Mini Protank II - Slight Problem

[GoodApoolo]

Hey guys, I'm having sort of a "problem" with one of my mini protank II's.

I have two mini protanks IIs. The first one is about a 1.5 months old, and the other is about a week old.

Upon getting the newer tank, I noticed that the older one had sort of a tougher, or tighter, draw to it. I decided that maybe it was just time to clean it and see what happens. So i disassembled the older tank, let it soak in some water, took an old toothbrush and cleaned the threads, the tank, etc.

While doing this, I managed to lose the top tank oring. I thought I was screwed, but I decided to just take one of those extra two orings that come with the tank (im fairly certain that they are not the right size for the top of tank), stretched it a bit, and stuffed it up in there.

It apparently is doing a good job, of what I think that orings job is, at stopping leaks up there as I have yet to have one. However, the tank is still under-performing in comparison to the newer tank. Now though, instead of it being too tight of a draw, its too "airy"; it whistles bit and it just sounds/feels like some air flow is escaping somewhere, giving me just less vapor production than my newer tank. I eventually changed the head to see if that was it, but it still does the same thing.

Questions:
1. This couldn't possibly be because of the top tank oring, could it?
2. What else could possibly be the reason for this? I'm assuming its another oring, but which one do think?

Thanks, any input would be great. I'm really loving these tanks - no leaks or gurgles at all, but this sort of stuff just makes me HATE disassembling any of it, even to simply fill it up with new liquid.

 

[SmoKnoMoCigZ]

protanks and minis have an airy draw. there are 3 small holes on a section below the coil. cover one hole with tape and see if it is any better for you. i usually never break the tank down completely. i remove the base and wash out the tank without a complete breakdown of all parts.

 

[vaperature]

I doubt you'd get any leaking from the top of the tank unless you vape it upside down anyway.

How did you manage to lose the original one? When I got my protanks I thought the rings were part of the glass tank because they were stuck to it when I took it apart. When I realized they are actually suppose to be imbedded in the bases, I made sure that I put them in there for the other protanks that I purchased and they've never fallen out yet after many cleanings.

 

[GoodApoolo]

How did you manage to lose the original one?

No idea how I lost it. I'm assuming it was when I took a paper towel and pushed it through the tank to help dry it out. I thought the rings were a part of the tank as well, until I noticed that bottom one was hanging when I went to reassemble. Then I noticed the top one wasnt even there... I looked around my (white) floor for almost an hour and couldn't find the damn thing.

 

[vaperature]

No idea how I lost it. I'm assuming it was when I took a paper towel and pushed it through the tank to help dry it out. I thought the rings were a part of the tank as well, until I noticed that bottom one was hanging when I went to reassemble. Then I noticed the top one wasnt even there... I looked around my (white) floor for almost an hour and couldn't find the damn thing.

What a bummer. I totally freaked out the first time the ring came off the tank. I spent a half hour trying to figure out how to put it back onto the tank. I think I might have looked at a youtube video or something before I figured out they aren't part of the tank. Lucky I figured it out before what happened to you happened to me. Sorry to hear about that. And what are those spare tiny rings they include with it for anyway? I have no idea.

 

[carrielsal]

I lost an o-ring for the bottom of the tank. The o-rings that come in the box with the tank are not for the tank. I had to figure this out the hard way, http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...get-bottom-o-ring-installed-protank-mini.html.

 

[elfy]

I doubt you'd get any leaking from the top of the tank unless you vape it upside down anyway.

Hey I vape upside down. Dont judge! I cant help I defy physical laws and logical ones. Thats just now im drawn.

Anyways...lost O-Ring....this one? *crunch crunch crunch*..mmm


Oops.


Maybe you can find a match on here (click on Silicon O rings):


McMaster-Carr


Lots of O-rings on that page.

Kangers love to get all gunky, they work nicely at first. In my limited use of them, I quickly found that after a few days I was getting a burnt wet Llama taste and all the taste from my vapes were gone. And I was using some really tasty juices!

Soo...I had to learn and quick how to rebuild Kanger coils. Details are in my single blog entry. You will have to get a few tools, but they are worth it - you can then rebuild your heads/coils/wicks pretty much all the time and you will have loads better taste, draw, and vapor.

I added two new tools today, for 6 bucks and 61 cents: A pair of needle nosed pliers from Harbor Freight (nice fine tip, item 40696..make sure yours are a fairly fine point, not all are the same in the bin) and a set of screwdrivers (item number 04143).

The screwdrivers are for wrapping Kanthal wire around, they have a small flat edge that will let me compress the coil a bit more than what I was able to before (I use a 2mm drill bit to do this, its not a true micro coil, those are 1.6 or 1.5mm or smaller).

The pliers are for holding the coil after its wrapped so it can be heated up a LOT (Rip does this in one of his videos). The fine needle tip is for removing the parts that hold the Kanger head together.

A re-wicked head can gurgle, it needs only a small amount of cotton - two dry rice grains worth, then trim off the ends (you will make the cotton skinny so its about an inch and a half long overall after you take what you need from a sterile CVS cotton ball). Too much and its crappy vapes, way too little and it might get a little gurgly. Typically mine might glug a bit if its left on its side but usually I dont have many issues with them so far.

But the day's young so no telling whats coming down the pike. Its just gear, you find whats wrong and fix it. And this forum is a nice place to ask for info, plenty of folks experimenting and using gear 24/7.

 

[vaperature]

I lost an o-ring for the bottom of the tank. The o-rings that come in the box with the tank are not for the tank. I had to figure this out the hard way, http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...get-bottom-o-ring-installed-protank-mini.html.

I would imagine the top o-ring is interchangeable with the bottom one so if you lose the bottom one just take the top one out and use it for the bottom, a lot less leakage that way.

 

[carrielsal]

I would imagine the top o-ring is interchangeable with the bottom one so if you lose the bottom one just take the top one out and use it for the bottom, a lot less leakage that way.

That does not appear to be the case.

 

[omyeyes]

Now I'm nervous. I was going to order a Mini Protank II until I read this. (I thought) I liked it because you could take it apart to clean it but SmoKnoMoCigZ says he/she doesn't do that. Any alternatives that would fit the bill????

 

[carrielsal]

Now I'm nervous. I was going to order a Mini Protank II until I read this. (I thought) I liked it because you could take it apart to clean it but SmoKnoMoCigZ says he/she doesn't do that. Any alternatives that would fit the bill????

I like my PT mini's. You just need to be careful not to lose anything when you take them apart. I recently learned how to rebuild the heads with micro-coils and cotton. It was well worth the effort. Maybe one day I'll try an RBA, but just not today.
BTW, you can get replacement o-rings. There is a link in the thread I referenced in my first post.

 

[SmoKnoMoCigZ]

Now I'm nervous. I was going to order a Mini Protank II until I read this. (I thought) I liked it because you could take it apart to clean it but SmoKnoMoCigZ says he/she doesn't do that. Any alternatives that would fit the bill????

i say that only because that is my preference. i can wash out the tank without disturbing the o rings and delay having any leaking problems from worn o rings. when i find a source for the exact size in bulk cheap i will break the tank down completely more often.

good advice from elfie above about rebuilding coils. better performance and way cheap.

 

[Dvanovik]

Clever fix using the small o rings, I'll have to remember that.

 

[stevegmu]

Sun Vapers sells the correct o-rings-


Kanger Protank Glass O-Rings | Sun-Vapers.comSun-Vapers.com

 

[sda2010]

Is it possible, that when you disassemled, one side of the glass unknowingly had the o-ring stuck to it. So when you reassembled it, you have two o-ring on one end?