Maybe I'm having beginners luck, if so, I'll take it. This is my 1st RBA. My 1st 3 wicks/coils were a flop. First 2 wicks were too small and I had a flooding problem. First 4 coils all failed. They started from 1.8 to 2.0Ω, but after a short time vaping each of them decrease to 1.0Ω-1.2Ω and I'd start getting hot hits even with decreased voltage down to 3.3volts. When my 5th coil started doing the same I found that a tootpick is your friend.
Using the toothpick I just started moving each of the coils slightly (up or down) to get an even spacing and so they looked snug to the wick. I slightly lifted the end of the coil going to the (-) post to make sure it had clearance from the base. I used the toothpick to slight bend the lead from the wick to the (+) post to make sure it was snug and had the least span from the wick to the post.
Yikes! After messing with it a bit all the coils lit up at the same time and glowed consistently. I put it all back together, and it's been vaping fine. I can take 6-8-10 back-to-back pulls on it without a dry hit. The resistance started at 2.1Ω and burned in and stabilized at 2.3Ω.
Then after using it for a couple days, I couldn't remember if I lined the air hole up with the wick. I took it a part to check it and after screwing it back together - yep - I messed it up. The resistance quickly dropped from 2.1Ω to .9Ω. I figured for sure, I was going to have to make a new wick/coil and start over.
But - I figured I've got nothing to loose, let's pick up my friend the toothpick and mess with the coil wraps again. Got each coil glowing reasonably again, but not as good as the 1st time, but looking OK. Resistance was 2.1Ω. Put it back together, started vaping, it was doing fine again. After 10-15 minutes of chain vaping check resistance and it was back to 2.3Ω. Happy me again.
Note: I'm starting with the 35x35 400 mesh and 5 coil wraps. I soaked the mess in hot water before rolling it. Quenched it 4 times, loaded it w/ PG and lit it up 4 times, then wound the coil and coated it with PG and lit it up a couple times.
What I learned - don't be afraid to mess around with the wick or coils. When I had trouble getting the wick back through the nipple hole, I just twisted it back and forth in my fingers to tighten it up and make it fit through. I'd use the top cap upside down and run it up and down the wick to 'size it'. I moved and played with the position of the coil wraps.
It's working good enough to be impressing me - but I know it can work better. I'm getting plenty of vape but not a lot of the outstanding flavor i hear about. That's what I've got to figure out next. The vape is the 'cleanest' tasting I've had from all kinds of juice holders in 7 months of vaping - that I really like - but would like some more flavor to it.
Ed...
I found that moving the bottom coil up a bit, so the lower wire does not touch the bottom section eliminated the problem of the bottom coil glow.
Yes - I found this out too. Make sure the coil lead from the wick to the (-) post isn't touching the base.
Thanks so much AG and Dark, will try those techniques on my 22nd, eh I mean next attempt.
I think I am just making this more difficult than it is possibly, as I am trying to be so OCD about everything vs. just doing it or at least that is my new philosophy
'
Not knowing what I was doing - I too tried oh so hard to do it like the experts in the video's I watched. After a few false starts i just said to myself - what happens if i do this, what happens if I do that, and just tried things and it paid off - I got the GTUS working.
i have two suggestions 1 after you get mesh to the proper size to fit in hole, put it through the nipple a few times like 10 or 12 times, when it goes through eazy take some juice and burn juice on wick 3 more times, when fitting wick thruo nipple you rub off the coating causing shorts. 2 wrap wire around wick 4 or 5 times then squrt juice on wire coil and then set the coil on fire, this will coat the coil a little helping to not have red wire when you fire coil to check for shorts, meaning set wire coil on fire while it is on wick
Yea folks - listen to this advice. I found it helpful to make sure the wick passed through the nipple snuggly but not tight. If it's too tight when you screw the top piece down you can twist the wick and mess up the coil windings.
The pre-quenched and seasoned wick should be slightly on the loose side. As oxidizing and seasoning it will make it tighter. If it's well quenched and seasoned, even if you scrape a little off when sizing it by pushing it through the nipple hole, you should still be OK in the end.
When you are trying to get this at first, it will seem that everything down to the last factor has to be just right. Once you've got it and been doing it for awhile, you'll see that there is plenty of room for slop and you can play with everything. _EXCEPT_ oxidizing.
I sure hope so.
=======
ps: I'm not trying to be a smarty pants, newbie, know-it-all. Just sharing my initial experience with others in case it helps someone.
