Possible Stinky Grommet Replacement

[Trayce]

I got two packs of 1.8ohm heads that I don't like. 1.8 just doesn't work well for me, so I'm gradually just ripping them apart and adding them to the 'parts cup'.

Don't know, but 1.8 ohms might work really good for you as a rebuilt micro or mini coil.... I didn't like 1.8 when I was using standard heads either... I liked 2.4-2.6 for some reason.... but now with rebuilding my mini and nanos come out to 1.8/1.9 and vape completely different (of course) than the stocks, and has settled into my fave

What's your current favorite ohm?

 

[Spazmelda]

Don't know, but 1.8 ohms might work really good for you as a rebuilt micro or mini coil.... I didn't like 1.8 when I was using standard heads either... I liked 2.4-2.6 for some reason.... but now with rebuilding my mini and nanos come out to 1.8/1.9 and vape completely different (of course) than the stocks, and has settled into my fave

What's your current favorite ohm?

Most of the coils I make are right about 2 ohm and I use them at ~4.3 volts. I tried a couple of semi-micro coils with 30 gauge kanthal, but I think I did something wrong. I got the burned metal taste. I think they were around 1.8 ohms with ~9 wraps.

I've got an aga somethingorother tank that I haven't even gotten out of the box. I was planning on trying micro coils with that, but I haven't gotten around to studying that much yet,

 

[MacTechVpr]

Ah, yeah... well you might be happy you went through this exercise b/c rubber grommets never bothered me until one day out of the blue they were all I could taste... so don't throw that tubing away!

Alas, I seldom throw anything of value away. A scrounger of sorts. Don't you hate that? Finding out later you needed it!???

Well back to the burny grommet and collateral damage, I mentioned there was a find on the issue of grommets and the relationship to airflow issues with Kanger's. I couldn't find the post where we discussed it and I hadn't remembered where I had seen it. But it really pounded out the issue quite well. The problem is so many of these significant posts are buried within the mire of speculation, guessing at solutions and "how many wraps for 1.8 ohms" threads.

Here is the write up explanation and solution. I can't say I've tried it. Since early on discovering how susceptible leg hangers are to intermittent grounding I routinely compress the grommet after installation all the way around to "dig in" any possible exposure of the legs. In so doing, I guess I've been ensuring the alignment of the grommet. You'll see clearly in the diagrams why.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ussion/482938-kanger-protank-airflow-fix.html

Now I believe both the burned grommet and airflow issues have been at least partially addressed since the 2.2Ω head release. Because to my experience they are a weird chemistry in being both more flexible but denser in composition than the original PT1 insulators. It's not failsafe. You can still burn one. But far more resistant apparently than the first variety.

There ya go. Good luck!

 

[Trayce]

Yep, Mac that's the same conclusion I came to in this thread a few days ago... and I'm sure it's been "discovered" about 10,000x over and over and over! LOL!! Like you said, stuff gets buried and the site is so huge and there is so much to learn. I have been in the middle of detailed helpful threads before that are being well-visited by so many participants I feel like the whole forum is aware of the issue... then I click on another topic a few threads down, and someone is asking about that exact thing. Sometimes it feels like the Tower of Babel. Thanks for linking to that.

 

[Trayce]

Most of the coils I make are right about 2 ohm and I use them at ~4.3 volts. I tried a couple of semi-micro coils with 30 gauge kanthal, but I think I did something wrong. I got the burned metal taste. I think they were around 1.8 ohms with ~9 wraps.

Those who know far more than I usually say that issue is commonly caused by a high end-wrap.... that is, the end wrap is sitting higher than the rest of the coil and so gets hotter because it isn't touching the wick and produces a nasty metallic flavor. That can be avoided by pulling each leg taught with needle nose after you have inserted the positive pin and before you snip the excess legs... the wrapping implement (nail, bit, needle whatever) obviously needs to be in the coil when you do this...

I've got an aga somethingorother tank that I haven't even gotten out of the box. I was planning on trying micro coils with that, but I haven't gotten around to studying that much yet,

The learning curve is endless.

 

[TafkanX]

Wow, the suggestion to install the mini-protank base in the protank was brilliant! I had no idea the parts were even compatible. I haven't had much in the way of airflow problems with my protank, but I do worry about the strength of the 510 connection in the event of a drop incident (though I'm not terribly prone to this sort of thing, I worry about it all the same).

I have much more confidence in the ego threading, plus it gives my SVD/Protank combo a unique look. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Spazmelda]

Those who know far more than I usually say that issue is commonly caused by a high end-wrap.... that is, the end wrap is sitting higher than the rest of the coil and so gets hotter because it isn't touching the wick and produces a nasty metallic flavor. That can be avoided by pulling each leg taught with needle nose after you have inserted the positive pin and before you snip the excess legs... the wrapping implement (nail, bit, needle whatever) obviously needs to be in the coil when you do this...



The learning curve is endless.

