Straw vs Solid vs U-Wick

[Bunnyboy]

Hi guys, been using genesis tanks for a month now. Read up on the different builds of coil and wicks around here. However there are just some things i can't seem to figure out.

What's the difference between straw wicks compared to solid and u-wicks?

The plus and minuses of each type. How does it affect and can i get the same VTF from them?

I've noticed the diffence in 2 gennys i have, got a solid wick going in my aga-t and a straw in my did. Vapor wise my did is pushing out much more and they both are at the same 1.0ohm coil setup. Is there something wrong with the aga-t setup?

Thanks!

 

[jasl90]

No idea. This isn't a variable that I've experimented with... but I think this should be an interesting topic. Subscribed...

 

[Rule62]

The only thing a wick has to do is supply juice to the coil at the same rate as the user vaporizes it off. If it can't supply enough, the user will experience dry hits. In my experience, solid, tightly rolled wicks, with little or no center hole, hold lots of juice; but they act as a big heat sink. Meaning that the wattage must be set higher, in order to compensate for the heat sink effect. Thinner, straw type wicks, don't hold as much juice; but can be used at lower watts. It's a matter of finding the combination that suits your vaping style, as well as the type of device you are using. I've never personally done any experimenting with U wicks. For me, I've never seen any point.

 

[scrappy]

I use strictly dripping atomizers, but my personal experience is I've never had luck with any of the crazy shapes, hybrid wicks, or dual coil stuff. And I've tried a lot of them. I usually build 3 or 4 wicks/coils a week just for fun. I built two new set ups last night just for the hell of it. One was a .6 ohm coil which didn't give me enough flavor and the other was a .7 ohm dual coil ss deal that didn't perform at all. When I go to work I need something that has always performed and for me it's just a plain jane straight hollow wick. I discovered the wonders of super low resistance just a couple days ago, and the wicking demands of those set ups brings out any short comings in a wick in just a few puffs. Anything that's above 1.2 ohms I use as little mesh as possible, but with the slr stuff that didn't work well. Yesterday I used a bit more mesh when making a slr coil and I didn't have a dry hit all day. But in the 1.2 ohm set ups that much mesh didn't work at all.

 

[pdib]

Yeah, what ^Rule62 and ^scrappy said. Below 1Ω, cram as much 500 ss mesh in there as you can. Also, drilling out wick hole as big as your particular AGA will allow. At .7Ω, I'm enjoying one where I managed to get the wick hole/wick to 5/32", solid. Above 1Ω I've played with: solid, straw, straw with a skinny insert wick floating in it . . . . they all can work (depending on your voltage an flavor pref.). Tried some u-wicks and dual coil u-wicks. The best is a simple straight wick; then start looking at your air hole. Positioning first; but also size. AGA seems to work best with air hole around 3/64". What's the air hole size on a DID?

 

[Bunnyboy]

Yeah, what ^Rule62 and ^scrappy said. Below 1Ω, cram as much 500 ss mesh in there as you can. Also, drilling out wick hole as big as your particular AGA will allow. At .7Ω, I'm enjoying one where I managed to get the wick hole/wick to 5/32", solid. Above 1Ω I've played with: solid, straw, straw with a skinny insert wick floating in it . . . . they all can work (depending on your voltage an flavor pref.). Tried some u-wicks and dual coil u-wicks. The best is a simple straight wick; then start looking at your air hole. Positioning first; but also size. AGA seems to work best with air hole around 3/64". What's the air hole size on a DID?

its a stock air hole.


so from what i'm reading in order to make a solid wick work as well as a straw i've got to set my coil up to be of a lower res?

 

[pdib]

The inverse. If you WANT super low res, you'll probably want solid. I wouldn't go low res in order to use solid. You'll have to try for yourself and see. Generally, tho, air hole size and location has more to do with vapor and TH, than do wick configurations. If you're curious about the variation you're seeing in the two atomizers, look into that comparison.

