Can’t make a Smok coil last more than a week

[1neeto]

I’ve tried many kinds, right now I’m trying the T8 and it seems no different. My wife is worse, she can kill a coil in less than 3 days. Are we doing something wrong? My wife vapes a whole lot more than me since she works from home, she can vape all day if she wants. We use all kinds of different juices, mostly 30/70 to 50/50 3-6mg, sweet or not too sweet, it doesn’t seem to matter.

I’ve used the search feature, but it’s a pain to find the answers. I know about priming the coil, but now I’ve read about breaking them in, poking holes in them, removing the outer layer, taking the coil out on a expensive date before vaping hard, all kinds of stuff. Is there a thread with a crash course on coil handling/prepping? All I do is when I change it is clean the tank off any gunk, and then add juice to the top until the sides start to look saturated. Assemble the tank, fill it up, and start vaping. Am I doing something wrong that’s shortening the life of my coils? Need help with this because the coil thing is starting to get expensive!

 

[smizak]

Not sure about Smok coil construction, but I've only been in the vaping game for two weeks or so and I immediately started learning how to rebuild mine. My mod uses Kanger SSOCCs. Ordered 50' of SS wire, winding jig, and organic atomizer cotton wick for < $20.

 

[1neeto]

Not sure about Smok coil construction, but I've only been in the vaping game for two weeks or so and I immediately started learning how to rebuild mine. My mod uses Kanger SSOCCs. Ordered 50' of SS wire, winding jig, and organic atomizer cotton wick for < $20.

I’ve been vaping for years, and now I’m truly considering making my own coils. I’ll research more into that.

 

[smizak]

I’ve been vaping for years, and now I’m truly considering making my own coils. I’ll research more into that.

I googled it, there are plenty of videos online for Smok coil rebuilds. Good luck!

 

[stols001]

As you have seen, the amount of e-liquid (and probably wattage) as well as juice "gunking" factors (dark or sweet juices, or perhaps NETs) will shorten coil life. You can certainly try the "remedies" you've listed, but if they don't work, it is certainly less expensive to use RTAs where you build your own coil, and just remove cotton, dry burn and replace wick. That's a whole other skillset, but it's certainly manageable there are tons of tutorials online and also this Forum to check out: Rebuildable Atomizer Systems for help, advice and etc.

Some of the "remedies" that people have used on smok coils really do seem to work for them, so it might be worth trying some of them to see if you can extend your coil life at all.

Best of luck,

Anna

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

May I suggest both you and your wife get additional mods and tanks and alternate between them during the day. It is always good to have backups to your backups so you won't be tempted to buy that pack of smokes. But if you are going to chain vape practically all day, then you are wearing you equipment out way faster than normal. By alternating between mods you give the coil and the battery cooling down time and that helps to prolong their lives. Just a thought. LOL I won't even begin to tell you how many I have in rotation, but it is more than 3.



eta and pls buy something other than Smok products.

 

[Beamslider]

Getting more than 1 week out of a factory coil is not in the cards most of the time. Depends on the ml of juice run thru. But they aren't built for stamina

 

[Marc411]

Besides what you already mentioned the wattage used and amount of air you have across you coil will also impact coil longevity. I use the original Crown tanks and the .25Ω coils and I can get a couple weeks out of one. I like a cooler vape and fairly unrestricted airflow. I run the .25Ω between 30 - 33.5 watts and give the coil more air at the higher the wattage. I've found the higher watts will toast a coil quicker.

 

[stols001]

I will heartily agree with Sugar_and_Spice on tank rotation, especially if chain vaping. I feel like I went through coils like a hot knife through butter in the beginning. To be fair, a lot of has changed with my actual e-liquid now that I am DIY and reducing gunking factors, but even then, letting coils rest and not overheat will really, genuinely extend coil life.

I have many tanks in rotation and even though I have more tanks (and coils) I do feel like my coil life is better even still, as my tanks aren't getting overheated, and my gear generally is happier. I'm fairly certain my coil life is much, much better than when I was simply using one coil and one tank and one mod.

Having 2 or even 3 mods in rotation may help quite a bit.

Anna

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Here is a suggestion that hits hard, is reliable and right up your alley(so to speak) and can handle the way you want to vape.

