RTA: wicking the "sweet spot"

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Mr.Zander

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Apr 14, 2018
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If you're not so much into top airflow atties, a tank with juice flow control might do the trick for you. Shut off the jfc and the juice is sealed inside the tank.

Something lke that one:
$23.52 (Free Shipping) Authentic OBS Crius II Dual Coil RTA Rebuildable Tank Atomizer (Crius II Dual Coil, 304 SS + Glass, Silver) at m.FastTech.com

Yeah that makes sense. My Ammit 25 has juice flow control. I'll be trying to remember to close it off as I go - that could avoid some aggravation right there. Lately I've been forgetting to close it even when I'm filling the tank, and this is definitely giving me some leaking during filling. What a knucklehead.
 
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Mr.Zander

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Apr 14, 2018
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New York, NY
Ok so the Zeus (top air intakes) is ordered and the rayon is ordered, and they should solve all my woes. But it turns out I'm not quite done with this thread yet.

Yesterday I re-wicked the Ammit 25 and did a complete rebuild on the Merlin, and they both performed perfectly. I could never ask for more. Juicy and max flavor & fullness with hardly any spitback, I could chain vape on them both and they didn't even blink. Absolutely dry even during/after filling. Perfect performance.

Today I took them both to the office, one in my bag and one in my pocket, and they both went "off" in the OPPOSITE way. Neither leaked, but they both choked up. Both went just a little starved for juice, flirting with burnt hits, enough that it makes me want to come home and rebuild. I had to lower the wattage on both to baby them a bit. Really?!

All this tells me either we'll talk about juice clogging my wick, or there was some wick expansion/tightening within the wick holes overnight.

Until I learn otherwise, my conclusion is that the standard/regular RTA geometry is too finicky/temperamental, and top air intakes rule the future. That way it can run a little wet and so what. Maybe like squonking or RDAs. Then the only risk is tight wicking that starves the coil.

I'm certainly not done with these present devices. They're fun. But I can't wait for that Zeus.
So, sorry for the long story but that's how much it takes. I didn't have time to write a short one.
Somebody teach me where I'm wrong. Please and thank you.
 
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Sugar_and_Spice

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You could always start to open them up just enough to see air bubbles starting and then quickly close again. This allows the juice to get to where you want it. it appears that the juice may have drained away from the coil just enough to start to dry out and restarting that 'prime to pump' is all that is needed. I think what happens when tanks sit overnight is they may lose some of the pressure inside the tank that messes with the flow of the ejuice. A couple of other things to try is do a couple of puffs without hitting the fire button to help pull the juice through or you could try turning the mode and tank upside down for a couple of seconds and then turn right side up again. Look to see if air bubbles are being produced. I tend to do both of these together and it seems to help.

Let us know.

:)
 

Mr.Zander

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Apr 14, 2018
16
28
New York, NY
You could always start to open them up just enough to see air bubbles starting and then quickly close again. This allows the juice to get to where you want it. it appears that the juice may have drained away from the coil just enough to start to dry out and restarting that 'prime to pump' is all that is needed. I think what happens when tanks sit overnight is they may lose some of the pressure inside the tank that messes with the flow of the ejuice. A couple of other things to try is do a couple of puffs without hitting the fire button to help pull the juice through or you could try turning the mode and tank upside down for a couple of seconds and then turn right side up again. Look to see if air bubbles are being produced. I tend to do both of these together and it seems to help.

Let us know.

:)
Well yeah, sure S&S, I'll pick one up and give it a couple shorter lighter hits to bring it up to speed, that'll draw the juice it may need and cause it to bubble if it then needs - and once it bubbles you can be sure the pressure has gone to standard running pressure. And I can use it but I need to be delicate or I overtax it and get burnt. Exactly like when you overwick. Ok but it was perfect for four hours last night, overwicked now. Tells me it changed. I'm just not excited about having to baby it or do anything that takes two hands to do! LOL
I mean I'll never stop fiddling with 'em, but I'm getting annoyed.o_O
 
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Sugar_and_Spice

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Well yeah, sure S&S, I'll pick one up and give it a couple shorter lighter hits to bring it up to speed, that'll draw the juice it may need and cause it to bubble if it then needs - and once it bubbles you can be sure the pressure has gone to standard running pressure. And I can use it but I need to be delicate or I overtax it and get burnt. Exactly like when you overwick. Ok but it was perfect for four hours last night, overwicked now. Tells me it changed. I'm just not excited about having to baby it or do anything that takes two hands to do! LOL
I mean I'll never stop fiddling with 'em, but I'm getting annoyed.o_O
The only other thing I can suggest is when you rewick is to thin the tails a bit.

Wicking just takes practice and each tank is different. Once you find the right way for you, then it becomes easy after that.


