Please Convince Me Not to Give Up on RBAs :(

[j4mmin42]

Kemosabe, I've seen you around here on the forum for awhile now, since back when I was first messing with Vivi tank builds. I've seen your troubles and I know how badly you want your DUD to work- and it WILL work, I'm sure of that...it takes lots of practice and patience to get it right sometimes, but it CAN be done.

If you're still having trouble, PM me and I'll give you my mailing addy, you can send out your DUD and I'll wrap it and stick a 400 mesh wick in there for ya. Then when you see it set up, you'll know exactly what to do with it the next time. Let me know.

 

[spraintz]

I do have perfectly oxidized wicks or else i wouldn't be able to tightly wrap nichrome around it and get it to work perfectly. However, I still have to adjust my coils daily with kanthal. I also make perfect kanthal coils....I can slide my wick out do dry burns and then put the wick back in....but even when I set up the coils to perfection I still get hot coils a day or so after the build. I have done builds with 30 awg kanthal but not 28awg. Unless you have a provari that can handle low ohms...you have to make at least ten wraps to get 28 awg working on a lavatube.

I don't know if its my vape pattern or what that is the problem.... after vaping constantly the whole day... I go through about 2ml of elquid in one hour right before I go to bed....this is torture for my coils. My Kanthal coils move significantly after this....the device isn't vapable the next morning. I don't have this problem with nichrome. You can tightly wrap kanthal around the wick but then the coils become very unresponsive.....you have to vape a 1.8ohm coil at above 5v to get any decent vapor out of it...and the taste isn't that great when you tightly wrap kanthal....not to mention the batteries die out every couple of hours ( i use 18350 batteries).

Hmmm, that's interesting. I have been using 32g A1 on all my atomizers w/ 400 mesh at about 1.5ohm on my chrome Provari V2 and have never had those issues.

Just for fun I recently ordered some 30g and 28g just to mess around with and my current "go to" setups for my atomizers (BliSS, AC9, DuD) is 30g at a 5/6 wrap giving my .9 - 1.1ohms and I run them on the Provari at 3.7v..........tons of "instant on" vapor. Dunno why the Kanthal would be giving you such issues....I mean my wraps are a "set it and forget it" kinda thing......I never have to mess with them after the initial wrap and tweak.

 

[Rule62]

I've been using kanthal A-1 exclusively lately. I think the flavor is slightly better than nichrome, which was giving me a very slight metalic taste. Granted, kanthal is a little harder to work with, because it's a little springier than nichrome, even after annealing it with the torch, prior to wrapping. I don't have issues with coil movement during vaping. Every couple fills, I'll dry burn and re check the coils, and usually, no adjustment is necessary.

 

[cedric212]

Just saw this Youtube video by Todd on how to use UNOXIDIZED SS wick to setup a Genesis-style atty and even got raid of a hotspot. Since I haven't tried it and have no idea why it worked, I would suggest you use one that is oxidized and try his pulse method to see if it solve your issue with the hotspot. Good luck~

unoxidised wick setup - YouTube

 

[Rule62]

Just saw this Youtube video by Todd on how to use UNOXIDIZED SS wick to setup a Genesis-style atty and even got raid of a hotspot. Since I haven't tried it and have no idea why it worked, I would suggest you use one that is oxidized and try his pulse method to see if it solve your issue with the hotspot. Good luck~

unoxidised wick setup - YouTube

I saw a different video about pulsing, a week or so ago. I've never tried it with an unoxidized wick; but I have tried it with an oxidized one, instead of bumping the coil with a tool. It does work, as long as the hot spot is within the coil itself, and not the wire going between the top wrap and the positive connection.

 

[napdog]

Another thing to remember, is when you get your coil wrapped, Fire it, get all the wraps glowing before putting any liquid on it. If you have a hot spot, fiddle with you coil a bit, then try dry firing it again. repeat till all wraps are glowing evenly. You also don't want the wraps too tight or too loose.

 

[Kemosabe]

I saw one user have an issue with the center pin coming in contact with inner part of the atomizer body (that center tube between the base and the upper part) and isolated it with a bit of PTFE tubing and fixed a lot of issues. I did this on mine as well just as a precaution.

