Questions about the Protank 2 mini

[railfan844]

Hey guys,

Here's the deal. I bought a Protank II mini and I have some questions about it.

First off, how do I store it. (I vape pretty much every day, even if it's just a few puffs, if that info matters). I read that you should always keep the protank 1/3 full or more of juice, is this true? When I put it away for the night, do I need to do anything other than make sure it's at least 1/3 full to ensure maximum longevity of the device? Also, is it necessary to disconnect the battery from the tank when not in use?

Also, about the atomizer coils. I understand that they are replaceable and last about 20-30 days (?). I ordered a pack of 5 extra in addition to the 2 that come with the protank, so I should be set for a while. Is there any way I can prolong the life of the coils as long as possible? Also, how will I know when I need to change them? Will they simply stop producing vapor when it's time to replace it?

My last question is about taking my vape with me...I always keep it in my pocket (right now I have CE5 clearomizers) and I've never had a problem with leaking or breaking, obviously since the CE5s are plastic. But the protank, which is glass, is it safe to carry it around in my pocket attached to the battery or will I risk breaking it? I wear jeans most of the time so the pockets aren't very roomy.

Thanks

 

[Cearvox]

i have an unitank that i have kept in my pocket every day for a few months. i haven't had any leakage or issues with it at all and as far as i know the protank and the unitank are pretty similar

 

[WarHawk-AVG]

Protank II mini's are good rigs, stock coils suck...they can always use a "Tuneup" which is VERY easy to do

 

[Kim B.]

I think that the main reason to keep it at least 1/3 full is to keep an even vacuum in the tank when you vape. I don't get any where near 20-30 days use out of a coil, more like 4-5 days for me, but I vape higher vg juices which tend to gunk up the coil quicker. When they need replacing your vapor production will go down and you will notice a taste difference in your juice, sometimes your juice will get darker in your tank too when the coil needs replacing. You can do a dry burn on them to get more use from the coil. Remove your coil and pull off the round plastic grommet that sits at the base of the top post, then pull off the top post, (you may need to use a small pair of pliers to remove it) you'll see wicks on top, remove them and you'll see the actual coil. If it looks black or gunky screw the coil back into your tank base, screw the tank base back on your mod, and press your power button in quick pulses until the gunk burns off the coil and the coil glows evenly. Remove the tank base, unscrew the coil, and rinse the coil and your wick. Let it dry and then replace your wicks on top of your coil, push the top post back down onto the coil, and put the plastic grommet back on. You'll be good to go. The coil heads are rebuildable too. There are some good videos on youTube on how to do this, Grimmgreen has an easy to follow video on YouTube.

 

[Cearvox]

thats pretty cool. would that work on my unitank?

 

[Rickajho]

The matter of keeping it at least 1/3 full is about the PT performing well. It won't hurt it if the liquid level is below 1/3 when it is or isn't in use.

The liquid inside is held in a partial vacuum. There are no special concerns about how you store it. I lay mine on it's side all the time. As long as it's assembled properly - contrary to what a lot of people think - you won't have a leaking problem. Condensation can build up in the mouth piece though and if you turn it completely upside down you could get a couple drops of condensate coming out of the mouth piece.

I'm not sure who told you "20 to 30 days" for a coil but for a typical user... no. It will depend on your usage of course. It also depends on your choice of liquids - dark and heavily sweetened liquid gunk up a coil and wick fast. The bottom line is you know when a coil has gotta go when things start tasting burnt and harsh. At that point any vapor you are seeing is more burning residue built up on the coil than new vapor. They can be cleaned - but only so many times, or rebuilt too. Hold onto the used coils that are no longer performing well until you are ready to approach cleaning. It's easier to do a batch of them at a time anyway.

Erhm, people break stuff all the time putting a PV in their pants pocket and then doing the obvious - sitting down. They damage threads on batteries or PV's from the pressure on the connector from sitting on them, they break tanks, they snap the 510 connectors off eGo batteries... You may want to look into a lanyard or a small flashlight belt holster as a better option.

 

[Kim B.]

thats pretty cool. would that work on my unitank?

If you're referring to the dry burn method, yup it will, it's the same type of coil.

 

[Christopherja]

Also, about the atomizer coils. I understand that they are replaceable and last about 20-30 days (?). I ordered a pack of 5 extra in addition to the 2 that come with the protank, so I should be set for a while. Is there any way I can prolong the life of the coils as long as possible? Also, how will I know when I need to change them? Will they simply stop producing vapor when it's time to replace it?

