How often do I need to change my cotton and clean the coils?

[Anise]

I've been using my squonk more often but haven't changed the cotton/rayon for a couple of weeks. The flavor is still good and nothing seems to be different from when I first built the rdas but I'm thinking I should probably change it and clean the coils anyway. How often do y'all change and clean?
I'm also vaping a smok tfv4 mini with single coil Clapton coil. Should I change out that cotton and clean the coil as often as the rdas or would it be different since it's a rba?
Thanks for any help.

 

[Baditude]

My guess is everyone is different. Much would depend upon the e-liquid flavor you are using. Dark and/or sweet e-liquids tend to coat coils with carmalized gunk, so you'd need to clean the coils more often than if you were using a clear liquid with no sweetners.

I usually changed my wick every 3 - 4 days. I would "dry burn" the coils at that time, and then rewick.

 

[bombastinator]

I change and clean when the flavor gets wonky. That depends a lot on what materials are in use and whether I am using TC or not. I notice TC can double or triple wick life. Some people do it visually. Look at the coil and if you say “ew” it’s time to change it. I can give you what data I got though:
Using the taste method and TC, with 36 over 24 SS316L clapton wire and Japanese cotton pads in a pulse on a therion bf running replay at 35w a wick can last anywhere between two days and a week and a half depending on juice composition. Interestingly, high pg high acid juices seem to gunk up the fastest

 

[mimöschen]

I change my wicks after about 100ml of juice or after 50ml of when it's very sweet.

 

[asmcriminal]

It's possible you may not notice it because you're used to it. I used to change my cotton out like once a week. I now do it a few times a week. I would clean my coils as needed. If they're black and gunky, then yeah they need a cleaning.

I am speaking of cotton, you mentioned rayon. I don't have experience with that. So maybe it lasts longer than cotton? I don't know.

 

[Anise]

My Aleader Bhive is wicked with rayon. The rayon was closest to me when I originally wicked it. It does seem to last longer. I rewicked and the rayon was in much better condition. I also have 5 vapes in use at the moment so that might be part of why my wicks lasted two weeks.

 

[mimöschen]

When I rewick, most of the time it's not the cotton that needs to be replaced, but it's the coils that need a cleaning instead.
For longevity Kanthal is the wire of choice. After dryfiring and dunking them in cold water while still hot, they're as good as new and therefor will last a very long time.
SS and Nichrome can be treated the same way, but dryfire temperatures need to be considerably lower, and overall these wires aren't as durable as Kanthal, because they can become toxic.

 

[dripster]

Rayon alters the flavor balance so I never use it. Cotton Bacon Prime lasts longer than any other cotton; up to ~60ml for me at 120+ watts on alien coils dual coil build with the coils positioned how Morten Oen has described it in his YouTube videos.

 

[Don29palms]

Rayon alters the flavor balance so I never use it. Cotton Bacon Prime lasts longer than any other cotton; up to ~60ml for me at 120+ watts on alien coils dual coil build with the coils positioned how Morten Oen has described it in his YouTube videos.

Are you kidding me? Rayon doesn't alter anything and Morten Oen is the biggest con man out there.

 

[Doffy]

as others have said

wire type matters, Nichrome dies quicker than others, titanium lasts longest, apparently some SS variants last a good while

dark juices will kill wicks and coils

rayon lasts twice as long as ko gen doh

i use 26/36 ni80 at 50 watts wicked with rayon, vape unflavoured 75% PG and get 10 days from wicks, and around a month with coils

but best to experience it

change wicks, if you have 2/3 of an orgasm, you'll know to change earlier. If it is much the same, go a few days more next time

 

[gpjoe]

I use rayon and it does last longer than cotton, but the coils still get crusty at the same rate as when using cotton, so the wicks need replacement at the same interval. With the juices I'm vaping, I often need to pull a perfectly good rayon wick to dry burn a gunked up coil.

