Let's talk hardware

[*RJ*]

Well, I went and watched a couple of videos and re-built one of my burned out heads.

It tests out at 1.6ohms on my Provari. I would like to get up to 2.4ohms +/-. Does that mean I need more wraps? I'm using 32 gauge kanthal and I used 5 wraps.

Edit: General, I saw your post after I had already re-built it. Next time, I'll use 7 or 8 wraps. And I used a small paper clip instead of a pin. I can see now that the only challenge with 8 wraps will be getting them close enough together to fit inside the head without touching the walls and without touching each other.

Yep...the small space is very difficult to fit everything in with a lot of wraps. Now, in all fairness, I've only done two coils with one that actually worked great. I think I did 6 wraps...but it was hard. I need more practice. The wick gets in the way for me...and that silica is slick and slippery. I may devote some time tomorrow for more coil building......

 

[icepoet]

34awg kanthal will get you the higher ohm coil you want, without wrapping it so many times. It's what the manufacturer uses. Yes, they may pop quicker, but they are far easier to redo. Just MHO.

 

[Pappy]

34awg kanthal will get you the higher ohm coil you want, without wrapping it so many times. It's what the manufacturer uses. Yes, they may pop quicker, but they are far easier to redo. Just MHO.

I'm gonna order some next time. I'm using 32 gauge now.

I just wrapped another one with 8 wraps. It measured out at 2.8ohms on my Provari. But it was dangerously close to touching the sides of the head, or so it seemed to me.

I have no idea how GT gets 10 wraps without the coil being so wide it touches the sides of the head. Obviously, he's a better wrapper than me.

 

[XfooYen]

6 wraps of 32 gauge will get you around 2.4 ohms. That's a good spot for a clearo.

 

[Chakris]

Stupid Move of the Day:

Went to boil a bunch of Vivi bits and threw everything in...including the plastic tube. This is what happens when your mind is elsewhere.

Aw, sorry to here about your melted, pregnant tanks, Bronze. Good thing you have extras - might stock up on a few myself - your luck may be contagious!

You mean the silicone cap thing? Or do you mean the tank part?

I had a stupid vaping moment the other day myself. All these months I was taking the head off my Vivis and cleaning then putting them back on. Which in turn would shred the wick more and more with each cleaning. Now I just leave the head on the post and run it under warm water. I knew I should have done what Pbusardo (sp?) did in his video...just leave the head on! The head I've been doing that way has lasted so much longer and the wicks are holding up much better. The act of twisting the head on with my finger was sort of cutting the wick against the ridge each time. Live and learn.

I usually take the heads off when I clean and haven't noticed it affecting the wicks. I do, however, use my thumb nail like a screwdriver at the top of the head where the wick goes in to loosen them first. My nails aren't long so I don't have to worry too much about touching the coil.

Matter of fact, got a load of ViVi tanks soaking in vodka as I type. After I blow out the vodka, I'll probably dry burn them because the coils looked pretty gunked up.

General, I need to watch a video on rebuilding them. I still haven't done one. I've still got 10 or 12 brand new replacement heads, so this would be a good time to learn how - i.e., instead of waiting until the pressure is on.

I think I'm in the same boat, Pappy. I have extra replacement heads and the Kanger T3s as back ups, but I need to going on rebuilding coils while I'm on break. Just waiting for my building supplies to arrive - should be in this week, hopefully. After school starts I'll have a lot less time to putz around with stuff like that.

I've tried building coils for the AGA-T2, but not the ViVi Novas.

 

[Chakris]

This is as good as any. Use a pin in parallel with the wicks (keeps you from pinch the wicks). And try to get 7 or 8 wraps. Squeeze the coil all the way together like a slinky. They'll spring back a little and wont touch (and they'll be pretty). Pull the pin out.

A PBusardo Tutorial - Vivi Nova Cleaning & Rebuilding - YouTube

Thanks for the tutorial, Bronze, I think I watched this one before, too.

Yep...the small space is very difficult to fit everything in with a lot of wraps. Now, in all fairness, I've only done two coils with one that actually worked great. I think I did 6 wraps...but it was hard. I need more practice. The wick gets in the way for me...and that silica is slick and slippery. I may devote some time tomorrow for more coil building......

I haven't tried this, but if your pin has a plastic ball at the end, after you wrap your coil, it seems like you could slide that ball close to where the coil starts then pinch the coils back against the ball with one hand while holding the wick taught along the length of pin with the other hand.

6 wraps of 32 gauge will get you around 2.4 ohms. That's a good spot for a clearo.

Since all I have is a short piece of Nichrome 32g I could probably get away with fewer wraps, correct? Nichrome is more resistive than Kanthol, but don't know how much more.

 

[Trick]

Well, I'm having serious buyer's remorse with this $$ Hornet RBA that still taunts me, untouched. I'm not verified w/ paypal because I don't want to link my checking account, and I simply have not bought very much at all on ebay, so I'm a lowly, second-class, unverified ECF member...guess I'm stuck with this mocking little hunk of metal

Isn't there some method where people can vouch for you or something? Been a while since I did that, but I'm sure a few us us would do it.

