Starting with rebuildables

[dr4ke1990]

I currently live in the UK (sometimes important as some stuff isn't available over here) and currently use an MVP 3.0 Pro battery with a Ego One Mega clearomiser. From what I understand you need a clearomiser that is capable of handling rebuildable coils, but once you have it sussed it offers a better vape experience as well as being much cheaper?! So...

1) I'm nowhere near an engineer (I'm a software developer so hardware is not my strong point) - what is a VERY easy clearomiser to learn on? It needs to be compatible with my MVP 3.0 pro. I understand there is a choice here between a dripper and a tank - what's the difference, and where should I start?

2) are there any decent, simple tutorials out there? I've read a few articles and they are a little complex and make it clear this can be quite dangerous so I want to make sure I can make this as simple as possible for now.

3) My MVP 3.0 Pro has a resistance measurement - is this sufficient or am I going to have to purchase an additional device to test the resistance of my rebuildables?

4) any other advice? I've no idea what to do so any words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

hi @dr4ke1990 . You have a nice mod for what you are asking to do. I would suggest the Kanger Subtank Mini. You can use the factory coils of 1.5 and .5 (which can be purchased) or build your own coils on the build deck with this tank. I would suggest you tube video's once you select your tank. Example :, ,

It's always smart to buy and own an ohm meter to check the resistance of the coils you build (and to look for shorts).

I also recommend a coil jig like the Kuro Koiler It will help you build coils.

 

[Eekins]

First off, congrats on getting into rebuilding. It saves money on coils and can be very satisfying once you find that perfect vape.

You dont need to be an engineer, a technician or anything really fancy to build your own coils. It helps, but plenty of people out there do it just fine without having hands on skills. All you need is a basic working knowledge of electricity (google was my best friend), ohms law and somewhat steady hands and a decent pair of eyes or glasses that assist the eyes.

I would personally go with something other than a subtank. I've had my own problems with them that I just don't like dealing with them. With that said, many people find them easy to build on and love them. If you do go with a subtank, make sure its a new one where the rba chimney has holes in the side.

I actually like rebuilding on my Goblin, its a dual coil deck, plenty of space to build on and wicks easy in my opinion.

With an mvp pro you dont NEED a resistance tester, but I would suggest getting one. I dont know if the mvp has a live reader or if you need to fire in order to check the resistance. A resistance can jump and this is primarily due to post screws needing to tightened and without the tester you wouldnt know till after you filled your tank.

There are plenty of tutorials on youtube. Whatever you end up getting as an rta just look it up in youtube.

Have fun with rebuilding and be safe.

 

[dr4ke1990]

hi @dr4ke1990 . You have a nice mod for what you are asking to do. I would suggest the Kanger Subtank Mini. You can use the factory coils of 1.5 and .5 (which can be purchased) or build your own coils on the build deck with this tank. I would suggest you tube video's once you select your tank. Example :, ,

It's always smart to buy and own an ohm meter to check the resistance of the coils you build (and to look for shorts).

I also recommend a coil jig like the Kuro Koiler It will help you build coils.

Thank you very much for your reply (and apologies it has taken me a while to reply!) - I do have one question; how do you determine the resistance of your rba coil? Those Kuro Koiler sticks seem good but not sure how to make sure I get a 1.0+ ohm resistance (I'm not a sub-ohmer).

I'll also definitely look into getting the Kangertech subtank Mini!

 

[dr4ke1990]

First off, congrats on getting into rebuilding. It saves money on coils and can be very satisfying once you find that perfect vape.

You dont need to be an engineer, a technician or anything really fancy to build your own coils. It helps, but plenty of people out there do it just fine without having hands on skills. All you need is a basic working knowledge of electricity (google was my best friend), ohms law and somewhat steady hands and a decent pair of eyes or glasses that assist the eyes.

I would personally go with something other than a subtank. I've had my own problems with them that I just don't like dealing with them. With that said, many people find them easy to build on and love them. If you do go with a subtank, make sure its a new one where the rba chimney has holes in the side.

I actually like rebuilding on my Goblin, its a dual coil deck, plenty of space to build on and wicks easy in my opinion.

With an mvp pro you dont NEED a resistance tester, but I would suggest getting one. I dont know if the mvp has a live reader or if you need to fire in order to check the resistance. A resistance can jump and this is primarily due to post screws needing to tightened and without the tester you wouldnt know till after you filled your tank.

There are plenty of tutorials on youtube. Whatever you end up getting as an rta just look it up in youtube.

Have fun with rebuilding and be safe.

Thank you I've not actually 'got into it' yet, I'm just considering my options; but hopefully I will do soon!

What are the options if I don't get a subtank? Is this where the option of a dripper comes in? So you wouldn't recommend the Kangertech subtank mini!?

It is a live reader - as soon as I put the tank on it tells you the resistance Is there any specific tester brands etc that I should get or does it not matter?

