Some initial Terminator observations

[comptechltd]

Got the Terminator earlier this week and have been playing with it. I also ordered some 2mm silica wick and an extra ceramic.

I am experienced at rba's and have had one of Imeo's Penelopes since they came out and am very very pleased with it. In fact it's all I use for vaping. Have been trying to get an Oddy for a while when these came available. I think the build quality of the Terminator is stellar.

I tried the wick and coil that came with it and wasn't really impressed but I take it for what it's worth. Rebuilt using the 2mm and doubled it under the coil. It is better but I do get dry hits pretty regularly. I am not sure if the 2mm just doesn't wick as well or if the part of the mouthpiece that screws around the coil is just a but to thick. I say this because when I got my clear tank for the Penny from Kir Fanis his initial run was .5mm in diameter to thin and it caused very similar issues. I believe he made the clears 14mm and they should have been 14.5mm. It made all the difference in the world.

Kinda curious if others have similar issues. I don't believe I'm doing anything wrong but I truly think the mouthpiece where it screws on might be just a bit to thick. Other than that I think the Terminator is a great value for the money.

Steve

 

[smbray]

Got the Terminator earlier this week and have been playing with it. I also ordered some 2mm silica wick and an extra ceramic.

I am experienced at RBA's and have had one of Imeo's Penelopes since they came out and am very very pleased with it. In fact it's all I use for vaping. Have been trying to get an Oddy for a while when these came available. I think the build quality of the Terminator is stellar.

I tried the wick and coil that came with it and wasn't really impressed but I take it for what it's worth. Rebuilt using the 2mm and doubled it under the coil. It is better but I do get dry hits pretty regularly. I am not sure if the 2mm just doesn't wick as well or if the part of the mouthpiece that screws around the coil is just a but to thick. I say this because when I got my clear tank for the Penny from Kir Fanis his initial run was .5mm in diameter to thin and it caused very similar issues. I believe he made the clears 14mm and they should have been 14.5mm. It made all the difference in the world.

Kinda curious if others have similar issues. I don't believe I'm doing anything wrong but I truly think the mouthpiece where it screws on might be just a bit to thick. Other than that I think the Terminator is a great value for the money.

Steve

I was having problems with dry hits till I started putting a straight pin parallel against my wick and wrapping my coil around both then pulling the pin out.I must have been wrapping my coils to tight before.I'm using 2.5 mm wick

 

[smbray]

wanted to add I also quit tightening the top cap down as tight as I could get it,it seemed it would create a vacuum in the tank and juice didn't flow as well,I would have to loosen cap and let air in and then it would give a good vape.now I just tighten it down so it doesn't leak but can also let air in and mouthpiece is easier to turn

 

[dwcraig1]

@ comptechltd, try removing a strand or two of the silica from the side channels
( group of strands )

 

[dwcraig1]

wanted to add I also quit tightening the top cap down as tight as I could get it,it seemed it would create a vacuum in the tank and juice didn't flow as well,I would have to loosen cap and let air in and then it would give a good vape.now I just tighten it down so it doesn't leak but can also let air in and mouthpiece is easier to turn

If your tank leaks air in, especially where the liquid level is above the coil it will leak down through the air tube into your 510 connection just as a carto tank would just not as quickly.

I have the medium clear tanks on both of my Terms and occasionally I forget to close the mouth piece. So when I loosen the collar on the mouth piece lots of air bubbles escape from the base of the mouth piece because when the liquid goes in the air comes out.

Above situation is not to be confused with the air bubbles coming out when you are closing to mouth piece, that is air being pushed out but no liquid is going inside.

 

[smbray]

If your tank leaks air in, especially where the liquid level is above the coil it will leak down through the air tube into your 510 connection just as a carto tank would just not as quickly.