...just a thought.

this has got to be the issue with mine. i thouht it was my wick not being properly oxidized. but now i know its not the wick. well, maybe the wick is also a problem, but i have a problem with somehting else. thats for sure.

i wonder where id get the right size of PTFE tubing. maybe i could just wrap the outside of my center post with electrical tape. (?) or is that a moronic idea?

 

[zapped]

I wish I could help you.I just bought a Chobra and realized that I dont like all the fiddling and that my carto tanks are a better fit for an active lifestyle.

 

[spraintz]

this has got to be the issue with mine. i thouht it was my wick not being properly oxidized. but now i know its not the wick. well, maybe the wick is also a problem, but i have a problem with somehting else. thats for sure.

i wonder where id get the right size of PTFE tubing. maybe i could just wrap the outside of my center post with electrical tape. (?) or is that a moronic idea?

You would need to find "thin wall" PTFE tubing. A thin layer of electrical tape should work just fine but that tubing is very nice and tidy.

I have some extra if ya need it.

 

[Bob57]

I happen to have some nichrome. Ill try some.
Since my coil popped earlier, I tried rebuilding. Got the dang OP error again. Made sure the center post was making contact. The resistance would flash 5.3 for example and then error out immediately. Adjusted the coil, tested it again. Same thing. Quick ohm flash, then OP. I thought it was my wick, so I pulled it out to re-oxidize. While it was out, the coil was still intact, so I tried firing it. No dice. OP. so I grabbed a different piece of wire, still no dice. What gives?

I've had the same thing happen a few days ago, kept getting the OP error but fiddled with it and got it going somehow.
Last night I swapped the DuD for an atomizer just for to do some juice testing.
I didn't touch anything on the Dud just screwd it back on to the Provari and got the OP again, pulled the wick to look at the coil and still got the OP.
It was the pos pin on the DuD not making contact with the center post on the Provari, the plastic grommet at the bottom of the pos pin lets the pin go to deep in the body. Unscrewed the bottom nut and pushed the pos post down until it was protruding from the connector screwes it back on and the coil lit up.
Now it's a little touchy about the connection I'm going to see if anything can be done to keep the pos pin in place.
If you over tighten the top nut it will pull the pos pin up in the body to far, mines almost to loose but it's working ?

 

[spraintz]

another center pin fix if ya have not already seen it:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...uick-easy-fix-did-clone-center-pin-issue.html

 

[Bob57]

another center pin fix if ya have not already seen it:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...uick-easy-fix-did-clone-center-pin-issue.html

Thats why I like this forum !

Thanks spraintz !

 

[Kemosabe]

I've had the same thing happen a few days ago, kept getting the OP error but fiddled with it and got it going somehow.
Last night I swapped the DuD for an atomizer just for to do some juice testing.
I didn't touch anything on the Dud just screwd it back on to the Provari and got the OP again, pulled the wick to look at the coil and still got the OP.
It was the pos pin on the DuD not making contact with the center post on the Provari, the plastic grommet at the bottom of the pos pin lets the pin go to deep in the body. Unscrewed the bottom nut and pushed the pos post down until it was protruding from the connector screwes it back on and the coil lit up.
Now it's a little touchy about the connection I'm going to see if anything can be done to keep the pos pin in place.
If you over tighten the top nut it will pull the pos pin up in the body to far, mines almost to loose but it's working ?

you can make the pos pin protrude and keep it there. what you do is loosen the three nuts on the top of the pos pin. push the pos pin so it protrudes a few mm. then fasten the bottom screw and that will keep the pos pin where it is.

be sure not to allow the pin to spin when you attach the top two nuts, as this will retract the pos pin back into the body of the atty. this was a problem i had earlier and i thought fixing it would relieve the OP situation i have. but now thanks to spraintz advice, i am fairly sure the pos pin is making contact with the atty body. the pin does look slightly distorted if my memory is correct. i dont have my DuD with me do i dont know for sure, but i think thats what it is. i hope. otherwise its back to the ol drawing board (which is blank btw lol).

