iClear 16 TDC - best way to replace wick with organic cotton, or other options?

Status
Not open for further replies.

billybc96

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Aug 24, 2010
715
689
58
Reno, Nevada, USA
I keep going back to using Innokin iClear 16 TDC clearomizers and heads for use with my high VG juices. They just work for me pretty well compared to all the other toppers I've tried - including rebuilding (on a Kayfun Lite Plus). My biggest issue with the iClear 16 is simply that it doesn't hold much juice (1.6 ml) in comparison to many other toppers out there these days, but its form factor for eGo sized type batteries is hard to beat. I generally like the Aspire Nautilus series of BVC toppers, but they are all kind of ridiculously large as a topper on an eGo sized battery. They are also pretty power hungry when setup to run at their best - which is also not very user friendly for small eGo sized batteries (including the iTaste V3). I've tried the smaller Aspire non-Nautilus BVC heads in smaller clearomizers like the 2.5+ ml capacity ET and ET-S, but have found those BVC heads to be unsatisfactory (lots of gurgling and hot juice spitting on my tongue).

I recently purchased some iClear 30 replacement heads, the type with several more (thinner) wicks than an iClear 16 head, but that still fit an iClear 16 body. I may or may not have to trim those iClear 30 wicks for use in an iClear 16 clearomizer. Supposedly flavor delivery and wicking improve with this easy replacement modification, though vapor delivery is about the same. I'll report back later on how well that works out.

In the mean time, I've been wondering about replacing the stock iClear 16 head wicks with organic cotton ones. Some people have done this with good results, though they have also lost juice capacity in a clearomizer that already doesn't hold that much juice. Removing the old wick sounds fairly easy, but replacing the wick through those small iClear coils seems like it would be rather difficult. Because of that, I'm wondering about other rewicking options, other than just using thin strips from organic cotton balls. I've rebuilt coils before, and wicked them, but have always seemed to get into trouble getting the right amount of wick in there. I always seem to get too little, or too much.

Any suggestions for me to try this out? I was thinking about possible alternatives to organic cotton balls as well - the stuff that comes in thread form, on a spool? Something like that might be easier to rewick with, but which size of thread, which wick material? There are a lot of rebuilding material options out there these days. It is hard to keep up on the latest stuff (and which of it actually works well), so I'm hoping some of you will have some suggestions that will make trying out rewicking an iClear 16 a lot easier for me.
 

State O' Flux

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jul 17, 2013
4,844
4,993
Seattle
I've been wondering about replacing the stock iClear 16 head wicks with organic cotton ones.
I'm wondering about other rewicking options, other than just using thin strips from organic cotton balls. I've rebuilt coils before, and wicked them, but have always seemed to get into trouble getting the right amount of wick in there. I always seem to get too little, or too much.

Any suggestions for me to try this out? I was thinking about possible alternatives to organic cotton balls as well - the stuff that comes in thread form, on a spool?
"Peaches 'N Cream" brand cotton yarn... "ecru" color, unbleached. Get it at Walmart. Pull a folded-in-two strand through with a piece of 32 gauge wire... snip ends to length.
 

State O' Flux

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jul 17, 2013
4,844
4,993
Seattle
I'll check that out. How exactly do you pull the wick strands through with the 32 gauge wire?
Grab a 4" long piece of wire and make a loop by twisting both ends together. Feed a 4" long piece of yarn through the loop - insert the twisted end of wire through the coil... and pull the "two" strands of yarn into it with the wire.

You're using the firm, shape holding wire to pull through the doubled-over yarn into and through the coil.

Feed the wire ends through the coil, pulling the folded cotton through the coil as well. Trim cotton to length. ;-)
 

billybc96

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Aug 24, 2010
715
689
58
Reno, Nevada, USA
Alright, I've tried to look up how this actually works elsewhere, but I always end up just getting tutorials on how to build and wick a coil. That isn't helping. I'm having a very hard time picturing your instructions. Maybe I should just take the 2 strand of yarn, twist them together, wet one end, twist that to a point, and try to feed the yarn through that way - not using the wire at all? The only problem I can see with that is it might be difficult to do because the coil head's metal tubular body might get in the way, at least if the twisted strands are not very straight. I'll just have to try it out and see how it works. Do you have a link to a video or diagram that would show how it is done using the wire method?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread