RBA Wick changing question

[Skitzo88]

So I have the Indulgence mutank right now with dual 22g kanthal 6 wraps SPACED around a 3mm screwdriver running at .2 ohms and I was just wondering how often I should be changing my wicks? I'm using Japanese organic cotton, and running on my Panzer or at around 50w with my snow wolf. I was under the impression that with a tank, that I'd be going through at least 50ml before wick change, but it seems like I'm going through maybe 15-20 with significant flavor drop. It's not a huge deal, but just inconvenient when considering how convenient these tanks should be. Am I doing something wrong with my wicking or is this just the norm for a tank with low ohm coils and a thick gauge wire? What kind of tips can you give me? And it seems when I do re-wick, I end up with a lot of coil gunk built up.

Using homemade juice with VG and PG based flavoring, so around a 90/10 mix. No dry hits or any problems with flooding. Just my wicks aren't lasting very long and curious to see what other people have to say.

 

[93gc40]

Change them when the flavor goes off, you burn them or when they get dirty. There is NO set time schedule, as the timing is different for each, User, juice, Atty, build and power level used.

I can get from 4-6 hours to 1 week off a wick, based on above variables.

 

[DaveP]

The more VG in your mix the quicker gunk builds up on the wicking. Most of us change out the wick every day or two. That's the reason it's a good idea to choose and atomizer that allows the deck to be removed without draining the juice, or at least one that allows you to suck out the juice with minimal effort, like the Kayfun style.

Lots of people like Rayon for wicking. Its long fibers carry juice efficiently and prevent dry hits that cause juice to be baked onto the coil.

Dry burn carefully. If you heat the coil too hot or too long you change the properties of the metal. Pulse it just enough to burn off the gunk and rinse it under a faucet to remove ash after a burn.

 

[Skitzo88]

The more VG in your mix the quicker gunk builds up on the wicking. Most of us change out the wick every day or two. That's the reason it's a good idea to choose and atomizer that allows the deck to be removed without draining the juice, or at least one that allows you to suck out the juice with minimal effort, like the Kayfun style.

Lots of people like Rayon for wicking. Its long fibers carry juice efficiently and prevent dry hits that cause juice to be baked onto the coil.

Dry burn carefully. If you heat the coil too hot or too long you change the properties of the metal. Pulse it just enough to burn off the gunk and rinse it under a faucet to remove ash after a burn.

Okay, so it's fairly normal to need to re-wick every few days? I'm finding out that I need to wick either every day or every other day. It's not really a huge deal, but was hoping to go a week or so before having to take it apart. I really do like the tank after I figured out the right amount of wick and all that fun stuff lol. I guess I'll just continue to wick as I have been

 

[Skitzo88]

Change them when the flavor goes off, you burn them or when they get dirty. There is NO set time schedule, as the timing is different for each, User, juice, Atty, build and power level used.

I can get from 4-6 hours to 1 week off a wick, based on above variables.

Would there be any difference between me having spaced coils vs having them compressed together in an RTA? I've only used RDA's in the past and this is my first tank, so I'm just starting to learn more about them, and although they are very similar to building with an RDA, there are some quite subtle differences. What would you suggest for a good 22g build? Or do you think I have a fairly decent one in it already? I have 22g kanthal and 22g nichrome to work with.....

 

[vapdivrr]

I think spaced coils probably gunk less because the gunk cannot bridge each individual coil as much as a contact coil, but I also believe that by having spaces allows gunk to gather on the cotton, thus contaminating the juice in the tank slightly faster. In the long run I think both are almost equal in terms of juice taste in the end... I also think that 22g in an rta is too thick, it's seems better suited in a dripper imo. In a tank, I think 24 to might be better

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[Skitzo88]

I think spaced coils probably gunk less because the gunk cannot bridge each individual coil as much as a contact coil, but I also believe that by having spaces allows gunk to gather on the cotton, thus contaminating the juice in the tank slightly faster. In the long run I think both are almost equal in terms of juice taste in the end... I also think that 22g in an rta is too thick, it's seems better suited in a dripper imo. In a tank, I think 24 to might be better

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I have been thinking the same thing with the gauge of my wire. All I have had on hand is the 22g, but I've been looking into getting some 24 or 26 to play around with. I'm just trying to get pointed in the right direction, because the whole tank thing is foreign to me. I have had 7 different RDA's so I have a good handle on that, but with the RTA game, I'm lacking in the knowledge department lol

 

[vapdivrr]

