Cobra RBA help - Unable to wick juice via mesh

[CharlieBrown]

I just got a cobra atomizer and i'm having a hard time making my ss mesh wick get soaked with juice. I've done the paperclip #400 mesh rolling trick and oxidized after rolling with wick that is still on paperclip. Mesh was about 2.5cm x 3cm. Oxidized using a portable plumbing torch, and quench using water; 3 times. then put some juice on the oxidized wick, and lit the juice up with a lighter.

I've created my 32 AWG kanthal coil using the peter k method, by initially wrapping the coil around my allen screwdriver that came with the cobra; diameter of screwdriver fits perfectly in the wick on the RBA. 5 wraps at 2.7 ohm. I then fire the coils up to make sure middle of coil lights up first, drip some juice on the coil, and then fire again to make sure the coil is oxidized. Then drop the wick within the coil, add more juice and fire to make sure there are no other hot spots.

I'm just not sure what I'm doing wrong...

Do i need a wider piece of mesh to oxidize? Using too much mesh or too little. need to make the mesh wider before rolling
Close up the holes on each end of the mesh wick? I also took of one of the extra screws on the atty to prevent the vacuum effect.

When i vape the cobra (@ 2.7 ohm on 4.5v), i do get vapor, but there no juice flavor. it tastes metallic.

Please help, and thank you in advance.

 

[Unforeseen]

Moved to Assorted PV Topics - Rebuildable Atomizer Systems

 

[michliu]

Do you leave the screw on the fill hole out? I found my Cobra clone worked much better after I left the fill screw out. Other wise I had to tilt to 3 o'clock and wait for the juice to make it's way to the top of the coil.

 

[Thrasher]

yea leave the fill screw out, and even though you cant see it metallic taste is almost always a hot or cold spot or uneven heating on the coil.

when you tilt the atty and hold it there,do you see juice slowly building on the wick? if held in a horizontal position long enough the wick should start to drip. never personally noticed the wick needing to be a certain size all the time, usually i just cut my mesh to "ehh that looks close enough"
check the hole in the wick make sure you did not pinch it shut somehow.

theres also the voltage on top of all this 4.5 for almost 3 ohms might be a bit low i run around 4.0 -4.2 or so on the 2.2 ohm coil im running now.

and you didnt mention the juice ratio, pg? vg? blended?

i have 3 cobra's and love them


EDIT: just noticed this line

I then fire the coils up to make sure middle of coil lights up first,

it needs to glow evenly not one or two first. this is your metallic taste.

 

[CharlieBrown]

Thanks for the tips, I appreciate it. I left the fill hole off when trying to vape, I also tried to leave the second coil screw off and plug the fill hole with no avail. let me check my coils again and make a new wick.
As for the juice, I'm using 60/40 juice from AllAboutVapors.
Thrasher, were you the one who put a cobra review on Phiniac? That is an awesome review!
I'll keep you guys updated, and thanks again.

 

[cardenio]

Thanks for the tips, I appreciate it. I left the fill hole off when trying to vape, I also tried to leave the second coil screw off and plug the fill hole with no avail. let me check my coils again and make a new wick.
As for the juice, I'm using 60/40 juice from AllAboutVapors.
Thrasher, were you the one who put a cobra review on Phiniac? That is an awesome review!
I'll keep you guys updated, and thanks again.

My cobra arrives in a few days let me know if you have any breakthroughs as ill be making my first wick and coil soon lol. I'm also curious if anyone has ideal sizes for cobra wicks i bought 12x12 sheets and its hard for me to gauge what itll use per wick