Diving into rebuildables ... HELP !

[RobbieVap]

So I've been vaping a vamo since V2 , I have a V5 now and love it . I use a Kanger Protank 2 . I really don't have any complaints as they have kept me off analogs and I feel a hundred times better

Now everything functions fine , but I can't help but be a bit envious when I see GrimmGreen and Riptriper where the vapor clouds they exhale are literally 5 times the size that I get . I'm assuming this comes down to not only having a stronger PV , or being mechanical .
However the Vamo V5 goes up to 15 watts so I'm not sure if it's the PV, but the fact they mostly use expensive rebuildable attys.

Now by no means do I have the $$ to go right to a kayfun for example , or even a 50$ clone ( well maybe if someone has one to speak very highly of and tells me it's genuinely worth it , but an authentic for 100$ just can't happen right now )

Now , In riptrippers kangerv2 vs v3 , He uses a v2 at 9.5 watts , and gets INSANE vapor . How ? If I take a long drag at 9.5 watts the vape easily gets burnt and incredibly hot . What does this come down to? I see videos of people vaping at 10 watts + and I'm assuming this is doable because of much better wicking . I easily get burnt hits at 8.5 watts so i stay in the 7-7.5 range , rarely venturing to 8 . How are people vaping a protank v2 comfortably at 9 watts ? Is this juice dependant on how thin it is and it absorbs into the wick better ? Maybe the amount of vape I see is attributed to the camera/lighting , but that doesn't change the fact that the wattage i see people vaping on would burn the hell out of my throat and taste burnt .

I'm new to venturing out into uncharted territory in the vape world and I'm looking to expand my horizons and I think rebuildable attys would be a good start . Any reccomendations or information on the wattage issue I mentioned earlier ?

Last thing ,I was also thinking of ordering these to move up from my 800/1600 mah efests .
Amazon.com: Two Panasonic NCR18650B 3.7V 3400mAh Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries QTY 2: Electronics Opinions?

 

[OBE1]

Okay... First off you can easily get into a rebuildable for $30 or less if you are willing to get into a clone.... The phoenix V5 RDA is around 20 bucks and wired correctly can be a really good steamroller. Mechanical mods have been the ticket for me. You can find cheaper mods like the K100 that sell for around 30 to 60 bucks depending on where you get it.

Do your research on how to build proper coils and what resistance will be safe with the batteries you are running.

Juice also can effect vapor production. Try different juices mixed with different levels of pg/VG so that you know which ones are going to make you happy.

Good luck!

 

[Thrasher]

the protanks doing this have been rebuilt themselves, so they can handle the higher power.

i would say for a first time, get a nice little rebuildable dripper for around 10 bucks or more you can have a killer vape

 

[ConradM]

I couldn't vape my PT2 at any more than 7 watts or so. I rebuilt with a nano micro and had no trouble vaping it at 15 watts. You could go that route, it's pretty easy. Just need some 28 gauge kanthal and cotton balls.

Or you could get a Smok RSST for about $25. I recommend that over something like a dripper because the RSST is super easy to build. I spent some time looking at IGO drippers today at a B&M and the workspace is just tiny. I'd imagine that to be kind of a pain in the .... for a first timer.

 

[catalinaflyer]

A decent mechanical clone for about $20 and an Igo-W RDA for around $12 then about $10 worth of supplies (Kanthal and Cotton Balls), an 18650 battery $10, decent charger $10 and a dedicated ohm meter for atty's $20 ($82) then you can make clouds that will cause flight delays at your local airport.

Now with all that being said, when you see a Youtube video of someone blowing a cloud out of a Protank 2 you can be rest assured that it has been rebuilt and is not using a stock head. I rebuild all of mine with a micro-coil and wick them with cotton and they do make exponentially more vapor and have flavor that can't be compared to a stock head.

 

[Stosh]

Last thing ,I was also thinking of ordering these to move up from my 800/1600 mah efests .
Amazon.com: Two Panasonic NCR18650B 3.7V 3400mAh Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries QTY 2: Electronics Opinions?

