I gave up flavor wicks when I got into my hemp fiber. I only use a flavor wick if I have a mighty fine microcoil in my protank and getting juice splatter up the mouthpiece thus the flavor wick stops the splatter, but only small piece of 1mm silica. I flipped the stem cap upside down for better juice intake, IMO the stem cap restricts juice flow and with cotton or hemp it fluffs up enough that it seals the juice out and you expose more wicking to the juice, being able to have a longer tails of fiber sticking out.
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The XC-116 as some dist's call it is XC-132/SnG or 2mm RxW/RBA which has a nominal kilned cross-section of just under 1.8 mm (2.3 mm natural spec state). It is a phenomenal media which I have extensively tested and written about here. Running sometimes more than 8 tanks simultaneously in various states of evolution I would chain them throughout the day. When test volume was low I'd set up some personal ones at my preferred build and power. For chaining which I do often when reading or writing, they are stupendous better approximating a real analog than anything else I've encountered. It's like those first three great really full draws when you really need one and you wish it would keep going but they would just get too hot. Well you can in a Protank with Nextel inside particularly if you're running a more efficient cooler t.m.c.
Thanks brooke. Good luck.
The XC-116 as some dist's call it is XC-132/SnG or 2mm RxW/RBA which has a nominal kilned cross-section of just under 1.8 mm (2.3 mm natural spec state). It is a phenomenal media which I have extensively tested and written about here. Running sometimes more than 8 tanks simultaneously in various states of evolution I would chain them throughout the day. When test volume was low I'd set up some personal ones at my preferred build and power. For chaining which I do often when reading or writing, they are stupendous better approximating a real analog than anything else I've encountered. It's like those first three great really full draws when you really need one and you wish it would keep going but they would just get too hot. Well you can in a Protank with Nextel inside particularly if you're running a more efficient cooler t.m.c.
Thanks brooke. Good luck.
I was very close to purchasing 3mm Readyxwick xc116. Do you happen to know the nominal cross section of that? The stuff is simply fantastic.
I'm definitely having a better experience with this wicking after some time breaking in and getting some 3 hours+ of time being used regularly. I can now chain vape without pause.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk.
Interesting Maz, glad it's working on the duals adapted to singles too!
I developed this technique for the singles however to elliminate flooding when choosing to remove the flavor(less) wicks from the build.
The wick tuck method addresses the problem of cotton "wick sag", a symptom which occurs over time and allows a void to occur above the coil wick where the flavor wick would have gone.
I vape different viscosities of juice from 100%pg to 50/50 pg/vg and have found that it is necessary to use this technique to completely elliminate leaking onto the battery and flooding issues.
I don't vape higher concentrations of vg so if you are you may not need the wick tuck.
Coil diameter also plays a role here, so larger diameter coils like 5/64" (2mm) may not require the wick tuck either. I don't know as mine are all .070 (1.8mm).
An added benefit of the wick tuck is the ability to use less cotton overall because you don't have to worry about having enough extra cotton fiber to plug the void.
Less wick means more juice flow, higher attainable wattage and rocket vapes!
Edit: I meant less overall cotton density inside the coil not the overall amount of cotton used as the wt method does require slightly longer ends to tuck under the chimney seal.
Cig
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Short answer: There are some notable issues with the nomenclature used by B&M's, distributors and 3M themselves about this product. It's confusing. And I've received materials cross-labeled in several ways. You have it right in my experience that XC-116 is the 3.2 mm i.d. (natural state) product.
I haven't tested it as extensively as XC-132 but it has the same exceptional flow characteristics. It isn't suitable for all atomizer applications because it's sidewall permeability is poor, say for some drippers. It's more like a hose than a sponge. It breaks in eventually to soak but not as well as Ekowool and certainly not silica which gets thoroughly soggy with time. It likes to see its ends in the well, a tank or subject to a direct flow (why squonking works in the REOS).
That said, its tastes attributes after any slight refractory taste is overcome is every bit as good as any cotton. Absolutely neutral and better still, accurate. You can expect to see flavor products in some instances you've never detected with other media. This has has a lot to do with its effective response to energy input; or, how efficiently a broad variety of fluids within its fiber configuration respond to wattage. And not the least of which it is durable as Everest. So a lot less fuss factor overall than anything out there. That translates to economy as time is money which devoted to re-wicking is well spent…only if you stand to see a benefit. Think about it. I like aspects of all wick media but Nextel ceramic braid is the hands down standard to beat in the vaping universe. Best I've seen so far in my extensive testing of dozens of varieties of wicking materials.
