DNA 40 Temp Control Setups

[Firecrow]

Very helpful and interesting stuff! I don't have a DNA40 device yet, although I expect to have a VaporShark rDNA40 in time for Crimbo. So I'm playing catchup on all the common practices regarding the temp control feature. I really really want to take advantage of this because I like the idea, and it sounds like they put a LOT of effort into it.

Just to make sure I'm thinking straight: microcoils might not be the best idea, due to the difficulty(?) of keeping a nickel coil uniform, but they can work. Right?
I'll be experimenting with nickel builds and temp control with drippers first; I'm not gonna bother with my RTAs until I've got the whole nickel/temp control stuff fully down.

You can get them uniform using a screw as the coil post, just get one the diameter and spacing you want and use it as a guide, then the coils loops are perfectly spaced. When done, just back the screw out by turning it and you have a perfect coil every time. I saw that in another thread.

 

[cjpeltz]

You can get them uniform using a screw as the coil post, just get one the diameter and spacing you want and use it as a guide, then the coils loops are perfectly spaced.

What size wood screw are you using? It looks like a #20 screw is about 3mm in diameter. Is that the rough size people are using when they are using a screw to build one of these coils?

 

[puffon]

What size wood screw are you using? It looks like a #20 screw is about 3mm in diameter. Is that the rough size people are using when they are using a screw to build one of these coils?

I'm using a machine screw.
The 8-32 size used on cabinet knobs.
They end up being a little over 3mm.

 

[Firecrow]

I built this this morning - came out to 0.18ohm, steady. Until the Brandon video, I assumed you did microcoils that touch. I'm not skilled enough to get a coil that touches consistently with nickel, so my builds have been re-reading +/- 0.03ohm - now I know why. Yes, there is a learning curve with temp control but its not really that bad, you just need to know about it.

Materials: 30g Nickel with Japanese cotton on a Russian clone (high quality it appears - got it from a local B&M). The screw I used was the only one I could find in my pile - came from an electrical switch - the part that screws the switch to the box. Inner diameter is around 2mm with 9 wraps. Spacing turned out nice and it was easy to work with. I highly recommend this build method for nickel, its just too soft for me to free-hand it.



Vapor quality is excellent - I'm vaping a 8/12mg mix of Flavorcrafters mint chocolate. Coils gum up pretty quick with that juice - dark and dense stuff that builds up fast. Now that I know what I am doing I should be able to bang one of these off in about 10 minutes. Until the nickel coils for the Atlantis and the Naut Mini come out and come down in cost, I think I'll be doing these for while.

 

[Ayloxs]

Changed my setup from the Original Post, and this is working rather well for me. I used 3 pieces of 30ga nickel, twisted somewhat tight. 19 wraps around 1/8" punch = 0.23Ω. Running 20W at 420 degrees, it heats up within 1 second and I can take 10-second pulls without TC kicking in. It only activates when the juice is running out. The twisted wire is way easier to handle and doesn't shear off in my Magma posts (although almost nothing does!) so I'm using a contact coil.

The vapor is medium-thick and about 6.5 out of 10 for flavor, but I still get 30 minutes per fill and 2 days per charge

 

[Major911]

I'm thinking of ordering some 26g ni200. All I've tried so far has been 28g. Wondering if anyone has had any experience with it and can offer some advice or pics.

 

[Nomoreash]

I'm thinking of ordering some 26g ni200. All I've tried so far has been 28g. Wondering if anyone has had any experience with it and can offer some advice or pics.

28ga is my goto. 26 would definitely be easier to work with as it's thicker but I don't see it working for many builds. You're going to need a lot of wraps, a big diameter or both to get the resistance high enough.

 

[Flt Simulation]

Question .... If I make a 1.7 ohm single coil and feed it 10 watts of power, is there any reason I need to worry about temp control?

Would I benefit from a VW device with an installed DNA40 circuit board (w/ temp control)?

 

[NOVA jon]

With temp protection working in conjunction with the burning point of your wicking material, you will not get burnt or dry hits........... ever!

 

[Flt Simulation]

With temp protection working in conjunction with the burning point of your wicking material, you will not get burnt or dry hits........... ever!

Thanks!

I was just thinking that a 1.7 ohm coil being fed 10 watts of power would never get hot enough that I would ever need temp protection ... maybe I'm wrong

I also use silica wick

I do dry burn the coil / wick every 3 or 4 days at 20 watts of power.

 

[zipflint]

1.7Ohms using pure nickel wire would be a LOT of wraps. I'm talking....20+ and I'm grossly underestimating.
To give you an idea, my nickel builds were 0.14Ohms and they were about 12 wraps, 2.4mm diameter, 28 gauge.
You DO have to use nickel wire in order to use temp control on the DNA40.

Thanks!

