Good post, jumpin' in. Thanks.
Surprisingly, I'm using the IGO-S a lot. It has really grown on me. Even with relatively small cotton wicks, I find I can get quite a few hits off of just a few drops once the wick has been primed. You really need to let the juice soak in with a new wick. It LOOKS saturated when you prime it - but it really hasn't been fully absorbed inside the wick. I leave it for a few minutes and then add a couple more drops. I find the cotton wicks always vape better after vaping on them for a little while. It settles into a good zone. Not only is it a pleasure to be able to switch juices so easily - but even using the same juice I just find it is easier (less fuss) to pull off the tip and drip a few drops versus unscrewing the mpt2, filling it, tightening the head, closing it, getting some juice squeezing out, etc. I use both now, and have another mpt2 clone from FT on the way, but if I'm at home sitting at my desk (which is most of the time), dripping is a way of life!
What I don't like about the IGO-S has not changed. I'll look around and get another RDA that has a different design and compare the two.
The 30g works - but it definitely fires slower. Just had to get used to waiting another second before drawing. If you test the coils w/o wick (obviously) you can really see how much longer it takes to light up versus the 32g. Make sure the screws stay tight! I'm going to try the 32g again (regular coil).
I agree with what you said re: juices/power. I use mainly tobacco flavors and some of them definitely taste much better at higher wattage. Some of the sweetness of the heavier juices will fade and you get more of the "true taste".
re: wick positioning. I had previously tried the "up and over", but gravity is in play. No matter what, that outside part of the wick is either too small or high/curved/whatever to hold and/or provide sufficient juice to the coils. It would be best to "feed" the coils evenly. Balance. I also find that when any part of the wick is making contact with the posts that you get a cotton or burnt taste. So I tend to use a small (length-wise) wick in order to avoid contact with the posts. I'd rather have to drip more often than get a bad taste. I've seen some builds where the entire deck is filled up with cotton (snaked). Sure, that'll hold tons of juice, but the odds of it burning and/or leaking are greater. Even with my small wicks, I get quite a few hits before having to re-drip. Also, you waste less juice with a smaller wick when switching flavours or changing out for a fresh wick.
re: cotton wick circumference. I hear ya. That's probably the variable that is hardest to get right and to replicate. I have found that it's better to err on the side of a bit too much than a bit too little. Too little will give you a burnt cotton taste. Too much, as you said, and the juice doesn't flow well. But when you put the wick in, while it might seem a bit too thick, once you soak it w/ juice the circumference shrinks quite a bit. So I make it "snug" when I put it in. I gently pull the wick through the coil, from one end to the other, with tweezers. If there is enough resistance to actually PULL the coil in one direction - then it's too tight. If it just comes through the coil without any resistance - too small. It should squeeze through with just a little resistance, but without moving or tugging at the coil. That's the sweet spot. No way could I go back to silica after cotton. The difference in taste is too great. I tried it a couple of times. Blah.
re: the tip. Yes, they are a good match. Very easy to get in and out. I really didn't like the mpt2 tip at first (metallic taste), but it too has grown on me. Either I got used to the metallic taste or now that it has been worked in the metallic taste has diminished.
re: airhole. Yes, mine ends up in the same position. I've never had a leak out the IGO-S. I'm hesitant to drill it because you can't go back. lol. The draw is fine - it's just that I find there's too little air coming in and too much heat - STEAM - being produced. Look inside after vaping. You have bubbles of "condensation".
All in all, the only things I don't like are: 1) the screws being too loose and not making good contact with the wires. I wonder if most of the RDA's make contact the same way. Would be nice to have something like my old Acoustic Research speakers had. Spring-loaded? Just pull it back, stick the wire in, and let it go. No screws. 2) Most importantly, the non-centered posts. Again, I don't know if most of these mini RDA's are designed the same way. I'll have to take a closer look. That's one of the disadvantages of going with a mini. The larger decks, even with one post in the middle and one on the outside, still provide far more room for the wick on the outside.
The mpt2 is a much more difficult build to get "just right". That's due to the design. They are not MADE to be rebuilt. The vertical positioning of the coil - as well as the coil width and thickness - is crucial. I've built quite a few that are "just right", but there's much more going on (physics). I'm getting very good results on that too, so ti's a toss-up. But because it's more of a fuss, I go with the IGO (pardon the pun). Just "drip 'n vape". Lovely.
