Serpent RTA by WOTOFO

Status
Not open for further replies.

dwcraig1

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Mar 17, 2012
9,013
49,403
Imperial Beach, California
I'm new at making clapton wire but I'm practicing, here's my first use of Ni200 in a while. Two strands 28 gauge tempered Ni with 34 gauge Kanthal wrapper.
12466207_1128935477130675_8847200965678768700_o.jpg
 
Last edited:

dwcraig1

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Mar 17, 2012
9,013
49,403
Imperial Beach, California
Nice, what did the resistance come in at on that build?

Did you vape it yet?
Just now vaped it, pretty heavy duty. 0.051Ω. 40 watts, 70 watts preheat, highest punch
Edit: I had to remove the 12 mg nic and replace with 5, more tolerable now.
 
Last edited:

Dobo

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Dec 20, 2014
219
331
Tbilisi, Georgia
I just received mine and have a few questions for the Serpent owners - is your juice control part of the tank wobbly when fully open? Does it move when pulling it up and down a bit? Can you see a gap between it and the tank's uppermost end when fully open? Do you sometimes have a liquid seeping out of the place where juice control and tank meet (uppermost)?
 

freedogg

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 15, 2013
1,245
3,117
Erie,Pa
I'm new at making clapton wire but I'm practicing, here's my first use of Ni200 in a while. Two strands 28 gauge tempered Ni with 34 gauge Kanthal wrapper.
12466207_1128935477130675_8847200965678768700_o.jpg


Holy crap!!!

If that build lacks flavor or vapor, just throw the tank in the trash!! lol
 

freedogg

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 15, 2013
1,245
3,117
Erie,Pa
Well, I've got one built, but I'm not sure what I think of it yet. Its being perfectly behaved so no complaints about floods or machining quality, or anything like that. It top filled perfectly.

I'm just not getting the flavor I expected (yet).

I did have one goof with coiling. A right handed coil will align much better to the wick channels. So I had to pull my first coil, and wrap another in the opposite direction, and then coiling went easy.

Wicking was simple.

Filling was great.

But I keep cranking up the power and its a very cool vape. I'm running a 3mm 6 wrap 28/32 clapton at 1.36ohm. I'm at 25W now and its still pretty cool even though it ramps up fast. I've gone with a smaller drip tip and even closed the afc some.


roxy....glad to see you got a Serpent!!

I've had these since their release and really enjoy them. I've found the closer the coil is to the airflow hole, the better the flavor. My fav Clapton build is 4/5 wrap 28/32 spaced .76ohm between 40-50 watts. Vaping Muffin Man with this buid as I type. MM is 80 VG and the space coil has no prob "keeping up". Once I got the Serpent dialed in it became one of my favs and then 3 more showed up at my door!!

BTW did your Stout come yet?? I think the Serpent would look outstanding sitting atop the silver Stout. I tried to order one yesterday but the silvers were out of stock. :(
 

roxynoodle

Unregistered Supplier
ECF Veteran
Jun 19, 2014
15,344
37,213
Ohio
roxy....glad to see you got a Serpent!!

I've had these since their release and really enjoy them. I've found the closer the coil is to the airflow hole, the better the flavor. My fav Clapton build is 4/5 wrap 28/32 spaced .76ohm between 40-50 watts. Vaping Muffin Man with this buid as I type. MM is 80 VG and the space coil has no prob "keeping up". Once I got the Serpent dialed in it became one of my favs and then 3 more showed up at my door!!

BTW did your Stout come yet?? I think the Serpent would look outstanding sitting atop the silver Stout. I tried to order one yesterday but the silvers were out of stock. :(

Funny you should say that as the Serpent is on my Stout :). I just got the black Stout as black is one of my favorite colors. I had planned to put the Griffin on the Stout, but I didn't know what I was getting into with those fused Claptons, ha ha! As soon as I realized I was going to be using approx 100W, my plans changed for it.

The Serpent is coming around for me. Funny how some builds just need more break in time. And hopefully I'll remember to wrap my coils for it the opposite way of what I'm inclined to do. I did put in a spaced Clapton for the first time, and that may be affecting my experience as it cools significantly faster.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heartsdelight

roxynoodle

Unregistered Supplier
ECF Veteran
Jun 19, 2014
15,344
37,213
Ohio
roxy....how are you liking the Stout?? Hows it feel in the hand?? Soon as silver is stocked I'm gonna snag one!
It was the snooze/lose scenario. lol

I like it a lot. Its much smaller than it looks in pics, and is very comfortable. It feels good quality and the buttons are nice. I forgot to do the update yesterday when it came, but I'll try to remember that today.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heartsdelight

Jeremy Schreiber

Super Member
May 27, 2015
313
200
36
I should note that my leaking problems or wicking problems are a result of this being my second RTA, not the Serpent's fault. I've tried about 5 different wicking methods but was getting dry hits with each and pulled 3 of them out too early and, in retrospect, realize the tank was too low (I was trying to keep from wasting juice if it was going to dump out because of my wicking). After filling about 3/4ths of the way I've been able to get the wicking reasonable, but very far from ideal. I have been able to get an idea of the flavor/vapor production and its very, very good. My only point of comparison is the MT which I think a monkey can wick (as I can do it without being half as careful as I am when I am unsuccessful with the Serpent!) I think I just need to do some trial and error until its working the way I want it to, I'm just wasting a ton of cotton lol.