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

Thank you very much for your reply (and apologies it has taken me a while to reply!) - I do have one question; how do you determine the resistance of your rba coil? Those Kuro Koiler sticks seem good but not sure how to make sure I get a 1.0+ ohm resistance (I'm not a sub-ohmer).

I'll also definitely look into getting the Kangertech subtank Mini!

I use this steam engine : Coil wrapping | Steam Engine | free vaping calculators input the wire size, coil diameter and target resistance.

bookmark this page for future reference, I use it often

 

[Eekins]

Thank you I've not actually 'got into it' yet, I'm just considering my options; but hopefully I will do soon!

What are the options if I don't get a subtank? Is this where the option of a dripper comes in? So you wouldn't recommend the Kangertech subtank mini!?

It is a live reader - as soon as I put the tank on it tells you the resistance Is there any specific tester brands etc that I should get or does it not matter?

I personally like building in my Goblin RTA. If you're looking for single coils I would say a Lemo 2. If you have your heart set on something that you can put in stock coils whenever you want, go witha Triton.

Ohm readers definitly matter. Some can be off by .01 ohms and that can actually make a big difference should you ever get into RDA's and deep sub ohms. Theres an ohm reader out there that reads up to 3 decimal places, its american made. I cant remember what its called but it works really well.

 

[Ou2mame]

I would recommend the delta 2 with the rba deck. It's completely fool proof. The subtank is kind of a waste of a tank cause of the flavor muting and either the old rba deck not working well or the new one with the holes and screws, isn't so great either.

The lemo, while a great tank, has a few issues. You can't remove the deck without draining the tank and when you're new, you will be experimenting and trying new coils and correcting mistakes so it's a pain. Plus, it's kind of sensitive when it comes to wicking. I love my lemos, but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner.

The delta rba is like a mini lemo, and fool proof. I've never gotten a dry hit. It just works. And the base comes off with the rba with ease, and you can build and rebuild and not worry about emptying the tank. The flavor and vapor production are great. And you can also use pre-built coils.

The Triton is junk. The rba is insanely hard to use, and doesn't work, and is nowhere near a traditional setup. That tank is such a waste of metal.

And don't worry about being a "subohmer", it just means below 1ohm it's nothing special there's no magical line you cross when you go into that territory. It's just that with higher airflow, the air through the coil tends to cool it so a thicker wire holds more heat, so it's just beneficial. And the larger surface area of the coil creates more vapor and flavor and blah blah blah. I build my delta with 26g at 0.8, and run it at 25w. So technically it's a subohming, but I'm using a micro coil and its really just a great setup. But you could add a wrap and do down 5 watts and be at 1ohm and I'm sure there would be very little if no difference at all.

As for knowing what you're building, there are online calculators that will tell you how many wraps of what gauge coil at what diameter will equal what ohm and how much power it will require. But once you build a few times you'll know how many wraps equal what ohm and all that.

 

[NealBJr]

Thank you very much for your reply (and apologies it has taken me a while to reply!) - I do have one question; how do you determine the resistance of your rba coil? Those Kuro Koiler sticks seem good but not sure how to make sure I get a 1.0+ ohm resistance (I'm not a sub-ohmer).

I'll also definitely look into getting the Kangertech subtank Mini!

Definately my first recommendation. Subtanks are good for starting RBAs. As a tank setup, they're great, and for RBA section, they're good too. Try rebuilding, and if you get tired or stumped, just stick a stock coil in it and continue vaping until you figure it out.

Also, the stock coils are easily rebuilt, but I would stick with the RBA part at first. Depending on your vape style, I would probably start off at getting 26 gauge kanthal, and a pack of japanese cotton. The Kuro Koilers really make things easier as well. Here's where I get mine from, but I live in the states. It should give you a rough idea of how much and what to get.

Subtank Mini
Replacement Coils *buy only if RBA doesn't go well
50 or 100ft Kanthal A1 28 gauge
Coil Jig or Cloned Kuro Coiler (authentic is pricy)
Organic Cotton

I know, sounds like much, but for me, 100' has lasted me 2 years (and going), and the cotton is going on one year for a 10 pack that I bought at a local vape store.

 

[Ou2mame]

I've blown through 25' in a few months but I like to experiment and play with my drippers and rtas. My friend has a coil jig and its ok but i just use micro screw drivers. I had them and they work plus you can use them for other stuff too. I hate buying things that have only one use. Like the cuticle cutters I bought and also use them for my nails and the tweezers i use to rip nose hairs out... i do clean them after lol

The best part about micro screw drivers is the handle edge, I use that to bend creases in my coils when I want to position them left or right of their post, and if makes it very easy to wrap roo

 

[Ryan Hatch]

what about a kayfun to start with? easy to set up and great flavor. Those subtanks will never get the flavor of a kayfun IMO

 

[MikeyConti]

I second the Kayfun for building coils, granted it may be a little harder than a subtank rba, but if you get it down right the taste is great and you can say I build my OWN coils! lol

I use 28G Kanthal and build to 1.4ohms for taste, not subohming.

