My wicks taste a bit nasty...help please!

[Stiles2]

The "stock" wicks/coils in both my Protanks and Vivi Novas taste fine.

When making my own I get this taste that is hard to place but it is not a natural taste. I taste my juice plus a little something synthetic. The vapor production is good, TH good as well as the taste of the juice.

I use 32 A-1 Kanthal wire, usually 4/5 or 5/6 twists 2.4-3.0 ohms. My wicking material is some generic 3mm silica which might sound like the culprit but I am getting the exact same taste from using Ekowool also (2mm).

I have tried boiling the wicks for 20 minutes and letting them dry completely to no avail.

One thing I have NOT tried is using a torch on my wicks. The Kanthal is oxidized.

It is not my equipment (I mostly use a Vamo SS) and depending on the juice I vape between 7.5 and 8.5 watts. My stock novas and protanks taste normal. Nothing is shorting and my contacts are solid.

I make sure my hands are clean when making my coils and avoid any unnecessary handling/touching on the wock/coil. Juice is good.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Note: I am not interested in using cotton or other wicking materials at this time. I would like to solve this mystery of mine first

 

[hellasupreme]

Same thing here. I bought some 3mm wicks from kidney puncher and they taste disgusting!

Any tips?

 

[DoogieTony]

Try running the wicks through a flame a few times.
It got rid of that funky taste from the silica for me.

 

[Stiles2]

I don't have a proper torch handy. I suppose a standard run of the mill lighter is not good enough? I haven't tried it as I'm thinking it will only blacken compared to a proper torch.

 

[Izan]

I had the same issues with silica, Ekowool.
What eventually worked was to load the wick with juice and then torch it.
No amount of boiling, washing, "breaking in", or flaming helped.
Now I just make my coil/wick combo, pick it up with tweezers, add a few drops of my ADV to saturate the wick and flame it to an orange glow.
If I have NR wire in the mix, I torch the R wire and drenched wick separately and then assemble.

Good luck
I

ST,
A wind proof/torch/turbo lighter will be fine. Gas stove/hob also works.

 

[Myk]

Some people taste Kanthal so that could be the culprit or it could be both.
A gas stove will provide a good clean flame. Otherwise go spend a few dollars on a propane torch, they're cheap.

I didn't taste wicks/coils outside of when they were dirty until I tried unflavored yesterday. But it's not one of my builds.

 

[Xobeloot]

I do the same thing as Izan. My silica always has a funky taste if I don't "treat" it. I will saturate it with juice, light it with a normal lighter and let it burn off the juice (similar to preparing a steel mesh wick). WHen the juice is finished burning, there will be some black carbon on the wick. Torch it all over until it glows red and the carbon will be gone. Install the coil and you'll have a tasty vape with no silica taste.

 

[ProCision]

I had this problem with the first batch that I rewicked. Now i use a lighter and heat up my wire till it is orange and starts to bend on its own. I then lick my fingers and clean the wire.

This has gotten rid of all wire taste and also makes the wire a bit firmer when I am doing my coils.

 

[BigLebowski]

Could be burning the grommet in the head. It's hard not to do but I read a post about twisting the legs to keep it from burning.

 

[Malarky]

Was thinking the same thing. The rubber grommet on the head could be melting ever so slightly. I rebuilt a protank head and could taste a slight difference. When I pulled it apart the rubber grommet was a little deformed/melted.

 

[Xobeloot]

Valid point. I've never melted a grommet but still get that silica taste until I juice burn and torch the silica.