Switching back to non metalic wicks.

[neptoon]

Long story short, Been vaping for 2 months or so. Started with a nova. didn't like it. Switched to rba's (aga t2) ss mesh. Been vaping on the ss mesh for about a month now and decided to stop because of unreliability especially while out and about I keep finding myself on long drives fiddling with the damn mesh to get the stupid hotspots so the inhales are not harsh but its crossed the line already. Its not that I don't know what i'm doing because I do. I spent vast hours (probably weeks of research and many hours of videos) learning how to wick and coil and oxidize etc...

I don't know maybe its this nichrome wire? is kenthal more reliable for hotspots than nichrome comparing at same awg? let me know but I went out and bought myself some martha stewart hemp/cotton wick just for the hell of it because someone recommended it on a video. I'm thinking about dropping the aga t2 and purchasing an Igo-L. So after reading this let me know what you guys think.

Main thing is I just want a guaranteed enjoyable vape while im out and about without having to worry about readjusting coils on the move.

 

[MT Pockets]

from what I've read kanthal is a better option, I use 32g and 28g, but I'm new to ss and the aga T2. Got mine about a week ago
and love it. It does take a bit of fiddling with but the taste is outstanding + I get a certain amount of satisfaction
when it works well. I usually use my pro tanks when not at home. I rewicked them and have them running between
1.2 and 1.5 ohms and get really good vapor from them

 

[Crash Moses]

While I'll agree that SS in an RBA is fiddly I'm not ready to give up yet...but yes, they can be durn frustrating.

For what it's worth I threw some 3mm silica in my AGA-T2 yesterday (out of that same frustration) just to see what would happen and it's working great. Better than I've ever gotten out of mesh (due to my wick building skills I'm sure).

I've also had good success with using mesh in combination with silica (ya put the silica in the middle and roll 'er up!).

I just ordered another AGA-T2, an RSST, and an IGO-L along with 100ft each of 32awg kanthal and nichrome. That should be enough to experiment with. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[tidegirl]

I am brand new to AGAs. I got my first coil going well, using a pre burnt while I experiment with oxidizing my own, but I am a bit baffled by the hotspot issue as well. I will have what looks like perfectly spaced coils with hot spots. Phil's video looks like he has perfectly spaced coils with hot spots. I don't really know what I'm looking for- I just keep fiddling with the coil until it works.

 

[scooterholic]

I use a aga t2 and I got tired of the hot spots to, so I put silica in it and it worked great then I gave the ceramic wicks a try. No more hot spots and a clean taste I don't think I will go back to ss. The only draw back is they are fragile. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ing-porous-ceramic-wicks-418.html#post9516557

 

[generic mutant]

A lot of people getting interested in wire rope as well.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/rebuildable-atomizer-systems/375999-wire-rope-wick.html

A fellow AGA-T2 ss mesh sufferer. :-(

 

[EdCal]

Don't give up!!! After fiddling with SS mesh wicks, different gauges of kanthal and ribbon, different resistances, I finally settled with

a ceramic wick (FC2000) 5.5 wraps of 29 ga kanthal making it 1.3 ohms. 1st tank load of juice vaped nice, second even better. Its

been over a 2 weeks with this setup and it is unbelieveably better. Don't give up, the wicks get better with every use.

 

[Red_Bird]

Long story short, Been vaping for 2 months or so. Started with a nova. didn't like it. Switched to rba's (aga t2) ss mesh. Been vaping on the ss mesh for about a month now and decided to stop because of unreliability especially while out and about I keep finding myself on long drives fiddling with the damn mesh to get the stupid hotspots so the inhales are not harsh but its crossed the line already. Its not that I don't know what i'm doing because I do. I spent vast hours (probably weeks of research and many hours of videos) learning how to wick and coil and oxidize etc...

I don't know maybe its this nichrome wire? is kenthal more reliable for hotspots than nichrome comparing at same awg? let me know but I went out and bought myself some martha stewart hemp/cotton wick just for the hell of it because someone recommended it on a video. I'm thinking about dropping the aga t2 and purchasing an Igo-L. So after reading this let me know what you guys think.

Main thing is I just want a guaranteed enjoyable vape while im out and about without having to worry about readjusting coils on the move.