I was just thinking that a 1.7 ohm coil being fed 10 watts of power would never get hot enough that I would ever need temp protection ... maybe I'm wrong

I also use silica wick

I do dry burn the coil / wick every 3 or 4 days at 20 watts of power.

 

[Flt Simulation]

I think I will just stick with regular ol' Kanthal 28 AWG wire

This whole temperature regulating and using Ni200 wire just might be a passing fad.

 

[Major911]

Question .... If I make a 1.7 ohm single coil and feed it 10 watts of power, is there any reason I need to worry about temp control?

Would I benefit from a VW device with an installed DNA40 circuit board (w/ temp control)?

At those parameters you would not appreciate the benefits of or really have need of a DNA40.

 

[Dampmaskin]

Kanthal still works, guys. Just not the same way as nickel.

I'm vaping on an Erlkönigin clone right now, with twisted 32ga nickel. A *cough* number of wraps around a 2 mm bit. 0.13 ohm, wicked with Japanese cotton, and a splendid vape at 10-ish watts capped at 390 F.

(*I'm not opening it up to count the wraps, but Steam Engine tells me there's around seven of them.)

 

[jaxgator]

Twisted 30g, 8 wraps, 3mm, single coil, .13Ω, wicked with rayon
Authentic Erlkonigin
480F
25w

 

[snow blind]

Twisted 30g, 8 wraps, 3mm, single coil, .13Ω, wicked with rayon
Authentic Erlkonigin
480F
25w

Jax... would you recommend 26/28/30 gauge ni200? WIll be wicking RTAs and RDAs... and (if it works) SS wicked gennis. I know the ultra low resistance makes things tricky when it comes to wire choice.

 

[jaxgator]

Jax... would you recommend 26/28/30 gauge ni200? WIll be wicking RTAs and RDAs... and (if it works) SS wicked gennis. I know the ultra low resistance makes things tricky when it comes to wire choice.

I bought 28 and 30g. Initially, I was using the 30g. I tried compressed micro coils and didn't like the performance so I started doing spaced coils. Because the nickel is so soft, they were a royal PITA to wick with rayon so I tried some KGD. That was better but still tough to do. Then I tried the 28g and it was better but still had a lot of trouble and destroyed a lot of coils when wicking.

I recently started using twisted coils. Tried 28g and it was great for wicking. I was able to go back to my beloved rayon. Unfortunately, it was really tough getting to the lower ohm limit of .1Ω so I am currently using twisted 30g and am pleased with that.

 

[flog]

Just a short compile of twisted Nickel/Kanthal types, the number under the ##N ##K combo is what needs to be set on the DNA 40 device to achieve 410 deg F at the coil. Frankly, I've had very good results with the 30N 32 K twist combo, wire is strong enough to bear post hole installation.



The latest spreadsheet with sources is at:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1c7ZtQ_xDjv-4Q-lodrS0PrLeJFKsrfPRNqt16NFucsI/edit?usp=sharing

IN PRACTICAL USE, I've found that a setting 10-20 deg lower, still gives good warm flavor and doesn't burn the juice so fast (talking actual burn buildup on the coils, you still go through a lot of juice ;-)

 

[VBdev]

Just a short compile of twisted Nickel/Kanthal types, the number under the ##N ##K combo is what needs to be set on the DNA 40 device to achieve 410 deg F at the coil. Frankly, I've had very good results with the 30N 32 K twist combo, wire is strong enough to bear post hole installation.

View attachment 406255

The latest spreadsheet with sources is at:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1c7ZtQ_xDjv-4Q-lodrS0PrLeJFKsrfPRNqt16NFucsI/edit?usp=sharing

IN PRACTICAL USE, I've found that a setting 10-20 deg lower, still gives good warm flavor and doesn't burn the juice so fast (talking actual burn buildup on the coils, you still go through a lot of juice ;-)

Im using the the 30N 32 K twist combo right now and its my fav temp controlled build to date. nickel solo is a pain,

 

[Croak]

Thanks!

I was just thinking that a 1.7 ohm coil being fed 10 watts of power would never get hot enough that I would ever need temp protection ... maybe I'm wrong

I also use silica wick

I do dry burn the coil / wick every 3 or 4 days at 20 watts of power.

Have to think outside the box (pun intended) on your setup when using TC. Not to overstate the obvious, but temperature is your real target now. Selected wattage is basically just going to be used to get you to that temp at varying rates, and resistance is pretty much a non-variable with nickel wire.

If you think about it, your 1.7 ohm/10 watt setup (along with your airflow choice) is just a cruder way to get to the temp you like. You've balanced the vape you're after against protecting the wick and keeping it fed. Through trial-and-error you've found your sweet spot with your atty and mod. TC with nickel wire just simplifies the heck out of that process, and makes it repeatable.