Dwcraig: that's a beautiful build. Do you need to change the TCR at all for that coil to work well? (thinking the answer is no?)
 

roxynoodle

Unregistered Supplier
ECF Veteran
Jun 19, 2014
15,344
37,213
Ohio
The update looks like a PIA to do. What 26650's do you use?? I'm gonna have to get some. I promise no more questions and I'll get back on topic!!

I bought the exact same MNKEs Mooch tested, and from the same place to try to ensure I got the same batteries (IMR Batteries). They were $6.50 each.
 
  • Like
Reactions: freedogg

roxynoodle

Unregistered Supplier
ECF Veteran
Jun 19, 2014
15,344
37,213
Ohio
I should note that my leaking problems or wicking problems are a result of this being my second RTA, not the Serpent's fault. I've tried about 5 different wicking methods but was getting dry hits with each and pulled 3 of them out too early and, in retrospect, realize the tank was too low (I was trying to keep from wasting juice if it was going to dump out because of my wicking). After filling about 3/4ths of the way I've been able to get the wicking reasonable, but very far from ideal. I have been able to get an idea of the flavor/vapor production and its very, very good. My only point of comparison is the MT which I think a monkey can wick (as I can do it without being half as careful as I am when I am unsuccessful with the Serpent!) I think I just need to do some trial and error until its working the way I want it to, I'm just wasting a ton of cotton lol.

I clipped both tails at the edge of the deck. I use rayon so the tails were quite bushy. I cut the corners off each tail because of that. Then just juiced them up and pushed them onto the deck and back a bit. I'm using Looper, which is pretty thick and I haven't had to fully open the jc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: freedogg

Jeremy Schreiber

Super Member
May 27, 2015
313
200
36
I clipped both tails at the edge of the deck. I use rayon so the tails were quite bushy. I cut the corners off each tail because of that. Then just juiced them up and pushed them onto the deck and back a bit. I'm using Looper, which is pretty thick and I haven't had to fully open the jc.

Thank you. Not into the juice channels at all, correct?
 
  • Like
Reactions: freedogg

roxynoodle

Unregistered Supplier
ECF Veteran
Jun 19, 2014
15,344
37,213
Ohio
Thank you. Not into the juice channels at all, correct?

No, but I wouldn't be surprised if a bit got in them when I screwed the deck on. Keep the tails short to lesson how much gets pushed in. It obviously hasn't affected mine since I didn't even have to fully open the jc with thick juice. And I'm running at like 5.6v, which is much higher than I normally vape at.
 

jackmormon

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 27, 2013
186
264
Maybe the wicking is off.

What has worked great for me is a "pancake" style of wicking mentioned earlier in this thread.

I wick the cotton tight through the coil. Then cut the tails right at the edge of the build deck. Fluff the ends until they're fanned out (I do this by blowing on them). Finally, I put a couple drops of liquid on the top of each "pancake" only, then install it into the tank and let the rest settle where it wants to.

I've done this 3 times now, and it's worked beautifully.

My coil is much simpler then yours, and the flavor is still great.

Thanks VaPreis! My first wicking went great. 2nd not so. I have used your method for the next two wickings and it is a champ!

Anybody having wicking issues give this one a try. Maybe the easiest wicking ever!

I also don't find the need to be too fussy about filling. Just close the juice control. Fill it up. Put the top back on -- all the way. Turn it upside down and open the juice control. No leaks or over saturation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heartsdelight

dwcraig1

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Mar 17, 2012
9,013
49,403
Imperial Beach, California
I should note that my leaking problems or wicking problems are a result of this being my second RTA, not the Serpent's fault. I've tried about 5 different wicking methods but was getting dry hits with each and pulled 3 of them out too early and, in retrospect, realize the tank was too low (I was trying to keep from wasting juice if it was going to dump out because of my wicking). After filling about 3/4ths of the way I've been able to get the wicking reasonable, but very far from ideal. I have been able to get an idea of the flavor/vapor production and its very, very good. My only point of comparison is the MT which I think a monkey can wick (as I can do it without being half as careful as I am when I am unsuccessful with the Serpent!) I think I just need to do some trial and error until its working the way I want it to, I'm just wasting a ton of cotton lol.

Dwcraig: that's a beautiful build. Do you need to change the TCR at all for that coil to work well? (thinking the answer is no?)
I was thinking it would be different than just Ni200 but used SE calculator and it was the same.
 

Jeremy Schreiber

Super Member
May 27, 2015
313
200
36
Thanks to VaPreis (and Jackmormon recommending I try that)! Another wicking issue solved with his instructions. My issue was I wasn't getting good pancakes before on the wick ends, but blowing on it helped to shape it so I could fluff it out with a screwdriver. I was able to fill without leaking and it seems to be keeping up with the power I want to run to the coil. I did have to close the juice flow a little bit, but I think it is as good as I have had it wicked so far. I'm going to try roxy's method too at some point.

Edit: Dwcraig, I don't mean to derail the thread, but real quickly - I think the problem I've had in the past with nickel claptons was that I was wrapping with nickel and then I was getting shorts if I didn't get the wrap wire just right. I'm assuming that isn't an issue if you are using kanthal to wrap?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread