Inside the Drunker Tank

[oplholik]

Ok, gotta a whats going question. I put the drunker on the Provari just now, lowered the power to 3.2v's and test fired it, looking good. Then started working my way up and all seems fine, no burning or anything, but, I'm up to 5.1 and the provari reads the Drunker at 3.1Ω, and there is very little vapor production. There should be lots of vapor at these readings. The coil as I mentioned in previous post, is a 5 wrap 32 gage Kanthal wire, and I'm using #4 cotton yarn. Maybey it's not wicking enough liquid? It is wicking enough so that's it's not burning. Any ideas?

 

[adeline]

Okay, I really have no idea how to troubleshoot it, but take the drip tip cap off and fire. What do you see? Any vapor coming from the coil?
What color is your yarn? Can you see any singing?
Does it look completely saturated?
How long did it soak?
Did you boil your yarn before wrapping? Did you let it dry completely?
How is the flavor?
And finally, dumb question, but gotta ask, what ratio pg/vg is your liquid?

 

[donnah]

The wick and coil that I have going right now didn't start out with a bang either. But as I vaped it, it started to get better and better. Sounds like your wick is a bit too saturated. That should work itself out as you vape it. Inch your power up a bit more and don't tilt it.

If its not burning(tasting burnt) then your wick is plenty wet. Not much vapor could mean its too wet. Your ohms are much higher than I usually coil mine and it may need more voltage. I burnt vvns left and right but I have yet to burn my drunker.

 

[JD1]

Hard to say, but I suspect wicking problems. As a quick test, try dripping about 3 drops and try it at ~4 to 4.5 volts. (I take it you meant 5.1 volts instead of ohms?? ) You can go to higher voltage of course, but I'm just saying you should be getting good vapor at low wattage for testing purposes.

edit: Donna makes a good point, and I'm assuming it isn't flooded.

 

[oplholik]

Okay, I really have no idea how to troubleshoot it, but take the drip tip cap off and fire. What do you see? Any vapor coming from the coil?
What color is your yarn? Can you see any singing?
Does it look completely saturated?
How long did it soak?
Did you boil your yarn before wrapping? Did you let it dry completely?
How is the flavor?
And finally, dumb question, but gotta ask, what ratio pg/vg is your liquid?

Yes vapor is coming from the coil
The yarn is kinda yellowish from the liquid, doesn't look like any singing.
The wick looks saturated.
It soaked from about 12 hours.
Yarn was boiled and dried.
Not a lot of flavor so far.
70/30 pg/vg.

 

[oplholik]

The wick and coil that I have going right now didn't start out with a bang either. But as I vaped it, it started to get better and better. Sounds like your wick is a bit too saturated. That should work itself out as you vape it. Inch your power up a bit more and don't tilt it.

If its not burning(tasting burnt) then your wick is plenty wet. Not much vapor could mean its too wet. Your ohms are much higher than I usually coil mine and it may need more voltage. I burnt vvns left and right but I have yet to burn my drunker.

Ok, went from 5.1v to 5.5v no change, then tried 5.8v and can't tell much difference. Maybey I shouldn't compare this to a carto, but with a 3Ω carto, around 4.8v's gives me lots of vapor and flavor.

 

[oplholik]

Hard to say, but I suspect wicking problems. As a quick test, try dripping about 3 drops and try it at ~4 to 4.5 volts. (I take it you meant 5.1 volts instead of ohms?? ) You can go to higher voltage of course, but I'm just saying you should be getting good vapor at low wattage for testing purposes.

edit: Donna makes a good point, and I'm assuming it isn't flooded.

Dripping a few drops does help it some.

 

[JD1]

Dripping a few drops does help it some.

Sounds like the wick might be too big for the coil. It'll take a little trial and error to dial it in but I would suggest trying smaller wicks through the coil and helper wicks on top the coil like I do or coming up the edge of the coil on both sides like Mack does.

 

[oplholik]

Sounds like the wick might be too big for the coil. It'll take a little trial and error to dial it in but I would suggest trying smaller wicks through the coil and helper wicks on top the coil like I do or coming up the edge of the coil on both sides like Mack does.

Thanks. I think that this evening when the wife and I are out, I'll pick up some cotton rounds and try that with the helper wicking.

 

[adeline]

The cotton rounds I picked up are finicky. Just rebuilt my A7 with what I hope is a thin enough strip.

Letting that soak before I rebuild the Drunker, but I think I'm going to try yarn. Maybe yarn wick with rounds for assist feeding? Sounds good to me! Also going to try my hand at twisting the NR wire. Yay lots of new stuff today.

I actually just put in an order for sterling silver crimping beads. According to another forum member, I should be able to feed the Nichrome/Kathal and the NR wire through the bead, crimp it, and go. No twisting, no welding, no fuss. Prices: $4.28 per box of 100 beads if you buy 1 or 2, $3.71 each for 3-4 boxes, $3.20 for 5-9 boxes, $2.88 for 10-19 boxes. Lovely pricing there at riogrande.com

I will have to play around with where to crimp it. I'm more than happy to be the guinea pig for you guys.

Granted, I selected the cheapo free shipping, so I won't be able to update on that for about a week.

Too much fun!


Edit: Also just picked up a handful of vulcan gromets and a couple ceramic cups from surevapes.

 

[mrelwood]

I'm up to 5.1 and the provari reads the Drunker at 3.1Ω, and there is very little vapor production.

I'd guess your coil is flooding. Can you see the juice boiling on the coil when you fire? Do you get better vapor if you take a long drag?

What is the diameter of your coil wraps? A large coil will warm up slowly and give less vapor.