Now I should note every one of you needs to exercise due diligence in evaluating this product for your own use as the manufacturer (3M) makes no assertions whatsoever regarding its suitability. As with any other product we use for vaping we owe it to ourselves to adequately inform ourselves as pertains to the respective risks and benefits. Here's 3M's take in their Important Notice to Purchaser…
"3M MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILIYT OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. All statements, technical information and recommendations contained in this brochure are based upon tests conducted with 3M approved equipment and are believed to be reliable. However, many factors beyond the control of 3M can affect the use and performance of 3M Ceramic Fibers in a particular application, including the conditions under which the product is used. Since these factors are uniquely within the user’s knowledge and control, it is essential the user evaluate the 3M Ceramic Fibers to determine whether this product is fit for the particular purpose and suitable for the user’s application…
...LIMITATION OF REMEDIES AND LIABILITY: If the 3M product is proven to be defective THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY, AT 3M’s OPTION, SHALL BE TO REFUND THE PURCHASE PRICE OF OR REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE 3M PRODUCT. 3M shall not otherwise be liable for any injury, losses or damages, whether direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential, regardless of the legal theory asserted, including tort, contract, negligence, warranty or strict liability."
A great deal of excellent information regarding their braided sleeving is available on 3M's website and I would strongly urge any prospective user to investigate there first on any question. I personally thank them for the effort to make that information as accessible as it is as I'm certain they are aware of the public's interest.
Good luck all, and enjoy the vape.
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Sorry I missed this maz.
Short answer: Any discontinuity in adhesion is equivalent in principle. It will diminish the efficiency of the circuit. Perhaps to the extent of inhibiting "the effect". Confirm adhesion at the pulse.
That's why I keep repeating: It takes seconds to wind another. The tremendous amount of time saved avoiding tweaking a formed coil is the huge singular advantage of a t.m.c. We can choose to approach it as hobbyists. That's cool. And if perfecting our mechanical imperfections is your schtick more power to ya. Me, I'd rather be vaping.
Now maz I'm not suggesting we reject every imperfection. A slight horizontal turn is the most typical kind of skew caused by variations in the leg set. Usually the force imparted is weak and you don't see the slightest effect to the coil geometry. That's great. Rotate it gently at the grommet and pin to realign as previously discussed. Pulses t.m.c., you're sweet. It can get hairier from there. You pulse it and a leg drops presenting vertical accordion of the top. That legs way pulled over off the perpendicular, too much tension on a lead or both. Chances are that's fatal.
So within reason. It may pulse t.m.c. even with such defects. But it won't keep.
If the distortion is severe withdrawing the bit may provide more indications that more energy may have been imparted in the set than at the wind. That's a more permanent disfigurement. It will mean trouble even if you retention.
But slight distortions may be erasable by loosening the pin and re-tension.
I say, depends on how good the beach looks!
If in doubt, rewind.
You'll enjoy the vape better.
Good luck.
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Interesting Maz, glad it's working on the duals adapted to singles too!
I developed this technique for the singles however to elliminate flooding when choosing to remove the flavor(less) wicks from the build.
The wick tuck method addresses the problem of cotton "wick sag", a symptom which occurs over time and allows a void to occur above the coil wick where the flavor wick would have gone.
I vape different viscosities of juice from 100%pg to 50/50 pg/vg and have found that it is necessary to use this technique to completely elliminate leaking onto the battery and flooding issues.
I don't vape higher concentrations of vg so if you are you may not need the wick tuck.
Coil diameter also plays a role here, so larger diameter coils like 5/64" (2mm) may not require the wick tuck either. I don't know as mine are all .070 (1.8mm).
An added benefit of the wick tuck is the ability to use less cotton overall because you don't have to worry about having enough extra cotton fiber to plug the void.
Less wick means more juice flow, higher attainable wattage and rocket vapes!
Edit: I meant less overall cotton density inside the coil not the overall amount of cotton used as the wt method does require slightly longer ends to tuck under the chimney seal.
Cig
Never experienced "wick sag" , probably because i change cotton after every tank. Have not experienced any flooding, leaking or gurgling either !