I have the medium clear tanks on both of my Terms and occasionally I forget to close the mouth piece. So when I loosen the collar on the mouth piece lots of air bubbles escape from the base of the mouth piece because when the liquid goes in the air comes out.

no problems with flooding but I don't have to open the mouthpiece very much and I get no dry hits just good wicking.when I was tightening the top collar down real tight I could open the mouthpiece wide open and I would still get dry hits,I would loosen the top collar and then tighten it back and would get good vapor for about 8 to 10 vapes then dry hits again so would do it all over again,so I started leaving the top collar not as tightly closed and have no problems with dry hits or flooding throughout an entire tank of juice,from filled to empty just good wicking with awesome vapor and flavor

 

[dwcraig1]

no problems with flooding but I don't have to open the mouthpiece very much and I get no dry hits just good wicking.when I was tightening the top collar down real tight I could open the mouthpiece wide open and I would still get dry hits,I would loosen the top collar and then tighten it back and would get good vapor for about 8 to 10 vapes then dry hits again so would do it all over again,so I started leaving the top collar not as tightly closed and have no problems with dry hits or flooding throughout an entire tank of juice,from filled to empty just good wicking with awesome vapor and flavor

I'm glad it's doing well but it shouldn't be that way, try what I posted back a few about having less silica in the side channels.

 

[anavidfan]

I have been using my Term for a while with no dry hits or flooding. Last week I got some dry hits and flooding. It happened when I tried 34 kanthal instead of 32. I switched back to 32 and no more dry hits, but I was still getting some flooding. Easy fix, just close the mouthpiece tight and vape off the extra juice and make sure that I closed the mouthpiece and tapped the 510 connection to get any extra juice and clean my PV. It kept bugging me , I would get flooding again after a while. I was used to having the juice flow pretty open without flooding and being able to lay it on its side with no problems I found a post in the GG forum about Ody V1 flooding. Good advice, I re-built my wick and coil, this time trimming my wick at the end of the ceramic housing and making my top wick a bit longer than just the end of the ceramic top cap. I leave it like a bow-tie , trimming the lower part so that I dont hinder anything once I screw down the mouthpiece. The flooding is gone, and I can open up the juice-flow up to get a great moist dense vape with no flooding.

 

[smbray]

I have been using my Term for a while with no dry hits or flooding. Last week I got some dry hits and flooding. It happened when I tried 34 kanthal instead of 32. I switched back to 32 and no more dry hits, but I was still getting some flooding. Easy fix, just close the mouthpiece tight and vape off the extra juice and make sure that I closed the mouthpiece and tapped the 510 connection to get any extra juice and clean my PV. It kept bugging me , I would get flooding again after a while. I was used to having the juice flow pretty open without flooding and being able to lay it on its side with no problems I found a post in the GG forum about Ody V1 flooding. Good advice, I re-built my wick and coil, this time trimming my wick at the end of the ceramic housing and making my top wick a bit longer than just the end of the ceramic top cap. I leave it like a bow-tie , trimming the lower part so that I dont hinder anything once I screw down the mouthpiece. The flooding is gone, and I can open up the juice-flow up to get a great moist dense vape with no flooding.

I was also having flooding problems when I first started building them,I also figured out that I was cutting my wicks to long.I was cutting them even with the bottom of the o ring.I started cutting them even with the top of the o ring and have had no flooding since.I agree the flooding was bugging me pretty bad. As I keep playing with it and changing little things with every rebuild it keeps getting better.

 

[anavidfan]

if there is something that really makes me crazy is leaks of any kind. That was the only con for me with Vivi Novas ( having to keep them upright and swishing) and most genesis types too. I like being able to throw them on my bed or purse etc. Thats what I loved about carto tanks and when I found the Odysseus I was in vape heaven. Now with the terminator everyone can enjoy the perfect atomizer.

 

[smbray]

I'm glad it's doing well but it shouldn't be that way, try what I posted back a few about having less silica in the side channels.

thanks for the advice,but I will probably just keep leaving the top collar not as tight,it's working so well,easier to turn the mouthpiece if I need to and it doesn't pull my mustache hairs anymore,LOL.when I would tighten it down my mustache hairs would go into the little space between the top collar and tank cap and get pulled

 

[horton]

My experience has been to just tighten the mouthpiece and top collar snug -- not tight -- and no problems. I barely have to open the mouthpiece to get excellent juice flow. Using double silica (bow tie) in the coil, making sure the wick fits well in the channels, and snip the wick even with bottom of ceramic.
What I want to try next since I have trouble with feeling in my dominant hand is just using R wire and not making the splice of NR and R wire. It's very difficult for me to do. I'd swear I read a post about using only R wire, but in my old age, I can't remember where I saw it. It's probably right in front of me.....lol. Any comments or suggestions about doing it that way?

