The Lemo RTA: A Build With Pics

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Sun Valley

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yea all I can find is glass tank replacement. Nothing else much. All good. Thanks for your help. I already have new one on the way. Just have to bear with my kayfun.
Do you like the Lemo much better than the Kayfun? I've been atomizer shopping and trying to decide between the Lemo, Kayfun V4, and Taifun GT2. Hopefully they will have spare Lemo parts soon.
 

Elyptic

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Do you like the Lemo much better than the Kayfun? I've been atomizer shopping and trying to decide between the Lemo, Kayfun V4, and Taifun GT2. Hopefully they will have spare Lemo parts soon.

I have an authentic Kayfun Lite+, a Lemo and a Kayfun V4 clone -- no experience with the Taifun GT2.

I think it really depends on what you want to use it for and how you like to vape.

Personally, the Kayfun Lite+ is going to the wife. Too closed of a draw for me and not able to run higher wattage which I like. Still has fantastic flavor and is easy to setup, but not my cup of tea anymore.

For me, the Lemo is capable of a much more open draw than Kayfun V4. It has a bigger build deck and works great for larger nickel builds. Flavor is good, but I think the Kayfun V4 has better flavor. However, the Lemo definitely has bigger clouds for me. It is now my goto atomizer for my VaporShark rDNA40 with a nice nickel build on it.

For better flavor, I like the Kayfun V4. Granted, mine is a clone (Tobecco) , but it works great now that I've tweaked a couple things. I can get decent clouds, but not as huge as my Lemo. Since I care more about flavor, it's fine for me. I prefer it with a 28ga kanthal coil that is very slightly spaced. Wicked properly, I get phenomenal flavor. It is now my goto atomizer on my Cloupor Mini.

So basically, for me, they have two different purposes and both see regular use!
 

MidwestGuy

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I swung by my local B&M the other day ... they were having a sale on Kanger Subtanks (20% off, so paid around $37 w/ tax).

I've had enough time with it to make an accurate (albeit very subjective) comparison for anyone on the fence.

Pros of the Subtank (over the Lemo):
  1. Ability to work on the build without draining the tank
  2. Intuitive airflow control ring with detents
  3. Very well built, solid connections, great machining
  4. Thick glass tank; thicker than the Lemo
  5. No exceedingly sharp edges (I've cut myself a few times on the Lemo edges when I first got them)
  6. Flavor is stronger; this is good for some liquids, not good for others
  7. Wicking seems to keep up a bit better at higher wattages; I can run the device @ higher wattage w/out hitting DNA40 temp protection
  8. Looks; it's kinda "gaudy" looking, with it's size and also with the bright red o-ring accents and polished stainless here and there (it looks OK on my red XPV40, but would look rather ridiculous on most anything else I own).

Pros of the Lemo (over the Subtank):
  1. More airflow
  2. "Simpler" design ... much easier to break down/clean/repair the base. Unable to disassemble bottom portion of Subtank (or: I haven't figured out a way yet)
  3. Much more manageable size, the Subtank is huge (although it fits well on my XPV40 with no overhang)
  4. MUCH lighter, the Subtank will make any mod top heavy
  5. So far the Lemo is more consistent on flavor and wicking. In some cases, I think the Subtank "over-wicks" providing randomly stronger hits than others. The Subtank may not need the wick "bridging" technique I've been using on the Lemo, I've yet to try the Subtank without bridging the wicks.

Overall they're about dead even for me. In some ways the Lemo shines, in some ways the Subtank shines. I'll more than likely be using the Subtank for weaker juices (I get a lot of barely noticeable, high VG flavors from Zample Box that might taste a bit better in the Subtank). Also, I'm not all that impressed with the airflow on the Subtank, even wide open. There is quite a bit more resistance in the draw, and I'm strictly a direct lung guy. You can still direct lung inhale on it, but there is noticeably more resistance. I hear the airflow in the "mini" version is better, but I prefer the tank capacity of the big boy.

Side Note #1: There is a "dissolving insulator" issue with the Subtank - my Subtank came with the old/original insulators, but Kanger US is sending me some free replacements.

Side Note #2: If using the RBA section on a DNA40 (or any device, for that matter) - tighten the bottom positive pin. Mine was lose from the factory and was causing my resistance to bounce all over the place in temperature control mode on the DNA40.

ALL of this being said ... I'm now also kinda wanting to try the Delta II to see how it compares to these two. Great reviews on that tank so far. Too many options!!!
 

sandman97289

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Finally figured out a solution for the issues I've been having with my Lemo Drop making a stable connection to my Vapor Shark rDNA-40. Granted, it worked just fine with kanthal builds, but my Nickel builds were jumping all over on an intermittent basis.

