Man, I just did this last night to one of my Protanks that wasn't wicking a 50/50 juice well. I ended up with 34 strands in the coil and 40 on top. It's quite amazing and works perfectly. Thanks OP.
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So I just did this last night on my T3...Went in easy and looked great when I finished...except it leaked everywhere the first time I hit the button, didn't leak after that but it just had a burnt smell that wouldn't go away, so I just gave up and dumped the juice. Was only a little bit. I used this cheesecloth 100% Natural Cotton Cheese Cloth - Bed Bath & Beyond as somebody mentioned in another post here. The only difference was mine was more of a...brown/tan natural looking color instead of white. That's the only one they had there. I don't know if that would cause a problem or not, I am going to go find a white one today and see if that works better. I used the 30/30 method and everything...It LOOKED awesome, but failed miserably. Although the couple of hits I took of it, behind the burnt taste I could tell that you could taste the juice much better.
One of my cheesecloth rewicked T3's had a terrible scorched taste. I was able to get rid of it by washing the head. I have a 5ml syringe with a short length of 3/8" silicone tubing attached to it which will allow me to force water through the T3's head.
I had already made up five 4" lengths of 15 strand wicks so I tied each of them in a loose knot and put them in water in the microwave and boiled them for about 5 minutes. I haven't tried any of them yet, but I hope the boiling removed whatever caused the scorched taste.
You're a friggin genius! This is saving me the trouble of re-coiling just to change wicks and you know? I think I actually like the cheesecloth better than silica wicks. Since switching to this method, I have not had a single gurgle, leak, or dry hit, even when chain vaping 50/50 juice! The vapor production seems slightly higher as well. I haven't had any issues with burning. I've got one head that I've been using the same wicks in for 3 weeks. I've gone through about a tank a day with them in that time frame. They're still going clean and smooth!
I did have one case of that burnt smell, which I think was actually just buildup on the wire. The wicks were still white when I got a whiff of it. I pulled out the coils to find that the wire inside the head (and I mean all the way inside, not on the coils) was actually covered in nasty black crap. I think it was just from leakage I had beforehand.
I don't know if washing is necessary, though I may start doing it anyway. I'm just really not convinced I need to. All I taste is more juice. Even with bleached cloth (and perhaps especially with bleached cloth, which as the name implies, has been washed with bleach,) I would imagine the amount of contaminants would be negligible. I'm sure they probably flush the bleach out as part of the bleaching process. Remember, this is stuff people use for preparing things that you eat. It better be clean and free of toxins/impurities! You probably don't even want the dark, untreated kind. I don't think that's for food like the white, bleached kind is. It's more something you would want to use for cleaning. This is one of those things that you really want to have as refined as possible.
I did have one case of that burnt smell, which I think was actually just buildup on the wire. The wicks were still white when I got a whiff of it. I pulled out the coils to find that the wire inside the head (and I mean all the way inside, not on the coils) was actually covered in nasty black crap. I think it was just from leakage I had beforehand.
I don't know if washing is necessary, though I may start doing it anyway. I'm just really not convinced I need to. All I taste is more juice. Even with bleached cloth (and perhaps especially with bleached cloth, which as the name implies, has been washed with bleach,) I would imagine the amount of contaminants would be negligible. I'm sure they probably flush the bleach out as part of the bleaching process. Remember, this is stuff people use for preparing things that you eat. It better be clean and free of toxins/impurities! You probably don't even want the dark, untreated kind. I don't think that's for food like the white, bleached kind is. It's more something you would want to use for cleaning. This is one of those things that you really want to have as refined as possible.
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Well the reason that people use bleach to clean things is that it will evaporate completely and not leave any residue behind, so the bleached cotton should not be a problem.
As far as cotton fibers in your lungs... meh. I suppose it's possible, but super duper ultra unlikely. Cotton doesn't shard like silica (fiberglass) and even if it DID, it's not carcinogenic, or as far as I've ever heard, dangerous in any way. If someone finds evidence on the contrary, let me know. Until then, it's far and away the lesser of the evils.
As far as cotton fibers in your lungs... meh. I suppose it's possible, but super duper ultra unlikely. Cotton doesn't shard like silica (fiberglass) and even if it DID, it's not carcinogenic, or as far as I've ever heard, dangerous in any way. If someone finds evidence on the contrary, let me know. Until then, it's far and away the lesser of the evils.
Totally unscientific guess, but I'd bet money one inhales more cotton fiber emptying the clothes dryer once than a lifetime of vaping off a cotton cotton wick.
There is a disease called Byssinosis, also called "brown lung disease" or "Monday fever", but it's an occupational lung disease caused by exposure to cotton dust in inadequately ventilated working environments. I don't think we have to worry about that, though.
See: Byssinosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
See: Byssinosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I just got T3's actually...so the whole unit is/was less than a week old when I tried replacing the wick, so I doubt it's that, tasted fine before. I'll try the boiling thing since I made a bunch of 15 strand bundles also that I have just sitting on my table now lol. I might just try replacing the wicks on my evods, to be honest I like them a lot better than the T3's. Never had a gurgling sound at all and much much less leakage onto the battery. Not that the T3's leaked an abnormal amount, from what I've read it was just leaking a normal amount for having the hole on the bottom, but the evods just don't leak at all really. The process should be the same it looks like, it's just a tinnier coil to work with it seems.
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I'd like to try rewicking with cheesecloth, but cannot remove existing silica wicks with destroying the coil. How do you guys manage?
In fact, if you could pull a silica wick over a couple inches, could probably burn the wick clean with a torch and pull it back.
In fact, if you could pull a silica wick over a couple inches, could probably burn the wick clean with a torch and pull it back.
First I do a dry burn to turn all the carbonized juice to ash to loosen it from the coil. Then using very sharp pointed tweezers I begin pulling out the old siica wick starting with just a few strands located as close to the center of the wick as possible. That way the sliding threads rub against the other threads instead of the coil. Once I get about half the threads out the wick is loose enough so you can pull them out without deforming the coil.
It install the new cotton cheesecloth wick I use a beading needle or you can double a single thread and push that through the coil. Then route the new wick through the loop and pull that back through the coil. If you started out with 15 strands you should now have 30 strands going through the coil.
Once trimmed you can then use some of the leftover wick for the flavor wick which should also be 30 strands.
It install the new cotton cheesecloth wick I use a beading needle or you can double a single thread and push that through the coil. Then route the new wick through the loop and pull that back through the coil. If you started out with 15 strands you should now have 30 strands going through the coil.
Once trimmed you can then use some of the leftover wick for the flavor wick which should also be 30 strands.
Tried the BB&B cheesecloth tonight. First attempt with 30/30 was a bust. Leaked everywhere. My cheesecloth must be finer than others, as it was very easy to pull in coil, so I went to 40/40. Better, but I had gurgle and some leakage. 3rd was with 50/50. Still not as hard to pull through coil as my cotton ball attempt, but some resistance.
Wow, I have not had that much vapor or flavor with 50/50 PG/VG with stock wicks and it is better than my last cotton ball which is better than stock.
It did however make the draw stiffer, so I thought I would remove some flavor wick. Took apart and noticed that juice was in the cup of the extension when I removed it. Apparently the flavor wick was being drawn into the cup. I removed about 1/2 of the flavor wick reassembled and tested. Gurgle! It did however clear up the draw to where it was stock.
Then I made the stupid move I did the first day I had the Kangers, loosened it by the body! I forgot that I had tightened it back up instead of it being loose to increase draw. Well you know what happened. I realized immediately my mistake and tightened, but it was too late for about 1 oz of juice. Cleaned up mess after mentally kicking myself.
In my hysteria I dropped the cheesecloth thread flavor wick I had removed. Not wanting to take time (being after midnight) to disassemble more cheesecloth I used cotton ball. The cotton ball wicked too well and sucked liquid up in the cup, so I just twisted some cheesecloth up and installed as flavor wick. Drew tight, but didn't send juice into cup like cotton ball.