 

[comptechltd]

Horton,

They are out of stock right now but COV (sorry cloud...hate listing a competitor in your forum but you don't carry them) has 'Ready' wires available for about a buck a piece that have the length of wires already silver soldered together. They ohm out at about 1.5. Sure does make it easier.

Steve

 

[horton]

Thanks for the info, Steve..... figures someone would sell a pre-made R / NR wire. I can't feel those small wires and have a heck of a time twisting them together, but I'm slowly learning to do it under magnification. I'm just about ready to get the silver solder out and make proper junction between the wires.
I'm still interested in hearing from anyone who is using only R wire. I like the idea and if the wire is carefully tucked behind the silica wick and kept wet, I am curious to know if it will work well. Sure would be nice not to have to fiddle with twisting wire together.

 

[smbray]

Thanks for the info, Steve..... figures someone would sell a pre-made R / NR wire. I can't feel those small wires and have a heck of a time twisting them together, but I'm slowly learning to do it under magnification. I'm just about ready to get the silver solder out and make proper junction between the wires.
I'm still interested in hearing from anyone who is using only R wire. I like the idea and if the wire is carefully tucked behind the silica wick and kept wet, I am curious to know if it will work well. Sure would be nice not to have to fiddle with twisting wire together.

seems I remember in one of these terminator posts jazzytech saying he was using only R wire without problems he was getting around 3.0 ohms if I remember right.you could also try twisting just the legs on your resistance wire into a double wire and your coil single wire.I know that helps when rebuilding vivi novas.I use R and NR wire and just use a couple of mini needle nose pliers to hold the wire and twist it.i may try to make a video on rebuilding one and twisting wires for the non professional since thats whats I am.Scott Bonner(Igetcha69)makes everything look so easy,for some reason I can't rebuild RBAs the way he does and have to find my own way of doing it.maybe my awkward ways will work for somebody else

 

[comptechltd]

You know it's kinda funny. My first half dozen or so that I made I really had no trouble at all. Got my wires twisted without a problem then all of a sudden its like I'm all thumbs.... literally. I just bought a batch of the ready wires and I'm happy now.

Steve

 

[dwcraig1]

It would be nice if they would make some around 2.5 ohms,it seems like just too small of a coil to me.
And what gauge are they?

 

[horton]

How true that Scott makes everything look so easy. I have learned lots from watching his videos.
The idea of using two mini pliers never occurred to me. I am going to try that next time I need to make a wick. Maybe I'll have better luck. It also makes sense to twist the legs of R wire (double them up) as well. Now I have some new ideas to try. Think I got to used to using the mesh which is so much easier to wind the coil on that I need to practice more with the silica wick making.
Thanks for the ideas..... I'll report back when I've tried them......

 

[smbray]

How true that Scott makes everything look so easy. I have learned lots from watching his videos.
The idea of using two mini pliers never occurred to me. I am going to try that next time I need to make a wick. Maybe I'll have better luck. It also makes sense to twist the legs of R wire (double them up) as well. Now I have some new ideas to try. Think I got to used to using the mesh which is so much easier to wind the coil on that I need to practice more with the silica wick making.
Thanks for the ideas..... I'll report back when I've tried them......

I use a straight pin when I wrap my coils.I hold the straight pin parallel with the wick then wrap my coil tight around the wick and straight pin.Then after the coil is wrapped I just pull the straight pin out.It helps to not get the coil to tight and to get the coil wraps neatly spaced apart on that flimsy wick.

 

[comptechltd]

Still having issues with this thing. It is in the collar/oring as mentioned above. If I don't keep loosening it I get dry hits. It is like the o-ring seals to tight and pulls a vacuum inside the tank. If I loosen it then I get flooding. I have had a Penelope for months and NEVER had issues like this. I have ordered some o-rings and hopefully by installing the proper size (as used in the original Ody) it will solve this issue.

Steve