Not a good choice for batteries, only Max. Discharge rate: 2C (6.8A) and Pulse current (5-6 sec.): 12A for a mech mod it's safer getting a battery rated for more amps, you'll stress it less and it can handle an accidental low ohm coil build.

Check Baditude's http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-9-battery-basics-mods-imr-protected-icr.html blog entry for battery basics.

 

[RobbieVap]

Both of you guys recommended an RDA ( a dripper , right ? ) I'm guessing this is because of the much higher vapor production I was talking about ^_^ . I've been completely out of the loop in regards to all the new delivery systems and know none of the new RBA and RDA aside from the Kayfun lite since i've seen it being talked about everywhere. I was thinking more along the lines of an RBA opposed to an RDA , any suggestions ? I'm definitely willing to look into a well machined clone of something around the 30$ area if anyone could point me in the right direction .
I'll also have to a lot of research like you said , as I have NO idea what or how changes the resistance , I'd assume the guage of the coil but I could be wrong , and didn't know I'd have to be aware of what resistance the battery could handle . Does that mean a protected battery would be reccomended for certain resistances?
Lol I feel like such a noob xD , and Thankyou guys so much for the advice , VERY much appreciated

 

[ConradM]

Both of you guys recommended an RDA ( a dripper , right ? ) I'm guessing this is because of the much higher vapor production I was talking about ^_^ . I've been completely out of the loop in regards to all the new delivery systems and know none of the new RBA and RDA aside from the Kayfun lite since i've seen it being talked about everywhere. I was thinking more along the lines of an RBA opposed to an RDA , any suggestions ? I'm definitely willing to look into a well machined clone of something around the 30$ area if anyone could point me in the right direction .
I'll also have to a lot of research like you said , as I have NO idea what or how changes the resistance , I'd assume the guage of the coil but I could be wrong , and didn't know I'd have to be aware of what resistance the battery could handle . Does that mean a protected battery would be reccomended for certain resistances?
Lol I feel like such a noob xD

Smok RSST.

 

[Subdivisions]

In all reality they are getting that kind of vape from the coils they build and using cotton wick. You can build a micro coil in your protank heads and get similar results. The stock coils are inconsistent and don't really work as well at higher wattage. Don't forget also that if they are taking lung hits it's going to produce a lot more vapor because they're not constricting their hit to what they can hold in their mouth.

 

[catalinaflyer]

Both of you guys recommended an RDA ( a dripper , right ? ) I'm guessing this is because of the much higher vapor production I was talking about ^_^ . I've been completely out of the loop in regards to all the new delivery systems and know none of the new RBA and RDA aside from the Kayfun lite since i've seen it being talked about everywhere. I was thinking more along the lines of an RBA opposed to an RDA , any suggestions ? I'm definitely willing to look into a well machined clone of something around the 30$ area if anyone could point me in the right direction .
I'll also have to a lot of research like you said , as I have NO idea what or how changes the resistance , I'd assume the guage of the coil but I could be wrong , and didn't know I'd have to be aware of what resistance the battery could handle . Does that mean a protected battery would be reccomended for certain resistances?
Lol I feel like such a noob xD , and Thankyou guys so much for the advice , VERY much appreciated

Yes, a dripper. Something like the Igo-W is a dual coil RDA which only needs the air holes enlarged a little for maximum clouds of vapor. The next option would be what another poster suggested, the RSST which when built properly can also produce maximum clouds.

Dual Coil Igo-W cloud monster-

RSST on a Maraxus mod-

RSST Micro-Coil flavor monster-

 

[Baditude]

I'm new to venturing out into uncharted territory in the vape world and I'm looking to expand my horizons and I think rebuildable attys would be a good start . Any reccomendations or information on the wattage issue I mentioned earlier ?

