Rebuilding vivi nova with Kanthal

[Hudson791]

I am new to rebuilding but watched a youtube video on rebuilding my vivi nova heads so thought i would give it a go.

I was fine using my ego twist but today changed to a lava tube 2.0.

The problem with this is that my coils are only 1Ω and the lava tube shuts down at less than 1.3Ω.

I just bought the first Kanthal I came across it is 25mm. Someone has suggested that I should try 0.12mm 36AWG, I am not to sure what that means or how it would increase the resistance of my coil.

Could one of you guys try and explain to a noob how this works and give me some ideas for a wire purchase.

Cheers

 

[pdib]

.25 mm Kanthal can work. (that's 30g?) 32g, or .20 would be as thin as you need to go. With the .25mm, stack your wraps right against each other, so they're touching. Do a 6/7 wrap, and you should be fine.

methinks

 

[CloudZ]

Are you wrapping directly onto a silica wick? If so, what is the diameter of the wick and how many wraps? I've rebuilt a couple vivi heads with 32 ga nichrome, which seems to be ideal for 2.5ish ohms. I imagine that something around 1.8 ohms with 30 gage kanthal would be approximately the same coil geometry.

If I remember right, I am using a 2.5 mm template and wrapping about 6 times.

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[skoot]

Yup, I do 5-6 wraps of 32 for 2.4 ohms usually. Just do a few more wraps, that will increase the resistance.

 

[Hudson791]

Are you wrapping directly onto a silica wick? If so, what is the diameter of the wick and how many wraps? I've rebuilt a couple vivi heads with 32 ga nichrome, which seems to be ideal for 2.5ish ohms. I imagine that something around 1.8 ohms with 30 gage kanthal would be approximately the same coil geometry.

If I remember right, I am using a 2.5 mm template and wrapping about 6 times.

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I am wrapping about 5 times onto 3 x 1mm wicks - confused

 

[skoot]

Try one with 7 wraps and see what you get.

 

[CloudZ]

Try one with 7 wraps and see what you get.

Ditto.


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[Hudson791]

Hmm still cant get it - tried 7 wraps and only got 1.2Ω

 

[Nanooks]

Get larger gauge kanthal then. With .32 you should be getting over 2 ohms. You may have a short if you are getting that low ohms. Make sure you aren't crossing your leads as you thread it through the cap. Push neg lead close to the wall and the pos closer to the center.

 

[CloudZ]

Hmm still cant get it - tried 7 wraps and only got 1.2Ω

How can you have more wraps but lower resistance? Are the coils touching each other? If they are, that's basically a short. You need at least a tiny gap between them.

Another thing to try is wrapping around more wick to make the coil bigger. Try 4 or 5 strands of silica.

Honestly, 32 gage is going to be a lot easier to rebuild a Vivi with. There just isn't much room to work with.

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[pdib]

Coils can touch each other . . . . . all day long. (every day)



edit: did you ever peek inside an HH357? Did you ever try it?

 

[BigSteve940]

I have done this quite a bit. I use a 30g Kanthal but check-it I build a Uwick out of stainless steel, Its a pain in the balls but they last a long time and they CLOUD VAPOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO IT RIGHT NOW I COMMAND YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BigSteve940]

Coils touch each other all day long, Like Micheal Jackson touches kids son!!!!!

Coils can touch each other . . . . . all day long. (every day)



edit: did you ever peek inside an HH357? Did you ever try it?

 

[CloudZ]

Coils can touch each other . . . . . all day long. (every day)



edit: did you ever peek inside an HH357? Did you ever try it?

Yeah, if they are oxidized. Pretty sure the atomizer you are mentioning come pre-oxidized. Bare metal on bare metal is a short.

EDIT: hmmm... it seems this idea may not apply to high resistance wire. Must do more research.

EDIT 2: Just tested with a length of 32 gage nichrome and a meter. Looping the wire onto itself so it touches halfway lowered the resistance by about half. So it does short on itself when unoxidized.


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[pdib]

I have done this quite a bit. I use a 30g Kanthal but check-it I build a Uwick out of stainless steel, Its a pain in the balls but they last a long time and they CLOUD VAPOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO IT RIGHT NOW I COMMAND YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Like this?

View attachment 199572View attachment 199573 . . . . . . . .ok

 

[Endor]

Get larger gauge kanthal then. With .32 you should be getting over 2 ohms. You may have a short if you are getting that low ohms. Make sure you aren't crossing your leads as you thread it through the cap. Push neg lead close to the wall and the pos closer to the center.

Yep, x2. Sounds like crossed legs to me too.

Another thing to check: make sure the coil is not touching the inside of the cap (or head). Should be free floating on all sides. Pinch the coils together tightly and use a toothpick to center it front to back.

Even with 30awg, a 7 wrap should put you close to 2 ohms with a coil in the 2mm inside diameter range.

 

[Nanooks]

Coils can touch each other . . . . . all day long. (every day)



edit: did you ever peek inside an HH357? Did you ever try it?

Coils can, but if the leads to the post are crossing under the coil you will get a short, and a low ohm reading.