I vape 70/30 to 50/50 pg/vg, and still have never needed a flavor wick in my kanger coils. The majority of my builds are on 1.8 mm screwdrivers as well, although every once in a while i come across some coils where i can fit a 2 mm in the slot !
The cotton i use does not have a uniform diameter along it's entire length. I pull slightly on both ends of the cotton strip before inserting, so that the part of the cotton where i anticipate having contact with the coil, has a slightly smaller ( 20 % less ? ) diameter than the ends.
As i have said before on this thread, the wicking part of the coil rebuild has always been the easiest part for me and i just intuitively got it. Can't say the same about coil placement and leg termination, unfortunately
My vaping style might have something to do with it as well. I usually take a 5 second draw every fifteen seconds, and rarely chain vape.
The wick tuck post came at the right time for me, just as i was about to rebuild the kanger dual cols, as a single ! Thank You !
Sorry I missed this maz.
Short answer: Any discontinuity in adhesion is equivalent in principle. It will diminish the efficiency of the circuit. Perhaps to the extent of inhibiting "the effect". Confirm adhesion at the pulse.
That's why I keep repeating: It takes seconds to wind another. The tremendous amount of time saved tweaking a formed coil is the huge singular advantage of a t.m.c. We can choose to approach it as hobbyists. That's cool. And if perfecting our mechanical imperfections is your schtick more power to ya. Me, I'd rather be vaping.
Now maz I'm not suggesting we reject every imperfection. A slight horizontal turn is the most typical kind of skew caused by variations in the leg set. Usually the force imparted is weak and you don't see the slightest effect to the coil geometry. That's great. Rotate it gently at the grommet and pin to realign as previously discussed. Pulses t.m.c., you're sweet. It can get hairier from there. You pulse it and a leg drops presenting vertical accordion of the top. That legs way pulled over off the perpendicular, too much tension on a lead or both. Chances are that's fatal.
So within reason. It may pulse t.m.c. even with such defects. But it won't keep.
If the distortion is severe withdrawing the bit may provide more indications that more energy may have been imparted in the set than at the wind. That's a more permanent disfigurement. It will mean trouble even if you retention.
But slight distortions may be erasable by loosening the pin and re-tension.
I say, depends on how good the beach looks!
But if in doubt, rewind!
You'll enjoy the vape better.
Good luck.
A five degree distortion along the horizontal axis is not loss of adhesion though, right ? It's just annoying, and i usually tried to fix it by pulling one of the legs a little, which caused one of the end turns to lose contact with the rest of the coil. Sometimes it wasn't even visible to the naked eye, only when i took a photo and magnified. I will try the rotating method next time !
Thanks !
Maz, you said a mouthful with that. It's great you're lookin' for the minute irregularities. They reduce the efficiency dulling the vape and limit the life of the build. That's why it's good to catch 'em when they happen. Good photo technique. I'm kinda blind too. It does make a difference in your vape quality and consistency.
The simple answer is horizontal skew is not necessarily the loss of adhesion. And that's what I said. If the coil appears to be still in a coherent state you'll see that slight grommet/pin rotation will get ya what you need without messing up the coil. Pulse it to confirm. You'll probably get the effect the first or subsequent pulse. And a lot less risky than trying to re-tension to be sure. Some energy could be introduced into the coil by rotation of the leads, say one lead slips up slightly, but if both come around together it's unlikely. At least it hasn't been my usual experience but it does happen from time to time.
Bear in mind that minute losses or interruptions of adhesion can often be cured or improved through compression. Ceramic tweezers are very helpful to minimize the pulses required and risk of contact disruption.
Adhesion, as I use the term here is a mechanical effect of similar materials aligning closely together due to the force of strain. Either they are so "stuck" or they're not. Unlike force, the infusion of external energy to induce such coherence, with tension they are as close together as nature permits barring imperfections in the surface of material that prevents such proximity, e.g. high points, low points, other irregularities. They do show up. The earlier in the build you catch it the sooner you spin up another and get to the vape.
Why do we wan't adhesion? Moreover, a more coherent adhesion? Because a uniform connection of the coil end-to-end will bond that way and that my friends is what makes a wind a perfect m.c. as well as more likely to stay that way. Vape quality and consistency, long coil life, less gunk in life. That's a good recipe.