Drag 157 Watt TC Box Mod by Voopoo


and this code NEWMFS15 = 15% OFF First Order
I also 2nd @Marc411 suggestion on the Crown original tank. I am using one and it kicks azz......but for me I plan to use the rba to build my own. They also have coils in the 1.2ohm range I think I will try as the .25 gets a little warm for me.


eta. I am not affiliated in any way with this company other than being a customer who has bought from them for the last 7+ years or so.
They have reliable products and good customer service and fast shipping

 

[score69]

What wattage are you using with the T8? Are you pushing the max range? That has a big impact on the SMOK coils in my opinion, actually any coil. I think the SMOK coils are WAY overrated as far as the wattage recommendations. I haven't used the T8 in a while, here's what I believe they list:

• Designed for: 50-110W / Manufacturer's Recommended Wattage Range: 60-80W

I'm currently running the Q2 0.4 and 0.6 ohm coils, for the 0.4 ohm:

• Designed for: 40-80W / Manufacturer's Recommended Wattage Range: 55-65W

With this, I only vape them @ 30 watts max and get a very satisfying vape out of them. I vape unflavored liquid (which has a dramatic effect on the coil longevity), but I can easily get 4 weeks out of one, probably at least 360ml of 70% VG juice.

If you are pushing the coil limits (again I think SMOK overrates them), after priming and properly breaking them in, just increase the wattage to where you need it for a good vape. Maybe you need to go all the way up with them, that's up to you. Lower wattage will definitely extend the life of your coils as well.

Also, what's up with the coils when they go bad? Do they taste like burning 'juice gunk', can you taste burning cotton, etc? Some juices can really trash your coils too. Maybe it's a combination of wattage and the juices you guys vape?

Just some thoughts. Good luck.

 

[1neeto]

What wattage are you using with the T8? Are you pushing the max range? That has a big impact on the SMOK coils in my opinion, actually any coil. I think the SMOK coils are WAY overrated as far as the wattage recommendations. I haven't used the T8 in a while, here's what I believe they list:

• Designed for: 50-110W / Manufacturer's Recommended Wattage Range: 60-80W

I'm currently running the Q2 0.4 and 0.6 ohm coils, for the 0.4 ohm:

• Designed for: 40-80W / Manufacturer's Recommended Wattage Range: 55-65W

With this, I only vape them @ 30 watts max and get a very satisfying vape out of them. I vape unflavored liquid (which has a dramatic effect on the coil longevity), but I can easily get 4 weeks out of one, probably at least 360ml of 70% VG juice.

If you are pushing the coil limits (again I think SMOK overrates them), after priming and properly breaking them in, just increase the wattage to where you need it for a good vape. Maybe you need to go all the way up with them, that's up to you. Lower wattage will definitely extend the life of your coils as well.

Also, what's up with the coils when they go bad? Do they taste like burning 'juice gunk', can you taste burning cotton, etc? Some juices can really trash your coils too. Maybe it's a combination of wattage and the juices you guys vape?

Just some thoughts. Good luck.

First of all thanks everyone for all those replies. This forum is quite awesome!

Ok more info...I set mine from 65-75 watts depending on how I feel I guess. My mod is a Smok AL85, and my wife’s is a Vaporesso Revenger. Of course being the great husband that I am, I gave her the better mod lol. She sets her to around 65 watts too, although I’ve seen her push 80 sometimes. Our tanks are V8 big baby, and our T8 coils are .15ohms.

When the coils go bad, they have this harsh metallic taste. But I think I’ve changed a coil or two that still had life left. I think my wife sometimes vapes them dry, gets a dry hit and then asks me to change the coil because “it tastes like crap”. I’ve told her to let it soak for a while when it gets that taste but she claims it never tastes right after.

Also how do you break them in? I just change, prime and vape normal.

 

[score69]

First of all thanks everyone for all those replies. This forum is quite awesome!

Ok more info...I set mine from 65-75 watts depending on how I feel I guess. My mod is a Smok AL85, and my wife’s is a Vaporesso Revenger. Of course being the great husband that I am, I gave her the better mod lol. She sets her to around 65 watts too, although I’ve seen her push 80 sometimes. Our tanks are V8 big baby, and our T8 coils are .15ohms.

