The Next Big thing.... Porous Ceramic Wicks

[dsy5]

BTW: The RSST is really an outstanding rba for the money...The fit & finish on the one I got is better than any of the other Chinese clones I've seen. Great machining, no sloppy threads, and looks great. I didn't think I'd like the spring loaded center post, but I added two SS washers under the screw, and it's holding nice and tight. It doesn't come with any wicking, wires, or spare parts like many other RBAs, but for $35, you just can't beat it. I'm ordering a couple more.....

It does sound like a well made RBA; unfortunately, the plastic tank will make it a fail for me.

 

[TBinAZ]

What are you feeding it as far as power? I'm running 10.5w and I'm not finding much vapor lag at all. Obviously it gets better the second pull, but this is working exceptionally well. I made a video last night, but you can't hear a word I'm saying. I was a little off on the camera angle too. Turned out pretty poor. I will try again when I get another chance.

Just a quick update on the RSST with the 4.5mm Ceramic wick with 4 wraps of .5 X.1 mm Kanthal ribbon wire (2.0 Ohms).

Some observations;
After less than 24 hours, this thing is already producing some really nice flavor and wicking like a beast. Not one dry hit so far, even chain vaping on my Mechanical Mod.

NO "Concrete" flavors at all from first hit on. I was kind of expecting some during break-in because I was unable to do a hot wrap on it, but I did get the wire very firmly wrapped on the wick because it isn't fragile at all. This is also the first time I ran the wick through the ultrasonic cleaner after I finished grinding it - seems to make all the difference in the world. Highly recommended.

It's breaking in a lot faster than any of the smaller wicks ...no idea at all why, unless it has something to do with the ultrasonic cleaning, but after only half a tank, the flavors are just spectacular (AV Gorilla Juice).

Some Cons;

I don't like the "response time" of this setup - it takes a few seconds after you press the button to get any vapor at all (unless you're chain-vaping) , and once it gets going, it keeps producing vapor for at least another full toot (or two) after you let go of the button. It seems to take a lot of time to get that big piece of rock up to temperature, and it stays hot for quite a while. It produces a nice cloud of vapor (and flavor) once it gets going, but it takes a bit of time. Don't know if I like that or not - maybe it will get a little better as it breaks in. I don't see how it could, but this is all new territory for me, but again, nothing I've tried so far has matched the flavor this beast is producing already (even dripping!)

If I can figure out how to get it to get it to respond as well as a SS wick, this would be the perfect setup. First attempt will be to try to get the resistance down from 2.0 to my personal sweet spot (1.5-1.8 Ohms)...but pulling one wrap will get me down to only three turns on the wick, and may effect flavor, and I definitely don't want to give that up.

I may also try popping the original wick bushing back in and try it with a 1/8 ceramic & 30 ga round Kanthal like a couple of my other RBAs and do a comparison, but I hate to give up the flavors this thing is producing right now.....might have to wait a day or two & just enjoy this beast.

BTW: The RSST is really an outstanding RBA for the money...The fit & finish on the one I got is better than any of the other Chinese clones I've seen. Great machining, no sloppy threads, and looks great. I didn't think I'd like the spring loaded center post, but I added two SS washers under the screw, and it's holding nice and tight. It doesn't come with any wicking, wires, or spare parts like many other RBAs, but for $35, you just can't beat it. I'm ordering a couple more.....

That's it for now... Have fun.

 

[NamVet68]

What are you feeding it as far as power? I'm running 10.5w and I'm not finding much vapor lag at all. Obviously it gets better the second pull, but this is working exceptionally well. I made a video last night, but you can't hear a word I'm saying. I was a little off on the camera angle too. Turned out pretty poor. I will try again when I get another chance.

I never used the wattage scale, but I was running it @ 4.1 -4.2 volts with a 2.0 Ohm coil. I just switched my VAMO over to Wattage scale & set it for 10.5 Watts - yep, MUCH better response, but now the flavors seem muted somewhat. Strange.
Thanks for the tip...I'll have to play with that for a while.

I still have the response time problem with my Mechanical though even with a fresh 18650 IMR AW battery (SMOK Natural - not kicked). Need to figure that one out.

 

[NamVet68]

It does sound like a well made RBA; unfortunately, the plastic tank will make it a fail for me.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone eventually came out with a stainless tank for this puppy. It wouldn't be that difficult to do, and I have a gut feeling this little gem will be quite popular.

A glass tank would be ideal, but it would be pretty complicated to manufacture unless you made it in multiple pieces with a SS center post & O-rings, and it would probably cost more than the RBA.

