Red Hot Top Leg.... Then Flames

[sraab813]

Ok so I have an AGA-T2 this is only the second wick/coil I have done on it. The first setup worked fine, I worked up this combo last night and has been working fine. I just pulled the top cap off to see how much it was putting out and I have discovered a few things. First of all I have only had this combo going for 9 hours, 7 of which I was sleeping for so in 2 hours of on and off use my coil seems to be getting a black coating on it that looks something like insulation on a wire. Second thing I noticed and the more important of the two, is that the top leg of my coil is now turning red hot and sometimes causes the juice to burst into a flame. It also will only fire for a second or two before the coils stops. I am running this on an ego style battery, and when the coil stops going red hot the button is still lit, making me assume that there is a short somewhere. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Just for info i am running 325 ss mesh and my coil is 5/6 30ga kanthal

 

[Rmcgloth]

The black coating is normal. Most juices leave buildup, some more than others due to sweeteners or tobacco extracts. Dry burn on an empty tank and then rinse, and your coil will clean right up. Agat is notorious for hot legs at that top, so here are some things to try: make sure the top wrap is touching the mesh all the way around until it leaves for the post, push the wick towards the post to shorten the gap, add an m2 washer beneath the top nut, again, shortening the distance, wrap the wire all the way around the post and twist it back over the leg until it gets to the coil. You can try to sort out the short by nudging the wire where it stops glowing, continue this process until the glow goes all the way down the coil. The last method may be tricky with an ego battery. Keep in mind that a hot leg is a partial short, and if your battery starts getting hot, give it a break. I would suggest picking up a cheap mechanical. For a total of 40$ you can get a battery, mod, and charger, and pulse out the hot spots safely. Good luck!

 

[Rickajho]

You're about to kill your eGo, if you haven't done it already. Really not a battery for RBA/RDA if you aren't checking with a meter.

 

[sraab813]

Rickajho I did check with a meter

 

[pdib]

Awwwwwww, I came looking for pics . . . . . sounded cool.

 

[sraab813]

pdib i will see if i can get some pics

 

[Rmcgloth]

Awwwwwww, I came looking for pics . . . . . sounded cool.

I saw that on a mud flap of a semi on my way home from fishing today...

 

[pdib]

I see your mudflap
















and raise you half a fish.

 

[sraab813]

Ok so I got some pics of it happening soooo Here ya go

 

[pdib]

right. so your coil is shorting into your wick exactly at the point where the glow stops (on the downhill edge of the glow). This short is causing yo' witto' battery to shut down? (whatever). It's a wire tension issue. Too tight on the wrap there. I can't imagine trying to "pulse" diagnose, or pulse remedy, your setup with that battery (people hate doing it on VAMOs and such).


So, if all of your coil is as tight as right there, you need to wrap looser. However, that's the typical spot where it could be isolated to just right there. Pick your wire by snudging the next coil (under it) up a little. this may relieve enough tension. secondly, the nut on the center post of the AGA-t is notorious for pulling the wire along with it and creating that over-tension right at that location. Loosen your top nut and relieve some tension on the wire. When you retighten, use the 2nd nut and "back tighten" that way, making sure you don't pull the wire.



lastly, sometimes the AGA-T will spin the whole kaboodle when you put in on a device. the 510 positive makes contact, you twist a little more and the whole center post twists (it's all one piece) and pulls your wire . . . . screwing up a perfectly good build.

 

[pdib]

I should add that that is very much a short, and not just tension. A distinct little spark/glow like that is current passing into the ss mesh. You will alternatively or also need to move that section of wire away from that section of wick . . . . . . they like each other too much now. Just a fraction will do. Move the wire up or down so as to not add tension to your coil.

 

[sraab813]

Pdib so let me first off thank you for all of the info. I have learned more in the 10 min it took me to read and comprehend your two posts than I have in the last week. Secondly let me ask you a question. When rolling a wick do you fold the edge in and crease it tightly so that it presents a clean edge for the coil to pass over? I saw pbusardio do this in one of his videos. I did this on my first wick and had no problems the second wick I didn't and boom there's flames lol

 

[pdib]

the fold is . .. . . can be good or bad. I've seen where the thickness created by the fold was the source of the added tension on the wire that caused issues. Frays are no good either. I think I used to orient the line of the fold right up the spine of the wick (facing the center post). That side seemed to have the least tension issues for me. If, however, you cut clean and watch for frays when torching your mesh (nip or file any frays away), you don't need the fold. At some point, I stopped folding.

 

[SilverZero]

right. so your coil is shorting into your wick exactly at the point where the glow stops (on the downhill edge of the glow). This short is causing yo' witto' battery to shut down? (whatever). It's a wire tension issue. Too tight on the wrap there. I can't imagine trying to "pulse" diagnose, or pulse remedy, your setup with that battery (people hate doing it on VAMOs and such).


So, if all of your coil is as tight as right there, you need to wrap looser. However, that's the typical spot where it could be isolated to just right there. Pick your wire by snudging the next coil (under it) up a little. this may relieve enough tension. secondly, the nut on the center post of the AGA-t is notorious for pulling the wire along with it and creating that over-tension right at that location. Loosen your top nut and relieve some tension on the wire. When you retighten, use the 2nd nut and "back tighten" that way, making sure you don't pull the wire.



lastly, sometimes the AGA-T will spin the whole kaboodle when you put in on a device. the 510 positive makes contact, you twist a little more and the whole center post twists (it's all one piece) and pulls your wire . . . . screwing up a perfectly good build.

I just had this issue with the first build on my AGA-T2. In fact, because my mod has a floating pin, as I was tightening the top section onto the battery tube the center pin and the insulator in the AGA were pushing up and out of the deck. My mod isn't as snug as I'd like it to be but I guess I'll have to live with it for now.