Completely disassembled my Lemo Drop and took a long look at no only the 510 connection, but the internal connection with the bottom of the airflow post. I realized that the machining for the flat head screw slow on the airflow post had some burrs along the edge. Got out a diamond file and smoothed these off, as well as polished it up. Did the same thing to the metal surface it contacts with in the bottom cap.

I then re-assembled the airflow post, but didn't remember which way the ~1mm thick insulating washer was supposed to go in, so I tried it both ways. Found that if I put it in with the rounded side down, it actually made the airflow post extend just a hair more (thus ensuring a better connection).

Put it all back together using a rubber washer underneath the 510 pin to get that to extend just a bit more too. I have found that mine is actually recessed into the 510 shell without it.

All said and done, I've had no connection issues for two days. I think it was a combination of the burr on the airflow post and the tighter connection, but even after filling it, no issues (which is when I used to have to fiddle with it a lot).

I am now fully satisfied with my Lemo Drop. No leaking issues and finally a solid connection!

Thanks! This helped me as well. Mine was fluctuating from .11 to .20. I sanded both connections lightly and now it's stable at .10.
 

Frocket

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I can make a really nice looking coil on a machine screw, but it always gets deformed a bit while installing it. I'm keeping it on the screw, it's just getting that last leg in the hole. I'll either get good enough at pre bending that they slip right in or maybe switch to anchoring at the screws.

Pre-bending the legs is the way to go. Just grab the first few mm of the leg with needlenose, and fold the leg over the pliers. When mounting the coil, slip one lead in, grab the other lead with tweezers and slip in the opposite side.

If you're lucky, the coil will sit pretty right where it's at; if not stick your mandrel/screwdriver through the coil and adjust a little.

e3727f7a3f52b10c22be5d86141ebf2d.jpg


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cigatron

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I can make a really nice looking coil on a machine screw, but it always gets deformed a bit while installing it. I'm keeping it on the screw, it's just getting that last leg in the hole. I'll either get good enough at pre bending that they slip right in or maybe switch to anchoring at the screws.

I tension wind on a screw also. To install the coil I remove the winding screw so the coil can freely spring/bend to get the second leg into the through hole, then put the winding screw in before tightening the screws. Then I use the winding screw to move the coil around where I want it, often times pulling up on it to set the position and height over the airtube. Really tightens things up nice. Once you've jockeyed the legs around so that the coil holds its shape after removing the winding screw it's safe to fire. Sometimes it distorts a little after firing. When it does I reinsert the screw and pull up on the coil again to get the symmetry back.

Side note: cutting the legs off after the bend, just long enough to reach past the post screws inside the through hole, makes it much easier to install the second leg without adulterating the coil.
 
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WeirdWillie

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Man you guys way over think stuff.
Bet you one of my Lemos I can hand wrap and wick a coil kanthal or Ni200 that preforms just as well if not better, without using a coil jig or machine screw.

I find that wicking more so than the coil is what makes or breaks the vape therefore I'm more meticulous about my wicking than how symmetrical my coils are.

Haha ugly coils vape well too:D
 

narrdarr

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i just copied a paste my other post from another post i did that needed help with a spaced coils so since it along the same topic i thought i go ahead and share how i do mine.

my spaced 26g, 3.5mm, 8/9 wrap comes to 1.2-1.3 ohm. i use only a machine screw. the trick is to have the screw in the coil when mounting the coil and to have lead as short as possible trap in the post holes. after you you have the lead tightened down the coil will feel tight against deck. Use the screw and pull the coil up off the deck. it well take a little work, but its important that its hard to pull up on as it will keep the leads from collapsing toward the coil. but once the coil is off the deck it will be practically perfect.

View attachment 409430
View attachment 409431
now for wicking:
i make my ends shorter than most people. mine are usually short enough to place them on the deck before i put the chimney on. sometimes i tuck them in after i put the chimney on it just depends on how i feel at the time, but either way my wicks are just long enough to touch the deck without blocking the juice channel.

View attachment 409433
View attachment 409435
continue to next post

continued pics post:
i use the bridge method to stabilize juice flow on both sides of the well and to hold the coil's wick away from the juice channels. ( i think it may even enhances the flavor abit too.)
View attachment 409439
here you can see the light coming through the juice channel and thats what you want.
View attachment 409441


fill your tank maybe give it a prime and enjoy
View attachment 409442
 

skyboxer1968

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Man you guys way over think stuff.
Bet you one of my Lemos I can hand wrap and wick a coil kanthal or Ni200 that preforms just as well if not better, without using a coil jig or machine screw.

I find that wicking more so than the coil is what makes or breaks the vape therefore I'm more meticulous about my wicking than how symmetrical my coils are.

Haha ugly coils vape well too:D
It's a good thing that ugly coils vape well. Otherwise nobody would have survived the learning curve [emoji4]
 

Brandon David

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Man you guys way over think stuff.
Bet you one of my Lemos I can hand wrap and wick a coil kanthal or Ni200 that preforms just as well if not better, without using a coil jig or machine screw.

