Calling all drippers: how long does good flavor last with your DNA40?

[Insomaniac10]

Hi all,

I'm curious to gather different experiences everyone is having when dripping with their DNA40 using nickel and temp control. (please outline which rda you use, wick, and your temp and wattage settings)

I am currently running a Hobo clone on my vaporshark rdna. japanese cotton, single spaced coil, 420-450degrees, 15-20watts.

I see a lot of people bragging about how long their coils are lasting with temperature control, in terms of wicks not getting charred, and considerably less buildup than a traditional kanthal build. But does their flavor stay the same? While I can say that the appearance of these nickel builds do certainly last longer before looking beat up, I can also say that I typically can only go a week before I just can't take the flavor anymore, and I have to rebuild. I can usually only go 3 days before ultimately seeing a decline in flavor and vapor production - and the throat hit becomes more of a throat burn. I am wondering what causes this? My builds are pretty consistent, usually coming out to around .15ohms, with no hot spots. I've tinkered around with a few air flow setups, and have found what I believe to be the best that I can get with this Hobo.

How long do you guys usually go before you see a decline in flavor/performance? I'm trying to gauge if I am on par with everyone else, or if I might be doing something wrong. Below a picture of my current coil, after about 4 days of use. I plan on rebuilding tonight because the flavor has declined, and it is no longer an enjoyable vape. You will see that it is showing signs of wear and tear toward the middle, and is starting to blacken a bit. Is this normal, especially for the wattage I vape at?

 

[xtwosm0kesx]

A lot of the longevity (as you likely know) will be based on the type of juice you're running. More flavoring and tobacco extracts/absolutes will also cause faster gunking.

With clear 'clean' juices (like NT Betelgeuse for example) you're going to get probably double the wick life versus something especially dark and 'dirty' (like Bobas Bounty from AVE). Prior to the DNA40 i would rewick my Veritas (using Bobas 95% of the time) about every 2-3 days, with TC i now get closer to 6-7 days before i find a noticeable drop in performance.

I run similar temps as you, with slightly higher wattage, but keep in mind 420-450 is slightly ABOVE cottons char point so you will get some darkening, but nothing like you would with a normal kanthal build.

 

[Insomaniac10]

Well I've gotten much more care-free about dry vaping since getting the DNA40, especially while driving - so that may be part of my issue. Don't get me wrong, I don't vape it dry, but I may take a handful of rips hitting TC.

What is the char point for cotton? If what you're saying is true, that really sucks, because lowering the temp will regulate the wattage down quicker, and I feel like I'm already at a fairly low wattage.

 

[sonicbomb]

I have a Plume Veil on a vapor flask clone. The build is 10 wraps 28g, ID 30mm @ 0.15 ohms. The sweet spot seems to be 450F at 25 watts, Japanese cotton. I haven't put that many hours through it yet so I can't really comment on longevity. I do find nickel very frustrating to work with, and even though this is my best build to date it still doesn't touch the vape quality of my kanthal builds.
Having said that the quality of this 'work in progress' build is still superior to the nickel OCC coils for my Sub Tank Mini, which I find quite thin and harsh to vape though I suspect that some balancing of the VG/PG ratio may help.

 

[xtwosm0kesx]

Well I've gotten much more care-free about dry vaping since getting the DNA40, especially while driving - so that may be part of my issue. Don't get me wrong, I don't vape it dry, but I may take a handful of rips hitting TC.

What is the char point for cotton? If what you're saying is true, that really sucks, because lowering the temp will regulate the wattage down quicker, and I feel like I'm already at a fairly low wattage.

The 'char point' is around 410f but that's COMPLETELY dry, which basically will never happen.

You can always run your own test, next time you rebuild, wick it, leave it dry, then start at 390 and work up in temps seeing exactly how much it will char the dry cotton at certain temps.

Honestly i wouldn't let it concern you, based on my own experience, id estimate the cotton is being charred significantly less/slower (like 50-75% less) than when i ran kanthal/non TC.

 

[Croak]

And 410 degrees actual could be a far far cry from what a DNA40 is really firing at. Remember, it's an AVERAGE resistance that's being measured, the entire circuit from 510 to build deck/head to coil to legs. Variances of 10f-100f displayed versus actual are not at all uncommon.

Plus, nobody should be vaping totally dry cotton, so that char point goes up the more juice there is in the wick, even wicks most consider "dry" after use still have some liquid in them shifting the char point up higher.

 

[dr g]

And 410 degrees actual could be a far far cry from what a DNA40 is really firing at. Remember, it's an AVERAGE resistance that's being measured, the entire circuit from 510 to build deck/head to coil to legs. Variances of 10f-100f displayed versus actual are not at all uncommon.

The more accurate way to say it would be 410 degrees wick temperature. The DNA is firing at the wire temperature it says, as long as refinement is not disabled.

 

[bky16]

My latest build on my Veritas is a 28G 8 wraps 3mm vertical coil, which gives me a coil of about 0.12 Ohms. Depending on the e-juice, temperature varies from 380 to 400 and this leaves me 5 to 6 days good vapes most of the times. But I rewick like around 3 days.

 

[Insomaniac10]

Thanks all! Seems like I'm more on-par with everyone than I thought I was.

 

[Vatic]

Rdna Vaporshark, ni200, 26g. .2 single coil, 500º , 25watts, koh gen do, Troll Rda. Diggin it,


eta: to add photo.

 

[Insomaniac10]

Rdna Vaporshark, ni200, 26g. .2 single coil, 500º , 25watts, koh gen do, Troll Rda. Diggin it,


eta: to add photo.

Maybe it's just the angle, but your wick looks real loose in that coil. Do you hit TC quickly on that?

 

[Vatic]

Rdna Vaporshark, ni200, 26g. .2 single coil, 500º , 25watts, koh gen do, Troll Rda. Diggin it,


eta: to add photo.

I took it apart, omitted a few coils, got it down to .18 and now I don't have to use as much power or heat.I'm happy with 15 watts and 420º. Much mo betta.

Trollolololololol...