 

[TBinAZ]

I never used the wattage scale, but I was running it @ 4.1 -4.2 volts with a 2.0 Ohm coil. I just switched my VAMO over to Wattage scale & set it for 10.5 Watts - yep, MUCH better response, but now the flavors seem muted somewhat. Strange.
Thanks for the tip...I'll have to play with that for a while.

I still have the response time problem with my Mechanical though even with a fresh battery (SMOK Natural - not kicked). Need to figure that one out.

You really have to think outside of the box a bit with this ceramic as far as what your used to with mesh. I have been bouncing back and forth between 10.5 and 11.5w which is around 4.5v with 1.8ohms. I normally run 1.8 at around 4.0-4.2v comparatively. Any higher than 11.5w and the flavor does become muted a slight bit. This flat Kanthal does work well in this setup. Have you set your Vamo to RMS mode yet?

 

[NamVet68]

You really have to think outside of the box a bit with this ceramic as far as what your used to with mesh. I have been bouncing back and forth between 10.5 and 11.5w which is around 4.5v with 1.8ohms. I normally run 1.8 at around 4.0-4.2v comparatively. Any higher than 11.5w and the flavor does become muted a slight bit. This flat Kanthal does work well in this setup. Have you set your Vamo to RMS mode yet?

I've always used RMS from day 1 (NO2).
Looking at the conversion charts, I was only running 8 watts before, and the 10.5 watt setting definitely increases response time significantly, but does mute the flavor also. I think the way to go at this point is lower the resistance to 1.5-1.8 and give that a go... should help with the Mechanical as well.

I'm still reluctant to tear it apart right now though because it just tastes SO good

 

[TBinAZ]

I've always used RMS from day 1 (NO2).
Looking at the conversion charts, I was only running 8 watts before, and the 10.5 watt setting definitely increases response time significantly, but does mute the flavor also. I think the way to go at this point is lower the resistance to 1.5-1.8 and give that a go... should help with the Mechanical as well.

I'm still reluctant to tear it apart right now though because it just tastes SO good

I hear ya about the flavor. Interesting that I haven't noted much drop-off in flavor at that setting. It is Pluid, but I have some set up in a dripper for comparison. One thing I forgot to ask, are you using the stock air hole, or have you opened it up a bit? Like I mentioned, 1.5mm is proving to be a pretty decent draw. 1/16 may prove to be too airy if that's all you have. I have used a tiny rat tail file before, but I misplaced it a week or so ago.

 

[NamVet68]

I hear ya about the flavor. Interesting that I haven't noted much drop-off in flavor at that setting. It is Pluid, but I have some set up in a dripper for comparison. One thing I forgot to ask, are you using the stock air hole, or have you opened it up a bit? Like I mentioned, 1.5mm is proving to be a pretty decent draw. 1/16 may prove to be too airy if that's all you have. I have used a tiny rat tail file before, but I misplaced it a week or so ago.

Nope - I haven't touched the air hole at all, still stock - but I prefer a tight draw anyway.

I'm still amazed at the flavor this thing is pumping out. I just did a side-by-side comparison with the same juice (AV Gorilla Juice) in a dripping atty, and they are almost identical - the dripper has a slight edge, but you have to remember that I just got this thing & set it up last night...it's still not really broken in!
It can only get better.....

 

[asdaq]

Hey Vet, nice analysis of your setup there. The warmup delay sounds quite logical, the coil is wrapped around a much larger mass. With that size diameter you could certainly look into a throughhole in the wick, I have a 1/4" stone with a 2mm hole through it, rough measurements. My 32G coil takes up about 2/3 of the length and 30G also fit well with length to spare. Point being a smaller diameter wick can still fit the coil. The wick can still act as a heatsink some, but with passing air through the small coil it is barely noticeable.

 

[JPoodles]

Thought I'd put in a small review of the 3/32 wick. Keep in mind that i vape all vg mixes and that my resistance/voltage usually puts me at about 6 watts before I find the vapor loses flavor and starts to taste off(regardless of wicking material). I did a quick torch of the fc2000 3/32 and twisted on a preheated prewound coil from a 3/32 bit. It took some tweeking but it was nice and snug. Tightened it into my miniDiD and pulsed it cap off for a couple of minutes. Once i was certain there were no hot spots to fix- I put the cap on and went for it. This thing has no problem keeping up with the wicking. I do find that the taste is ever so slightly less but again its right off the bat. TH is the same but then again I don't run low ohms/high watts either. It does't seem to be as moist to the eye as mesh is but it does't dry out on me. I've heard that taking a bit of 150 grit to it will allow for better contact if you don't like to fiddle with twisting on a prewound coil or hot wrapping. I've also heard that they may not continue to make this size and that the 150 grit is good for taking down some 1/8 to this size.

 

[gdeal]

Another review of the 3/32" FC-2000.

