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Thank you very much Light Seeker. When you said base for some reason I interpreted that as battery. I am a bean counter so all this is very new to me. My volt meter is an older one(analog not digital) so I have a dial on it so I can zero the ohms out. Old school equipment but works very well.
So you don't trim the leads before inserting the metal pin? I know that the stock head I took apart had the lead through the grommet pressed between the grommet and pin. I am assuming that both leads must be touching the pin and not the battery or I could fry my battery.
I do appreciate you taking time out to help a newb. It speaks highly of you and the forum in general. I belong to a different type of forum where the newbs are generally fed to the wolves and must learn the hard way. Cudos to ECF.
So you don't trim the leads before inserting the metal pin? I know that the stock head I took apart had the lead through the grommet pressed between the grommet and pin. I am assuming that both leads must be touching the pin and not the battery or I could fry my battery.
I do appreciate you taking time out to help a newb. It speaks highly of you and the forum in general. I belong to a different type of forum where the newbs are generally fed to the wolves and must learn the hard way. Cudos to ECF.
Since there's lots of questions on some of the simpler things, here's my complete kangerPro rebuild procedure using cotton (butchers twine). I've done hundreds, with practice takes just a few minutes each.
Materials needed: 32g kanthal, butchers twine, 4-40 screw, sewing needle, needle nose pliers, lighter, fingernail clippers, scissors, ohm meter, beer of your choice, vape juice.
Materials needed: 32g kanthal, butchers twine, 4-40 screw, sewing needle, needle nose pliers, lighter, fingernail clippers, scissors, ohm meter, beer of your choice, vape juice.
- From a used head, remove top tube by pulling/slightly bending. May need to use a needle nose pliers if its really tight, or first time the head is rebuilt. Slide the attached grommet half way up this metal tube.
- Remove the bottom metal plug & white grommet with fingernails, then pull out the dirty 'flavor threads' and burnt wick/coil.
- Rinse all parts under tap water and dry with paper towel.
- Cut off about 4" of 32g Kanthal. Hold about an inch of wire alongside screw, then wrap remainder of wire tight on the 4-40 screw for 5 wraps (4 underneath, or between the leads). Note...if holding screw & wire with left hand & wrapping with right, the first wrap will go behind screw, then over the top towards you. Keep wrapping holding wire tight, it will follow the screw threads. Unscrew this coil from the screw, hold one of the leads with the pliers, and put coil & leads into blue lighter flame for a few seconds. The coil will be glowing bright red, burning off any machining contaminants and anodizing the coil. Using a screw will form a perfect coil.
- Put coil aside to cool, cut off about 3" of butchers twine. Separate 4 or 5 threads of this twine from the rest, put aside, you'll use these as your 'flavor wicks' later.
- Wet the last half inch of this wick between your lips, squeeze together tight & roll in your fingers compressing it into a point. Screw this point into your coil...if it doesn't seem to go, reverse the coil and screw it from the other way. Once wick is thru coil, gently pull the rest of wick thru to center it on coil.
- Straighten out the 2 leads, fish it thru the body of the head. Once fished thru, gently pull on leads to seat the wick in the bottom of the grooves. Bend one of the leads at 90 degrees to the body where it exits out the bottom.
- Take a needle from the top, push coil together, ensure they're all separated by a mill or 2, centered in pipe, & not touching sides.
- Thread grommet on lead that isn't bent, and insert into body. Bend this lead opposite the other lead, then insert bottom metal pin into assembly.
- Take ohm reading as described above, with a 5/4 wrap of 32g kanthal, you should have a 1.9-2.3 ohm resistance. If its shorted, either the coil is touching the barrel, or the leads are crossed inside the barrel.
- Take those 4 or 5 threads you previously separated, lay on top of the coil as flavor threads, ends going out the grooves in the assembly. Reinsert the top tube, then slide grommet down shaft all the way.
- Trim leads with clippers tight against the assembly. Trim wick with scissors to match the flange around the assembly.
- Screw rebuilt head into the base, and ohm again. If shorted, inspect where you clipped off the leads, didn't do a good job.
- Pour yourself a beer, fill your tank with vape juice, wait about 15 minutes while the cotton is absorbing the juice and you're finishing your beer. Then enjoy a good clean vape using a home built cotton wick n coil.
SITS, my pleasure. Haven't used one of the older dial meters in a long time, in many ways they're better than digital imho!
The procedure above you'll see the 2 leads.... one is the ground, then the other goes thru the grommet to the positive post. Hope it makes sense, if it doesn't feel free to PM or ask away!
