Kayfunlite+ bad taste

[macpeace]

I have built this thing 20 times. Ekowool, micro coil and cotton, doesn't matter I get a metallic taste no matter what. Coil not shorting, doesn't matter the ohms. Pull the coil out looks perfect no black on wick. Tastes like metal. Did I get a bad one? I have taken it apart and washed it with hot water several times. Can't figure this out. Do these things usually9 have a metallic taste to them? Thanks

 

[Doge]

How far is your coil above the air hole, should be about 2mm.

I haven't had any metallic taste with mine.

Can you post a picture of your coil setup?

 

[macpeace]

Cant post right now cause its ripped apart but I'll build one later I guess, Kinda sick of wasting juice with this thing. I usually put a flathead under the coil and gently lift up. Then I look to be sure I can see space between the deck and coil. I can't swear its 2mm but it is never touching for sure. Also thanks for replying I love this place, always someone willing to help a guy out.

 

[Dusty_D]

I have built this thing 20 times. Ekowool, micro coil and cotton, doesn't matter I get a metallic taste no matter what. Coil not shorting, doesn't matter the ohms. Pull the coil out looks perfect no black on wick. Tastes like metal. Did I get a bad one? I have taken it apart and washed it with hot water several times. Can't figure this out. Do these things usually9 have a metallic taste to them? Thanks

I have 3 kayfun Lites, and they are the closest RBA's to dripping that I have found. No metallic taste to any of mine. Would you mind posting a picture of your coil/wick?

There's also the kayfun Lite thread that you can post to: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/rebuildable-atomizer-systems/436118-kayfun-lite.html

Since it's dedicated to those devices, you may be able to get a more precise answer to your questions.

 

[Thrasher]

do you dry fire the coil to make sure its glowing evenly?

 

[macpeace]

Ok thanks for the tip. I will build one and post. Lately it has been pretty simple though 4/5 wrap on folded 1.5 ekowool. Evenly spaced no wires touching and nothing touching the deck. I do dry fire but I just make sure the wire lights up red all the way. Is there more I should be doing?

 

[toddrhodes]

do you dry fire the coil to make sure its glowing evenly?

This and have you thoroughly washed and cleaned it with dish soap to cut any machine oil that could be left in it from packaging?

 

[macpeace]

No I haven't tried dish soap. To be honest I thought it might damage the orings. Then when I went to take the orings off I decided my shrek hands might damage the orings and mine did not come with any spares.

 

[toddrhodes]

Ok thanks for the tip. I will build one and post. Lately it has been pretty simple though 4/5 wrap on folded 1.5 ekowool. Evenly spaced no wires touching and nothing touching the deck. I do dry fire but I just make sure the wire lights up red all the way. Is there more I should be doing?

I've only done microcoils on my Russian and KFL clone, both Kayfun-style RBAs of course. I've gotten in the habit of washing any new parts I get as there are several posts about bad tastes and lack of thoroughly cleaning prior to building. There are passageways in the KFL RBA's that are difficult to reach but could be holding onto some production artifacts.

 

[toddrhodes]

No I haven't tried dish soap. To be honest I thought it might damage the orings. Then when I went to take the orings off I decided my shrek hands might damage the orings and mine did not come with any spares.

You can use a pick tool or a paper clip to pull off the o-rings and rinse them under hot water if you're worried about those.

 

[peterforpats]

do you torch the ekowool? i don't see how clean stainless steel can impart any flavor unless you are sensitive to it in some way. make sure to torch the ekowwol to get rid of any impurities in it. never heard of steel having a flavor unless you are allergic to it. of course, every other steel device would bother you also. also never heard of a "bad" kayfun either......is it real or one of the copies? with the copies(except the russians) who knows what they are built with regardless of what they say they are......

 

[macpeace]

Washed all parts in dish soap, thanks for tip. Built a coil. It is hard to hold iPhone and device at same time sorry for bad photos. Maybe these will help see something I am doing wrong. Thanks...


I do torch wire and ekowool. I just torch ekowool till it glows red in most places. I don't have an actual torch I use a torch cigar lighter with 3 flames, seems to work ok. Oh and it is a genuine Kayfunlite+

 

[macpeace]

That was not my best wrap for sure the top right strand is looser than the rest. I fixed that and went ahead and trimmed the ekowool, made sure it wasn't in the juice canals. Filled tank. I am getting less metallic taste for sure. But flavor is muted. Same juice in pro tank is better. ARGGGG

 

[toddrhodes]

What resistance is your coil and what voltage are you vaping at? Or, what wattage are you vaping at if you have VW?

Edit, I find I can turn my Kayfun style RBA's up *way* further than with other types of toppers. Currently vaping at 10.5W equivalent on my ProVari + KFL clone and it is glorious in terms of flavor and vapor production

 

[JmanEspresso]

Ya know, this could be a simple as getting dry hits.

The Kayfun is very specific about how it wants its wicking. If there is too little, it floods. If you pack it down into the sides too tight, it wont feed right.

Also, there is the issue with getting the vaccum. Now, if you fill from the bottom screw, it should be fine, but if you fill from the top and then flip it over when screwing on the top cap, it might be a problem. Frankly, Ive had vaccum issues using both fill methods.

try this.