I think that's what it was. Either that or hot legs. I don't seem to get that very often with my normal coils, though, so I thought it was weird. The trick of wrapping the wire around the stabilizing pin (whatever we want to call the thing we stabilize the wick and coil with) would certainly help fix that by keeping the coils taut. Maybe I will try to make a few today and see how it goes. You are talking about micro coils on a protank right? Would you say 8 or so wraps of 30 gauge? Ad just wrap them close so they are touching?

I've read through the giant micro coils thread, but it was maybe a month or two ago. I guess I should look at it again.

 

[generic mutant]

I certainly can! I look at a stock head like the guts to something that needs to be built from scratch.... can't stand silicone after switching to cotton some time back, so that has to go... can't stand rubber, and don't like anything but a micro/mini coil as it can be rewicked so many times and hits so much better than a standard coil... So when I look at a brand new, unused head, I see a bad head with potential for being a great head.
I guess in all my building I finally happened upon the forumla/s that work for me and anything else just isn't acceptable anymore.

I can see where you're coming from, and I'm going in the cotton / micro direction too (although I'll probably keep my Genisis / drippers stainless). Maybe my taste buds haven't recovered enough yet (still smoking)? Don't know. But I seem to be keeping the stock heads for a few days, maybe a week with one of those 'magic heads' that just won't die, and then chucking them in the pot without bothering to try to clean them or anything. I'll kill 'em all eventually, and I'm using cheap juice in my tanks that doesn't really warrant special treatment, so what's the rush?

Alas, I seldom throw anything of value away. A scrounger of sorts. Don't you hate that? Finding out later you needed it!???
...

I can empathise with that. I've got a bubble wrap drawer. Every time I get any bubble wrap, I put it in there. I very rarely need bubble wrap, but if there's some kind of bubble-wrap apocalypse, I'm the guy to know.



P.S. tube arrived today! What a strange world I live in when I get excited when the postman brings transparent silicone tubing!

edit - P.P.S. Woohoo! Pleated organic cotton arrived too! I don't need no stupid Christmas!

 

[MacTechVpr]

Yep, Mac that's the same conclusion I came to in this thread a few days ago... and I'm sure it's been "discovered" about 10,000x over and over and over! LOL!! Like you said, stuff gets buried and the site is so huge and there is so much to learn. I have been in the middle of detailed helpful threads before that are being well-visited by so many participants I feel like the whole forum is aware of the issue... then I click on another topic a few threads down, and someone is asking about that exact thing. Sometimes it feels like the Tower of Babel. Thanks for linking to that.

The word morass comes to mind. A microcosm of human experience.

However this Gordian knot may be to some extent unraveled with a little patience and persistence. I was blessed since youth I think with the inclination to ask the obvious questions. In this case, shouldn't the answer be out there? And the obvious question: Is there a standard metric? Well there is — resistance values. How to get them, achieve them.

And, fortunately, "about 4 wraps of 28 gauge", is not very illustrative to me.

So with a little luck, about the time I ditched Vivi Nova's and rotten sneakers, I was able to find…

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/reos-mods/446263-micro-coils-ohms-description-12.html

Which has formed the basis for every build I've done since.

Now, seeing the frustration of virtually all of us to spend months, perhaps years, struggling with the characteristic mischief of atomizers I thought it might be swell to identify the reference production targets for common atomizers. The optimal zone/s of performance for which they were designed. That's been my goal with Kanger and to validate those sweet spots as a starting point for the average user along with the most efficient methods to acquire them in builds.

I'm attempting to do so on M_DuBb716's excellent thread…

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/clearomizers/486794-protank-microcoil-discussion.html

I chose this thread as it contains the most practical solution, the simple and precise contact coil, as well as one of the most popular and effective clearomizers in use, the Protank.

I hope more of us will post findings there and populate the data already present to further validate those outstanding performance zones. As well, the useful techniques to target them precisely. Because without these kinds of data Protanks and the like will always underperform for the frustrated user. Hopefully, I or someone will be successful in pinning a usable workup, table, etc. of this data as a header post for this thread.

As microcoils become the de facto build arrangement the excellent title of this thread should serve as the logical beacon of searches by the curious and genuinely thirsty for answers.

Thanks for your interest Trayce.

Good luck all!

 

[MacTechVpr]

I can empathise with that. I've got a bubble wrap drawer. Every time I get any bubble wrap, I put it in there. I very rarely need bubble wrap, but if there's some kind of bubble-wrap apocalypse, I'm the guy to know.

Being a techie's almost like being a bag lady. I know you know where I'm coming from.

But now I'm in a world of serious hurt…<pssst, quietly>…I collect mods!

Great to see you join this discussion. Have a good one and good luck.



p.s. I just knew statists couldn't be all bad.

<just kidding, sorta, nudge>

 

[Trayce]

The trick of wrapping the wire around the stabilizing pin (whatever we want to call the thing we stabilize the wick and coil with) would certainly help fix that by keeping the coils taut. Maybe I will try to make a few today and see how it goes. You are talking about micro coils on a protank right? Would you say 8 or so wraps of 30 gauge? Ad just wrap them close so they are touching?