Fun, fun, fun.
Surprisingly, I'm using the IGO-S a lot. It has really grown on me. Even with relatively small cotton wicks, I find I can get quite a few hits off of just a few drops once the wick has been primed. You really need to let the juice soak in with a new wick. It LOOKS saturated when you prime it - but it really hasn't been fully absorbed inside the wick. I leave it for a few minutes and then add a couple more drops. I find the cotton wicks always vape better after vaping on them for a little while. It settles into a good zone. Not only is it a pleasure to be able to switch juices so easily - but even using the same juice I just find it is easier (less fuss) to pull off the tip and drip a few drops versus unscrewing the mpt2, filling it, tightening the head, closing it, getting some juice squeezing out, etc. I use both now, and have another mpt2 clone from FT on the way, but if I'm at home sitting at my desk (which is most of the time), dripping is a way of life!
What I don't like about the IGO-S has not changed. I'll look around and get another RDA that has a different design and compare the two. The 30g works - but it definitely fires slower. Just had to get used to waiting another second before drawing. If you test the coils w/o wick (obviously) you can really see how much longer it takes to light up versus the 32g. Make sure the screws stay tight! I'm going to try the 32g again (regular coil).
I agree with what you said re: juices/power. I use mainly tobacco flavors and some of them definitely taste much better at higher wattage. Some of the sweetness of the heavier juices will fade and you get more of the "true taste".
re: wick positioning. I had previously tried the "up and over", but gravity is in play. No matter what, that outside part of the wick is either too small or high/curved/whatever to hold and/or provide sufficient juice to the coils. It would be best to "feed" the coils evenly. Balance. I also find that when any part of the wick is making contact with the posts that you get a cotton or burnt taste. So I tend to use a small (length-wise) wick in order to avoid contact with the posts. I'd rather have to drip more often than get a bad taste. I've seen some builds where the entire deck is filled up with cotton (snaked). Sure, that'll hold tons of juice, but the odds of it burning and/or leaking are greater. Even with my small wicks, I get quite a few hits before having to re-drip. Also, you waste less juice with a smaller wick when switching flavours or changing out for a fresh wick.
re: cotton wick circumference. I hear ya. That's probably the variable that is hardest to get right and to replicate. I have found that it's better to err on the side of a bit too much than a bit too little. Too little will give you a burnt cotton taste. Too much, as you said, and the juice doesn't flow well. But when you put the wick in, while it might seem a bit too thick, once you soak it w/ juice the circumference shrinks quite a bit. So I make it "snug" when I put it in. I gently pull the wick through the coil, from one end to the other, with tweezers. If there is enough resistance to actually PULL the coil in one direction - then it's too tight. If it just comes through the coil without any resistance - too small. It should squeeze through with just a little resistance, but without moving or tugging at the coil. That's the sweet spot. No way could I go back to silica after cotton. The difference in taste is too great. I tried it a couple of times. Blah.
re: the tip. Yes, they are a good match. Very easy to get in and out. I really didn't like the mpt2 tip at first (metallic taste), but it too has grown on me. Either I got used to the metallic taste or now that it has been worked in the metallic taste has diminished.
re: airhole. Yes, mine ends up in the same position. I've never had a leak out the IGO-S. I'm hesitant to drill it because you can't go back. lol. The draw is fine - it's just that I find there's too little air coming in and too much heat - STEAM - being produced. Look inside after vaping. You have bubbles of "condensation".
All in all, the only things I don't like are: 1) the screws being too loose and not making good contact with the wires. I wonder if most of the RDA's make contact the same way. Would be nice to have something like my old Acoustic Research speakers had. Spring-loaded? Just pull it back, stick the wire in, and let it go. No screws. 2) Most importantly, the non-centered posts. Again, I don't know if most of these mini RDA's are designed the same way. I'll have to take a closer look. That's one of the disadvantages of going with a mini. The larger decks, even with one post in the middle and one on the outside, still provide far more room for the wick on the outside.
The mpt2 is a much more difficult build to get "just right". That's due to the design. They are not MADE to be rebuilt. The vertical positioning of the coil - as well as the coil width and thickness - is crucial. I've built quite a few that are "just right", but there's much more going on (physics). I'm getting very good results on that too, so ti's a toss-up. But because it's more of a fuss, I go with the IGO (pardon the pun). Just "drip 'n vape". Lovely.
Fun, fun, fun.
