The ProTank..... my thoughts

[rheicide]

@Dvx67, please help me answer a few more questions:
1. How long does your wick last before you need to rewick?
2. You're using #1/0 which means 2mm wicks, so do you double the wick over when you rewick? Do you need flavor wicks to avoid flooding? Would you recommend a thicker size like 2.5mm or 3mm?
Thank you in advance

 

[funkyZero]

I wanted to chime in with my own experience, just to help out.

I use the #4 machine screw method to make the coils, that makes them exactly the same every time. 5 wraps with #30 kanthal wire comes out to about 1.4 - 1.6 ohms. If you like higher resistance, go with smaller wire since it starts getting more difficult to avoid shorts if you try to do more that 6 wraps. The #4 machine screw produced a coil with a 2.75mm ID, so that would be equivalent of using a 3mm wick without folding it over or anything like that. I highly recomend using the screw method, it helps produce coils that don't overly compress the wick like happens when you wind the wire directly around the wick itself. I found that this inhibits wicking and contributes to the burnt taste that I was trying to eliminate.
Having said that, I was using hemp twine for wick and started noting a taste I didn't much care for so I have switched to organic grown cotton. You can use any 100% cotton balls, but trust me here, make sure to boil, drain and rinse them at least 3 times before using because they have perfume or something in them... I've found this is the best performing wick so far with no funky taste. I never put the extra "flavor" wicks on top of these coils now since I discovered they weren't needed. I vape mostly 80/20 PG/VG and no gurgling or leaking at all. And for reference, with the factory made heads, I did notice if I removed the "flavor wicks", the thing would start leaking and gurgling almost immediately.
I'm just a few days into rebuilding these so I'm not sure how long the cotton ball wicks will last, but so far at least 1 1/2 days with no trouble. If I run into durability issues with the cotton ball wicks, my intent is to try the butchers twine next as some here have suggested... again, boiled multiple times and rinsed to remove any possible chemical treatments.
Good luck, I hope you find that sweet spot, it sure does make the protank and enjoyable vape.

 

[rheicide]

I wanted to chime in with my own experience, just to help out.

I use the #4 machine screw method to make the coils, that makes them exactly the same every time. 5 wraps with #30 kanthal wire comes out to about 1.4 - 1.6 ohms. If you like higher resistance, go with smaller wire since it starts getting more difficult to avoid shorts if you try to do more that 6 wraps. The #4 machine screw produced a coil with a 2.75mm ID, so that would be equivalent of using a 3mm wick without folding it over or anything like that. I highly recomend using the screw method, it helps produce coils that don't overly compress the wick like happens when you wind the wire directly around the wick itself. I found that this inhibits wicking and contributes to the burnt taste that I was trying to eliminate.
Having said that, I was using hemp twine for wick and started noting a taste I didn't much care for so I have switched to organic grown cotton. You can use any 100% cotton balls, but trust me here, make sure to boil, drain and rinse them at least 3 times before using because they have perfume or something in them... I've found this is the best performing wick so far with no funky taste. I never put the extra "flavor" wicks on top of these coils now since I discovered they weren't needed. I vape mostly 80/20 PG/VG and no gurgling or leaking at all. And for reference, with the factory made heads, I did notice if I removed the "flavor wicks", the thing would start leaking and gurgling almost immediately.
I'm just a few days into rebuilding these so I'm not sure how long the cotton ball wicks will last, but so far at least 1 1/2 days with no trouble. If I run into durability issues with the cotton ball wicks, my intent is to try the butchers twine next as some here have suggested... again, boiled multiple times and rinsed to remove any possible chemical treatments.
Good luck, I hope you find that sweet spot, it sure does make the protank and enjoyable vape.

Wow, there are a lot of useful information and advice you provided there. Thanks a lot, man!

 

[Butters78]

You all should like the Toyota Kamry protank clone. Holds alot more juice.

 

[vapolizer]

I am using "Cotton Square Brain Candle Wick #1/0" that I found on Amazon, along with Kanthal 32 AWG wire, also found on Amazon. I oxidize the wire with a regular lighter before wrapping the coil, and I'm wrapping with 5 wraps. Vaping at 3.7 or so volts. Works great!

This is great to know !!! i use a protank and im trying your method. Thanks Vape On

 

[Thunderball]

I cant go back to any other style tank now. They all seem to be too hard to draw lioke there is something clogged. Thumbs up on the airy draw.
( thanks to these forums I have experimented with plugging the holes or hole..I just have gone back to the original OEM set up. Great info here though !!

 

[e-pipeman]

I found the Protank to be too airy on the draw for me straight out of the box (I use it on a Vamo). An air-flow adapter solved the problem for me. Now it's terrific. I also love my Evod that has a tighter draw anyway.

 

[scalewiz]

+1 on cotton rebuilds for the modern clearomizer. After having used it for quite a while now, I can say that nothing wicks better or tastes smoother than cotton. I use plain, white, 4-ply cotton yarn, and just boil it for 20 minutes before I dry and use it. Works really great, and enough yarn to last a lifetime is only about 5 bucks!

Don't wind your coils too tight. Cotton swells when exposed to juice, so a looser wind is preferable. Also, don't try to fit too much cotton wick in your device; it may look slightly deficient when dry, but when wet and swollen the cotton wicks fill the small gaps nicely. I've made too large of a coil/wick, and the swelling has almost cut off the air flow! Leaking is less of a problem with cotton; again due to this wick swelling.

I have found that a simple cotton wick will beat, IMO, any silica wick setup that comes stock in the Kanger T2, T3, MT3, Evod, Pro-tank, etc. To me the difference is like that between CD's and vinyl. They can both sound/taste good, but the vinyl/cotton is smoother, warmer, and just all round more pleasant. Cheap, too.

 

[Cavere]

I'm going to try and find some cotton braid locally. I've had issues with my protank but I love the damn thing. I've rebuilt with cotton which was so so for me. I've used evod heads which tbh I didn't notice much of a difference. Silica wick is what I've been using with the best results with 32g kanthal.

I'm new to rebuilding and usually end up with a coil outside of where I am shooting. Right now I'm vaping my protank on a tesla at 2.8ohm. It's not the best head I've done but I am enjoying it.

 

[murphyramone]

You all should like the Toyota Kamry protank clone. Holds alot more juice.

Do they have a Avalon clone. I like to think of my self as a clasier guy than a Kamry. haha

 

[rnln]

protank is too airy for smoking style. It is too tight for genesis type vaping. I like it to be a lot more airy so I can take big lung hit, like the genesis type tank. I already enlarged out the 3 holes the biggest it allows, but still too tight.

 

[Dima1973]

I just got a pro tank and new to this vaping thing. How often do I need to rebuild it (how long does it generally last)?

 

[XeniaMike]

Wish I had the guts to do my own coils. I tried it once with an RSST tank and nearly fried my mod. Protank seems good for me with 1 of the wicks removed, but everyone's taste is different. Another trick I tried was putting a drop of distilled water in the tank when filling it with thick juice. That seemed to improve the flow a lot.

 

[Cavere]

Wish I had the guts to do my own coils. I tried it once with an RSST tank and nearly fried my mod. Protank seems good for me with 1 of the wicks removed, but everyone's taste is different. Another trick I tried was putting a drop of distilled water in the tank when filling it with thick juice. That seemed to improve the flow a lot.

The protank is so easy to recoil. The rsst is a completely different beast. I'd give the protank coils a chance. It's well worth it.