CE2 R4 510XL Fray The Wick Cart Mod

[pearlheartgtr]

I don't know if this has been done yet (I haven't seen any dedicated posts except PTB mods on the CE2) but I thought I could share this with you.

It's basically a thread/wick fraying mod for the CE2. I had thought about doing the PTB mod, but I just didn't feel like buying a box of tea just to try a mod.

I was excited to get these cartos because I was tired of refilling carts and cleaning attys when I wanted to switch flavors. But I was a tad disappointed with the performance. There was less flavor and throat hit than usual. I had read about the PTB (and saw the videos) but as I said before, I just didn't feel like buying a box of tea to test.

This will take 2 posts because I have 9 pics to share.

Here are the tools I used:
Tweezer (I used the .... of them to get the plug back in over the coil)
Scissors (not shown)
Bent Paper Clip
Piece from a binder clip (for tugging that last plug out)
A 7-11 Big Gulp Straw (or any straw that will fit inside the carto and around the ceramic coil)
Syringe for filling
510 Riva battery
CE2 R4 510XL 3 ohm carto




1. With the paperclip, CAREFULLY pull the wick up on both sides.



2. Snip through the two loops.




3. Fray the threads. I try to get as close to the coil as possible. I haven't had any problems yet. I also used the scissors to comb them out more.



Next post!

I am going to start working on the next post, it will be up shortly.

 

[pearlheartgtr]

Now that we have the wick frayed, we can put it back in. This is where the straw comes in handy.
CAREFULLY insert into carto. I pushed the wick pieces to either side before I inserted the straw.

4. It's a touch tough to get in at first but with a little careful pressure, the straw will begin to glide in.



5. Continue to violate the carto until the straw reaches the bottom.



6. Slowly pull the straw out and inspect your handiwork. With the paperclip, I retucked the wick into the grooves.



And here it is with the coil lit up.



I forgot to mention it in the OP, but there will be a bit of loose fibers during the fraying. Just lightly pull them out before pushing back into the carto.

7. Fill and Enjoy!

I was able to get about 1.6ml of juice into it when I finished.

 

[WillyB]

I don't know, I think by fraying you will actually be decreasing the capillary action of the wick as a whole.

Any wick you see, oil lamps, candles etc is always woven. I imagine the E2's woven design was specifically chosen to maximize capillary action, not hinder it. You shredding basically destroyed all the tiny, closely spaced, adjacent openings and passages.


Capillary action is the tendency of a liquid to rise in narrow tubes or to be drawn into small openings such as those between grains of a rock.

 

[pearlheartgtr]

Use it or don't. I found it worked well with my 3 ohm carts without a hitch. I'm using 2.5s now and haven't the need to do any mods on them.

 

[neptunus]

works fine for me.. Thanks!

 

[AlmightyGod]

I don't know, I think by fraying you will actually be decreasing the capillary action of the wick as a whole.

Any wick you see, oil lamps, candles etc is always woven. I imagine the E2's woven design was specifically chosen to maximize capillary action, not hinder it. You shredding basically destroyed all the tiny, closely spaced, adjacent openings and passages.


Capillary action is the tendency of a liquid to rise in narrow tubes or to be drawn into small openings such as those between grains of a rock.

Although I see your point, it doesn't look as though he frayed it into individual fibers.
Therefore, I think he has something here.
He has many "tubes".
And if it works well & eliminates dry hits....who's to argue really?

 

[JonnyVapΣ]

Hell, I'll try it when I get a spare minute. Have a 2.6ohm that's been crappy since day one.

 

[AlmightyGod]

This works great...since I had it apart anyway, I soaked it in PGA & let it dry too.
No wicking issues, and no bad taste!!!
PITA...shouldn't have to do it...but it works like a charm!!!

BTW...I cut the straw in half lengthwise, so I could tuck in one side at a time. (My straw wasn't big enough to fit over the ceramic plate.)

 

[badkolo]

you can achieve the same thing by just fluffing the wicks like i have been saying for the last 6 months, just simply fluff the wick in the slit area by pulling it up in the slits, loosening it a tad with a needle or whatever u use and that will also work like what you are describing here but without having to pull out the wicks all the way.

 

[arjay55]

Looks like an interesting mod to try, pearlheartgtr.

Really, really like the idea of using the straw.

I usually clean/rinse out my CE2's prior to use and pull the wicks out (like you have) to inspect for discolouring. I then pat them dry and give the wicks a bit of a blast with a butane lighter. Makes them ready to use in minutes. The tricky bit has been poking the damn wicks back in with unsteady hands. I must admit I tried to do badkolos wick cutting ptb mod earlier and when I was pushing the wick stubs back in (suitably fluffed, bad ) I spasmed and pulled the whole thing out of the coil. How embarrassment.

The straw might help out in doing that job, if nothing else. The frayed wick would be a bonus. Two mods in one, pearlheartgtr, kudos.


Hmmm. The I-D of a CE2 looks about the size of the straws that Macca's use. Must check that out.

 

[hairball]

Last night I was talking to skullfreak via PM. Fraying just the tail pieces is all that I do and I really notice a difference. I will have to try the OP's recommedation on one and see how it goes.

 

[AlmightyGod]

Last night I was talking to skullfreak via PM. Fraying just the tail pieces is all that I do and I really notice a difference. I will have to try the OP's recommedation on one and see how it goes.

I cut the loops & frayed the loops and tails on one & frayed just the tails on another...both wick fine...can't tell the difference.
I can tell a huge difference from the one I didn't fray at all...I have to keep turning that one upside down for a second.
The PGA soak left them so clean that I didn't need a dry burn...just added juice and fired it up...tasted fine.

 

[JohnKing]

Thanks for that pearlheartgtr, I just did your mod on a "bad" cart and it's now a keeper.