Hello - fellow MPT2 user here! Great tank, imho.

As others have pointed you to, keeping a strict regiment of cleaning and dry-burning your coils will prolong the life of your coils - but then all of this depends upon your vaping habits, your particular juices, etc. When I used stock coils, I got a lot of life out of them by just keeping them clean - if you have a lot, just rotate them in a soaking routine.

Of course, the best way to have long-lasting coils is to learn how to build your own! But that will come with time...

 

[bsoplinger]

When I'm storing my gear for a long (more than a couple of hours) I keep mine upside down in a pill bottle with a tissue wadded up in the bottom of the bottle. This allows any juice that may have leaked into the chimney (which is unlikely) and the condensation to drain. Not necessary, just convenient. Since I chain vape at times, I do sometimes get a noticeable amount of condensation in the chimney but under normal conditions I've never had any juice leakage. I just got into the habit with other brands and designs that needed to be stored that way.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent Purple Tapatalk 2

 

[Azbowhunter]

I only get about 3-5 days out of my mini. Great tank in my opinion. As for the gunk. What I do is I take the coil off and hold it under hot water. Then I plug the bottom with my finger and blow. Do that a couple of times and then it will help. Seem that when I take my coil apart it never works good again and I get juice spitting and popping in my mouth. It just my opinion and what works for me.
Happy Vapping!

Azbowhunter

 

[fierks]

I have 2 MPT2 and I like them much better than the clearos. I would recommend looking at some videos on youtube as well. Rip trippers and grimmgreen both have some great videos on how to rebuild coils for kangers. If your coil is still working fine for you and the vape tastes good I wouldn't worry about it. Of course regularly cleaning out the coil and tank is recommended for max life.

I've actually pulled the coil out of my kanger, burnt off the gunk, rewrapped my coil, and wicked it with cotton and had it work just fine. The resistance was very high and it killed my battery quick because I needed to fire it for a few seconds to get a decent vape but it's totally feasible if you are on a super tight budget. I would recommend learning how to rebuild a kanger coil as I have gotten a much better vape with my own coil and an organic cotton wick.

I haven't had any issues with leaking unless I'm really pushing the juice to a low level or if I end up loosening up the top and bottom caps from screwing the tank on and off my device. Now that I'm aware of how the tank is assembled I have not had one issue.

 

[Ohms Lawbreaker]

Many say 1/3 full to preserve the vacuum seal. Even Kanger says it, I think, on their instruction card. I say phooey. The way the wick is set up and the viscosity of the fluid determine whether it will leak or not. Tank gives the same hits whether it is full or on its last few drops. Every so often you see a bubble rising up, equalizing the pressure. It's surface tension or Brownian motion or the flux capacitor, anything but vacuum. May the meaty fist of Phil ("Pete") Busardo strike me down if I'm wrong.

Maybe I am, who the hell knows. Just for some reason I don't trust the vacuum theory.

 

[Dampmaskin]

Just for some reason I don't trust the vacuum theory.

I agree. Vacuum may be a factor, but I doubt it's a big one.

What I think is more plausible, is that lots of air in the tank makes it vulnerable to temperature changes, because temperature changes make air expand and contract quite a bit, pushing the liquid out through the wick. Liquids, like, PG/VG are usually much more "stable" in that regard.

Therefore I've begun to keep my BCCs upside-down when I put them in my pockets, especially if it's cold outside. This allows the BCC to "breathe" air freely, without the air acting as a piston on the liquid every time the temperature rises.

 

[BigCatDaddy]

I only get about 3-5 days out of my mini. Great tank in my opinion. As for the gunk. What I do is I take the coil off and hold it under hot water. Then I plug the bottom with my finger and blow. Do that a couple of times and then it will help. Seem that when I take my coil apart it never works good again and I get juice spitting and popping in my mouth. It just my opinion and what works for me.
Happy Vapping!

Azbowhunter

When you take your coil apart are you replacing the flavor wick with some 1 mm silica wick?? I clean and dry burn mine when needed and I haven't lost but one in the past 4 months. As long as you have your volts or watts set right, no leaks, no spitting and they vape like a new coil.

 

[edyle]

I agree. Vacuum may be a factor, but I doubt it's a big one.

