Kayfun lite / Russian 91% user info

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tommyk

Full Member
Aug 5, 2014
15
2
Everett, WA, USA
Hello fellow vapers!

I decided to do a quick write up about some issues I have had with my Russian 91% and a the solutions I have came up with to fix them. At around $100 USD price point I would think and hope the R&D depts. at KeBo and or SvoёMesto would have caught these issues and addressed them before putting their products on the market. I can imagine anyone with a Kayfun Lite etc. would have the same problems and could benefit from this. on a side note, I normally run my Russian at 1.2 ohms single coil @ 12 watts on a Sigelei 20w mod. I vape 12mg, 50/50 e-juice on Japanese cotton.

The first issue that I would like to address is the fill hole tapered screw that can leak one day and be fine the next. I ended up taking a tiny triangle edged file and making a relief at the bottom of the head and beginning of the threads for one of the tiny o-rings supplied in the extras bag. I got the head to fit almost flush with the bottom of the base unit, and then filed the top of the head flush. Works like a charm and the top of my Sigelei 20w stays dry! (like it should!)

The second issue is the center post, not the 510 screw, we will get to that! The center post inherently is very difficult to properly torque. The post goes through 2 insulators and secures the positive mounting block to the deck. To accomplish this properly you must torque this post enough to overcome the torque applied to the positive mounting screw. Sounds simple, but that little screw acts like torque multiplier and will twist the positive block off center. If you torque the center post too much you risk squishing the top isolator which will force the positive block to tilt and extend the pin above the block (normally the pin sticks out .010" anyway, which I filed off flat to the block). The Russian 91% I bought had a fairly soft top insulator, after flattening it i ended up ordering a 5 pack from kidneypuncher.com. These seemed to be a little harder allowing a little more torque. With a tiny amount of loctite-242 (just enough to fill the threads) you are able to get the center pin, top insulator, and positive block just right and it will not move when you are attaching your coil.

Third, that 510 screw! If this screw is not tight your ohms can fluctuate dramatically! The current must flow through this screws threads to make a circuit. When I first got this RTA I seen resistances from 1.0 ohms to 4.9 ohms from one second to the next. Needless to say 4.9 ohms @ 12 watts was not fun! So lesson learned, a tight 510 connection screw = good! To fix this I got 3 tiny stainless steel washers and filed them to the diameter of the 510 screw head to prevent any shorts. I have never had an issue with resistances since.
When you build a coil right and get excellent wicking, you should ended up noticing a small amounts of e-juice getting on the top of your 510 connector. Since there is no true seal for the center pin (only the 2 isolators) and or the 510 screw, while you are vaping your coil will sputter and spit a tiny amount of e-juice down the air tube and eventually it should come out the 510. I had an old Kanger atomizer head collecting dust, so I removed the bottom pin and insulator (an o-ring of the right size may have worked). I cut off the big end of the Insulator and used that as an o-ring between two of the 510 screw washers that I had filed down. When I installed the 510 screw this way, it made an e-juice tight seal! I love having a dry 510!

My last gripe is the coil screws. The Russian came with these dome shaped screws with very little flat surface area, that made it a pain to get a good connection on your coil leads. There is nothing worse than those leads slipping out! Easy fix, I ordered some good Stainless steel socket cap screws with a flat bottom mating surface from albanycountyfasteners.com. Now I could twist and pull all day long and not have a lead slip out!

Thank you all for not smelling like BUTTS!
Keep vaping,
Tommy K
 
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Shoey5

Full Member
Dec 21, 2009
47
78
56
Toronto
The only difference between the Russian 91% and all the other good (but crap) chinese Kayfun clones is the price. It's not worth the price they are asking for. The Russian 91% is much better than most of the low cost crap that comes out of china but the quality is no way worth being in line with the price of an original SvoMesto Kayfun. The Russian shouldn't be priced more than $50.00.

I have a black Russian 91% V2 and an original Svomesto Kayfun Lite Plus. When you take both apart and compare every part, you can tell the difference. They say nothing beats German Engineering, I don't know about that but the Kayfun parts are perfectly cut, clean like they were cut from a jewelers hand. The Russian parts on the other hand look like they were machined by a 12 year old....They probably were!!!!!!

Problems and solutions I had to do with my Russian....

- Smaller 510 connection screw loose issues - used Protank insulator as well
- Center Pin Didn't hold Deck Tight, - Had to replace Center Pin Insulator with an original SvoMesto insulator
- Screws that hold coil harder to grip lower (.28) gauge wire - Replaced those with SvoMesto Screws with better heads
- Insulator under Positive Deck Caved in screwing Center Pin tight enough to keep Deck from moving - Replaced with SvoMesto Insulator
- When Positive Deck was screwed securely, Center Pin stuck out too much - Used A Dermal to shave some threads to make it flush.

After all that, the Black Russian is a decent performer but I still don't find it as good as the Kayfun Lite + and no way is it worth $100.00. Personally I'm getting a little sick and tired of people ranting and raving about all the crap that comes out of China and I always shake my head when someone trashes the kayfun because they bought a cheap Chinese crap Kayfun Clone that doesn't perform for them. There is a reason why the Kayfun Lite + costs $100 and it's not for the same reasons as the why the Russian 91% V2 does....

BTW, my Kayfun Lite Plus has never leaked through the fill whole, unlike the Russian and all the other crap China stuff, it's rounded and the screw has an o-ring to boot.

My advise to anyone interested in a KayFun. Do yourself a favor, find a reputable dealer and pay for an original KayFun Lite Plus. Costs a lot more but there is a reason for it....Quality and Performance.

My hassle free Vaping enjoyment days didn't really start until I ditched all my China crap and got a Kayfun designed in Russian and made in Germany on a US made Provari.
 
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Griff.J

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jul 14, 2013
556
308
ON Canada
Months ago I counter sunk my fill hole with a drill bit the same size as the head of the screw then added one of the tiny O-rings to the screw to solve the issue (I got the idea from the FKL.) I also made a custom silicon washer for the 510 positive screw to completely seal the inside of the positive 510 connection, instead of using the tiny O-rings as they didn't really seal up that area and allowed liquid to seep though. My Russian91 is completely leak-proof now.. (well I wouldn't take it full on an airplane, pressure changes can still cause issues like any other bottom coil tank system).

I've modded a Tobeco FKL clone as well, I countersunk the fill hole and O-ringed the screw, I also bored out the air hole to a larger size and lined it with a sleeve of 400 mesh, which silenced the whistling issue.

But more recently I picked up a genuine KFL+ v2. which I use mostly now. I still prefer the air flow of the Tobeco but I can't bring myself to drilling out a full priced authentic kayfun :facepalm:

I guess there is that to be said for clones, You don't feel so bad mutilating them.
 
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rc3po

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Jun 22, 2014
497
218
Texas
I think yall got R91 clones. I've never had a problem with my authentic R91. Yeah it leaks sometimes, but only a drop or 2 - no big deal. Probably because I didn't tighten the screw good enough.
When I put on a new coil, I hold the positive post with needle-nosed pliers while I tighten the screw - once again, no problem. Plus I like how it looks on my grey e-LVT.
A mod I love, but many claim to hate...
They are both still vaping great!:vapor:

DSCF0292.jpg
 

Shoey5

Full Member
Dec 21, 2009
47
78
56
Toronto
Funny R91 clone....R91 is a clone but I have an original Kebo Black R91. I don't have any serious leak issues with the fill hole but with the way it's designed, I understand why people get leaks on it. As I said before, with all the F-ckery I had to do with it to get it up to par with the KFL+.....it's definitely not even close to being in the same quality or price point as a SvoMesto...
 
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