Is it really worthwhile to re-coil your Kanger AeroTank Mini or Mega ?

[Flt Simulation]

I have a total of 3 different atomizers I use on a continual basis ... A svoemesto kayfun Lite-Plus v2, a Kanger Aerotank Mini and a Kanger Mega.

All 3 of these units work very good, and I have no complaints with any of them.

Obviously, re-coiling the kayfun is required, and this RBA has a nice big build-deck so recoiling is easy.

But, the 2 Kangers are made for the user to just replace the coil / wick unit when it needs to be replaced (it was never made to be rebuildable) .... However, I read about people here actually re-coiling these little replaceable screw-in style coil units.


Personally, I cant imagine trying to actually re-coil one of these little Kanger coil units unless you had a big magnifying glass, very small fingers, very fine wire and a lot of patience.

Is it really worth all the trouble? ....... The Kanger is not an RBA like the Kayfun

 

[maraud]

My answer depends on two things really - date and purpose. What I mean is if you asked me 12 months ago with the single coils the answer would have been yes. They were easier to do than the current dual coil - I could recoil a head in maybe 2 minutes. Not to mention they were quite a bit more expensive at that time, $1 per coil prices were unheard of.

These days I just toss em and replace as the cost to me doesn't justify the work. HOWEVER, the second "thing" is purpose. I have recently recoiled but that was to try out a micro coil with cotton. Which for the record is really cool, but I think I'll stick with RBAs rather than trying that again.

 

[Flt Simulation]

maraud ...

Thanks for the input.

I was playing around with the new style dual coil units that come with these new Kangers (the coil units that don't have the exposed wick ends) .... I can't even see how anyone could even get them apart. They seem to be sealed from the factory.
________________________________

BTW ... I have a box of the older style dual coil units that have the little exposed wick ends that came with a 1st generation AeroTank. I tried this dual coil unit in my new Mega, and could not tell the difference between the old style and the new style (that do not have the exposed wick ends).

Both seem to vape the same as long as they are of the same ohms.

 

[xxJollyRogerxx]

I recoil the kanger heads all the time. You can rebuild the newer ones (no wick sticking out) too but they are a lot harder to get apart and re-inserted. I had to use 2 pliers to get them apart and a channel lock to put them back together.

TBH, I can't really tell the difference either. I have re-wicked the duals to singles and don't see a difference except that my battery lasts a little longer. Same with the exposed wick vs the slot. I think they were just trying to make it so people can't rebuild them and have to keep buying them.

 

[Nick N]

I gave up recoiling the new dual Kanger coils (they are what I learned on), and moved to drippers and now tanks. For the amount of work involved it is not worth it to me. Those rubber/silicone insulators don't last forever.

I do enjoy the Mega with a stock dual coil though, but the miser/hobbyist in me can't justify buying more Kanger coils (or parts for them) with hundreds of feet of rayon and Kanthal sitting here. I could use that $ toward another tank!

 

[Flt Simulation]

Jolly Roger .... That's what I am thinking too.

I have a box of the new style coil units (without the exposed wick ends), but they cost twice as much as the old style (with exposed wick ends) ... So when it comes time to buy another 5-pack, I am just going to buy the cheaper old style units.

These Kanger dual coil units seem to last a real long time as it is ... I power them with whatever voltage it takes to get 9.5 watts, and get a real nice vape.

 

[Flt Simulation]

I do enjoy the Mega with a stock dual coil though, but the miser/hobbyist in me can't justify buying more Kanger coils (or parts for them) with hundreds of feet of rayon and Kanthal sitting here. I could use that $ toward another tank!

I hear ya ... I usually use my Kayfun, but I especially like my little Kanger AeroTank Mini (with a small VV EGO battery) when I go shopping, or something like that ... small and lightweight

 

[xxJollyRogerxx]

I think i have about 40 old style heads right now but i ordered about 15 more (old style) last week so i don't have to worry about getting any at all for a long while ... I hope anyway!

I am sure something else new will come out though and change things yet again.

 

[aznnp77]

There is a noticeable difference in taste from a rebuilt coil with cotton/rayon in comparison to the stock silica head.

I agree, if you were rebuilding with silica, with a goal of making the head exactly the same as stock, it may not be worth the time to some people. Buying them in bulk only costs me 80 cents a piece. I've rebuilt probably 30-40 coils thus far, and it still takes me about 5 minutes to rebuild one.

Having tasted the cotton/rayon wicks, I don't think I could go back to silica. I like to take 2-3 quick hits at a time, and that would not be possible with silica. It would burn by the 4th hit because of it's poor wicking. As I said before, the flavor is also noticeably better.