What I think is more plausible, is that lots of air in the tank makes it vulnerable to temperature changes, because temperature changes make air expand and contract quite a bit, pushing the liquid out through the wick. Liquids, like, PG/VG are usually much more "stable" in that regard.

Therefore I've begun to keep my BCCs upside-down when I put them in my pockets, especially if it's cold outside. This allows the BCC to "breathe" air freely, without the air acting as a piston on the liquid every time the temperature rises.

yes I believe this is one of the issues with the glass tanks; firing the tanks heats the tank inself; with a plastic tank, the area around coil warms, but with a glass tank, the heat conducts faster though the glass, and warms more of the tank volume.

 

[edyle]

Hey guys,

Here's the deal. I bought a Protank II mini and I have some questions about it.

First off, how do I store it. (I vape pretty much every day, even if it's just a few puffs, if that info matters). I read that you should always keep the protank 1/3 full or more of juice, is this true? When I put it away for the night, do I need to do anything other than make sure it's at least 1/3 full to ensure maximum longevity of the device? Also, is it necessary to disconnect the battery from the tank when not in use?

Also, about the atomizer coils. I understand that they are replaceable and last about 20-30 days (?). I ordered a pack of 5 extra in addition to the 2 that come with the protank, so I should be set for a while. Is there any way I can prolong the life of the coils as long as possible? Also, how will I know when I need to change them? Will they simply stop producing vapor when it's time to replace it?

My last question is about taking my vape with me...I always keep it in my pocket (right now I have CE5 clearomizers) and I've never had a problem with leaking or breaking, obviously since the CE5s are plastic. But the protank, which is glass, is it safe to carry it around in my pocket attached to the battery or will I risk breaking it? I wear jeans most of the time so the pockets aren't very roomy.

Thanks

learn to dry burn the coils; and rewick the top wicks. And do not throw the atomizer coils away; you might decide to recoil them someday; they're small enough to store in a jar somewhere.

With usage you will find the coil will lose flavor because stuff gunks up on the coil; with frequent vaping, the tank might start leaking through the coil area.

To reduce leaking, keep tank upside down.

If I used only protanks, I'd probably change the head everyday as a routine; I used to go for a week at a time on one head till I figured out the coil is at it's best for only a day or 3.

 

[railfan844]

Wow guys thanks for the info...so I gather I'm supposed to clean the atomizer coils regularly. Sounds like a plan. I'll use up the extras and then clean all 7 at the same time like the above poster said.

I imagine I can find a good tutorial on youtube for how to clean the coils as well.

I just have one more question, so all this info makes these atomizer coils seem more like they are a "disposable" product that you just use and then re-build or throw away...is this right?? For someone that vapes about 1ML a day, can anyone give me an estimate on how much money I'm going to spending on new coils? I understand that they can be cleaned and/or re-built....how many times can I do this before the coil just gives up the ghost completely?

 

[Dampmaskin]

The Protank style heads are not made to be rebuildable, yet they are. Vaping just 1 ml per day, my guesstimation would be less than $.5 per day in new heads, unless you clean and/or recoil them.

I don't recoil mine because they're expensive, I do it because I like to tinker, and because after I've had some practice, my own coils are now beginning to outperform the factory coils by quite a bit. It's hard to tell how many cleanings a coil will take before it pops. It hasn't happened to me yet.

 

[vaperature]

Introducing the vaperature protank mini spice container

 

[edyle]

Wow guys thanks for the info...so I gather I'm supposed to clean the atomizer coils regularly. Sounds like a plan. I'll use up the extras and then clean all 7 at the same time like the above poster said.

I imagine I can find a good tutorial on youtube for how to clean the coils as well.

I just have one more question, so all this info makes these atomizer coils seem more like they are a "disposable" product that you just use and then re-build or throw away...is this right?? For someone that vapes about 1ML a day, can anyone give me an estimate on how much money I'm going to spending on new coils? I understand that they can be cleaned and/or re-built....how many times can I do this before the coil just gives up the ghost completely?

The protank type coil can be rebuilt:



However, the weak point is the grommet at the bottom which will wear out over time (I am not saying that from experience, just presuming). Once you rebuild using wick and wire they can last a long time; and if you find replacement grommets too, then I guess they can last indefinitely;

7 coils sounds good, especially for 1 ml per day.

I probably vape 3 to 6 ml per day; I have over 20 coils, including 10 spare in original sealed package that I have not touched yet because I started dry burning and rewicking coils.