Properly Wicking a Dripper...and other attys

[Darkdreamz]

I've searched and haven't been able to find any solid fundamental technique or certain guidelines to adhere when wicking. Of course this could be subjective and your opinions and taste will vary. However, there must be a few rules that are almost always followed for the best wicking action regardless of material or style of doing such and I'm not really referring to the basic stuff like never block your air holes, etc.

I love drippers and I find that the wick in my drippers makes nearly as big an impact on vapor production and taste as the coil does. However, I find myself pulling it out and trying a different approach or something different more frequent than necessary just because I'm anxious to see if that particular idea will work better or worse.

So that would be my proposal...regardless of material (of course you can certainly say which material), speaking in fairly general terms what are some things you almost always do when making and/or installing your wick? Tuck it back under the coil? Big cloud? Small cloud? Cloud under the coil and push the coil down onto the top? Long end of silica wrapped back and forth? Always thru the coil? Sometimes not thru just under? Etc....

I think you get the idea of what I'm thinking here. So if you've got some ideas or things that work great and you use often, if you could please share them, I think it could make for a great thread.

 

[Razzlematt]

I use hemp cord or cotton yarn. Just enough wick to come out each end of the coil, bend down and touch the deck of my RDA. Coil up off the deck and pretty much in line with the air hole.

 

[charliehall72]

I use organic cotton balls in all of my builds. Usually I twist it up so it will fit through the coils, make sure its just enough so its still filling the coil but easy to slide in and out when dry. Then I just keep it laid out flat on as much of the base of the dripper as possible, but be careful not to use too much or you wont get the airflow you need to blow some clouds


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[lenexa]

wicking placement really depends on the coil set up. Single vs dual vs quad vs etc. Horizontal vs Chimney (vertical), coil style ( larger vs micro/nano), and number of wraps.

RDA deck also comes into play, number of posts.

And finally, air flow, diameter of hole, number of holes, adjustable vs non-adjustable.

So, as you can see, there are many variables that are present, that best determine wick placement.

As for wick material, that is sujective to user preference. I would experiment and find what suits you best for flavor vs vapor production, on your deck.

 

[Rickajho]

I have no idea what the OP is looking for. Regarding wicking, once you get past "you need one" all matters come down to 1.) atty you are working with 2.) coil build you are working on 3.) personal preference in wicking material - and not necessarily in that order.

Take a single wick material: ss mesh. First you have the #3 factor - some people love the results, other people just hate working with it. Since you can't apply a blanket rule to a personal preference, trying to come up with blanket rules or statements regarding ss mesh for factors #1 and #2 doesn't make much sense. And since ss mesh doesn't work in some atty builds there isn't much you can say about in a general sense regarding factor #1 and #2.

You're trying to put the proverbial wicking before the atty and leaving out the coil build.

 

[Darkdreamz]

Thank you sir, very much in line with what I was looking for.

Razzle...I picked up some yarn but have yet to try it...I'll have to try that. Thanks.

And since I seemed to have left the topic too broad...lets narrow it to cotton, although the "techniques" I'm referring to apply to any material except SS cable and mesh.

I've pulled the top cap off of a friend or twos dripper and seen quite a few different techniques on their wick. Some bring it thru the coil, then roll it back under the coil and that makes up their "cloud." Then others with not much more than what fits in the coil other than small tails sticking out either side. And of course quite a few just crazy piles of cotton. lol

And of course I understand it kinda depends on what coil is on it at the time but I'm not asking for a specific setup...just whatever you have found to work the best. And if the coil is pertinent info to explaining the wick setup...then by all means...

My approach lately has just been micro coils tilted to approx. 45° angle to the deck, feed the cotton thru the coil and then leave whatever amount I deem appropriate at the time of the tail laying on the deck but not so much that you need to pack it in there, nor does any of it tuck up under the coil it is coming out of. Seems to be working pretty well to evenly wick, stay out of the way and hold a decent amount of juice. It just seems if I change the amount by even a fairly small amount it impacts the quality of the vape I get...hence the reason for this thread.

I use organic cotton balls in all of my builds. Usually I twist it up so it will fit through the coils, make sure its just enough so its still filling the coil but easy to slide in and out when dry. Then I just keep it laid out flat on as much of the base of the dripper as possible, but be careful not to use too much or you wont get the airflow you need to blow some clouds


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