If you are satisfied with the vape of a stock coil, it's mainly just a cost over convenience thing you need to weigh. If they both tasted the same, I probably would just buy them (single coil). I bought 25 right before i learned how to rebuild. I haven't opened a single one up yet. The rubber insulator needs to be replaced from time to time though. May buy 50 of those later.

 

[xxJollyRogerxx]

Yea good point ... I do re-wick with only cotton and the heads are MUCH better and at that point worth the effort IMHO. Plus you can even make them how you like them little thicker wick or not, etc.

 

[DavidOck]

Often the factory coils are not what they're marked, and the coil itself is poorly wound. (Open up a new one and have a look... coil is often pretty "random." So rebuilding to your own specs can give a better vape.

I tend to build my single coils with a silica wick, so I can dry burn a few times before rebuilding them, and cotton or rayon for the flavor wick. (I don't use any dual coils on my clearos.) It's also possible to use cotton or rayon for the main wick, and replace it as needed.

 

[Joe13]

I had my wife do a blind taste-test on her eGo-EVOD units, with the only variable being a rebuilt vs. stock coil. Same e-liquid and coil impedence.

She tried a few hits from (what I knew was) the stock coil first. She said "That tastes fine."

Then I gave her (what I knew was) the rebuilt coil, wicked with KGD cotton, and she said "Wow".

After that test, she gave me her remaining new silica-wicked stock coils, and I rebuilt them for her. 30 guage kanthal, 1/16", 7 wraps, contact tensioned micro-coil. Wicked with Koh Gen Do.

I realize I just made some work for myself, since I have to rebuild her coils from now on. TBH, I'd rather not bother with it, except it's a helluva improvement in vape quality and flavor. That makes it worth it.

As previously noted, take apart a new stock coil some time. Note the sloppy, seemingly random difference in space between the wraps. That's bound to produce hot-spots, IMHO. A symetric tensioned contact micro-coil functions quite differently.

I use a standard size AeroTank daily. The coils are rebuilt into singles, with a KGD flavor wick to prevent gurgling. I think flavor intensity from my AeroTank approaches that of my Kayfun.

Is it worth it for you? Eh, only you can answer that.

 

[aznnp77]

I had my wife do a blind taste-test on her eGo-EVOD units, with the only variable being a rebuilt vs. stock coil. Same e-liquid and coil impedence.

She tried a few hits from (what I knew was) the stock coil first. She said "That tastes fine."

Then I gave her (what I knew was) the rebuilt coil, wicked with KGD cotton, and she said "Wow".

After that test, she gave me her remaining new silica-wicked stock coils, and I rebuilt them for her. 30 guage kanthal, 1/16", 7 wraps, contact tensioned micro-coil. Wicked with Koh Gen Do.

I realize I just made some work for myself, since I have to rebuild her coils from now on. TBH, I'd rather not bother with it, except it's a helluva improvement in vape quality and flavor. That makes it worth it.

As previously noted, take apart a new stock coil some time. Note the sloppy, seemingly random difference in space between the wraps. That's bound to produce hot-spots, IMHO. A symetric tensioned contact micro-coil functions quite differently.

I use a standard size AeroTank daily. The coils are rebuilt into singles, with a KGD flavor wick to prevent gurgling. I think flavor intensity from my AeroTank approaches that of my Kayfun.

Is it worth it for you? Eh, only you can answer that.

Making your wife happy is usually a good thing. I wasn't aware that you could rebuild aerotank coils into singles. I may try that then. I've been trying to give myself an excuse to get an aerotank v2, but I wouldn't rebuild duals, or continue to buy the stock ones.

You can probably just rebuild them in sessions, depending on how many she uses in a month. That's what I planned on doing, but I just keep rebuilding the coil I was using previously. I typically rebuild the 2 on my primaries once every 3 days. Takes about 10-15 minutes taking my sweet time and watching TV.

 

[DavidOck]

I usually wait until I have 8 or 10 (or so) and rebuild them all in one session. Only have to get everything out one time. Just keep a small jar for each, "need to rebuild" and "ready to use."

 

[Marc411]

Personally, I cant imagine trying to actually re-coil one of these little Kanger coil units unless you had a big magnifying glass, very small fingers, very fine wire and a lot of patience.

Is it really worth all the trouble? ....... The Kanger is not an RBA like the Kayfun

LOL, you just described me but my hands really aren't that small but the big magnifying glass is a must! I use the old style coils in the new tanks and think I get better flavor from a 28 ga 1.6 ohm coil with KGD in it over any coil Kanger makes including the new one. It really is pretty easy once you build a while and at 1.6 ohms there is plenty of room in the base to work.

Granted I don't use them much, mostly with new liquids that I want to take with me but don't want to fill my REO or a Kayfun. The wife still prefers tanks because of the size. If I was younger and not blind I could dump the big magnifying glass.