 

[XfooYen]

Since all I have is a short piece of Nichrome 32g I could probably get away with fewer wraps, correct? Nichrome is more resistive than Kanthol, but don't know how much more.

Nichrome is less resistive than Kanthal, so your coils will use more wire. That's a good thing for silica wicks. Nichrome, because of its lower resistance and inherent larger coil surface area, is often preferred for silica wicks. Kanthal has greater tensile strength and is more stable under higher temps (like what you find in sub-ohm genesis coils), which makes it a preferred choice for mesh wicks. The reasoning behind this is that silica doesn't heat up, so the liquid is heated by the coil alone and benefits from the larger coil surface area. In a mesh setup, the ss mesh also heats up and can drain heat from too many coils, so fewer coils are preferred at much higher temps. All the carto and clearo attys we buy are coiled with Nichrome. It's a fine choice if you're working with silica. Kanthal would be my only choice if working with mesh.

 

[Blix]

Speaking of hardware, I have one of these coming my way:

 

[Robino1]

Just ordered more replacement heads for the nova. Ordered a couple more 3.5 Nova's and 2 replacement tanks for the ones that went leaky on me. I know, I know....I should rebuild my coils. I just don't want to right now. That silica is slippery and I know I need glasses for close up work. Cheaper to just buy the heads. Mine are still going strong, still only have the two that bit the dust. I just like to have that backup piece of mind.

 

[gthompson]

The heads are cheap enough, don't feel bad if you don't like fooling with rebuilding them.

 

[Pappy]

Robin, I avoided rebuilding them for months. I'm really busy and it was worth the $2.50 to just buy the replacements. But with GT, Bronze, X, Ice and others rebuilding them, and with Bivie off WMMDMT, I decided I needed to learn how to do it.

I think it's one of those things a guy needs to have in his repertoire when it's time to renew his man-card.

 

[Blix]

Oh my, this is an expensive day, somehow I ended up ordering this just now...

Three atomisers in one day, new record for me...
Ramen noodles is my friend!

 

[*RJ*]

I usually take the heads off when I clean and haven't noticed it affecting the wicks. I do, however, use my thumb nail like a screwdriver at the top of the head where the wick goes in to loosen them first. My nails aren't long so I don't have to worry too much about touching the coil.

Matter of fact, got a load of ViVi tanks soaking in vodka as I type. After I blow out the vodka, I'll probably dry burn them because the coils looked pretty gunked up.

I started doing the finger nail screwdriver thing but I have much better luck by leaving the heads on. I have never soaked my heads, just rinse under water, dry burn and go about my way. As a matter of fact, I've never boiled or soaked anything since vaping. Rinsing works fine for me. But dry burning after every cleaning is a must for me. It doesn't hit right without a dry burn. For just the savings alone of rebuilding my own coils, it was worth it. And I may be weird, but it's also fun!

 

[*RJ*]

Chak and Bronze...thank you. I had a pin with a plastic ball and it worked PERFECTLY! I just made a 2 ohm coil and it's perfect. Seeing that glowing red coil is satisfying. This was my best and fastest ever (OK only my 3rd but). And the wick didn't give me as much grief this time either. I have noticed with each coil I make the silica wick needs some breaking in to get that silica wick flavor out of it. YAY! Liberating. And I get more confident with each one. I really should make more since I have everything out, but laundry and grass is calling my name. My house is a wreck and I've got so much to do. See y'all later and THANK YOU!!!

 

[XfooYen]

Speaking of hardware, I have one of these coming my way:

Oh my, this is an expensive day, somehow I ended up ordering this just now...

Three atomisers in one day, new record for me...
Ramen noodles is my friend!

A Kayfun and an Ithaca? I want. I am both jealous and impressed. Just another advantage of European living.

BTW, what's the third atty you procured?

 

[Blix]

A Kayfun and an Ithaca? I want. I am both jealous and impressed. Just another advantage of European living.

BTW, what's the third atty you procured?

The third is the Diver XfooYen: Diver (

 

[PapawBrett]

First afternoon with Hornet RBA. 1st wick was a waste, 2nd wick doing much better. Six wraps around a toothpick, eight dry-burns, metered 1.6 ohm, cotton string for wick. Not Bad, Dragon's Fire tastes pretty good in this thing.

 

[smitighe]

First afternoon with Hornet RBA. 1st wick was a waste, 2nd wick doing much better. Six wraps around a toothpick, eight dry-burns, metered 1.6 ohm, cotton string for wick. Not Bad, Dragon's Fire tastes pretty good in this thing.

Cotton is great for drippers. IMO. I use it in all my rda's


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[bivie]

Cotton is great for drippers. IMO. I use it in all my rda's


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That's what I'm using right now. Just pull it out, dry burn and slide a new one back in. So far, so good.

Bad news is, I didn't have anything but my cotton socks to use.