I find that wicking more so than the coil is what makes or breaks the vape therefore I'm more meticulous about my wicking than how symmetrical my coils are.

Haha ugly coils vape well too:D

Agreed. I wrap a pretty damned fine coil around a screw driver but every once in awhile, I'll oops a bit on install and it will get a bit funky. As long as it fires right without hotspots, it's fine-- if wattage is adjusted accordingly.

Point of fact, the coil I just pulled out today to rebuild was a janky looking joker but vaped great for a few days.

Side note: I found my new go to as far as builds on the drop when I rebuilt today. 10 wraps of 26g, 2.4mm ID spaced clocked in at 1.1 ohm and the flavor is off the chain at 25 watts. :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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cigatron

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These last few posts have me scratching my head. It's hard to believe that so many have not achieved to proper symmetry and are willing to settle for mediocracy. Wicking to bandaid a coil that clearly shows signs of non-symmetry is like over spicing an improperly aged cut of meat to mask the underlying undesirable flavor notes.

A properly set tension wound coil wicked with kgd in a lemo will chain vape at 45w with no dry hits or burny taste using 75vg from the top of the tank to the bottom. Bridge wicking and/or having to use cc rayon is not required to achieve it and having to do so is an indicator that there is an underlying problem.

Most of the accomplished veterans here on ecf discovered ages ago that symmetry rules the flavor and vapor density worlds. They never looked back, nor will I. I hope that more peeps would find the magic in symmetry and pass it along. Why settle when it can be stellar?
 

loll88

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Alright received mine like finally after using one that belong to my pal, anyway, got it running at .8 ohms uing 26 guage kanthal micro coil. Currently using a vg/pg 60/40 blend juice and buzzing with 7.2 mg nic strength (that is what the calculator says). Vaping at 20-24.5 watts..

Wicked with muji cotton without any tails in the juice wells but rather just sitting on the deck. Really am impressed by the flavor and the cloud is pretty good, it looks like my fogger put out better cloud, but flavor is definitely muted probably due to the drilled out outer air holes.

*nice fluffy white dense cloud*
 

MacTechVpr

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Man you guys way over think stuff.
Bet you one of my Lemos I can hand wrap and wick a coil kanthal or Ni200 that preforms just as well if not better, without using a coil jig or machine screw.

I find that wicking more so than the coil is what makes or breaks the vape therefore I'm more meticulous about my wicking than how symmetrical my coils are.

Haha ugly coils vape well too:D

Hey W, congrats and welcome.

But your above sounds to me like...it don't matter how much a ride my clutch, my fuel delivery's huge.

Just curious really to understand. If you wick consistently it won't matter if your wind is not? And it can't be if you don't wind to a metric. You can't even target resistance effectively or consistently if you don't apply the same tension, spacing, compression, etc. or not.. Hard to do without something like a screw or a known diameter. But even if you do, and don't apply the same force or tension in your wind or not at all (just form) there will be variations in your res and your vape.

Building to an electrical standard is not complexity, it's starting with #1, the wind, on the way to the most direct efficient vape possible. But hey, it don't mean a thing if you can't duplicate it in the mornin'. It's hard to be that good with a hand wind. Ask a fly fisherman. It's simple guys, but not that simple.

In a few months what you consider a good vape now will change as your taste improves. But you'll still be struggling with your current winds without a metric. Sometimes gettin' it, sometimes not. By then you'll be used to it. But let me tell ya fellas. There's a lot more goin' on if you move on beyond it's all about the wicking.

Just sayin'. No sense settling when less is actually more here.


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BTW, a bad wind breaks every wick. Tastes like a busted connection. And speakin' of those, the above's how even a good spaced build can go when stressed (a typical factory coil, much like our hand winds, after 4-days with mildly pigmented tobacco). Tasted grand. And stress is a slight misalignment or contact away.

30 seconds and you can have solution that works every time. No guesswork.

Good luck Willie. We'll see ya sooner or later.

Enjoy the vape!

:D


There are three kinds of men: the one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation, and the rest who have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. —Will Rogers


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cigatron

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Does anyone else experience slight gurgling, no leaking thru the 4 holes but just some gurgling with 50/50 blend juices?? I rewicked a few times getting the same result after gaping for awhile. Although after a few puff the gurgling would go away. Hmm

The lemo is pretty forgiving.I've never had a gurgle. Check your tank seals for tears or signs of kinking/bunching up, especially the upper one. Check the ends of the glass tank for chips. Replace the upper chimney oring with one of the supplied replacements. Make sure to lubricate all the seals with juice before tightening things up.

Other probable causes: drawing too hard w/afc closed down (M2L hitters), too low of wattage setting or weak battery.

Good luck
 
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