Odd Taste From BCCs

[TarFreeMe]

I recently got a Smok Trophy tank which was very nice with the stock head. I bought a few replacement heads with it and so far they've all given an odd taste. I really wish I could describe the taste better but it kind of reminds me of the smell of a brand new beach ball or inflatable raft.

The original Kanger Pro tank was the same way for me no matter how much I tried to love it.

I mostly drip and realize that I'll never get that kind of performance out of a cheapo tank but with the original coil this Smok tank was pretty darn good.

Any ideas as to why it's so different with replacement heads?

Not interested in rebuilding something that costs $1.50 so a humble thanks anyway in advance for those suggestions. Just wondering if there's a "known bug" or something with these heads.

Thanks much!

 

[godowar]

Tar,

The beach ball flavor you are getting is from the heads (replacable part). It seems that the problem you are receiving is due to the rubber insulator. The insulator does 3 things.

1) It seals the juice inside the head, and prevents it from leaking onto your device.
2) It also serves the dual function of keeps the coil wires separated/seated against the positive post and head housing
3) It makes your juices taste like a rubber beach ball.

People say I am crazy, but It has been experienced by pbusardo (respected reviewer), and many others. It has been brought to Kanger's attention, and they say they are working on it.

Very Respectfully,
GoDOWaR

 

[TarFreeMe]

Tar,

The beach ball flavor you are getting is from the heads (replacable part). It seems that the problem you are receiving is due to the rubber insulator. The insulator does 3 things.

1) It seals the juice inside the head, and prevents it from leaking onto your device.
2) It also serves the dual function of keeps the coil wires separated/seated against the positive post and head housing
3) It makes your juices taste like a rubber beach ball.

People say I am crazy, but It has been experienced by pbusardo (respected reviewer), and many others. It has been brought to Kanger's attention, and they say they are working on it.

Very Respectfully,
GoDOWaR

Glad to know it's not just me! That's the piece I suspected, it just didn't make sense to me that the installed head seemed near perfect at the same voltage yet a replacement head was a world of difference. I haven't taken one apart yet, but I'm wondering if it's got something to do with hot legs similar to what you would see on a bad Genny coil. This particular tank is a Smoktech tank but I imagine probably made in the same factory by the same kids, er, workers.

I may try to find some sort of inert material to replace that insulator. That's about as far as I'm willing to go toward any kind of rebuild on it. In the meantime I'll just keep the voltage a little lower which seems to help quite a bit.

Thanks for your insight, much appreciated!

 

[jazzbo]

Some replacement heads aren't made properly; they're supposed to have no-res wire as legs going through the grommet; if they don't, the positive leg gets hot, burning the grommet and giving the taste you describe. I've sent such heads back to vendors with an explanation and they've always been replaced.

 

[TarFreeMe]

I think I actually have this tank figured out. I remove one flavour wick and flip the little silicon cup upside down. This makes it wick like a champ. Now I vape my 50/50 juice with a 1.8 ohm head at 3.3 volts and can't believe how well it performs. Flavour is actually almost as good as a Cisco atty now and vapor production is just crazy. To think I used to talk bad about clearos.

 

[TafkanX]

I'm going to preface this by saying I started on BCCs and have not strayed very far except for a cheap top coil I used for a couple days while dealing with leaking issues from my tumbler so there's a chance I just don't know any better, but I've had very few complaints with my Pyrex Aro BCC from Smoktech.

One of the reasons is I always have my coils checked at the purchase counter (he's got a little coil resistance meter thing he plugs them into). If there are any problems with it or if anything looks "off" he'll rebuild the coil on the spot or replace it with a new one. If I have any problems with a coil I bring back in, same thing. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back to that shop (Texas Tobacco Barn, if you happen to also live in Lubbock).

I have had a dud in the past which is why I'm so finicky about my coils now, but now that I have them inspected as I purchase them I've been having near to zero vaping issues with my BCCs beyond needing to replace the coils as they wear out (as they are wont to do).

 

[Trayce]

Some replacement heads aren't made properly; they're supposed to have no-res wire as legs going through the grommet; if they don't, the positive leg gets hot, burning the grommet and giving the taste you describe.[...]

Can you please explain this to me? A "no-res wire as legs going through the grommet"? I don't understand. There is only one wire that is twisted or wrapped into a coil, with either end forming the two legs. One leg goes on the outside of the rubber grommet (neg leg) and the other goes inside (pos leg) against the positive pin that gets inserted.

For sure when a leg gets hot (the pos I assume) and the rubber grommet gets singed, that's what creates that horrid taste. I just learned yesterday if using a MICRO-COIL it will develop a hot leg if the coils aren't all touching each other. But on a standard coil there are spaces between each wrap, and that's normal for that type of coil. So what is it exactly that makes a leg hot??

 

[Pinggolfer]

I think I actually have this tank figured out. I remove one flavour wick and flip the little silicon cup upside down. This makes it wick like a champ. Now I vape my 50/50 juice with a 1.8 ohm head at 3.3 volts and can't believe how well it performs. Flavour is actually almost as good as a Cisco atty now and vapor production is just crazy. To think I used to talk bad about clearos.

I have to give your way a try.