Cobra Atomizer/Evic Trouble

[Mullethunter]

I am truly disappointed at the moment . Got this in the mail today with the assumption of getting it right on the first time with the Petar K Method. After 5 coils and 3 wicks still no luck. It has a horrid taste even when there are no hot spots . I am oxidizing the wick as most do tried with and without quenching. i have tried a 3/4 wrap, 4/5 wrap, even a dual coil. I cant even get the dual coil to fire that might be cause of the Evic IDK. I think I will put up a video of my next attempt. That way I can get more accurate advice as to what I am doing wrong.

 

[subversive]

Welcome to ECF : ) I haven't messed with rba's at all, but once you get 5 posts and the site updates ( once an hour ) you can check out the rba subforum.

 

[Tankman77]

I am truly disappointed at the moment . Got this in the mail today with the assumption of getting it right on the first time with the Petar K Method. After 5 Coils and 3 wicks still no luck. It has a horrid taste even when there are no hot spots . I am oxidizing the wick as most do tried with and without quenching. i have tried a 3/4 wrap, 4/5 wrap, even a dual coil. I cant even get the dual coil to fire that might be cause of the Evic IDK. I think I will put up a video of my next attempt. That way I can get more accurate advice as to what I am doing wrong.

What are your coils ohming out at? Do you have a Multimeter and testing the coils? or a VV device that can check the ohms? What gauge wire are you using? I just received my cobra last week and had a few troubles with it myself. I am new to RBA's myself. I have the Cobra, 2 AGA T+'s and a Drunker tank. I just jumped right in and have been oxidizing wicks and twisting coils for a week now.
So, I am NO EXPERT!!! I check all my coils on my Provari, of the ohms are below 1.2 the Provari doesnt fire, I tried a dual wick with dual coil and couldnt get my ohms above 0.9....so I was unsuccessful with the dual coil attempt.
To me, it sounds like you have a short in the system. Check to make sure all your edges are cut GOOD.....no little scragglers of wire hanging off. Do a quick burn on your opened mesh (before rolled). put a small fold on one edge (outside edge when rolled). the keeps a clean tight edge that can cause shorts. Roll your wick TIGHT!!! I use a solid wick (not a hollow-straw type). I fire it an quench it 4 times in water and then drench the wick in juice and fire it unit the juice burns off (repeat 3 times). Then insert the wick and free hand wrap the coil, (I dont use the drilll bit method). I use 32G Kanthal wire and do a 4/5 wrap on the wick. I also do a quick burn of the wire to remove oils and contaminates. Check the ohms (1.8). I then turn the volts down to 3.0 and fire once or twice. Turn up the volts to 3.3 and fire once or twice moving the coils with a pick. Increase the voltage to 3.6 and fire, let the coils glow red and fix (poke or move coils) any hot spots. Add some juice to wick and fire 3.8 volts a couple times. Should have nice popping and snapping with good vapor production. Add more juice to wick, increase voltage to 4.0 fire. Fix any hot spots. Fill tank and juice to wick and put top cap on. Check ohms (1.8) and enjoy your vape!!
Like I said, I AM NO EXPERT.....but this has worked for me!! YMMV
Good Luck, Keep at it, and enjoy the journey!! We learn more from our failures than our successes......
Hope this helps.
No doubt you already know this (BUT)....there a helpful videos on youtube....I must have watch them at least 50 times!!!
Frustrating at first, I know.....but keep at it--You will get it!!

 

[Mullethunter]

What are your coils ohming out at?

Most of them have been around 1.8 ohm.

Do you have a Multimeter and testing the coils? or a VV device that can check the ohms?

I do have a Multimeter, but I am using the Evic to test the coil.

Check to make sure all your edges are cut GOOD.....no little scragglers of wire hanging off.

Check

Do a quick burn on your opened mesh (before rolled).

I will try that in my coil.

put a small fold on one edge (outside edge when rolled). the keeps a clean tight edge that can cause shorts. Roll your wick TIGHT!!!

Check

I use a solid wick (not a hollow-straw type).

i didn't try that will give it a go on the next one.

I fire it an quench it 4 times in water and then drench the wick in juice and fire it unit the juice burns off (repeat 3 times).

I will do this to a T next time but the way i did it was one i just heated up with a torch, another i quenched 3 time and did juice burns.

Then insert the wick and free hand wrap the coil, (I dont use the drilll bit method).

This i think might be the problem I wasnt able to get my wick just right. it was either to tight or to loose.

I also do a quick burn of the wire to remove oils and contaminates.

Check

Check the ohms (1.8). I then turn the volts down to 3.0 and fire once or twice. Turn up the volts to 3.3 and fire once or twice moving the coils with a pick. Increase the voltage to 3.6 and fire, let the coils glow red and fix (poke or move coils) any hot spots. Add some juice to wick and fire 3.8 volts a couple times. Should have nice popping and snapping with good vapor production. Add more juice to wick, increase voltage to 4.0 fire. Fix any hot spots. Fill tank and juice to wick and put top cap on. Check ohms (1.8) and enjoy your vape!!

This I didn't really do at all. Also i might add that the only time my coil got red was without a wick or if i had a hotspot. Other wise they were like a very dull glow if at all. And i dont experience any of the popping like i see in peoples videos.

 

[Tankman77]

Keep at man, you'll get it!!
Let me emphazine.....I AM NOT an expert here!!! Just sharing what has worked for me!
Hope I was able to help out some.....Trial and Error my friend.......Trial and Error!!!!

