this needs work for sure. Back to my Lemo.

 

[melodiousThunk]

I thought it didn't leak when 1st got it, but I was wrong, seems to be leaking from the base, it is not bad, but everytime I unscrew from a mod, there is juice on the mod and on the bottom of the billow, it is not leaking from the air holes, it is from the base, I have tried using different oring on the fill screw and that didn't solve it, so not sure if coming from the air flow screws, fill hole or even 510 pin. I also added some cotton in the channels when changed out wicking, and that made no difference either, wish I could solve it, as it does vape damn well.

My leaking adventure has followed the path of yours. At first it didn't seem to leak a bit. After 1-2 tanks, it did. I fiddled with the tank tightness and that helped, but the leak returned.

Then I switched out the o-ring on the fill screw, noticing over the course of 3-4 tanks, that there was always juice on the bottom of the atty and top of my mod. So I switched out the fill screw and the o-ring and that fixed it. It's been a week and I've eliminated the leaks. I'm relieved because I thought it was leaking out of the air control holes as well as the fill hole, but that doesn't seem to be the case and I'm still keeping an eye on those air holes.

So, I used a well-machined M2.5x5mm Socket Head Screw and an 002 clear silicon o-ring which is nice and springy. I've tried some other configurations of the screw; not everyone's going to like the socket head because of the need of the allen key, but I have 2 tiny sets of Wiha allen keys that answer for all atty needs and I love them. I usually don't need to refill my tank on the go, but I have the tool if necessary.

I also like the fact that the screw head just fills the hole. I was really motivated to stop the leak, so I admit I indulged in some overkill. I have a M2.5x5 panhead on order that should do nicely, and then I can use the tiny philips on my keyring.

I was expecting it today, but as with all vaping parts, it seems 50,000 other global vapors have had the same idea and the delivery date has been pushed out on this order and a few others that will almost complete my collection of tiny, quality screws, nuts, o-rings, spacers, and insulators. Some day. As long as they don't jack the price of M2x10s 50 times in the next week. (ELM Hybrid Dripper with the screw-in negative posts.) Then come the flat filister machine screws... and then... yeah...

 

[Wolfenstark]

I don't suppose anyone has both the billow & the revel and has a favourite ?
Can throw in the lemo if you also have that.

 

[AquaLung22]

So I finally got a build on her tonight. Dual 26g micros (5/64in) - 8 wraps each @ 0.375 ohms. This is my 1st RTA and it vapes really well!! But it leaked ALL over, I lost pretty much a full tank which really bums me out (at $22/30mL, SB juice).

I think the leaking was my fault though, and I'm actually surprised how well I got it working - for my 1st RTA build. It was vaping great so I took it to a buddies who was in town having a party. When I headed over and got in my cold car, it started leaking a bit. I think I had it tilted too, Lost at least a quarter tank. Got to my buddies and it vaped great all night, he was surprised it hit better than his MutX/mech build!
..... but than we went to Dennys and I forgot it in my cold car, left it tilted on my IPV. Came back and pretty much the entire tank had leaked all over my CD 's!

Not only am I ...... that I lost a bunch of this expensive juice, it leaked all over my BRAND New IPV3!! I just got home; about to check to see if the juice seeped inside of my new mod, and I'm suree it did.

So yeah I'm ......, but shouldn't have taken it out: being my 1st night even using or vaping an RTA.. Now my car will smell like strawberry shortcake for a year (Oh Face and the O.B. mixed).
I Thinned out, and trimmed the wicks real tight against the deck, to prevent dry hits - might be part of it. But I really think it was the temp change combined with it sitting tilted.

I don't have another RTA to compare this too so far, but I think I will LOVE this thing. Didn't think it would be so similar to dripping!
.. And it looks great on my brand new IPV3

 

[puffon]

My leaking adventure has followed the path of yours. At first it didn't seem to leak a bit. After 1-2 tanks, it did. I fiddled with the tank tightness and that helped, but the leak returned.

Then I switched out the o-ring on the fill screw, noticing over the course of 3-4 tanks, that there was always juice on the bottom of the atty and top of my mod. So I switched out the fill screw and the o-ring and that fixed it. It's been a week and I've eliminated the leaks. I'm relieved because I thought it was leaking out of the air control holes as well as the fill hole, but that doesn't seem to be the case and I'm still keeping an eye on those air holes.

So, I used a well-machined M2.5x5mm Socket Head Screw and an 002 clear silicon o-ring which is nice and springy. I've tried some other configurations of the screw; not everyone's going to like the socket head because of the need of the allen key, but I have 2 tiny sets of Wiha allen keys that answer for all atty needs and I love them. I usually don't need to refill my tank on the go, but I have the tool if necessary.

I also like the fact that the screw head just fills the hole. I was really motivated to stop the leak, so I admit I indulged in some overkill. I have a M2.5x5 panhead on order that should do nicely, and then I can use the tiny philips on my keyring.

I was expecting it today, but as with all vaping parts, it seems 50,000 other global vapors have had the same idea and the delivery date has been pushed out on this order and a few others that will almost complete my collection of tiny, quality screws, nuts, o-rings, spacers, and insulators. Some day. As long as they don't jack the price of M2x10s 50 times in the next week. (ELM Hybrid Dripper with the screw-in negative posts.) Then come the flat filister machine screws... and then... yeah...

Who is your source for screws?
Need to order a few sizes, but don't need hundreds.