 

[oplholik]

I'd guess your coil is flooding. Can you see the juice boiling on the coil when you fire? Do you get better vapor if you take a long drag?

What is the diameter of your coil wraps? A large coil will warm up slowly and give less vapor.

The coil is wrapped using a 3/32 drill bit shank.
Liquid doesn't appear to be boiling when it's fired, it's not that wet, but wet enough to keep it from burning. Long hits doesn't seem to help.
I'm thinking the wick may be choking. Maybey try another coil wrapped around a little bigger drill bit shank? Also I think I'll try a 4 wrap instead of a 5 wrap coil.

 

[adeline]

I'm thinking the wick may be choking. Maybey try another coil wrapped around a little bigger drill bit shank? Also I think I'll try a 4 wrap instead of a 5 wrap coil.

If the wick is choking, the assist feed setup should work for the same size coil and wick material -- you're just only putting one wick through the coil. Might help. I'm trying a yarn wick later tonight... Likely going to use cotton rounds for an assist feed.

 

[Bmays]

Ahem, Skews' me Been listening to you girls and boys for a while. I wanted to ask your opinion(s) on wicks as I have no real interest in the drunkard atm.

I was part of the "wick materials safe vs dangerous" from the start but at first it was the blind leading the blind and I got tired of hearing "this is the new best" etc..lol

I'm one of the few who like the silica wick, but a little scared of it. I tried a cotton ball and some galls (may have not been the right ones) and they both tasted terriable. Way worse than anything before. I'm not new to rebuilding by any means so it was the material for sure.

My question is this. Since I like the silica (stiffness-tight woven), what cotton is the best for me to pick up at my local wally world or whatever. I tried some braded candle wick (kinda tanish color) but I think it was too thick and was not much better.

So....Rope style, tight woven, 100% cotton, easy to work with.....

 

[adeline]

Ahem, Skews' me Been listening to you girls and boys for a while. I wanted to ask your opinion(s) on wicks as I have no real interest in the drunkard atm.

I was part of the "wick materials safe vs dangerous" from the start but at first it was the blind leading the blind and I got tired of hearing "this is the new best" etc..lol

I'm one of the few who like the silica wick, but a little scared of it. I tried a cotton ball and some galls (may have not been the right ones) and they both tasted terriable. Way worse than anything before. I'm not new to rebuilding by any means so it was the material for sure.

My question is this. Since I like the silica (stiffness-tight woven), what cotton is the best for me to pick up at my local wally world or whatever. I tried some braded candle wick (kinda tanish color) but I think it was too thick and was not much better.

So....Rope style, tight woven, 100% cotton, easy to work with.....

Cotton candle wicks and cotton twines may likely have other (synthetic) materials in them.

Have you tried 100% cotton yarn?

If you haven't got the cotton balls to work, I'd say try some yarn. The great thing about cotton is that it's pretty darn cheap.

I don't know that you'll find a tightly woven cotton wick that doesn't have some other material (material that you don't want to be vaping) added to it.

Try the Cotton wick thread though, they'll have more ideas: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/rebuildable-atomizer-systems/355501-different-cottons-different-wicks.html

 

[Bmays]

Cotton candle wicks and cotton twines may likely have other (synthetic) materials in them.

I think your probably right. That thing turned brown Purdy quick. I'll head over and have a read. Thanks

 

[donnah]

My coil is reading 2ohms and I'm vaping it at 4.2v.. if that helps on the vapor issue. I haven't tried anything but cotton ball and cotton round in my drunker. My local walmart has the peaches and cream 100% cotton yarn but I've had such success with what I have, I haven't bought any. I had little success with the candle wicking... seemed too dense to wick very good in my vvns.

Adeline.. One of the reasons I've shied away from twisting nr wire with r wire is that it looks complicated. I've been interested in the penny type rba but didn't want to have to order and then try to twist it. I've also read a post or two about crimping them together instead of twisting. Looking forward to see how you do with that. (so glad you're willing to play guinea pig LOL)

 

[adeline]

Adeline.. One of the reasons I've shied away from twisting nr wire with r wire is that it looks complicated. I've been interested in the penny type rba but didn't want to have to order and then try to twist it. I've also read a post or two about crimping them together instead of twisting. Looking forward to see how you do with that. (so glad you're willing to play guinea pig LOL)

You know, I picked up NR wire because I have another RBA coming that will most likely require it. Now that I have it, making it for the Drunker is a no-brainer. At this point, I'm afraid if I don't, I'll destroy that grommet before my replacements get here.

I need to set up a NR coil tonight -- I think my wick on this was a little too fat (cotton really POOFS), and I don't usually have the energy or time during the week to do it. I'd like to be vaping this thing again tomorrow, so tonight it must be!

I've been put off by the idea of twisting. I actually don't know how to do it. I need to pick through some threads.. hopefully ones with pictures! Ideally I'll only have to do the twisting once, then when my crimp beads get here I can change out my wick and coil. Once I figure out how to twist the wires, I should have a good idea of where to crimp the beads (inside the ceramic? below it? really close to the coil? I dunno!).

I wish I had them NOW. RIGHT FRACKIN NOW! But I must be patient.

 

[donnah]

I"m sure there's a ton of youtube videos. The only time I've seen it down is when pbusardo did his oddy review. Doesn't look too difficult.

I can't seem to put links in my posts anymore! It wouldn't let me last night. I wonder if something has changed here. I am trying to link to pbusardo's oddy review.

 

[xMackx]

Well I got my non resistance to resistance flash welder working today. No more singed grommets or spliceing for me. It was actually easier to build a wire welder than to learn being a super splicer lol.