I have been thinking the same thing with the gauge of my wire. All I have had on hand is the 22g, but I've been looking into getting some 24 or 26 to play around with. I'm just trying to get pointed in the right direction, because the whole tank thing is foreign to me. I have had 7 different RDA's so I have a good handle on that, but with the RTA game, I'm lacking in the knowledge department lol

Are u using temp control? If so and you are using a sub ohm tank, then you can get away with it a little more , but if not I think a slightly thinner gauge is better. I don't use sub ohm tanks, I use more of the gem, erlkonigin types in the 25 watt range and they just wouldn't work with such a thick gauge. But imo , with what your describing, a 24g seems better, this way you can increase your resistance a little. Tanks in general , don't fare as well as drippers when it comes to super low resistances because they don't wick quite as well

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[Train2]

A few things to consider -
What are you wicking with? Might want to experiment with different wicks.
What's your wick look like when you're changing it out? Is it gunked, or burnt? If you're toasting it - work on the build or power settings to find a vape you like wihtout scorching.

And last, this is weird, but I find with my setups (typically thinner wire duals, 0.5 ohms or so, on a mech - so only 30-40 watts - and japanese cotton) that often - not ALWAYS - but often - there's a kind of "turnaround point" in my wick/flavor.

Meaning, it's AWESOME when fresh, then there's a little bit of a flavor drop off day 2 or so, but if you push through, then it comes back - and then I've got a wick I can vape for a week. Seriously. I'm not certain what's changing during that lull - but it's a definite phenomenon.

 

[93gc40]

The biggest determiner of how often you will rewick is the juice you are vaping and the heat levels at which you are vaping it. Sweeter and darker tend dirty up faster IMO, in this area, the wick, pretty much just determines how easy it will be to clean/change. Sometimes you will have to decide the type of wick material and the way you install it based on expected maintenance and compromise taste and/or vapor. Sometimes to get the best flavor/vapor you have to plan for increased maintenance.

 

[Labubs]

Pretty much all has been said regarding VG, sweeteners, dark vs clear, figured I'd throw one more suggestion in there....I have heard the Mutank has a larger than usual build deck, but in my experience with dual coil RTA's, unless you're using an RDTA like the Aromamizer it's very, very difficult to go bigger than a 2.4mm 28 gauge or 26 gauge coil, around 6 or 7ish wraps without shorting out on the barrel. The Billow v2, Goblin Mini, some of my favorite tanks, were insanely frustrating at first because I went in with an RDA mentality. Try smaller diameter coils (will increase flavor and airflow around the coil too, bonus) and DEFINITELY thinner wire.

Wicking is just as big, if not a bigger, issue than the build itself. Too much or little in the coil, dry hits. Too long or too short tails, dry hits. Each RTA (which have become basically all I use) has its own wicking sweet spot that you just have to find with trial and error. One thing I do is after juicing up, wick placement, and screwing the barrel back on, I take a 1.4mm screwdriver and stick it down the wicking channels past the cotton to open up some room for juice to enter. Never hurts unless you push the coil into a short, and if you can't get the driver down the channel to where you can see it from outside the barrel, you need to take it off and trim the wick. RTA's are amazing once you get them down, all I use nowadays, but each has its own personality you need to figure out. Best of luck!

EDIT: Also, when you screw the barrel on, if there's cotton sticking out, it needs trimming. Forgot about that one crucial point.

 

[RAWRferal]

As others have said, OP... get yourself some Rayon.

Hella cheap, tonnes of improvements over cotton, including longevity, it lasts way longer without degradation... Waayyy longer!

I still use cotton for quick and dirty rewicks (I find rayon takes a little longer to trim correctly) but rayon is essentially superior in every way IMO and would definitely address the issues you're having!

 

[sig-cmt]

...so it's fairly normal to need to re-wick every few days?

If you vape dirty NETs, you may end up wicking upwards of four times a day. Even on spaced coils wicked with rayon...

 

[Skitzo88]

Okay, so I've gotten a lot more replies than I thought I would, so THANK YOU everyone for the great hints. I have messed around with it a little bit and figured out that dropping my wattage down to 40 and adding about 5% vodka to my juice that my flavor is much better as well as my wick has lasted about 2x as long. So far, I have gone through about 30ml of the liquid I thinned down, and no flavor or vapor reduction. I have been highly considering rayon or something else just to give it a shot and see how it goes. So I guess I'll just the changes I made to my juice and my power, and get some rayon and give that a go when it gets here