Maz, we all know once we've experienced it that adhesion can be disrupted either between individual turns or through the length of the coil. Just be watchful that t.m.c.'s, any coil, can be fragile until they're set and pulsed. Horizontal skew is not the end of the world either and pulsing hides all of our sins.
These days I throw more out than I complete. And my vape is better for it. Our pretty pictures (often they're not) aren't all headed for the funny papers.
Enjoy the vape.
Never experienced "wick sag" , probably because i change cotton after every tank. Have not experienced any flooding, leaking or gurgling either !
I vape 70/30 to 50/50 pg/vg, and still have never needed a flavor wick in my kanger coils. The majority of my;;;;; builds are on 1.8 mm screwdrivers as well, although every once in a while i come across some coils where i can fit a 2 mm in the slot !
The cotton i use does not have a uniform diameter along it's entire length. I pull slightly on both ends of the cotton strip before inserting, so that the part of the cotton where i anticipate having contact with the coil, has a slightly smaller ( 20 % less ? ) diameter than the ends.
As i have said before on this thread, the wicking part of the coil rebuild has always been the easiest part for me and i just intuitively got it. Can't say the same about coil placement and leg termination, unfortunately
My vaping style might have something to do with it as well. I usually take a 5 second draw every fifteen seconds, and rarely chain vape.
The wick tuck post came at the right time for me, just as i was about to rebuild the kanger dual cols, as a single ! Thank You !
Tried the varied wick diameter technique as my first attempt to stave off leaking early on. It works too!
Moved to wick tuck and never looked back because I was experiencing inconsistancies in achieving 100% wick/coil contact. Was getting occasional spitting/popping that I attributed to part of the coil heating up faster and hotter because of poor wick contact in that particular spot.
I was stretching the cotton to form the narrower portion of the wick for the coil and having problems controlling consistancy in that area as the cotton fibers would stretch/tear irregularly.
How do you create the narrower profile of the wick for the coil area Maz?
And: Do you notice a significant improvement in vape with the 2mm vs the 1.8mm coil?
Would love to see some pic's of your tuck there cig. I never did get cotton density in the PTK.
Good luck.
Hadn't really thought about it in detail, but you forced me
Here's my entire wicking process :
unwrap a sterile cotton ball into an approximately 9 cm by 2.5 cm strip. I cut a 3 cm by 4 mm (approximate ) strip. gently roll the strip until the diameter reduces to slightly over 2mm. place both thumbs and forefingers in the middle of the cotton strip with the thumbs about 2 mm apart and gently pull away until the section between the thumbs ( about 4 mm long is enough for me, since my coils are usually 8 to 10 wraps of 29 gauge kanthal )is slightly less in diameter. gently roll again. not so gently roll one end of the strip until it easily passes through the coil. insert, pull until you reach the section with the reduced diameter. cut the ends of the cotton strip a tiny bit ( 2 mm) to the outside of the plate. it will now look like a bow tie. screw the coil in the aerotank base and the cotton is just marginally longer than the diameter of the cup. the length of the cotton is about 14 mm now. gently fit the cotton until it is fully enclosed in the cup, put a few drops of liquid, test fire, insert the stem and silicone cover, and that's it.
not saying its the scientifically proven best way, but it works for me every time. never encountered flooding, gurgling, dry hits or any other problems with my vaping style.
Nah, don't detect any difference in the vape quality between the 1.8 mm and 2 mm coil. I just use the screwdriver which fits more snug in the slot !
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Mac, I have never used anything other than cotton in my micro coils (I did start with the synthetics at first, but that was a long time ago, now). I have resisted trying the many different wicking materials on the market, and it seems that every day, there are new ones.
Kinda reminds me of the beginning of my journey with "coils" and RBA/RTA's. I tried maybe 15 different builds. I ended up with tensioned micro coils, usually singles, in RTA's. I like the RTA's, though I know I can get a better vape with a whole lot more effort (dripping). I rarely drip. Seems to consume my life, but I must admit it's a better vape, but just not worth the hassle to me. I kinda feel that the new wicking mediums may be the same for me, as well (YMMV). Since I have two lifetimes of cotton in my vaping closet, and literally dozens of drippers, tanks, RTA's, cartos, and clear's (about 100 I guess), I still use only two now, because I love the vape, the flavor, the vapor, the ease of use, the large 5 mil tank on the Taifun, and it's just the best combination of features for me; and not, necessarily the best vape for me. So, somewhere along the line, I stopped chasing the vape, and "settled" on those features that best work for me in my life. Making near-perfect coils and wicking them with cotton coils (coiled cotton), is about a 60 - 90 second procedure for me, or about as long as I like to go without a vape....YMMV.
