RDA First RDA Build - Popping/Shooting Hot

[TimeLordSavant]

Hello - I'm new to RDAs. Got my first build going last night. I have a Stingray Black/Copper Clone Mod with a Hobo V2 on .45 Ohms. I am not sure if I am not using enough wicking - it is popping and shooting hot splashes of vapey juice out of the air holes. I believe I am keeping it wet. I am dripping a lot. Is this normal? The two air holes are opened right to the coil. It is thick warm vape and I am getting fairly good flavor from it. Just a bit of a shock when a hot splash of juice hits my chin or neck. Any suggestions on how to curb this?

I guess I should add I am vaping a 35VG/65PG mix. Is the VG the problem?

 

[Oxytyramine]

The high PG content is not helping. RDA's typically favor high VG juices to high PG juices. A picture of your coil would help determine whether wicking is the issue or if there might be a flaw with the coil.

 

[Debadoo]

I am brand new to doing this, so I don't know a lot about it, but from what I have experienced and read, it would seem likely that you have a hot spot in the coil. Did you test fire it before you wicked it? Was it glowing evenly from the inside out? If not, I would take the wick out and do that. If it's not even fire it, quit firing and squeeze the coil with tweezers, keep repeating this til it glows evenly. The stingray is a mech right? I know nothing about them, so dunno if sub ohms on mech mods don't like the higher pg or not. I know I use 67-70 pg on a RDA with a regulated mod with no issues. If you already knew what I just said.....forgive me, and carry on. lol

 

[alicewonderland]

0.45 should be a hot vape on a mech mod. the crackling and splashing is normal for something like that, if your airholes are huge then they usually pop out of them, you can remedy this somewhat by just inhaling as soon or before you fire the button to keep the coils from heating up so quickly, or just build a coil with a little higher resistance

 

[Lova]

I have built 0.2ohm builds that aren't hot vapes, so I don't think that is the issue. It might be that you might have not aligned the airholes to the coils or vice-versa. Also, PG is more water-like so it might crackle and pop more than pure VG liquids. I have used 50/50 PG/VG liquids with no issues, but if you go over that in PG, it starts crackling and popping.

 

[TimeLordSavant]

Update - I changed my wick out this morning. I think I wasn't using enough cotton. It still crackles, but it isn't popping or shooting juice out the holes. The holes were lined perfectly up with the coils, so that wasn't the issue. I watched several videos before my first wicking, and I had went for less cotton on a couple suggestions, but it must have been way too little. This time I had to pull it through the coil a bit, last time I was going for no resistance when being pulled. Also, I made sure I left more on the ends to tuck under the coils and fill up the juice well on the Hobo really good. I will look at higher VG too for my next liquids.

 

[doubleint]

It takes a while to get wicking just right, it's the hardest thing about dripping, IMO. Sounds like you figured it out for the most part but some suggestions: to limit the juice popping make sure you get all those little balls out of the cotton. Make sure the wick is as even of a diameter as possible inside the coil. Use higher VG juices as it's a much thicker juice and in my experience produces less spitback.

 

[VHRB2014]

The Hobo, with its super short small chamber, is a really hot RDA. If you search for the Hobo thread you`ll find that others feel the same.
When I first got mine I tried a .3 in it and it was way too hot, even with a 65mm drip tip, way to hot. And quit messy. I finally settled on a .6 and its nice and warm, is OK with a 35mm glass drip tip. Try a bit cooler and it should settle down. Also helps to have the hobo engraving pointed at you whilst vaping.

Hitting mine with 100%PG right now and its scrumdilleicious. And the throat hit would knock a mule down, LOL.