Protank II rebuild, harder than it looks?

[TheKiwi]

Like someone mentioned above, using a pin through the wick for coiling makes a huge difference. Thus is especially impt if you're getting a 0 ohm reading. Make sure you apply some tension on the wires before you put back on the rubber and metal caps. A lot of people just slot the wires through without realizing the slacks are either touching each other or the sides. The pin will help to make sure the coil stays in position when you're slightly tugging on the wires.

P.s. Recently discovered cotton wicks. Mind = blown


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ions]

I use a 1/16" drill bit to wrap my 30g kanthal around 4/5 wraps and then twist some cotton through as a wick. Works great and I've built around 50+ this way and they all end up between 1.4 or 1.8 Ohm. Never had a single problem. Just practice, practice, practice and you'll get it.

 

[InTheShade]

Honestly Poe, you could just wrap 2 or 3 more around the screwdriver and squeeze those coils together. You'll be surprised with the increase in vapor and flavor.

If you don't want to, that's fine too - looks good enough. As others have said, just make sure when you put them down the tube to pull each leg tight to straighten them so they don't touch and make sure one wire goes thru the o ring and the other doesn't.

Also make sure to trim the legs off as tight as you can - I use nail clippers.

 

[dekkert]

so not to add to the confusion but:
1: ss mesh what size?
2: hollow wrap or solid?
3: snug in the cup or loose?
4: gauge of wire?

i am getting flooding after a bit of sitting. how can i stop this? tried both hollow and tight rolls, snug and loose fit wick in the cup.

 

[Nightcall]

A smaller diameter coil is higher ohms? I'm using a toothpick to wrap, with 7 wraps of 30 Ga I get 1.8 ohms. That's good, but I'd like another wrap or two, more micro, but keeping about the same ohms or a little less is fine. So I should use something thinner than the toothpick?

 

[InTheShade]

A smaller diameter coil is higher ohms? I'm using a toothpick to wrap, with 7 wraps of 30 Ga I get 1.8 ohms. That's good, but I'd like another wrap or two, more micro, but keeping about the same ohms or a little less is fine. So I should use something thinner than the toothpick?

You could, because it will use less wire and that will lower the resistance. You might just want to get 28ga instead.

Using a 1/16 drill bit 10 wraps on 28ga will give you around 1.3-1.4ohms. The same 1/16 drill bit with 30ga. 10 wraps, for me that comes out almost exactly at 1.8ohm every time.

 

[Nightcall]

You could, because it will use less wire and that will lower the resistance. You might just want to get 28ga instead.

Using a 1/16 drill bit 10 wraps on 28ga will give you around 1.3-1.4ohms. The same 1/16 drill bit with 30ga. 10 wraps, for me that comes out almost exactly at 1.8ohm every time.

Thanks. I just did an 8 wrap with the micro screwdriver I have, for a Vivi Nova. It's definitely thinner than the toothpick, maybe I needed another wrap or two. I can't check it yet because my one Nova is half full.

Coil looks beautiful though, not sure why I wasn't using this micro screwdriver from the beginning like other people in this thread. Maybe I thought it was too thin and I wouldn't have been able to fit the coil in with all the wraps.

I take that little mesh out of the vivi nova head. It's probably there to protect against shorts but, so far I haven't had a problem.

 

[mgalyan]

Had my buddy who owns a Vape shop test my first coil builds today. 12 wraps of kanthal on a micro screwdriver came to 1.37 ohm. Working great.

Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HD using Tapatalk

 

[hurricanegirl100]

Heads for the PTII are five for six bucks and I get about 2-3 weeks out of one before it dies. Why do you guys put yourselves through all of this??
Seriously...I want to know. It's fun? You're saving money? What? I could see it for a $119.00 atomizer like the Kayfun, but PTII heads?

 

[Wingsfan0310]

Heads for the PTII are five for six bucks and I get about 2-3 weeks out of one before it dies. Why do you guys put yourselves through all of this??
Seriously...I want to know. It's fun? You're saving money? What? I could see it for a $119.00 atomizer like the Kayfun, but PTII heads?

I actually laughed when I read that because it's true. I guess it's a guy thing, I did it mainly to see if I could and if they would be better than the factory heads, not to save money.
It's sorta like why climb that mountain - well because it was there lol

Cheers,
Steve

 

[MacTechVpr]

Well, here's how I rebuild my Protank heads:

1) 32 gauge wire, 4/5 wrap around a 1/16th drill bit.
2) Place the coil with the drill bit still inserted, into the cup. Ensure that the coil is not touching the sides of the metal cup.
3) Insert the insulator, then insert the pin.
4) Remove the drill bit and clip the leads. Check resistance, I always get 1.7 Ohms with this build.
5) Wick organic cotton ball through the coil. Pull enough cotton through the coil for it to catch on the coil and pull though with just a little resistance. Clip at the outer edge of the cup. Add a teeny tiny flavor wick on top to prevent flooding.
6) Drip some juice on the coil, reassemble, and vape your face off.

Hey Ruby! I've seen several of your posts. Good basic advice. I don't understand (my pet peeve) how thousands pour through here and most sit back and watch them pass on the same tired sad advice that keeps 'em soaking their pants gurgling their clearo's. When the technology for coil building has been well understood for thousands of years. And precision micro coils, hundreds. Think piano, guitar wire, etc. Why are we letting people struggling to quit run this gauntlet?