 

[dirtech]

Only getting very minor leaks and only when the tank gets low. Usually when the juice level gets to the top portion of the chamber. I do pack as much wick in as I can fit and my coil diameter is fairly large to accommodate more wick. About 3.15 mm I think.

 

[roxynoodle]

I don't suppose anyone has both the billow & the revel and has a favourite ?
Can throw in the lemo if you also have that.

I've had the Lemo 2 months and been vapng the Billow less than 24 hours. I can't give an opinion yet as I'm waiting to see if the Billow develops leaking problems. The Lemo has been great though.

 

[cigatron]

So I finally got a build on her tonight. Dual 26g micros (5/64in) - 8 wraps each @ 0.375 ohms. This is my 1st RTA and it vapes really well!! But it leaked ALL over, I lost pretty much a full tank which really bums me out (at $22/30mL, SB juice).

I think the leaking was my fault though, and I'm actually surprised how well I got it working - for my 1st RTA build. It was vaping great so I took it to a buddies who was in town having a party. When I headed over and got in my cold car, it started leaking a bit. I think I had it tilted too, Lost at least a quarter tank. Got to my buddies and it vaped great all night, he was surprised it hit better than his MutX/mech build!
..... but than we went to Dennys and I forgot it in my cold car, left it tilted on my IPV. Came back and pretty much the entire tank had leaked all over my CD 's!

Not only am I ...... that I lost a bunch of this expensive juice, it leaked all over my BRAND New IPV3!! I just got home; about to check to see if the juice seeped inside of my new mod, and I'm suree it did.

So yeah I'm ......, but shouldn't have taken it out: being my 1st night even using or vaping an RTA.. Now my car will smell like strawberry shortcake for a year (Oh Face and the O.B. mixed).
I Thinned out, and trimmed the wicks real tight against the deck, to prevent dry hits - might be part of it. But I really think it was the temp change combined with it sitting tilted.

I don't have another RTA to compare this too so far, but I think I will LOVE this thing. Didn't think it would be so similar to dripping!
.. And it looks great on my brand new IPV3

Welcome to RTAs! All tank systems prevent leaks by virtue of low air pressure (vacuum) above the juice in the tank. If your tank is low enough on juice and laid on its side it's gonna leak because air is allowed to enter the tank through the juice channels without having to travel through the juice to get there. So it loses all its vacuum above the juice and can no longer keep the juice from poring out as long as it remains in that position.

To see this phenomenon in realtime; place a straw in a glass of water, place your thumb on the top of the straw and lift it out out of the glass. Only a little water will come out of the bottom of the straw. That's vacuum holding the water in the straw. Now release your thumb and the water pours out.

The position of the juice channels when you lay it down play a role in whether or not it leaks as well. If one of the juice channels is up on top when you lay down your RTA air can run right in your tank and ruin your vacuum. Your tank has to be almost full to avoid this from happening. If the juice channels are facing sideways it will leak if your tank is less than about 1/2 full.

Temperature change can cause leaking if you move from a cold environment to a warm one because the low pressure air above the juice expands (losing some vacuum). Conversely moving from a warmer environment to a colder one can temporarily cause dry hits because the air pressure above the juice is reduced (more vacuum) and restricts the flow of juice. Especially if you have stuffed wicking into the juice channels; which I don't recommend.


Contrary to some opinions the amount of leakage in this type of RTA has nothing to do with wicking unless you are stuffing wicking into the juice channels, which again, I don't recommend unless you want a lungfull of cotton smoke.

RTA's are great but not something you want to put in your pocket or purse and forget about. Or on a stack of CD's!


Hope this helps, it's not the whole story on fluid flow in an RTA but maybe enough to better understand leaking behaviour.

cig

 

[AquaLung22]

Great response, thanks!! Yeah it must have been the tilting that caused it. I trimmed the wicks right up against the juice channels, and thinned them out a bit. Haven't gotten a dry hit yet..

The Billow sat overnight (upright) with about a mL or less, and it doesn't seem to have leaked. But I did notice a little juice underneath the tank, possibly from the airflow screws or juice hole. Not much juice though just a few droplets.

And at least the CD's were all old burned ones. But my car reaks like strawberry cake now lol

 

[cigatron]

Great response, thanks!! Yeah it must have been the tilting that caused it. I trimmed the wicks right up against the juice channels, and thinned them out a bit. Haven't gotten a dry hit yet..

The Billow sat overnight (upright) with about a mL or less, and it doesn't seem to have leaked. But I did notice a little juice underneath the tank, possibly from the airflow screws or juice hole. Not much juice though just a few droplets.

And at least the CD's were all old burned ones. But my car reaks like strawberry cake now lol

Glad to hear your originals weren't ruined!

So juice in the airway? Only a couple of ways that can happen on an RTA Aqua. Flooding, an over saturated wick during the vape which drips juice down into the airtube under your coil while at rest. The juice can show up at the air adj screws or at the air holes on your base. It can then seep to anywhere gravity takes it. Flooding can also bring juice up the airtube and into your mouth during the vape. Usually the juice in this area drains back along the inside walls of the chimney and gets recycled back into the wick. Flooding can be controlled by raising your wattage, reducing your draw effort, increasing wicking density and sometimes by opening the airflow adj. a little.

Another way to get juice in the airway is leaking. Losing vacuum in the tank can allow juice levels to rise all the way up to the top of the build deck and enter the airway there.

Good luck,

cig