 

[Tankman77]

This I didn't really do at all. Also i might add that the only time my coil got red was without a wick or if i had a hotspot. Other wise they were like a very dull glow if at all. And i dont experience any of the popping like i see in peoples videos.

Sounds like you aren't getting enough power to your coils???? Did you have a full battery charge? Do you have another device to test the RBA on?
Sorry I dont have a EVic, so I am not familiar with their operation.
What voltage were you using??

 

[Mullethunter]

Here are some photos of the setup I had before I started the rebuild.

Pictures of the coil

Current Voltage

 

[Mullethunter]

Here is a video with the same coil and wick.

 

[Trick]

You've got major hotspots going on. That's why it tastes so bad.

Oxidizing the wick and coil a bit more may help, but your coil is definitely shorting against that wick.

Your coil looks fine otherwise.

 

[Mullethunter]

Video of burning in SS Mesh

 

[Mullethunter]

Oxidize and quench

 

[Tankman77]

Video of burning in SS Mesh

Mulle,

Just watched your videos.
First video, as stated previously, you do have some hot spots on that coil!!! That will cause a burnt nasty flavor as you know. I noticed some of the coils were a litttle loose on that wick...that could casue that portion of the coil to burn hotter (expecially the top coil). Tighten up those coils alittle bit, the spacing looked good. Your coil should be snug around the wick, but still slide up and down with alittle pull. Try to get that top coil even with the insertion point of the center post. That top tag end should come straight across to the center post, and I try to have a slight bend of the wick toward the center post when I tighten the wire.

Second video: When I torch the SS mesh (before rolling) I give all the edges a good clean cut ( no scragglers) and torch all the edges well. I then give a good once over to the front and back of the mesh. I DONT oxidize the entire mesh before rolling the wick. A good once over on both sides and torch the edges well. Then do a small fold over one side to keep a clean edge, this edge with be the outside edge of your wick (dont start rolling the wick with the folded end)...the folded end is at the end of the wick.
After the wick is rolled tight ( I do a solid wick) I then oxidize the heck out of it, as I previously described in my earlier post.
The wick in your videos looks as if it could use a little more oxidation.....especially if your still getting hot spots.

What juice are you using? What is the PG/VG ratio? You stated that you are using a 500 mesh. I understand that 500 is a much finer mesh, and if you are using a high VG concentrate it might not wick well...I under stand that 325 SS mesh would wick better with 100%VG juices and that 500 mesh wicks better with thinner juices. I use 400 mesh myself and use 50/50, 30/70 juices mostly. I do have a tank of 100% VG and the 400 mesh seems to wick pretty good. I havent used any 500 mesh, so I dont have any experience with it!!
Hopefully someone with more experience and expertise in these matters could chime in here and help both of us out.
Hope this helps.....keep at it!! Great Videos by the way

 

[Mullethunter]

Oxidize and quench

 

[Cloud Wizard]

Here's a hybrid method I give to folks in the DID thread. You can use it with what ever measurements/mesh/wire you have on hand.

 

[Cloud Wizard]

Your eVic has a switch amperage limitation (I think 2.5amp?) but with that you may get better results using a ~2.2Ω so that you get better range with the variable voltage.

Another tip: coils don't last for ever but wicks can last for months. you mentioned making multiple wicks, you can reuse them over and over some folks rinse under hot water and wipe with a paper towel or torch & quench to get the crud off. You can also dry burn a coil totaly clean by twisting the wick out through the top and then pulsing power with just the coil (like in your pic)

 

[Tankman77]

Mulle,

If after all this you are still having issues you could alway try the hybrid wick technique, by Bluegrasslover!!!
Check it out here........ Mesh/Cotton hybrid wick Bluegrasslover's method - YouTube

Always an option. I have never tried it myself, but there are good reviews!!!

 

[Mullethunter]

Juice Burn

 

[Cloud Wizard]

So far so good (looks pretty oxidized). I also use a lighter (not the torch) and anneal my kanthal/nichrome resistance wire before wrapping. Simply run the lighter the length of the wire (slowly till it glows) up once and back.

 

[crxess]

First - eVic should work fine around 1.8ohm. I own 2 and they do.
Second - I read Horrible taste, not burnt - Which is it?
Even the simplest coil build, with hot spots corrected should produce some success. I never quench, That only serves to harden the Wick and leads to early failure.
Did you do a thorough tank cleaning before setting everything. Once had one I didn't get cleaned right and it ruined the e-liguid. Tasted like rotting Turkey fat.

A bad wick is one that will not draw liquid properly.
A bad coil simply will not heat evenly.

 

[Trick]

First - eVic should work fine around 1.8ohm. I own 2 and they do.
Second - I read Horrible taste, not burnt - Which is it?
Even the simplest coil build, with hot spots corrected should produce some success. I never quench, That only serves to harden the Wick and leads to early failure.
Did you do a thorough tank cleaning before setting everything. Once had one I didn't get cleaned right and it ruined the e-liguid. Tasted like rotting Turkey fat.

A bad wick is one that will not draw liquid properly.
A bad coil simply will not heat evenly.

I'd add to this that juice burns aren't extremely helpful either, in my experience. The carbon buildup just ends up washing off and gunking up your juice, exposing a wick that would have been better oxidized if you just heated it directly.