Mac linked to some threads above but basically if you use a 1/16th drill bit and do 7 wraps as close as possible, then compress and torch it, it should come out to 1.8/1.9.

[For any reader not familiar with torching: To compress/torch the coils you can either A> take the coil off the bit and gently but firmly compress it with tweezers then hold a butane torch lighter on it for 10s or so.... or B> you can hold the coil in the flame of a gas stove until glowing, and quickly compress with tweezers while hot (repeat a few times)... or C> if you are using silicone grommets in your head you can mount the head without a wick in your mod, press the fire button until the coil glows, let off button and quickly compress coil with tweezers (repeat a few times). But some tweezers won't fit inside the head cup. And if this is done with a rubber grommet in the head, it will probably char and add a nasty taste to your vape.]

 

[Trayce]

[...] So with a little luck, about the time I ditched Vivi Nova's and rotten sneakers, I was able to find…

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/reos-mods/446263-micro-coils-ohms-description-12.html

Hopefully, I or someone will be successful in pinning a usable workup, table, etc. of this data [...]

Great find there, and great idea about a coil table... that and the Watts/Volts/Ohms chart should be part of a sticky... I suspect the latter already is.

 

[Zippoz]

Glad my idea is working for other people!

 

[Trayce]

Absolutely! (Someone thanked me in another thread when this subject came up and I said it wasn't my idea, but couldn't remember your nick. How could I forget, Zippoz?! I love Zippos!) After we had our exchange some weeks back I looked all over for silicone tubing the right size, but couldn't find it until recently... your brilliant idea gave me my tanks back! (And another guy on another forum who suggested hobby aircraft fuel line is also to thank, as even though fuel line is bad to use, it sent me on a search that led me to the beer-making stuff I ordered that I would not have otherwise found).

MANY THANKS!!

 

[Zippoz]

Absolutely! (Someone thanked me in another thread when this subject came up and I said it wasn't my idea, but couldn't remember your nick. How could I forget, Zippoz?! I love Zippos!) After we had our exchange some weeks back I looked all over for silicone tubing the right size, but couldn't find it until recently... your brilliant idea gave me my tanks back! (And another guy on another forum who suggested hobby aircraft fuel line is also to thank, as even though fuel line is bad to use, it sent me on a search that led me to the beer-making stuff I ordered that I would not have otherwise found).

MANY THANKS!!

Welcome!

Oh, also, one thing that I found helpful is to pinch the tubing lengthwise, then insert it into the head balled up. Take a thin something, like a syringe head, and roll it out so that it expands in the head. Then, you slide your coil leg between the silicone and the wall of the head (helps if covered in juice). Really takes the frustration out of trying to insert it if your tubing is a little too big like mine is.

 

[Trayce]

Welcome!

Oh, also, one thing that I found helpful is to pinch the tubing lengthwise, then insert it into the head balled up. Take a thin something, like a syringe head, and roll it out so that it expands in the head. Then, you slide your coil leg between the silicone and the wall of the head (helps if covered in juice). Really takes the frustration out of trying to insert it if your tubing is a little too big like mine is.

Happily, I can get this tube in pretty easily... maybe even a little easier than the stock grommet since it doesn't have that top collar. But good info for those who might get different tubing of a larger size. Do you happen to know the OD of your tubing?

ID of the one I got is 3/32
OD is I believe about 6/32

 

[Zippoz]

I honestly couldn't be sure. I think that the OD is 1/8". It works pretty decent with the Nova heads though.

 

[Spazmelda]

I'm reporting back on the wedges. The wedgie grommet worked fine until I did a tank fill. Then I guess it squished up and restricted the air flow. I tried fiddling with it, but couldn't get it back to unannoying working order. I'm trying a little different modification of the tubing now. I used some tiny scissors to bevel the bottom edge of the silicone grommet/tubing all the way around. That seems to be working well. I've filled the tank a few times and the air flow is fine.

 

[Trayce]

I'm reporting back on the wedges. The wedgie grommet worked fine until I did a tank fill. Then I guess it squished up and restricted the air flow. I tried fiddling with it, but couldn't get it back to unannoying working order. I'm trying a little different modification of the tubing now. I used some tiny scissors to bevel the bottom edge of the silicone grommet/tubing all the way around. That seems to be working well. I've filled the tank a few times and the air flow is fine.

Great news Spazmelda! Next time you prepare a grommet like that (bevel it) could you snap a pic? I think I know what you mean though... you took manicure scissors or a razor or the like and went in a downward and inward angle around the entire bottom circumference of the grommet? Sort of making it scalloped?

 

[Trayce]

I tried to go back and edit the earlier post I made on page 2 but I guess it's been too long as the EDIT button is no longer there.

IAC the fluctuating resistance issues I was having early on WERE due to the Vamo and not the silicone tubing. Once I replaced the grommet under the Vamo's pin, no more issues reading resistances. This is a common problem with Vamos and an easy fix.

So just for the record.... had nothing to do with the heads or the silicone tubing.

EDIT: And FTR I am still using the same builds I made and they are still working flawlessly.