Last thing ,I was also thinking of ordering these to move up from my 800/1600 mah efests .
Amazon.com: Two Panasonic NCR18650B 3.7V 3400mAh Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries QTY 2: Electronics Opinions?

First off, you don't need an expensive RBA/RDA to experience rebuildables. You can get an RSST for $35, a nice and easy beginning RBA. Or an IGO-L drip atomizer for $14, another easy rebuildable. Just be sure to do your homework and learn about the correct batteries to use and how to use a multimeter to measure your coil resistance. Use the Ohm's Law Calculator to make certain your battery's amps are sufficient to power the coils you make.

BATTERY BASICS FOR MODS: IMR OR PROTECTED ICR?

DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF MOD BATTERIES

INFORMATION RESOURCES FOR YOUR FIRST RBA

Now about those Panasonic NCR18650B 3400 mAh batteries. You want a "high drain" battery for a regulated mod and a Rebuildable Atty. These batteries are not a high drain battery and only have a 6.8 amp limit. Better choices are available for your applications.

Any of the 18650 IMR or hybrid batteries with a 10 amp limit in the above battery blog will be perfectly fine for your applications if you are using a coil of 1.0 ohm or higher. If you should ever advance into sub-ohm territory, you'll need an IMR/hybrid battery that has well over 10 amps continuous discharge rate.

 

[RobbieVap]

Cool , so I checked out the battery basics . So the vamo v5 has a 5 amp limit , and the efest 18650 I use as a 4.5 amp limit . Now , i have no idea what this means . I'll research after this post , but does this mean that the battery amperage shouldn't exceed the APV amperage limit? I'll try to dig a post that maybe explains this .

As for the Smok RSST
this scares me

Important Note:
Rebuildable atomizer coils and wicks have known risks.

Rebuildables are for experts, not average or beginner vapers with no multimeter or knowledge of how to use a meter, or when a meter must be used, or how electronic devices work. These materials cannot safely be used by the inexperienced or those without basic knowledge of electronics.

This is because:

1. A rebuildable coil/wick MUST be tested carefully with a meter before it is used.
2. If it is not tested it is entirely the risk of the user.
3. Faulty wicks/coils WILL blow electronic devices.
4. New coil/wick units must be tested and then used first on a strong basic electrical APV that has short circuit protection.
5. No new coil/wick assembly should be used on an electronic device until known to be safe.
6. These items destroy electronic devices if faulty. This is a known issue.


Is this a serious concern ? After it being built I could just check the resistance on the Vamo . I'm sure it's accurate enough for what I'll be doing as I wont be building an <1.0 ohm coils or anything . Lastly , what determines what resistance will be safe for the batteries I use?

Sorry for so many questions

* I didn't see the above responses until after this was posted , funny you guys covered exactly what I was looking for ! Thanks

 

[cantstopwontstop]

The smok RSST is great but not a dripper. It's easy enough to rebuild and works great on a mechanical mod. If you really want a good dripper the IGO's are easy to build and cheap (L and W) = single and dual coil. If I were you I'd try em out on you VAMO and if you want to push it further get a Mechanical mod. I'm not sure if the Vamo has an ohm meter built in, but if it doesn't that would be the other thing to get. You want to be able to check your resistance when you're new to rebuilding. I had a friend build my coils until I got the courage to do it myself lol. Watch some videos on youtube read up on the Forums and be safe. This an incredibly satisfying thing to learn and master and knowledge will be your best friend on the way. If you have a local vape shop they should (hopefully) be able to show/help you too. Good luck Man.

 

[Sthur]

For the budget vaper, get a Smok octopus and build a micro coil with cotton. Then work up too rsst and then kayfun. This was my progression and works best to learn the ins and out of everything. Btw drill a hole in octopus and line up with coil for vest performance.

RDA Octopus by SMOKtech Rebuildable Dripper 1.7ohm - PURPLE [gv-SMOKtechRDAOctopus-PURPLE] - $8.95 : GotVapes.com, E-cigarette Supplies - Atomizers Cartomizers Mods Juice and more

 

[catalinaflyer]

First off you can take what Baditude says to the bank, he has forgotten more about vaping than most people will ever learn.