I have been using tanks for a long time and each has their own Idiosyncrasies. The trick is to find the one that is worth it for you. Since I control the amount of wicking that goes in, the thing I care about is if it leaks. Nothing worse than a mess of ejuice all over everything.

:)
 

Mr.Zander

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Apr 14, 2018
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New York, NY
In store pricing is about double online just about everywhere, not just NY. I have 2 stores I do go to which are good about hanging out at and juice tasting. I usually mix my own, but due to circumstances have had to go back to retail juice, and I'd rather pay a bit more but test it first, than order a new unknown juice online and hope it tastes right for me.

I just got back from a nice walk to the vape shop to enjoy this beautiful 80 degree day, and carried an Engine on my mod for the trip. Perfect for a sunny Saturday afternoon walk with no hassles.

Eskie looks like I owe you a cup of coffee. Got the Zeus yesterday, 1st build last night, still on that build. This thing is a dream. Like perfect. I take 2 devices to work. The second one I can fiddle with, give it attention. The first one is always the Zeus.
Lemme know when you're headed out to that shop if you want, we can compare notes.
Peace!
 
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Steve W Pedersen

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I hate to be a Debbie Downer here but there's quite a few folks that like me found the Zeus to be near impossible to Wick correctly if after you get the Zeus and start having issues with it I recommend heartily the Themis tanks RTA they have a dual coil and a mesh version both work Wonderful for me and are very easy to Wick and work on.
Good luck with your Zeus I sincerely wish you all the best with it.
 
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Rangertrix

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Wicking to prevent leaks is also more technique dependent than wick material, IMO.
As Anna says, it works well for her because it plays to her strengths.
Rayon is very forgiving and I think it could be a great choice for you.
That being said, other things to think about are temp variation, elevation, etc.
If I go from a climate controlled building out into a markedly different outdoor temp, I immediately take a few puffs so the temp variation doesn't cause a leak.
If I fly anywhere I store my tanks in unused pill bottles. They're sealed so the altitude difference doesn't cause them to leak and if they do it's contained.
If I have to leave a mod in my vehicle for extended periods of time where they will potentially get very hot or very cold, I always close off the airflow and sometimes remove my RTA from my mod, store it upright, and sometimes use the pill bottle trick. (The pill bottles also help with storing them upright.)
Just things to think about. Thought it might be useful for a New Yorker that does a fair amount of walking. YMMV.
 
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Mr.Zander

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Apr 14, 2018
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28
New York, NY
I hate to be a Debbie Downer here but there's quite a few folks that like me found the Zeus to be near impossible to Wick correctly if after you get the Zeus and start having issues with it I recommend heartily the Themis tanks RTA they have a dual coil and a mesh version both work Wonderful for me and are very easy to Wick and work on.
Good luck with your Zeus I sincerely wish you all the best with it.
Thanks Steve. It's been cranking great for a couple days, then flooded this morning - I was wicking it just over the "light" line into "too light". No sweat there but now I've been experiencing the "way too bland, no flavor" issue. Working on it. I really do love the simplicity of a single coil. I think the perfect tank for me is exactly like this but with a simpler deck and with max flavor. I plan to keep fiddling with this one to coax out the flavor (I'm sure it's there) and I'm certain this year we'll see other similar options. I have the Asmodus Zesthia - it's absolutely classic single coil 2-post, bottom airflow. Just need that in top air intake, clean & simple!
 
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Mr.Zander

Full Member
Apr 14, 2018
16
28
New York, NY
Wicking to prevent leaks is also more technique dependent than wick material, IMO.
As Anna says, it works well for her because it plays to her strengths.
Rayon is very forgiving and I think it could be a great choice for you.
That being said, other things to think about are temp variation, elevation, etc.
If I go from a climate controlled building out into a markedly different outdoor temp, I immediately take a few puffs so the temp variation doesn't cause a leak.
If I fly anywhere I store my tanks in unused pill bottles. They're sealed so the altitude difference doesn't cause them to leak and if they do it's contained.
If I have to leave a mod in my vehicle for extended periods of time where they will potentially get very hot or very cold, I always close off the airflow and sometimes remove my RTA from my mod, store it upright, and sometimes use the pill bottle trick. (The pill bottles also help with storing them upright.)
Just things to think about. Thought it might be useful for a New Yorker that does a fair amount of walking. YMMV.
Sound advice, Ranger. That all makes a lot of sense - I'll have builds perform slightly differently on different days. I't made me wonder if a cotton wick will sort of settle in across the first 24 hours, or settle in after a couple days or whatever. But the issue remains, we're trying to get real close to that line, and then every time I pull a tank from my pocket I'm checking it for sticky. And then sometimes with the sticky fingers, and sometimes without a rag handy, and then sour for the whole ordeal. That's why the top air intake is an absolute dream for me.
 
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