Need first timer help... Kanger PT2

[RainbowBabz]

Ok, first let me start by saying I have never built a coil before, but I plan to learn this weekend. I have two PT2 tanks, and one PT Mini 2 tanks, that I am total responsible for maintaining.

I already have a substantial supply of cotton, that I feel comfortable wicking with every day.

I currently buy 2.5ohm coils because of availability, with a preference for 1.8-2.2ohms (which have been unavailable locally).

Because of posts here, I intend to get: 1) dollar store manicure kit for tools; 2) as inexpensive but adequate ohmmeter (total budget, for juice, ohmmeter, and kanthal is probably around $60.)



I think my goal is to create 1.8ohm coils, although I am interested in fuller vapor... So possibly lower resistance... But I definitely don't want to go under 1.0 yet.



My questions for you guys:

A - What budget type ohmmeter do you recommend, that would be sufficient?

B - Do you think my "temporary build kit" plan is sufficient?

C - What gauge of kanthal would you advise I start with?



I'm sure my local store will answer questions and most likely walk me through my first coil, but I don't want to go in completely a noob. Thanks guys for all advice offered... Purchases will be made tomorrow evening or Saturday.

ETA: Possibly helpful information, uh, I'm 24 years old and not living with my parents... So aside from cotton balls I do not have anything I can repurpose. I'm just looking for the cheapest beginner setup that will last me until my budget picks up in a month or two.

 

[LazyBulldogge]

A) I'd buy any cheap multimeter you can find - you know, the kind that'll read both ohms, amps and volts. It's always handy to have around the house. Just make sure that you note how much internal resistance it has, by setting it to read ohms and letting the leads touch. Mine reads .4 ohms for example, so a 2.0 reading on a coil, is actually 1.6.


B) No idea on that - I bought a coiling gizmo on eBay, best bucks I ever spent. No more smashing my fingers by wrapping around a screwdriver etc.

C) Kanthal A-1, either AWG 30 or 29. 9 wraps of AWG 30 with a 1.8 mm inner diameter, gives you a 1.9 ohm coil, give or take.

 

[Lessifer]

Like LazyBulldogge said, get a digital multimeter, you can use it to check resistance and if you move use replaceable battery mods you can check battery voltage, and diagnose shorts with it.

Manicure set will probably get you nail clippers(useful for cutting wire), and maybe tweezers(you'll need these). I'd also get either a precision(meaning small not expensive) screwdriver set, and/or a drill bit set, both of which can probably be found at the dollar store. If you can't find these there, head to Harbor Freight, they'll also have cheap multimeters($4).

For Kanthal, if you're building above 1.5 in a protank head, 30 will be good. Tiny space needs thinner wire.

 

[RainbowBabz]

Thanks guys!

 

[javyn]

What kind of mod are these tanks going to be on? If you have an MVP or something regulated that detects the resistance of your tank for you, just use that?

I use the ohm checker for my RDA and RTA but when I'm rebuilding Kangers I just stick them on my MVP since that's what I use with those tanks anyway and test right on there, then dry fire/prime the coils.

 

[RainbowBabz]

No mod, just ego-type batteries. This is why I don't want to go too low or anything. I can definitely say that I don't have the income at the moment to replace the setups we (girlfriend and I) have at the moment... Not until work picks back up. The company I work for mainly does work with marathons and similar events, so winter means work barely trickles in.

 

[javyn]

Ahh I gotcha. I was going to suggest 28 gauge wire, but I doubt you'd have room in the enclosure to get enough wraps for that so yeah better stick with the smaller gauges mentioned earlier here.

 

[RainbowBabz]

A) I'd buy any cheap multimeter you can find - you know, the kind that'll read both ohms, amps and volts. It's always handy to have around the house. Just make sure that you note how much internal resistance it has, by setting it to read ohms and letting the leads touch. Mine reads .4 ohms for example, so a 2.0 reading on a coil, is actually 1.6.


B) No idea on that - I bought a coiling gizmo on eBay, best bucks I ever spent. No more smashing my fingers by wrapping around a screwdriver etc.

C) Kanthal A-1, either AWG 30 or 29. 9 wraps of AWG 30 with a 1.8 mm inner diameter, gives you a 1.9 ohm coil, give or take.

I set up 9 wraps of 30g and when I tested it on the cheap ohmmeter I bought it read 0.1 with the chimney in... 0.15 without the chimney. Pretty sure I did something wrong but I'm not sure what.