Hold the kayfun upright, with a slight tilt to one side. (this is a full kayfun, wicked, full of juice). Slowly, SLOWLY, unscrew the top cap. SLOWLY. As you are doing this, you will eventually see an air bubble come up(this is why you tilted it slightly, to get the air bubble to go up the tilted side so you can see it). Once the air bubble is about to reach the top, close the cap. If you let the air bubble go to the top and dont close the cap quickly, you can flood the chamber. Dont go crazy, just close the cap once the air bubble is mostly to the top.\

I will admit, I havent had the best luck with the KFL(mine is a plus model), but this trick usually helps things along.

 

[SissySpike]

Some time things just get frustrating. I had a bad couple of days with the aqua but its going great now. Some times it better to just put it down for a day or two then come back to it. I had some troubles with the 3.1 at first also but now its one of my favorite atomizers.

 

[macpeace]

Thanks so much guys for all the great suggestions and for all the advice and help.

JMan I took your suggestion. I had 2 bubbles. I think I am terrible at filling this thing. If I fill from the bottom it seems that no matter if I use a needle tip or bottle I always have a buildup in the well and get juice on my hand.

Also I do the thing were I wait for the bubble to hit the top of the clear tank and stop. I am wondering now, that the metallic issue is less, if the ekowool just has a funky taste to it. No place around has straight up silica for some reason. It isn't like I am not getting vapor, it just doesn't taste right.

I bought this because I know that you are supposed to be able to get better flavor than the standard Protank 2 etc I am used to. The flavor is tainted somehow with a bad taste mixed into it. Perhaps I will try the cotton again next time.

Toddrhodes I am at 4-5 volts, or 9-11 watts. With a Protank I can really tell the difference when I make these changes. With the Kayfun it seems to be the same taste no matter the watt mode or volt mode. Currently just trying this thing on a MVP 2.

Buzzzlove great advice. Unfortunately, I have done that many times. Had this thing 2 weeks and yet to have what I think I should be getting from it. Just to clarify, I know I am no expert and may be foolishly doing something minor that ruins all the work getting it going. I have studied and practiced making the coils. Maybe it is the material aka ekowool. Not sure.

I know every time I fill this thing it is a cluster. I so wish it was like the Russian and had a cool port. I really think the screw thing is a PITA and bad design in general. I have seen some vids where guys have some cool green plastic needle on their bottle that fits the port better. I have asked several times where they get these but no one seems to ever reply.

I embrace the hobby aspect. I like the fact I can build it. I am totally up for the challenge here and think I have done my homework, but something just isn't right. Some step along the way I must be ruining it somehow. The metallic taste is far less since I washed/soaked with dish soap. But even with that gone, it is very muted flavor, with a funk.

Jman, good point about packing too tight, I have really tried to be careful there. Bottom line is after 20+ builds I am sure I got at least one right, and just can't seem to get a good result. I have a dripper I get great flavor from. I thought this would be close or on par, but I seem to be getting less than my Protanks.

Again thank you all for the tips and suggestions. I know this is a great piece of gear, I just can't figure out what I am doing wrong. Also is there a priming procedure for this? I wet the wicks and fire before putting the chimney on to be sure I am getting vapor but thats it until my first hit.

 

[toddrhodes]

Mac, first up, I've never wicked with anything but organic cotton but... try cotton. It's super easy to set up after a try or two and it is awesome at producing a full, authentic flavor. I got a huge bag of it from Amazon for like $5. I think you can get it from CVS as well. Alternatively you can get the peaches and cream cotton yarn that many people here rave about. Again, this opinion is from a guy who has only used cotton, not eckowool. I have silica in other attys and it's fine, but it doesn't compare to cotton IMO. Secondly, you might want to invest a few bucks into some 3mm syringes. I copped mine from Amazon, got a bag of like 30 of the things for $10 or something. They make filling the KFL style atties simple and painless. I do use the dripping syringes that come in some of the fancier glass-bottle juices as well but the syringe is the cleanest, easiest method I've found. If I'm bottom-filling, I fill it as much as I can without flooding the chimney (trust me, you'll know when you've overfilled), tighten the screw back down and before i flip it back to the right orientation I cover the fill port with my finger and watch the air bubble rise to the top of the tank. Doing that, I've never had a wicking issue or a bad taste. Just some random food for thought, good luck!

 

[Thrasher]

the gren tips on the bottle come with the regular kayfun from svoe mesto.

search around for luer lock plastic tips

that wick looks mighty fat for the kayfun. and the ends just barely need to touch the shelf on the sides.

 

[macpeace]

Toddrhodes Thanks for the tips. I have been thinking about the cotton again. I was just using the wifes cotton balls. I read all this stuff about bleach and chemicals, and just decided to forgo that until I could make a regular build taste right. I think the cotton had a slight weirdness as well, and also had the metallic thing going on. The metallic seems to be tamed, I think I must have had some machine oil somewhere I managed to get out with the dish soap. I will give the cotton a try again. For that build I was making a micro coil. Then forming the cotton and sliding it into the coil. IS that the best method? I also tried a vertical coil once. I just couldn't get the metallic taste out. I will for sure try cotton again.

Trasher I of course trimmed it from those pics, but you might be right about the fatness. I do have some 3mm Ekowool around here but have never messed with it, because it has some sort of inner threads that are hard. I was never sure if I was supposed to pull those out after the wrap or not, to make it hollow. As dumb as that makes me sound, I decided to avoid adding any unknowns to the equation. Perhaps a single 3mm wick would serve me better? I am careful not to get into the juice canals, but I might be using too much wicking material?

Thanks again for all the help fellas. I think this thread just goes to show how cool and helpful the people are here!