Good basic instruction Rub.

Good luck! Happy Holidays.

 

[RubyRoo]

Hey Ruby! I've seen several of your posts. Good basic advice. I don't understand (my pet peeve) how thousands pour through here and most sit back and watch them pass on the same tired sad advice that keeps 'em soaking their pants gurgling their clearo's. When the technology for coil building has been well understood for thousands of years. And precision micro coils, hundreds. Think piano, guitar wire, etc. Why are we letting people struggling to quit run this gauntlet?

Good basic instruction Rub.

Good luck! Happy Holidays.

Thanks MacTechVpr!!! This means so much to me! And to the dude who said "It's a guy thing." YOU ARE WRONG!!! It's a girl thing too! Rebuilding heads saves money and creates way better flavor and vapor than the stock heads. Duh.

 

[mgalyan]

Because I'm tired of spending money on crap. I can buy a pack of 5 coil heads, and often 2 or 3 of them taste metallic or burnt right from the factory. I want a delicious, hard hitting vape every time. China can't give me that.

Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HD using Tapatalk

 

[Wingsfan0310]

Thanks MacTechVpr!!! This means so much to me! And to the dude who said "It's a guy thing." YOU ARE WRONG!!! It's a girl thing too! Rebuilding heads saves money and creates way better flavor and vapor than the stock heads. Duh.

I was just joking around with hurricanegirl100, who's post I was replying to - I guess I failed miserably at it - Sorry if I offended you

 

[MacTechVpr]

I received my Protank II today along with 30 ga kanthal and 2mm silica. It's harder than the youtube videos make it look. I've tried 4, 5, & 6 wraps. I got a 1.0 ohm reading with the 4 wraps, & 0 with everything else. I tried wrapping it around a mini screw driver and directly around the silica.

Got any tips for someone just starting to rebuild?

Yes, save yourself weeks or months perhaps picking up the essentials in dribs-and-drabs. Take a look at Metalhed's great thread…

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/tips-tricks/463771-protank-cotton-rebuild-way-i-do-14.html
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/clearomizers/486794-protank-microcoil-discussion.html

And the second, a more advanced thread on contact coils (micro coils.

Rip and others on video are great but they don't explain the "why". So you have little way to know what to do when things don't work but look ok. I recently saw this awesome thread, beautiful photographs but no explanation and every frame showed an error. I wasted weeks thinking…well, they must know what they're doing.

Get the basics on assembly technique. Worry about hardware later. Get the clearomizer/s you have now working flawlessly. The approaches Metalhed describes will help you regardless of whatever atomizer/clearomizer you may decide upon. I don't necessarily endorse cotton only. The methods in this thread will give you the skills to select and use any wicking material you may prefer.

Some recent reactions…

An amazing thread. I just started vaping again and I'm having to learn about all the new stuff. I really love the Mini Protank 2's and I am going to have to get me some 32g Kanthal and organic cotton balls and give this a go. I'm fixing to google search where I can get some 32g Kanthal, as I, sure I can just go to a store an get it, darn the luck, lol. Thank you so much for this tutorial. I will report back when I get materials and have tried my hand at this.

I just wanted to chime in here and say that I've been rebuilding protank coils for a long time now (about 7 months) and little did I know I was making a huge mistake by using silica. I followed rip trippers youtube video (located here) and now I can see what he was so excited about; cotton wicks make a HUGE difference! I used organic cotton balls that I purchased from Walgreens. I boiled about 20-25 of them in purified water twice for 15 minutes two times (changing the water in between of course) but those are still drying and me being as impatient as I am went ahead with one of the cotton balls straight from the bag. I am not disappointed at all; I can literally double my wattage output and not get even a hint of burnt flavor or any undesirable flavors at all! I am blown away right now; the taste, vapor production, everything about about it is on a whole new level. All I have to say is WOW, I wish I would've seen the light much sooner. I'll try it with the boiled cotton balls next (once they dry out) to see if there is a difference. In the mean time, this is truly amazing.

Good luck PoeDong! Happy Holidays.

 

[MacTechVpr]

Thanks MacTechVpr!!! This means so much to me! And to the dude who said "It's a guy thing." YOU ARE WRONG!!! It's a girl thing too! Rebuilding heads saves money and creates way better flavor and vapor than the stock heads. Duh.

Ruby you ladies have a huge advantage over us ham-handed guys. It's the same attribute, fine finger motor control, that makes women so adept at creating in minute beautiful precision among other things including marksmanship!

You show 'em how it's done girl.

Later. And good luck!

Happy Holidays.

 

[hotbox44]

This thread is very relevant to my interests. Anyone ever rebuild a mini protank 2?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wingsfan0310]

This thread is very relevant to my interests. Anyone ever rebuild a mini protank 2?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Hotbox - The mini and regular Protank use the same heads. I've tried them in both with equally good results Happy Vaping

 

[MacTechVpr]

This thread is very relevant to my interests. Anyone ever rebuild a mini protank 2?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same as a Protank. Read my post above and try to visit those threads. If you follow my tension wind instructions you will have electrically perfected spools in seconds. A few days of practice. Not the weeks and months I witnessed people going through here. Absurd. Once you can build for the Mini. You'll be able to build for anything. And you'll want to!

Good luck! Happy Holidays.

 

[hotbox44]

Awesome. Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk