TC not working as I think it should

[Fvandercraats]

Hello there fellow vapers!

I appear to have a problem that boggles my mind.

I have been vaping for about 6.5 years, tried lot's of stuff, etc.

Last year I ordered the Fumytech Windforce, which is an absolute blast so far regarding sub-ohm powervaping.
Last week I decided to try the included SS notch coils and tried TC, which I have never tried before.
Unfortunately, I think it's not working as it should be, or as I think it should be. Been looking around the internet to see if I can find a solution, or even the answer that it's working as intended. No luck so far, so that's why I'm trying it here.

My setup is:
Fumytech Windforce
Reuleaux RX200

I'm using a dual SS notch coil, which reads 0.14ohm and set TC on 55 watts @ 225/230 degrees celsius.
When I fire it up, the current wattage sometimes reads somewhere between 40-55 watts @ 225/230 degrees, which is an excellent experience, but more often it reads 10-15 watts @ 225/230 degrees, which is just meh.

As far as I know, the device, with current settings, should always fire around 55 watts @ around 225/230 degrees.

Does it work this way? If so, what is causing the device to fire 10-15 watts 7 out of 10 times and how can I fix it so it will fire constantly around 55 watts?

Also as a bonus question:
I'm using triple Samsung R25 18650 batteries, on powermode I know how to calculate current amps being drawn (altough I somehow always forget how to calculate it again), but how does it work in TC mode?
I know with this setup and these batteries I can safely fire pretty much anything I want, but I still would like to know.

I will definately be one happy vaper if someone can help me out!

Thanks

 

[stols001]

Have you locked in your SS resistance at room temperature? The only thing I can think of is that since SS resistance does change over time, the mod might be automatically dropping the resistance. That, or if the temp in your tank is rising too high that it's automatically reducing preheat to maintain temp, but unless you are chain vaping, I'm not so sure it would be doing that and the whole point of TC is to NOT do that but if temps are rising drastically, I could see wattage preheat decreasing to continue to keep temps low.... I haven't actually run into that issue but I vae very low wattage in any case.

Sorry, I don't know that mod and/or TC, it really should be asking if it's a new coil if vast resistance changes are going on (and they shouldn't be vast) I'd find the second possibility more likely, but I am far from an expert guru on TC and I am sure one will be along to help. Those were just my two initial thoughts that came to mind, but they may both be quite inaccurate.

I wish you the best of luck, though.

Anna

 

[Fvandercraats]

Hi Anna,

thanks for the reply and help!

I did lock the resistance at room temperature, so no issues so far.

After I had this issue for a couple of days I have been playing around with it in both TC mode and Power mode, as in, what does the resistance do if I fire it at Power mode, what happens if I up the temp and/or wattage in TC mode.

The resistance never changes, no matter what I do or how long I fire it in either mode when resistance is unlocked.
If I, for example, up the wattage to 100 watts and keep the temp at 225/230, it still has the same problem, but instead of it sometimes reaching 40-55 watts, it now reaches 80-100 watts and still most of the time it will reach only a lowly 10-15 watts.

I do chainvape usually, but in this situation I tried everything. Chainvape, 1 inhale every minute, every 5 minutes, hell, even once every 30 minutes. The wattage range seem to be completely random no matter how often I fire it.

It's rather frustrating to have only good vapes 3 out of 10 times.

Well, I'll wait for further help then

Cheers

 

[Hawise]

Hi @Fvandercraats, welcome to ECF.

It sounds to me like TC is working properly, but it's not set at something that suits you or your coil. The watts setting on TC is actually the maximum watts the mod is allowed to use to reach the set temperature. If you've set it at 45 watts and 225 degrees, the mod should fire at 45 watts until the coil reaches 225 degrees. Then the mod will lower the wattage to whatever it takes to keep the coil at 225 degrees.

My first question is pretty basic, but it's easy to overlook. Are you sure you're using the right setting for your coil? Your mod should have different settings for SS, Ni and Ti, at least. Also, are you sure the coil is SS316l? I looked up the Windforce and it says the notch coil is SS, but it doesn't say what type of SS. You might have more information than I do, but if the coil isn't SS316L it won't work properly with the mod's default settings.

Assuming it is SS316L, the part that I don't fully understand is why you like the vape sometimes but not others, as it should be very much the same for each inhale. I've never tried TC with a notch coil, and I wonder if it could be causing problems. Hopefully someone who has tried it will drop by the thread.

My suggestions are:

1. Make sure the coil is 316L.
   
2. Try changing the temperature. You might prefer a higher temperature. Your coil might also prefer a different temperature - a temperature that works well with one coil won't always work as well with a coil of different design.
3. Try a different type of coil.
4. Keep experimenting and/or hope someone who can be more helpful drops by soon.

Good luck!

 

[suprtrkr]

Hi and welcome. It is normal for the machine to vary the power applied during the drag; that's how they work.

If you can stand a brief lecture...

It is a basic fact of physics that all metals conduct electricity, and that all metals vary their resistance to current directly with temperature; that is, the hotter they get the greater their resistance. This is how TC mods work. Coils are built of metals known to have a "flat TCR curve," meaning this variance of resistance is near constant across the relevant temperature scale. So, you install a new coil and "lock it in" to the mod at room temp. Knowing the room temp resistance, and the TCR curve (which you told it by selecting the type of TC, viz. SS or Ni or Ti, or by inputting the TCR factor manually) the board calculates what the resistance of your coil should be when it has attained the temperature you have set on the mod. As you fire the mod, it measures the coil resistance as temp in the coil wire increases. This can be done several ways, and how is not relevant. As the coil wire attains the set temperature, the mod enters temp protection mode and "backs off" the power to keep the coil from overheating past your set temperature. This can be done by pulsing the power on and off, or by varying the applied voltage to the coil (which, per Ohm's law also varies the applied wattage.)

I don't think you have anything to worry about. The machine sounds like it's working as it should.

 

[Steamer861]

I'm using a dual SS notch coil, which reads 0.14ohm and set TC on 55 watts @ 225/230 degrees celsius.
When I fire it up, the current wattage sometimes reads somewhere between 40-55 watts @ 225/230 degrees, which is an excellent experience, but more often it reads 10-15 watts @ 225/230 degrees, which is just meh.

I'v had this happen more than I care to admit. It's all ways a poor connection problem some were along the line. Try this when you get the weak hit (10 to 15 watts) Remove the atty, & re install it. See if it prompts new/same? & if the residence has changed? If the resistance reads different, you have a weak connection some were along the line. I'l admit some times it can be a real mystery just exactly were the problem is.
Again more than I care to admit I have stripped down atty's & coils found nothing & they worked fine after reassembled.

 

[tokarev]

I'v had this happen more than I care to admit. It's all ways a poor connection problem some were along the line. Try this when you get the weak hit (10 to 15 watts) Remove the atty, & re install it. See if it prompts new/same? & if the residence has changed? If the resistance reads different, you have a weak connection some were along the line. I'l admit some times it can be a real mystery just exactly were the problem is.
Again more than I care to admit I have stripped down atty's & coils found nothing & they worked fine after reassembled.

Poor connection is likely the problem, but it's a known problem with the RX200 (and all the other RX models, AFAIK). They are built with a not-so-reliable 510 connector. It's been discussed a lot in the RX200 thread (and others). I pretty much quit trying to use mine in TC mode. One of these days I'll probably take it apart and replace the 510 connector with something better, like one from FDV.

Also, the advice about removing and replacing the atomizer is good as far as it goes but remember that you have to let the atomizer cool down for 10 minutes or so before you reattach it. If it's not at room temperature you will never get a correct resistance reading.

 

[madstabber]

The only thing I could add to what’s been said is that some of these cheaper mods are known to have a poor temperature control mode. I haven’t tried the Reuleaux RX200 or read much about it but many of the sub $100 mods test poorly at TC. Possibly it’s just an issue of a mod that’s not very good at temperature control. Good luck and I hope you find a way to get a satisfying vape.

 

[djsvapour]

I only use TC/TC wire with atomizers where I can be certain of how wet the cotton/coil is.
My experience with factory coils is that they backed off the power almost instantly, spoiling the experience. Actually, I call factory coils and cheap TC mods nothing more than a gimmick, bordering on failure.
So - what does this have to do with a rebuildable tank? The same thing will apply. If your coil gets too hot because it's not 'juiced up' enough the TC will kick in and drop the watts down to much lower than you'd like for a satisfactory vape.
You can only fix this in the quality of your build really. Too wet and you'll flood. Too dry and the TC will give you nightmares. Mostly, if I use TC wire, it'll be on a dripping atomizer where I control the juice and not have the mod control my enjoyment with finicky TC.

 

[BrotherBob]

It's rather frustrating to have only good vapes 3 out of 10 times.

Welcome and glad you joined.
Too many variables can occur to cause this type of problem. Your best bet is to read and experiment.
Might like to read:
Temperature Control: What It Can Mean for You
https://spinfuel.com/all-about-temperature-control/
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/threads/temp-controlled-vaping-rocks.758695/

 

[Fvandercraats]

Hi there,

thanks for all the replies.
I tried the tank with this build on my friend's DNA and it had the same issues. So I think I have to look into the coils themselves. I did read that the notch coils are tricky because the legs break very very easily, so perhaps the coil itself has a connectionissue, altough my resistance never every changes (both mod and ohm-meter). There we're also SS316L ribbon twisted coils in there, which are more regular then notch, so on my next change I'm going to try that.

However, after I put the tank back on my RX and put my wattage a bit lower (45) and temp higher (260) and it works fine. Wattage is always around 40-45 no matter how many vapes I take. Tho it's not perfect due to the higher temp. For the time being I'm happy enough with the current build until I switch my coils and hopefully solves the problem.

Meanwhile I'll be looking into other mods. Anyone has a suggestion or good experience with a good 2 or 3 battery boxmod? Features I would like it to have is an amp reader and ofcourse a proper TC mode.

Thanks a bunch people!

 

[Steamer861]

Meanwhile I'll be looking into other mods. Anyone has a suggestion or good experience with a good 2 or 3 battery boxmod? Features I would like it to have is an amp reader and ofcourse a proper TC mode.

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