If you want to stay blowing larger clouds, I saw someone else recommend a Goblin RTDA, another good one to start building on.

 

[djsvapour]

There are loads of good rebuildables out there.

I haven't used a resistance tester in months (I must admit) because I know if I've done a good job (or not) and the mods I use will "computer says no" at me if I've messed up.

Kayfun (clones) are easy to start on. Subtank mini is good too (RBA). Both will be perfect for size on MVPs.

When coiling for a Kayfun, I'm looking for about 1.2-1.5 ohms. On Subtank 0.8-1.2 maybe.
It doesn't need to be spot on. I try for spot on doing a dual coil dripper, and for that, I use an online calculator.

(I don't sub-ohm b.t.w) I sometimes use sub-ohm coils, but run them at less than normal sub-ohm range (which, for me means 18+ watts).

 

[Unothegreat]

I'm going to second the subtank as a great starter RBA. It was my first rebuildable, and since then, all I use now are rebuildables. Two subtank minis, and two lemo 2's, and a lemo drop.

The subtank is incredibly easy to build on. I've found my sweet spot at 1 ohm, 6 wraps of 26 gauge, 3mm ID, and vaping at 20-25w.

There's a bit of an up front cost, but it definitely saves you in the long run. Do yourself a favor though, and get a coil jig. It takes a bit of practice, but hose things are fantastic!

 

[suprtrkr]

Hi and welcome to the board. I've been building my own for some years now. There's a learning curve involved and it can be frustrating at the beginning, but I find it very satisfying once you have attained some skill and it is unquestionably a lot cheaper than buying factory made coils.

The difference between a tank and a dripper is pretty simple: a "tank," as the name implies, holds a supply of juice aboard for future use. A dripper does not; one must continually replenish the juice as it is vaped away. I usually put 10 drops of juice in my dripper and that'll be enough for about 6 or 8 hits. Then it needs more. Drippers will almost certainly be easier to learn on as the build deck (where you assemble the coil and wick) is bigger than most tanks.

The real danger in rebuilding is overloading the amp capacity of one's battery. This can cause it to vent, or light on fire, or even explode in extreme cases. However, this caution applies far more to mechanical mods than the regulated mod type, such as your MVP. I do not suggest caution is not advised; it most certainly is. But really, it's much less of a worry unless the mod electronics fail and even they they have to fail high (on) before it would matter. In general, with a regulated mod, an unsafe build will be detected and the mod will not fire. All that said, I really do recommend an ohmmeter. If nothing else, it makes a handy building stand upon which to put your atomizer base to assemble your coils.

You say you prefer to stay above one Ohm. This leads me to believe you are going to be a Mouth-to-Lung hitter. If this is true, any of the Kayfun tanks you have been recommended will be a good choice. I have a Kayfun V4, a Lite and a Russian 91. I like the V4 best: it has top fill capability and, with the subohm kit I installed, breathes far better than the other two. I am a Direct to Lung hitter, however, and no Kayfun makes enough airflow for me. For single coils I use my Lemo 2 tanks. I like these a lot, and they are very adjustable as regards coil value and ariflow and such. I run mine wide open with subohm coils, but I have a friend here on the board who coils hers above 1 ohm and closes the airflow down to make a MTL tank out of it. We both get good results. There are any number of drippers out there. I am not really a dripper guy, although I often use them at home. I don't like to carry around all the stuff to drip while I am moving and I prefer tanks for that purpose. So while not an expert, I can tell you I like both my Dark Horse and my Plume Veil drippers, and I had no trouble building on them.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

I had clearomizers. Then I bought one RTA to learn with and try out. Because I had the clearomizers, I didn't have the sense of need to rush. I learned on a Kayfun 3.1 because it is simple, but, there are many now that are better engineered mechanically.

Being a nearly entirely RTA person, I have a lot of different RTAs. I would say the Subtank Mini. Stay with the clearomizers while you are tinkering.

 

[GeorgeS]

+1 on the Subtank mini (plus) - ensure that you get the new "+" model, the RBA has better wicking

While small they are easy to build on and if all else fails you have the two stock coils it comes with or there is a decent selection of Kanger and 3rd party coils that are inexpensive to use. Plus if you get the tank in BLACK there is a Fastech top fill tank replacement which can come in handy.

Lemo2 - much more room to build, top fill and emptying the tank is a no-brainer if you have a syringe to suck the juice out with. I vape on a Lemo2 everyday - it is one of my favorite tanks.

Flavor and clouds: a bunch can be said about both, while often the ID of the coil, overall size and resistance (and power level and air flow setting it is operated at) all factor into how vapor is produced and how much of it is produced, the design of some tanks may function somewhat better than others however the ultimate differences being subject to user opinions.