 

[zoiDman]

I've been using my squonk more often but haven't changed the cotton/rayon for a couple of weeks. The flavor is still good and nothing seems to be different from when I first built the rdas but I'm thinking I should probably change it and clean the coils anyway. How often do y'all change and clean?
I'm also vaping a Smok tfv4 mini with single coil Clapton coil. Should I change out that cotton and clean the coil as often as the rdas or would it be different since it's a rba?
Thanks for any help.

Really hard to say How Often one needs to change their Cotton/Clean their Coils? Because so Many Factors go into what Gunks Up a Coil and Cotton.

My Only advise is if your set-up starts to Looks like this...

... then it is probably a Good Time to break out your Build Kit.

 

[mimöschen]

Some time ago I had a nougat flavored liquid and the coils looked exactly the same after only 5ml.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

I’ll dry burn, once cool I’ll move the atty to an atty stand and scrub with a wire brush. This could be done on your mod, I just prefer to use an atty stand. After scrubbing I’ll give the atty a very good rinse under warm water. This is crucial cause scrubbing will dislodge a lot of crud! Let dry and re-wick. I’ll perform this everytime I re-wick which depending on juice could be every other day or once a week.

As for wick. I use real bacon…Canadian bacon to be exact. Unless you are a vegetarian, and nothing wrong with that, one cannot dispute real bacon!

 

[asmcriminal]

as others have said

wire type matters, Nichrome dies quicker than others, titanium lasts longest, apparently some SS variants last a good while

dark juices will kill wicks and coils

rayon lasts twice as long as ko gen doh

i use 26/36 ni80 at 50 watts wicked with rayon, vape unflavoured 75% PG and get 10 days from wicks, and around a month with coils

but best to experience it

change wicks, if you have 2/3 of an orgasm, you'll know to change earlier. If it is much the same, go a few days more next time

I am confused about why you brought up Titanium. People shouldn't vape that unless it's in TC mode. Even then, it's not the best idea.

 

[Susaz]

My taste buds are quite peculiar, so I change wicks whenever I taste burnt or vapor diminishes a lot or I need more power to get a decent vape. I have to say that I agree with rayon, wicks better and lasts longer, I still have quite a stock of cotton so I'm using it up. But if you have to buy, do Cellucotton!

 

[Punk In Drublic]

I am confused about why you brought up Titanium. People shouldn't vape that unless it's in TC mode. Even then, it's not the best idea.

Why?

 

[asmcriminal]

Why?

Because on a lot of devices TC mode is inaccurate and finiky. Sometimes devices get kicked out of TC mode and go to VW mode.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

Because on a lot of devices TC mode is inaccurate and finiky. Sometimes devices get kicked out of TC mode and go to VW mode.

Can’t say I’ve ever experienced TC automatically changing to VW mode. In fact that is the first I’ve ever heard of that. Non the less, if that is fact, it doesn’t make Ti a bad choice of wire, just means one has to be selective about what device they use it on. Or keep an eye on their device. I consider it an advanced metal, meaning extra care should be taken when using it.

Many have metal allergies, and Ti is a good alternative.

 

[asmcriminal]

Can’t say I’ve ever experienced TC automatically changing to VW mode. In fact that is the first I’ve ever heard of that. Non the less, if that is fact, it doesn’t make Ti a bad choice of wire, just means one has to be selective about what device they use it on. Or keep an eye on their device. I consider it an advanced metal, meaning extra care should be taken when using it.

Many have metal allergies, and Ti is a good alternative.

Yeah TC mode is weird on a lot of devices. It has thrown my brother into VW mode on the Paranormal DNA 250. We had to send it in. It came back recently and it worked well for a few days but now TC mode is acting up again. My cousin has been thrown out of TC mode on a Wismec p80. The Pulse is finicky with TC mode. My old Cuboid would throw me out of TC mode. I bought the smoke GX 2/4 a while ago. TC mode did not even work on it. I sent it back.