The procedure above you'll see the 2 leads.... one is the ground, then the other goes thru the grommet to the positive post. Hope it makes sense, if it doesn't feel free to PM or ask away!
Zero or the valeu of the resistence from your multimeter ... Short is always near zero ohm.
I got my wire and wicks in the mail yesterday. I am very excited to get started. I ordered my wire straight from Temco and recieved excellent service and was shipped same day. Very pleased with their service. The customer service rep told me that they were going to making a big push to get their product into as many vapor shops, at least here in the states as soon as possible. I ordered wicks from Amazon and also recieved good service and immediate shipping from them as well. I will let y'all know how things turn out.
Great thread!!! All I have to do is find a sewing needle that looks about the same thickness as a sewing needle!!!! :
Seriously! A lot of good info here. I've rebuilt a couple of my wife's protank's with SS mesh. (worried about silica cause she likes to burn attys). But, with the ss its hit and miss (mostly hit) on leaks or not. I'm going to give this a try tonight. I have some 2mm. I'll try a single thread with a micro coil and another doubled up.
Thanks all!!!
Success on first try. I have to admit that i lost a couple of wick strands trimming them off to fit inside the flange but am quite happy with my first try Maybe i didn't wrap wire snug enough but I didn't want to wrap to tightly.
Maybe i didn't wrap wire snug enough but I didn't want to wrap to tightly.
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Awesome thread and write up. I just ordered my first wick and wire and look forward to it!
FYI not sure if this has been posted already but here's a great price and seller that includes free wire with purchase of wick
Silica Wick 3mm Free Bonus High Quality | eBay
FYI not sure if this has been posted already but here's a great price and seller that includes free wire with purchase of wick
Silica Wick 3mm Free Bonus High Quality | eBay
OK. First one taste burnt. And my SS aren't working so good so I'm going to concentrate on silica. Questions...
Do you prep silica? Burn with lighter/torch
Once wrapped and mounted do you dry burn to make sure coils are good? It looked like it singed when I did this. Maybe the source of the burn taste?
I used doubled 2mm. Is there consensus this is a good non-leaking, no need for flavor wick size? Or should I get 3mm?
Face meat. What's the third of wick used for flavor wick? Strands or a whole piece of silica (1/3 of original piece)
I AM gonna beat this!!!!
Do you prep silica? Burn with lighter/torch
Once wrapped and mounted do you dry burn to make sure coils are good? It looked like it singed when I did this. Maybe the source of the burn taste?
I used doubled 2mm. Is there consensus this is a good non-leaking, no need for flavor wick size? Or should I get 3mm?
Face meat. What's the third of wick used for flavor wick? Strands or a whole piece of silica (1/3 of original piece)
I AM gonna beat this!!!!
I thought the same thing about singing the silica when dry burning but someone on the forum told me that the silica won't singe, it can handle really high temps.
Nope. I see no reason to.
Every build until now, Yes. The silica won't singe. The coils don't get hot enough to harm silica, which is nothing more than tiny strands of glass. You got me thinking about the burning rubber taste that we experience immediately after a fresh rebuild...As long as I'm confident that the coil is properly built, I see no reason to dry-burn prior to reassembly and filling. I have a feeling that the burnt rubber taste is coming from the rubber insulator grommet (not the clear silicone one) heating up and burning slightly. Without a tank full of eliquid that acts as a heat sink, the legs of the coil may be burning the rubber insulator grommet. I'll try a rebuild and skip the dry burn. I'll report back with results.
If doubled 2mm is wicking sufficiently and not leaking, there's no reason to switch to 3mm.
I separated my 3mm wick into thirds. My particular wick consists of 6 groups of silica strands. I used two of those groups of strands as "flavor wicks". The term "flavor wick" is sort of a misnomer, as they do nothing to increase the flavor. They should be called "leak/gurgle prevention wicks".
FM, think you're absolutely right. I've never had this burnt taste with the dozens, perhaps hundreds, of rebuilds. I wrap with cotton, so never do a dry burn.
How many extra heads do you guys have? I have around 15 total. Don't know if I should get more for extras or rebuilding g they will last indefinitely.
I've gotta dozen or so, with both wife and I using. Cant see how I would need anymore.... Besides, the next latest and greatest thing is right around the corner. Actually already is.... I'm using a rsst & dripper about as much as the protank
glad to see how easy they are to rebuild, only reason I bought the protank in the first place. Have a e vod coming in as well have to order some supplies. 32ga wire, cotton cheese cloth, silica wick and 400 mesh. will play around and see what I like best
have to order some supplies. 32ga wire, cotton cheese cloth, silica wick and 400 mesh. will play around and see what I like best- Status
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