So, that being said, why should I try these new wicking mediums? Not that I give a rat's ... that others may love them to death, but given my preferences, why should I switch? As you know, there are not a lot of folks that I would ask this question of, and I very much care what your opinion on the matter may be. Kindest regards, my friend.
Kinda reminds me of the beginning of my journey with "coils" and RBA/RTA's. I tried maybe 15 different builds. I ended up with tensioned micro coils, usually singles, in RTA's. I like the RTA's, though I know I can get a better vape with a whole lot more effort (dripping). I rarely drip. Seems to consume my life, but I must admit it's a better vape, but just not worth the hassle to me. I kinda feel that the new wicking mediums may be the same for me, as well (YMMV). Since I have two lifetimes of cotton in my vaping closet, and literally dozens of drippers, tanks, RTA's, cartos, and clear's (about 100 I guess), I still use only two now, because I love the vape, the flavor, the vapor, the ease of use, the large 5 mil tank on the Taifun, and it's just the best combination of features for me; and not, necessarily the best vape for me. So, somewhere along the line, I stopped chasing the vape, and "settled" on those features that best work for me in my life. Making near-perfect coils and wicking them with cotton coils (coiled cotton), is about a 60 - 90 second procedure for me, or about as long as I like to go without a vape....YMMV.
So, that being said, why should I try these new wicking mediums? Not that I give a rat's ... that others may love them to death, but given my preferences, why should I switch? As you know, there are not a lot of folks that I would ask this question of, and I very much care what your opinion on the matter may be. Kindest regards, my friend.
Some people like a Corvette, some folks like a camper Bill. Sometimes we're driven to revisit old haunts regardless
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...crease-vapor-flavor-th-1152.html#post13315238: Immortalizer/Black Phantom Titan/GKD
Not to wax too philosophical but there's a lot to be said for certainty. You and I seem to compete against the false assumption of it.
That said, for half my life I never ate a salad. Since childhood never liked servings of greens or vegetables and with my taste buds nothing could taste worse than one going stale and rusty days before anyone else noticed. Then I gained a lot of weight trying to quit one time. Disciplined .... that I am and quite athletic, I accepted the challenge. Went vegetarian for more than seven years.
Ironically, I now enjoy more variety than I ever have. Who would've thought. So I guess these days my quest for efficiency is to afford me the greatest opportunity possible.
Different ends. Different means. But we both have certainty.
Good luck. Enjoy the vape you're havin' to the max.
Ok, Bill's admitted it... dripping is better, but not worth the hassle. Exactly why you need a REO Bill!
I was revisiting the PT for my wife and thought my building skills were lacking, turns out the VAMO I have has been dropped one too many times and quit firing at full power (internal short or something).
I thought I lost my touch but put it on a mech and instant gratification...I ripped out three builds for nothing today. I hate wasting time, although I found I need a new APV so it wasn't a total loss.
I guess the moral of the story is if you think your build is good and it isn't vaping correctly...try it on another device.
I thought I lost my touch but put it on a mech and instant gratification...I ripped out three builds for nothing today. I hate wasting time, although I found I need a new APV so it wasn't a total loss.
I guess the moral of the story is if you think your build is good and it isn't vaping correctly...try it on another device.
Congrats on the discovery and validation.
It's amazing what we all go through. I've got three such variables right now misbehaving after a slight knock. Only thing that's been nearly bulletproof, of the four that I've had, is the eVic…a virtual vaping Samsonite minus the gorilla (sorry, showing my age). Maybe that would be me.
Perhaps I need some rubberized vape gear? An Otter for my variable to match the iPhone.
<shrug>
Hey, the ZNA's are back up!
Good luck.
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An otterbox for your APV is not the worst idea I have heard
Would likely have saved my VAMO from all those falls, I dropped it so many times I named it Lee Majors (if your old enough you will get the reference).
Would likely have saved my VAMO from all those falls, I dropped it so many times I named it Lee Majors (if your old enough you will get the reference).
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