 

[EDO]

Just saw this Youtube video by Todd on how to use UNOXIDIZED SS wick to setup a Genesis-style atty and even got raid of a hotspot. Since I haven't tried it and have no idea why it worked, I would suggest you use one that is oxidized and try his pulse method to see if it solve your issue with the hotspot. Good luck~

unoxidised wick setup - YouTube

This is amazing... I mean I can get the coils adjusted with a syringe faster than this guy did with the pulsing method....but the fact that it works is amazing. I guess by just pulsing the power..... the coil gradually adjusts itself perfectly to ss mesh....wow.

 

[EDO]

Kemosabe....have you thought about getting another DUD? Just as a control....buy another DUD...if you keep having issues with that one as well.....you know its not the device that is the issue. However, if you get the second DUD working perfectly....you know the DUD you have now is the issue.

 

[EDO]

Hmmm, that's interesting. I have been using 32g A1 on all my atomizers w/ 400 mesh at about 1.5ohm on my chrome Provari V2 and have never had those issues.

Just for fun I recently ordered some 30g and 28g just to mess around with and my current "go to" setups for my atomizers (BliSS, AC9, DuD) is 30g at a 5/6 wrap giving my .9 - 1.1ohms and I run them on the Provari at 3.7v..........tons of "instant on" vapor. Dunno why the Kanthal would be giving you such issues....I mean my wraps are a "set it and forget it" kinda thing......I never have to mess with them after the initial wrap and tweak.

Spraintz....I think the fact that you have a provari helps a lot....since you can get the device working even at .9 ohms.....on a lavatube there is 1.2ohm cut off...but you really have to make your coils at or above 1.5ohms to get it working reliably. So with 8 wraps of 30awg kanthal you get a 1.6-1.8 ohms coil on a DUD....it just not a very responsive coil unless it is set up perfectly....but as I said before, that last me about a day before I have to adjust the coils again.

 

[Kemosabe]

This is amazing... I mean I can get the coils adjusted with a syringe faster than this guy did with the pulsing method....but the fact that it works is amazing. I guess by just pulsing the power..... the coil gradually adjusts itself perfectly to ss mesh....wow.

it is amazing. i dont understand how the coil even lights up at all. i thought that if even a millimeter of mesh is unoxidized, it will create a short and the device wont fire. how could 1mm of unoxidized mesh short out a coil, yet when the entire mesh is unoxidized, it pulses fine. 0_o

Kemosabe....have you thought about getting another DUD? Just as a control....buy another DUD...if you keep having issues with that one as well.....you know its not the device that is the issue. However, if you get the second DUD working perfectly....you know the DUD you have now is the issue.

thats a good idea. ive been eyeing the SS Griffin and the AGA-T.
im also considering a better made RBA like the Fatty or ERA. or maybe hornet. or maybe the new Budz Worx tank when it comes out. i like the TH i get from SS a LOT, but if i can pull just as good of a TH from whatever type of wick those take, i'll be satisfied.

 

[Bob57]

Kemosabe, I had problems at first with the wick and coils, had shorts, hot spots and loose coils that made it tast like cardboard. I wasnt impressed with it at all and was about ready to go back to a tank and carto, but couldnt leave it alone.
I'm on my second wick and 3rd coil but it's been vaping great, well until the little OP problem last night but now I know how to correct that even though I havent yet.

Thought you might get a kick out of this,,
Had my first wick working great after hours of fiddling with the coil, replacing the coil and fryin the wick with a torch.
Went through 2 tanks of juice with no problems thinking hey this is great I've got it, then I went to refill the tank and the top cap was stuck or cross threaded ?
It was really stuck, but twisting and pulling hard it finally popped off,, but also destroyed the wick and coil I was so proud of !

 

[EDO]

it is amazing. i dont understand how the coil even lights up at all. i thought that if even a millimeter of mesh is unoxidized, it will create a short and the device wont fire. how could 1mm of unoxidized mesh short out a coil, yet when the entire mesh is unoxidized, it pulses fine. 0_o

Yeah...I didn't think about that....how did he get it to fire and not short out his device?


Whats a Budz Worx Tank?....couldn't find anything on it in the forum.

 

[j4mmin42]

It's an ERA tank. I forget where they sell these