I boil, torched, then ultrasonic cleaned for two 4 minute cycles (water was clean afterwards). I hot wrapped with a torch .8mm x.1mm Ribbon kanthal for a 6 wrap .8 ohm coil. I wrapped with very little pull tension on the wire so not to break the wick. Coils spacing looked good but not perfect. No gaps between wick and wire, but it was not pretty.

I used a fresh (but older) charged battery at 4.14v, under load test at 3.76v for just under 18 watts in a Cobra on Sigelei Telescope.

It hits very hard and keeps ups with multiple pulls with a natural 45 degree tilt and a full tank. Excellent flavor and a very thick full hot vape.

I was actually surprised. I thought the wick would dry out mid vape after getting hit with that much power. I sacked a great .5mm ribbon kanthal SS wick to to do this set up and right now it working a lot better than the SS. Funny, I was holding off on using ceramic in the Cobra, I didn't want to drill it out, so it was in the rotation as a goto SS wick atty. I have five attys on ceramic now all performing really well, this one is the best yet.

 

[Bocephus]

On this ultrasonic cleaner deal. Is there any reason I couldnt just take a metal bucket and strap a HF hand sander on it? The on I have that was like $8 runs at like 10000 rpm and do sort of the same thing(well not the same but we are not really cleaning just trying to dislodge particles) . Ill have to look around but I am almost positive I have seen some vids of people doing this to clean heads and stuff since the bigger ones are pricey.

I understand its not a true ultrasonic cleaner but should still have a similar effect. It might be enough to dislodge the ground particles shoved up in the core. Plus I am cheap and love homemade remedies.

 

[Boden]

Hey Boden,
nice looking wick. So do you have any thoughts on using that material health wise?

Health wise?

 

[TBinAZ]

On this ultrasonic cleaner deal. Is there any reason I couldnt just take a metal bucket and strap a HF hand sander on it? The on I have that was like $8 runs at like 10000 rpm and do sort of the same thing(well not the same but we are not really cleaning just trying to dislodge particles) . Ill have to look around but I am almost positive I have seen some vids of people doing this to clean heads and stuff since the bigger ones are pricey.

I understand its not a true ultrasonic cleaner but should still have a similar effect. It might be enough to dislodge the ground particles shoved up in the core. Plus I am cheap and love homemade remedies.

Heck yeah that will work. Probably excessively well. Try to mount the device on the bottom, or where the basket will be centered. Use some hot water too.

 

[Bocephus]

I was thinking a old cleaned out paint can and making a little make-shift bottom mount out of wood with some sponge or something at the bottom if it will sit still in there. I just really dont have the cash for a US machine with all the other stuff I have purchased. Would rather spend that cash on flavoring and stuff like that hehe.

Actually now that I think about it I might not just make a mount and just take a little rubbermaid container and duck tape the damn sander to the side of and let it go for a while.

 

[TBinAZ]

I was thinking a old cleaned out paint can and making a little make-shift bottom mount out of wood with some sponge or something at the bottom if it will sit still in there. I just really dont have the cash for a US machine with all the other stuff I have purchased. Would rather spend that cash on flavoring and stuff like that hehe.

Actually now that I think about it I might not just make a mount and just take a little rubbermaid container and duck tape the damn sander to the side of and let it go for a while.

If it's too raucous don't let it go too long. LOL. Seriously, if those wicks bang together too much it could be very bad.

 

[TBinAZ]

Health wise?

You mean sanity-wise wtfguy?

 

[Bocephus]

Im just going to do them one at a time. Let one clean while I am making the second, etc. Hopefully it works heh.

 

[Boden]

I was thinking a old cleaned out paint can and making a little make-shift bottom mount out of wood with some sponge or something at the bottom if it will sit still in there. I just really dont have the cash for a US machine with all the other stuff I have purchased. Would rather spend that cash on flavoring and stuff like that hehe.

Actually now that I think about it I might not just make a mount and just take a little rubbermaid container and duck tape the damn sander to the side of and let it go for a while.

You could just boil the wicks, all them little bubbles shaking it around...

If you do make this rubbermaid/orbital sander contraption please video tape it! I forsee a mess in your future.

Edit: Hell I'm going to make one right now... vid to follow.

 

[MikeE3]

You could just boil the wicks, all them little bubbles shaking it around...

If you do make this rubbermaid/orbital sander contraption please video tape it! I forsee a mess in your future.

Edit: Hell I'm going to make one right now... vid to follow.

I've always boiled mine - but I though the original post re: utrasonic cleaning was that even after boiling, there was more sediment removed by using the ultrasonic cleaner.

If spring for an ultrasonic cleaner - do the heated ones really work significantly better for this?