 

[Lessifer]

If putting the chimney on changes the reading, the coil is touching the chimney and is too high. As for the numbers themselves, if you're using a multimeter make sure it is set to the lowest ohm setting, which is usually 200. If you're using a box ohm meter, your coil may be shorting somewhere else other than the chimney. Make sure the coil isn't touching anywhere except between the center pin and the insulator and the insulator and the deck base. All of that is based on my assumption that the pt2 heads are similar to the pt1 heads.

 

[edyle]

I set up 9 wraps of 30g and when I tested it on the cheap ohmmeter I bought it read 0.1 with the chimney in... 0.15 without the chimney. Pretty sure I did something wrong but I'm not sure what.

The coil is probably touching the sides of the metal around it.

 

[Mrs C]

Check your ohm meter with a known good coil. make sure that's not the problem.

Make sure none of your wraps are overlapping, the coil is centered, the legs haven't crossed, you have one leg outside the insulator, one leg inside the insulator and the legs are trimmed correctly. The positive leg should not make contact with the base at all. The negative leg should not be in contact with the center pin.

It can take a few tries to get the hang of working in that tiny space.

 

[carrielsal]

I use a screwdriver from a eye glasses repair kit to build coils. 8 wraps with 28G kanthal will usually get me a 1.4 ohm coil. Beware, though, that this will be a PITA in a PT2. The first coils I built were for PT2's, and it was hard to get the coil installed and not ending up with a short. I eventually moved on to RBA's. Rip has a pretty good how to video, but IMO 12 coils are too many.

 

[RainbowBabz]

Second try, following all of the advice, and this time the meter keeps bouncing (but staying high mostly over 6.5) What did I do this time?

https://vimeo.com/113183248 video of the reading, sorry about the quality and the noise...

& this is the best picture I can get of it...

 

[carrielsal]

If the resistance is jumping up and down, you have a short somewhere.

 

[RainbowBabz]

I use a screwdriver from a eye glasses repair kit to build coils. 8 wraps with 28G kanthal will usually get me a 1.4 ohm coil. Beware, though, that this will be a PITA in a PT2. The first coils I built were for PT2's, and it was hard to get the coil installed and not ending up with a short. I eventually moved on to RBA's. Rip has a pretty good how to video, but IMO 12 coils are too many.

I've watched that video, but I thought something would be different since I only have ego-style batteries. You said it was hard to get the coils right... But would you say it's unlikely for me to learn? Right now I'm completely unable to get any fresh coils, and the only working coil I have left is in use and going out. It will probably be a week before I have more work, and I think this coil has about two days left. Were you able to get a useable coil within a night?

 

[RainbowBabz]

If the resistance is jumping up and down, you have a short somewhere.

Does this mean I have to start over?

 

[edyle]

Does this mean I have to start over?

Use a small screwdriver and try to center the coil inside the cup so that it is not touching the sides.

When you make the coil too big it ends up touching the sides.

When you add on the top spire, that also uses up some of the space in the cup so you have to make the coil small enough to fit inside without touching the sides or the spire when you add the spire on.

 

[carrielsal]

I've watched that video, but I thought something would be different since I only have ego-style batteries. You said it was hard to get the coils right... But would you say it's unlikely for me to learn? Right now I'm completely unable to get any fresh coils, and the only working coil I have left is in use and going out. It will probably be a week before I have more work, and I think this coil has about two days left. Were you able to get a useable coil within a night?

Does this mean I have to start over?

I did it, and I was pretty coil building stupid; so no, definitely not impossible to learn Your resistance is 6 ohm + and it's not constant. There is definitely something wrong. Time to start over. BTW, what gauge kanthal are you using?

 

[RainbowBabz]

Check your ohm meter with a known good coil. make sure that's not the problem.

Make sure none of your wraps are overlapping, the coil is centered, the legs haven't crossed, you have one leg outside the insulator, one leg inside the insulator and the legs are trimmed correctly. The positive leg should not make contact with the base at all. The negative leg should not be in contact with the center pin.

It can take a few tries to get the hang of working in that tiny space.

Check

Use a small screwdriver and try to center the coil inside the cup so that it is not touching the sides.

When you make the coil too big it ends up touching the sides.

When you add on the top spire, that also uses up some of the space in the cup so you have to make the coil small enough to fit inside without touching the sides or the spire when you add the spire on.

I don't have a small screw driver... But I do have a tongue ring, which I used for attempt #2. They should be just about the same diameter I think?

 

[RainbowBabz]

I did it, and I was pretty coil building stupid; so no, definitely not impossible to learn Your resistance is 6 ohm + and it's not constant. There is definitely something wrong. Time to start over. BTW, what gauge kanthal are you using?

30g kanthal. 9 wraps. As advised by LazyBulldogge a few posts back.