 

[Thrasher]

no what he is saying is it takes less power to get the same amount of action from a thinner wall straw wick on the geni with the solid wick just try turning up the power a bit. it should work better with a bit more juice. i roll sort of solid, not really a straw but not tight either.

give you and example, on my cobra i always use right around 1.8 to 2 ohms. when i roll a straw wick. i get kicking vapor right around 4 v
with a solid fat wick i need to go to 4.3 to 4.5 for the same effect.

how much mesh will affect the heat of the coil. a thin wall straw wick will also pump it out from the end of the opening, something a solid wick doesnt do.

 

[st0nedpenguin]

A nice solid wick with a ~.7ohm coil is about where I find my happy place.

 

[Bunnyboy]

i see. thanks guys.

cause for me what i'm looking at is a non-leak genny setup. and this can only be done with a solid wick. however i noticed the difference in vape for the same setup comparing solid and straw. thats why i was wondering what else can i do to maintain a non leak setup with the same clouds i get from the straw wick.

 

[michliu]

I use a straw wick in my original Aga-T and the Aga-T2 with the fill screw in. I love the saturated vape I get with a quick primer pull every 7-8 drags. I've left them on their side overnight without any leaking. I roll my wicks to the size of a 3/32 drill bit on the Aga-T2 and 7/64 on the original Aga-T and my wicks are pretty snug against the sides of the wick hole, preventing any leaking except through the straw hole.

 

[Fred Rogers]

What size of Mesh do you use?

Thanks!

-=fred=-

 

[michliu]

What size of Mesh do you use?

I use 500 mesh. Did something different a few nights ago and made sure the grain of the mesh ran lengthwise on the wick. I also only oxidized the top portion of the wick and it wicks like crazy. I've been through a couple of tanks without having to tilt or do primer puffs.

 

[aarondante]

I recently played around with some 200 mesh I got for free with my 500 from themeshcompany.com. I rolled a solid wick (about the same dimensions I would use with 500). Though it felt as if it was less dense as usual, it's wicking perfectly in my AGA T+! Better than my 500 wicks. The only time I need to tilt is when my tank is running low on juice.

Edit: I'm pushing 10.5 - 11 watts on a 2.4 ohm coil

 

[scrappy]

I switched to 28g kanthal yesterday and my usually reliable hollow wick wasn't cutting it. Tried a solid wick and it has no problem keeping up. I think with wicks it's kinda like Goldilocks. With a 2.4 ohm coil at 9w I use a hollow wick with as little mesh as possible and it wicked great, but a solid wick didn't work at all. At 1.3 ohms at 9w I had to add more mesh to my hollow wick to get it working right, but again a solid wick didn't work with that set up. Now that I'm at .7 ohms with 28g kanthal on a mech mod a hollow wick didn't work and a solid worked wonderfully. Go figure.

 

[Hello World]

In either case, I usually find I have to tip anyways. Since solid wicks hold more juice I rarely run into dry hits.

 

[iKN0WaGH0ST]

I haven't had any luck with solid wicks at all. If I take two sequential drags, I get a dry hit. Running a .8 ohm on a mech mod. So I use a straw wick using 400 mesh.

 

[Verdant]

I prefer a straw wick, performs alot better in my DID

 

[st0nedpenguin]

I don't think this thing would dry hit if I tried.

 

[xbassman]

I use 500 mesh. Did something different a few nights ago and made sure the grain of the mesh ran lengthwise on the wick. I also only oxidized the top portion of the wick and it wicks like crazy. I've been through a couple of tanks without having to tilt or do primer puffs.

Still feeling this made a difference?

I've been using the same #500 mesh wick and coil for a couple of months. (straw type)
The only issue with it is that it doesn't wick well without tipping.
After reading your comment, I pulled out my sheet of mesh and had to look really hard to see a "grain".
I looked at it for a bit and it appears that the grain looks like I have rolled it around the wick instead of along the wick.

This afternoon I may have to give this a try. I'm opening a bottle of DIY juice that has been stashed away for a month steeping.
I expect it to be spectacular!

BTW-I tried a couple of solid wicks and failed with them as well.
All I got was muted flavor and low efficiency due to heat sink effect.