As for the RSST, there probably IMO isn't a better RBA for a beginner. No they are not the same quality as some exotic $300 atty but for the money, they are the biggest bang for the buck. I have atty's that cost well over $100 and the RSST is just as good at turning juice to vapor and flavor then factor in the cost and it's better.

Yes you can use a mod to check ohm's, I did it that way till I got an ohm meter for atomizers and it worked just fine. Not the best choice but better than not checking.

 

[cantstopwontstop]

BTW all rebuildable atomizers are gonna have that warning. It's just so people don't buy them who have no clue what they're doing. Basically what they're saying is that you need to check your coil for shorts and test it on a meter before you put it on you device( vamo) and fire it. If you built a faulty coil and didnt check it you could short your mod or battery. With a Vamo I dont think it will fire a coil below 1.2 ohms. This is why mechanicals can be dangerous they will fire a coil no matter what the resistance= your battery is the weakest link.

 

[Baditude]

As for the Smok RSST
this scares me

Important Note:
Rebuildable atomizer coils and wicks have known risks.

Rebuildables are for experts, not average or beginner vapers with no multimeter or knowledge of how to use a meter, or when a meter must be used, or how electronic devices work. These materials cannot safely be used by the inexperienced or those without basic knowledge of electronics.

This is because:

1. A rebuildable coil/wick MUST be tested carefully with a meter before it is used.
2. If it is not tested it is entirely the risk of the user.
3. Faulty wicks/coils WILL blow electronic devices.
4. New coil/wick units must be tested and then used first on a strong basic electrical APV that has short circuit protection.
5. No new coil/wick assembly should be used on an electronic device until known to be safe.
6. These items destroy electronic devices if faulty. This is a known issue.


Is this a serious concern ? After it being built I could just check the resistance on the Vamo . I'm sure it's accurate enough for what I'll be doing as I wont be building an <1.0 ohm coils or anything . Lastly , what determines what resistance will be safe for the batteries I use?

Sorry for so many questions

Better to be asking questions now than later. You don't want to explode a battery in your face because you were using the wrong battery.

Yes, RBA's can be dangerous. They are more advanced than your clearomizers or cartotanks. Some basic understanding of Ohm's Law is necessary. Knowledge about battery chemistries, which ones are safer, knowledge of battery specifications (in particular a battery's amps in continuous discharge rate). It's not rocket science, but it does require some basic knowledge to do this safely.

 

[catalinaflyer]

For the budget vaper, get a Smok octopus and build a micro coil with cotton. Then work up too rsst and then kayfun. This was my progression and works best to learn the ins and out of everything. Btw drill a hole in octopus and line up with coil for vest performance.

Igo-W on left and Octopus on right

Octopus with a .90 ohm micro coil and 2mm Ekowool wick (Yes it's gunked, been vaping coffee flavor)-

Igo-W with dual micros, cotton wicks at .80 ohms (cloud machine)-

 

[Stosh]

Cool , so I checked out the battery basics . So the vamo v5 has a 5 amp limit , and the efest 18650 I use as a 4.5 amp limit . Now , i have no idea what this means . I'll research after this post , but does this mean that the battery amperage shouldn't exceed the APV amperage limit? I'll try to dig a post that maybe explains this .

Errr, exactly bassackwards.... the battery amp limit should be well above whatever the APV amp limit. You don't want the APV asking for more that the battery can provide....

 

[Baditude]

Batteries are the most important item in our setups. Some people pay big money for a mod and RBA, yet try to go cheap with their batteries and charger. It should be the other way around!

As someone said, the weakest link is always going to be the battery. Be as safe as you can by always purchasing a high-quality, name-brand, safe-chemistry, high-drain battery. A large list of these batteries are in my links. Also buy the best charger that you can reasonably afford.