Need to get the flavor wick away from draw tube so it doesn't restrict draw or fill some of the side slots without filling the vaporizer chamber. After 1AM so I thought I would leave well enough alone for time being. Thank goodness my better half is out of town on business or I would be in the doghouse for playing with this so late.
I am thinking a short oxidized SS tube around the flavor wick strands. Unfortunately I do not have mesh to try that. Would a short coil of Kanthal oxidize to be non conductive?
Wow, I have not had that much vapor or flavor with 50/50 PG/VG with stock wicks and it is better than my last cotton ball which is better than stock.
It did however make the draw stiffer, so I thought I would remove some flavor wick. Took apart and noticed that juice was in the cup of the extension when I removed it. Apparently the flavor wick was being drawn into the cup. I removed about 1/2 of the flavor wick reassembled and tested. Gurgle! It did however clear up the draw to where it was stock.
Then I made the stupid move I did the first day I had the Kangers, loosened it by the body! I forgot that I had tightened it back up instead of it being loose to increase draw. Well you know what happened. I realized immediately my mistake and tightened, but it was too late for about 1 oz of juice. Cleaned up mess after mentally kicking myself.
In my hysteria I dropped the cheesecloth thread flavor wick I had removed. Not wanting to take time (being after midnight) to disassemble more cheesecloth I used cotton ball. The cotton ball wicked too well and sucked liquid up in the cup, so I just twisted some cheesecloth up and installed as flavor wick. Drew tight, but didn't send juice into cup like cotton ball.
Need to get the flavor wick away from draw tube so it doesn't restrict draw or fill some of the side slots without filling the vaporizer chamber. After 1AM so I thought I would leave well enough alone for time being. Thank goodness my better half is out of town on business or I would be in the doghouse for playing with this so late.
I am thinking a short oxidized SS tube around the flavor wick strands. Unfortunately I do not have mesh to try that. Would a short coil of Kanthal oxidize to be non conductive?
My last couple of rebuilds have been almost exactly this also. 34-36 in the coil, 40 on top.
First vapes of the day with cheesecloth wick and good vapor but way less taste. What the heck? Put on a different T3 with another flavor, then another and another. Great, my taste buds have taken the day off!
I just did my first re-wick following these instructions! Thanks so much. I re-wicked my Kanger Protank coil. I have replacement heads but figured what the heck, might as well try it. I think it's working well.
Do you only up the strand count if you use thicker juices?
Do you only up the strand count if you use thicker juices?
Actually I think you should leave the main coil wick at around 15/30 strands and remove strands one at a time from the flavor wick. That will open up the slot a little more for each strand you remove for thicker juice.
The nice thing about removing strands from the flavor wick is that you can put them back when necessary if you remove too many or want to use thinner juice.
I use 75%PG/15%VG/10%PGA and the 15/30 ratio for both wicks works well for me. I'm hoping the 10% PGA brings down the viscosity of the 15%VG to equal that of PG. Seems to look pretty close to my untrained eye.
Also, don't forget... DO NOT dry burn with the cotton wicks in place. Remove them, dry burn, then replace with new ones.
The nice thing about removing strands from the flavor wick is that you can put them back when necessary if you remove too many or want to use thinner juice.
I use 75%PG/15%VG/10%PGA and the 15/30 ratio for both wicks works well for me. I'm hoping the 10% PGA brings down the viscosity of the 15%VG to equal that of PG. Seems to look pretty close to my untrained eye.
Also, don't forget... DO NOT dry burn with the cotton wicks in place. Remove them, dry burn, then replace with new ones.
Thanks for the info! I use 70/30 or 80/20 right now. The 80/20 is a little thicker juice but seems to be doing fine with 30 strands in coil and 30 in flavor wick.
had gurgling at 32 strands but no leak! will try to add more on my next. but this was quite easy!! it was just a pain in the behind picking the strands out ... anyone have any tips for easier removal of the strands?!
Also for those who have successfully done this, in your opinion was the cheesecloth better or silica?
Also for those who have successfully done this, in your opinion was the cheesecloth better or silica?
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