When the coils go bad, they have this harsh metallic taste. But I think I’ve changed a coil or two that still had life left. I think my wife sometimes vapes them dry, gets a dry hit and then asks me to change the coil because “it tastes like crap”. I’ve told her to let it soak for a while when it gets that taste but she claims it never tastes right after.

Also how do you break them in? I just change, prime and vape normal.

Well yeah, if you get a good dry hit from them, then the cotton is going to be toast at that point. I've caught dry hits early on and spared the coil, but many times, once you vape it dry like that, it's not going to recover.

To prime it, I drip on the cotton inside the coil until I see it on the outside of cotton. Go slow so you don't flood the inside of it too badly. Then I finish off soaking the cotton outside. Fill up the tank, close the airflow, and take a few good drags off of it. This will pull juice into the coil. You can also let it sit for a while.

When you start vaping it, start at like 10-15 watts. Hit it a few times. Slowly increase the wattage/hit it again. Repeat wattage increase/hitting it until you get to a point you like it. You may find you can get away with vaping it much lower than 60-80 watts. The lower you vape it, the less stress on the coil.

Not really a good idea to just throw your full wattage at a new coil in my experience.

Give it a try with your next coil change, see if you can get by with a lower wattage, etc. 60-80 watts is SMOK's recommended range, but that doesn't mean you need to be that high. I think most of the coils I've used perform well even under the 'suggested' ratings.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Well yeah, if you get a good dry hit from them, then the cotton is going to be toast at that point. I've caught dry hits early on and spared the coil, but many times, once you vape it dry like that, it's not going to recover.

To prime it, I drip on the cotton inside the coil until I see it on the outside of cotton. Go slow so you don't flood the inside of it too badly. Then I finish off soaking the cotton outside. Fill up the tank, close the airflow, and take a few good drags off of it. This will pull juice into the coil. You can also let it sit for a while.

When you start vaping it, start at like 10-15 watts. Hit it a few times. Slowly increase the wattage/hit it again. Repeat wattage increase/hitting it until you get to a point you like it. You may find you can get away with vaping it much lower than 60-80 watts. The lower you vape it, the less stress on the coil.

Not really a good idea to just throw your full wattage at a new coil in my experience.




Give it a try with your next coil change, see if you can get by with a lower wattage, etc. 60-80 watts is SMOK's recommended range, but that doesn't mean you need to be that high. I think most of the coils I've used perform well even under the 'suggested' ratings.

What score69 is saying here is
Fill up the tank, close the airflow, and take a few good drags off of it. This will pull juice into the coil.


is Not to hit the fire button yet. A pretend drag to pull the juice.

 

[Blazr]

I'm on my 2cd week with a T6 coil in my NRG tank, Revenger mod. This time was an experiment. I have been poking holes in the wicking ports and the coils seemed to last a few days longer. Large sewing needle 1mm and 2 to 3 holes. 3 holes sometimes got me a flooded coil with no way to resolve, just trashed them. 2 holes, one at top and one at bottom seemed to be the best. Wicking has been great.

Then I saw an update to a video I had watched and someone said to do the 2 holes, but not go all the way thru the cotton. I guess the idea is that the partial hole helps for saturation to the coil itself. I can say that it has helped in that I've had no dry hits, but the flavor is now starting to wane... I can say one thing for sure, this different hole poking thing made the coil break in time equivalent to my Tobeco coils. So yay for that.

I will clean this coil using a warm water rinse then soak in Everclear, then clean water rinse. I gave my Big Baby to my son and said have fun. My personal preferences on tanks are the Tobeco 25mm super tank with .5 coil (awsum flavor and coils last 1 to 2 weeks before flavor starts to go. Smok Baby with Vaporesso GT4 coil. I vape each between 40 and 50 watts. I do avoid super sweet juices in the Baby tank.

I'm just learning to build, but will figure out one of these days how to rebuild the Tobeco stock coils. Maybe try the Ni200 substitution?? I use multiple tanks daily, still the least flavor on the T6. As with all my stock coils after priming, 5 watts below coil's lowest watt and baby puffs while working up. Takes me 20mins if I'm in a hurry.