newb with an RBA

[onion456]

howdy folks

well, i am now the happy owner of a Squid. i kinda really love it. =) I have some fairly basic rba questions;

1) why torch the kanthal?

2) i planned to hunt wal-mart for some cotton wick; a) do you know what it's called/where it's kept, and b) i've been told to boil it for 15 minutes. any reason for the boil?

3) does anyone know if an ego-c twist has short circuit protection? i do own a meter and have like 25 years experience using one, but still im cautious firing a new coil inches from my face. just wondering, i just looked at a smok winder which seems extremely similar and apparently it does.

thanks for your reply!

 

[E_DeCastro]

torch the kanthal to oxidize it so it's non conductive.

I use 100% cotton balls for cotton.


never used a ego (have one in my bag for back up but never use it)

you don't plan on running low resistance with an ego do you?

 

[Baditude]

I seriously doubt an eGo Twist can power an RBA due to the amperage limitations of the battery. They were not designed for this use. You probably need to look into getting a mod that uses replaceable, rechargeable batteries so that you can choose batteries that are best for an RBA.

Here's a blog article that can help get you started with important resource information before you actually set up your RBA. Do your homework and research. Please always vape safely.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-tips-vapors-looking-try-their-first-rba.html

 

[tj99959]

torch the kanthal to oxidize it so it's non conductive.

I use 100% cotton balls for cotton.


never used a ego (have one in my bag for back up but never use it)

you don't plan on running low resistance with an ego do you?

WHAT!!
Why would you make the resistance wire non conductive!!?

You torch the wire to make it easier to work with. Kanthal wire can be pretty springy, and is just harder to get a good coil wrap if you don't torch it first.

Ya the short protection works quite well in an ego, it goes SNAP, and you toss the ego battery in the trash.

 

[ForeverTwoWheels]

1) makes it more ridged, easier to work with.

2) Cotton balls

3) No

 

[Baditude]

WHAT!!
Why would you make the resistance wire non conductive!!?

You torch the wire to make it easier to work with. Kanthal wire can be pretty springy, and is just harder to get a good coil wrap if you don't torch it first.

Ya the short protection works quite well in an ego, it goes SNAP, and you toss the ego battery in the trash.

I agree with tj. You do torch the part of a stainless steel mesh wick that the coil surrounds, the intent being to oxidize it to reduce conductivity to the coil. But from what I read the OP is not going to use steel mesh as his wick.

 

[E_DeCastro]

not nonconductive but to not short out the turns with each other. at least that's why I do it.

 

[Baditude]

not nonconductive but to not short out the turns with each other. at least that's why I do it.

Huh?

You got a link to that method?

 

[E_DeCastro]

Huh?

You got a link to that method?

1`

it leaves a layer of oxidation on the wire so if they touch the ss mesh it won't conduct through the wick.

i guess from the reaction of people I'm wrong. I don't know why you would torch the kanthal other than to make it easier to form.

 

[ScottM]

I am sitting here reading through posts, and vaping on an RBA sitting on top of an Ego Twist.

Some models of Egos are protected, BUT DO NOT RELY ON THAT. Check your resistance...

Do you have an Ohmmeter? If not, buy one before you do anything else.

If you really want to vape an RBA on an Ego, you need to watch what resistance range you use for the coils, and the type. I vape really sweet flavors, so limited Wattage does not hurt me. Do not let people tell you you can't use an Ego- you may not be getting full potential of the RBA, but hey- who cares if you like the vape. You can build coils that perform and wick much better than off-the -shelf coils in clearomizers, etc. I am limited to the form factor, so I am limited to Egos for most of my vaping. Down the road, I will get a PV. But for now, I am really happy with the set up that I have. And guess what- the clouds and flavor far surpass what many fellow vapers are getting on their PVS. It just depends on trying to optimize the coil and wick to the power source. You will need to watch the temperature of the little Egos if you chain vape like I do. No biggy.

 

[ScottM]

Torching Kanthal serves multiple purposes. It will take a while to get the metallic tin taste out of the device if the Kanthal is not torched prior to use. It anneals the metal, and changes the way it bends and holds, and yes, it oxidizes the surface and increases the surface resistance.

 

[Crash Moses]

Torching Kanthal serves multiple purposes. It will take a while to get the metallic tin taste out of the device if the Kanthal is not torched prior to use. It anneals the metal, and changes the way it bends and holds, and yes, it oxidizes the surface and increases the surface resistance.

Most Kanthal is already annealed but yes, even running a lighter over it helps somewhat.

Especially when making micro-coils (sigh...micro-coils...mmmm).

 

[ScottM]

Especially when making micro-coils (sigh...micro-coils...mmmm).[/QUOTE]


Just started trying micro-coils last week. Yes. mmmmm.

 

[Fizzpop]

To elaborate a bit on torching the Kanthal:

Torching the Kanthal anneals it. Annealing, in metallurgy and materials science, is a heat treatment that alters a material to increase its ductility and to make it more workable. It involves heating material to above its critical temperature, maintaining a suitable temperature, and then cooling. Annealing can induce ductility, soften material, relieve internal stresses, refine the structure by making it homogeneous, and improve cold working properties. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annealing_(metallurgy))

Regarding eGo short protection:

I know for a fact my wife's eGo-T pass-throughs have short protection. The power button will flash three times and then stop. To reset the battery, all one need do is plug it into a power source. That being said, you still need to test your coils with a multimeter! Safety features are for safety, you still need to know what resistance your coil is at and what that means for the battery you are using.

Regarding RBA's on eGos:

Batteries only know about the resistance of what is attached to them. My wife has a little rebuildable dripper she uses all the time on her eGo with no problem. The 32ga Kanthal 2.2 Ohm coil around silica wick on that device is exactly NO DIFFERENT than the 32ga Kantral 2.2 Ohm coil around silica wick on her Kanger T3.

 

[onion456]

thanks you guys- no i am not doing anything insane with it. the post above, regarding RBAs on EGOs, is spot on. i even took a little RBA class and watched the guy rebuild a protank head, and then an RBA, using exactly the same materials. it is no different. i've been using the little guy for a few days, and it vapes fine, the only real differences are a little more flavor and TH at times, and that it runs out after a few puffs, at which point i drip again, which can be an advantage over a tank because i dont have to commit to 1.5ml of a certain flavor. i am surprised at how readily new flavors will take over. its the perfect thing for tasting.

i appreciate the replies- i understand the annealing and the surface resistance, so i will torch, i just like to understand what im doing. =)

i will not assume the ego has this protection, i just wondered if anyone knew, cause the winder apparently does and it looks like practically the same device. someday i may get something nice, vamo or evic or who knows what will interest me when the time comes, but its not the time now. i do insist on saving money with this newfound obsession =) and im still pretty new and keeping a close eye on the saved vs spent ratio.

 

[sychodelix]

Ego will definitely work fine, you just have to keep the amps to a manageable level to be safe. PV Web Apps is a good place to calculate basic Ohms law.

And yeah, test with a multimeter, and don't assume any protection. Even if there was, it isn't infallible.

 

[yaypudding]

I always thought you torched kanthal to remove impurities and oil that get deposited during the manufacturing process.

 

[tj99959]

I always thought you torched kanthal to remove impurities and oil that get deposited during the manufacturing process.

The only problem with that is your fingers put the impurities right back on the wire when you wrap the coil.