XC-116 Ceramic Wick Kiln Heat Treated – Big Tex Vapor

It sells out fast.

 

[Lessifer]

I'll probably look into the ceramic (braided or porous) at some point, but for now silica genny style in an aga-t works for me. I get as good flavor as I get dripping in my phoenix and I don't have to worry about hotspots. You can also use cotton, just be careful not to choke your wick.

 

[Unforeseen]

Moved to Assorted PV Topics - Rebuildable Atomizer Systems

 

[pdib]

I've had successful builds in the AGA with, ss mesh, ceramic (hard), ceramic rope, cotton, silica, jute, and a machine screw. Think outside the box. It's a tank, a pos. and a neg. connection.

 

[Iforgot1]

How are you guys that use silica wicks setting it up? There aren't many vids on YouTube showing how it's done and they both seem to be Uwicks.

Any help you can give would be most appreciated.

 

[WattWick]

I prefer the Aga to mostly anything due to its consistency. Thing is, if you get hotspots from just carrying it around, you're not done with the jiggery pokery. Don't settle for no visible hotspots on a dry wick. Keep poking and jiggering until new hotspots don't form.

It's also way easier to use lower gauge (thicker) wire. I use 29awg atm, since I couldn't quickly get hold of 28awg. Electricity is lazy and follow the path of least resistance. The less resistance in the wire, the less likely the current will jump to the SS wick. Also, thicker wire won't bite into the wick like the thinner ones. Makes it easier to get it tightly wrapped with no gaps between wick and coil.

I'm no expert, but this works for me. Skinning cats, etc...

 

[scooterholic]

How are you guys that use silica wicks setting it up? There aren't many vids on YouTube showing how it's done and they both seem to be Uwicks.

Any help you can give would be most appreciated.

I use a aga t2 this is what worked for me. I removed the fill screw and the negative screw and used those holes for the u-wick. The old wick hole is used for the fill hole and I plugged it with cutting a old ss wick and flaring one end so it doesn't fall in the tank.

 

[d9mel]

This is pretty interesting, I've tried silica in an ~2ohm aga-t but couldnt get it to work. I'm a sub ohm vaper that uses 60mm-80mm #500 wicks with 28ga, and the new "mystery" white wick with a-1ribbon kanthal. One thing I've found with mesh is that if the coil shorts on first wrap then re wrap it. Every time you get a hotspot a piece of the mesh gets damaged and causes more shorts. 28ga a-1 kanthal makes life a lot easier and the coils stay stable (a stable wick and coil last me a couple of months), you can pick up a 50` roll for $6 shipped too.

Best of luck guys, I might try some silica in a genesis today!

 

[Lessifer]

How are you guys that use silica wicks setting it up? There aren't many vids on YouTube showing how it's done and they both seem to be Uwicks.

Any help you can give would be most appreciated.

I'll try to post a pic later if no one else does but here's my method. Take a length of silica, I'm using 2mm and about 2 inches, fold over one end about 1/2 in. Then using a sewing needle for support I wrap about 5/6 wraps of 30ga kanthal(~2ohm) around the doubled over part. I then thread the tail of the wick through the standard wick hole, it will be short but that's ok. Then wire it using the standard genesis neg screw and the pos post and you're good to go. You'll need to tip as you vape, but nothing insane until you get to the very end of your tank.

 

[Satava]

Wire rope + XC or XS 18 sleeving = works perfectly until the coil is too crudded up to get hot. From what I hear XC-116 is amazing on its own without needing a wire rope insert as well.

I'll never go back to metal on metal coils again.

 

[The Yeti]

I've pretty much given up on gennys as well. I'm using my Odysseus and Igo-L with silica wick. The gennys with SS (or any wick for that matter) are just not worth the fiddling for me.

 

[evgeny131]

the easiest way to get rid of hotspots is to buy ribbon kanthal....i use .5 and .8 kanthal equivalent to 30 and 28 awg....it makes coiling MUCH easier and the flavor is richer because the coil covers much more surface area....i order from kidneypuncher....now i have piles of awg kanthal thats useless to me...View attachment 210086View attachment 210087

 

[evgeny131]

also, move the coil with a jewelry screwdriver or toothpick while it is glowing, u can see the adjustment results immediately and the wire is much more pliable...