Tobeco Orchid V4... stained shirt and the slaying of my juice...

[Brandon3000]

So I picked up an orchid V4 today... Read many good things about it but also read how leaking can be a wee bit of an issue... Threw a dual coil 0.7 build on there using 28 gauge kanthal and wicked it with a decent amount of cotton... ran the tails a few threads down the juice wells. Assembled it, top filled it, BAM looked beautiful. But then my orchid started to vomit through the two air holes.. and I mean LEAK. nearly half my tank leaked out, I quickly disassembled it, saved the juice that I could and tried again...

Went sparingly on the cotton... VERY LITTLE COTTON... This time I bottom filled it...

starting vomiting through the drip tip... Flipped it back over quickly, started vomiting through the air holes again....

I've had this thing for 2 hours now and I'm just about fed up with it.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I don't know. But this is the place to find out.

Any tips would be amazing...

B

 

[dashreeve]

No tips, but you're not alone I tried two builds / wicks / followed all of the keep it from leaking tutorials, and finally gave up. Got a billow and some Lemos.

 

[Stosh]

From what you are describing the leaks as, it would seem an o-ring isn't seated or leaking / damaged. After bottom filling mine, I always keep it upside-down and cover both air holes with my fingers. Then take a few hard pulls on the drip tip, if you can draw any air -- there's a leak, and it won't be able to maintain the vacuum necessary for proper operation.

edit: p.s. you don't need to extent the wick into the juice channels.

 

[Waddle]

I would agree with Stosh..most likely an o-ring issue. I own three of them and they rarely leak if at all.

 

[Brandon3000]

Which o ring do you think is causing it? The one directly on the chimney is there. Which one could be causing the issue.

 

[Waddle]

Take them all off - clean - and reseat. I would be guessing but usually it's the o-ring between the top cap and the chimney.

Once re-assembled, put your fingers over the afc holes and draw. You can feel if there is any air escaping. Should be a tight draw. If not then obviously its not sealing properly. At this point I would change all the o-rings out and test again.

 

[Augmented Dog]

They are easy to overfill 'till you learn their fill limit. Use less than you think it should take and start from there. With the atty inverted for filling, I only fill to the top of the small clear section.
Wicking is important and can be finicky. There is a small learning curve.
I have a Tobeco v3 and v4 and love 'em. The flavor is great.
Learned to build them on the v3.
There are tutorials on YouTube that can help.
And do try to keep the wicks mostly out of the juice channels and away from the air holes.
I lost a tank or two when I first started using them, but haven't lost a drop since then.

 

[Waddle]

If it's sealed properly you can fill them right to the top. I don't put my fingers over the hole, but give it a light blow when its inverted. A few drops will come out at first but after not a drop. Bow Ties for wicks - its such an easy atty to wick really.

 

[roxynoodle]

Yep, I think it might be an o ring as well. I have a Tobeco v3 and its never leaked.

 

[Brandon3000]

So here's an update. I completely took it apart and removed all of the O-rings. I replaced all 3 o-rings on it and tried to re-do it. Decided to top fill. It did leak a little bit. But the air holes on the bottom are not pouring liquid like it was at first. However, when I remove the drip tip and put it back in, some liquid comes out of the air holes. And when I blow into it lightly, liquid comes out of the air holes (but maybe that's normal?)
Overall, the leaking is a lot better than it was an hour ago.

Thoughts?

 

[Brandon3000]

Also-- How high do you guys vape the orchid at, wattage wise? on a 0.7 ohm build.

 

[Waddle]

Normally I build mine at about 0.6 Ohms and run it around 25-30 watts on a regulated.

 

[Stosh]

If you top fill, a few drops leaking at first is normal. I am using Kayfun M4 tanks on mine, they make bottom filling a snap, a syringe will pass by the chimney and fill perfectly. If you cover the air holes and blow into the drip tip, you will force more juice into the wicks and coil....OK if you are getting a dry hit, but usually just makes it leak a few drops.

 

[Waddle]

If you cover the air holes and blow into the drip tip, you will force more juice into the wicks and coil....OK if you are getting a dry hit, but usually just makes it leak a few drops.

You may want to re-think this again. If you cover the holes and suck on the drip-tip you will draw more liquid into the wick & coils. If you turn it upside down and blow into the drip tip it will blow juice out of the chamber through the afc holes.

 

[danca90]

Mine's at .7, and 23 watts.

 

[Stosh]

You may want to re-think this again. If you cover the holes and suck on the drip-tip you will draw more liquid into the wick & coils. If you turn it upside down and blow into the drip tip it will blow juice out of the chamber through the afc holes.

The Orchid keeps the juice in the tank with a vacuum, but with the air holes covered, if you blow into the tank and pressurize the air inside it, when you stop blowing the pressure will equalize by forcing juice into the chamber.

Blowing on the drip tip without the air holes covered will clear excess juice out through the air holes.

 

[Waddle]

The Orchid keeps the juice in the tank with a vacuum, but with the air holes covered, if you blow into the tank and pressurize the air inside it, when you stop blowing the pressure will equalize by forcing juice into the chamber.

Not trying to be argumentative. But most RTAs work on a vacuum system be it a Kayfun, a Fogger, or an Orchid. Would blowing, while closing off the air holes, not create back pressure forcing the liquid to try to leave the chamber through the juice channels? How would the juice leave if the channels are blocked with cotton? By sucking you are forcing juice from the tank up through the juice channels and subsequently equalizing the pressure in the chamber. It's the first time I've ever heard of someone priming or clearing a tank this way. IMO if the chamber is flooded, causing it to leak out the air holes, its better to turn it upside down and blow the excess liquid out through the air holes.

 

[Stosh]

Not trying to be argumentative. But most RTAs work on a vacuum system be it a Kayfun, a Fogger, or an Orchid. Would blowing, while closing off the air holes, not create back pressure forcing the liquid to try to leave the chamber through the juice channels? How would the juice leave if the channels are blocked with cotton? By sucking you are forcing juice from the tank up through the juice channels and subsequently equalizing the pressure in the chamber. It's the first time I've ever heard of someone priming or clearing a tank this way. Obviously if the tank is flooded its better to turn it upside down and blow the excess liquid out through the air holes.

Absolutely not arguing, but I think we're talking about two different cases. With a flooded tank, blowing out the excess is the only way to go. I was referring to a freshly bottom filled tank, while still upside-down, closing off the air holes and sucking will ensure there's no air leaks and create the initial vacuum in the air space in the tank to keep it from flooding in the first place....

 

[Waddle]

Absolutely not arguing, but I think we're talking about two different cases. With a flooded tank, blowing out the excess is the only way to go. I was referring to a freshly bottom filled tank, while still upside-down, closing off the air holes and sucking will ensure there's no air leaks and create the initial vacuum in the air space in the tank to keep it from flooding in the first place....

Ah I got ya! Actually I fill my Orchids from the top. After I fill mine I blow it out upside down. A little liquid always comes out the air holes. I then turn it around and suck. Back and forth a couple of times. Normally I leave the air holes open in both cases. If I bottom fill, rarely, I find a quick blow upside down is enough. After that I don’t ever have any leaks. My Orchids and Foggers see more action than any of my other atomizers. Regards!

 

[Stosh]

I was top filling and blowing them out, get a few drops and wipe the unit down. Found the Kayfun M4 tanks fit well, and allowed me to bottom fill quickly and did not necessitate any blowing out or drips.....
Added bonus, you can easily unload a tank with a syringe, to fiddle with a build if necessary.

Vape on.......