Trouble building coil for Protank Head

[Cahdek]

I'm having an issue with what seems to be wicking and can't figure out why. Here is what I have:

1. 34AWG Kanthal wire
2. 2mm Silica wick
3. 80/20 PG/VG juice
4. No flavor wicks

I made 5 wraps around the wick supported with a paperclip. Primed it and installed. Provari read my resistance as 3.5ohm. Higher than I wanted but hey, I'm using 34awg.

First couple hits seemed awesome. Used for an hour or so, then quit working (i.e. no vapor and yes my battery was charged). I re-installed a stock head with 1 of 2 the flavor wicks installed and worked flawlessly. Just tried again and same result. It's like the wick is getting any juice or the coil is too loose or....

Any ideas/help would be appreciated.

 

[Rodeorat]

3.5 ohms for only 5 wraps seems a little high to me. 34 is thinner than 32, which would make around 2 ohms with 5 wraps. Sounds like you might have had a hot spot that burned through. Have you opened it back up and checked the coil? What is it reading on the ohm meter/vamo now? How much of the 2mm wick did you use in the coil and on top (flavor wick), if any?

 

[Cahdek]

Thanks for the reply. This is the spec on the wire I'm using. I originally bought it to make coils for my fixed voltage 5.2V mod tube:

Wire Gauge- 34 AWG Resistance- 26.7 ohm/ft 80.3 ohm/m. Wire Diameter- 0.16 mm.

I opened it back up and the wick was really loose. After pulling the paperclip out, the coil wasn't really grabbing the wick. I only had the single strand of 2mm wick in the coil and no flavor wicks. I just made another folding over the wick to double it and wrapped the coil much tighter but had to go to work so haven't had a chance to try that one yet

 

[Snicks]

I use 3mm silica and 32 AWG kanthal wire.

I don't use a paperclip (though I have) but I found just wrapping the silica by itself makes a better coil. You could try the screw method but as long as the wire wraps around snug enough that all of the wire is against wick but not so tight as to squeeze into the wick then you will be good.

On a Protank you only need 4 coil wraps...5 at the most (which should set you somewhere between 1.8 and 2.1 ohm) and if you can keep a open area between the two center twists of coil even better but not needed.
Using a couple of 'strands' as a flavor wick works well. I feel it gives a good flavor that way but if you prefer no flavor wicks I'd atleast suggest you try it with one or two flavor wicks befor making up your mind. They can be easily pulled off.

You don't want a really tight coil or a loose coil. It just needs to fit nicely around the wick. Another thing: the thicker wire will help with flavor. I wouldn't use anything thinner than 32 AWG. I use 32 in my protanks and T3's and 28 AWG in my RSST.

 

[Rodeorat]

I opened it back up and the wick was really loose. After pulling the paperclip out, the coil wasn't really grabbing the wick. I only had the single strand of 2mm wick in the coil and no flavor wicks. I just made another folding over the wick to double it and wrapped the coil much tighter but had to go to work so haven't had a chance to try that one yet

Yeah a single 2mm wick is pretty thin, but it still should have fired. You likely would have had flooding. If you're not firing, your coil has popped or you're on a VV/VW mod and the low res is too low to fire.
Be careful to not wrap the coil too tight, choking the wick. The wick should still be able to slide thru the coil somewhat.
You won't need a flavor wick with a 4mm wick, which is good.

 

[Vault]

My method for Evod heads is.

6 wraps of 30awg Kanthal around a 2mm toothpick giving 1.7ohm.
Install with the coil on the toothpick in the head.
Pull the toothpick when the insulator grommet is in and the legs pulled tight.
Flash fire the coil.
Pull through a doubled over length of 1.5mm Ekowool (giving a 3.0mm wick) and being as Ekowool is slightly hollow and the diameter collapses slightly it will pull through snug but not choke.
One length of 1.5mm Ekowool as a flavor wick.
Fit post, trim wick,fit cup upside down, fill and vape

 

[Cahdek]

I like your method Vault! I'll have to give it a shot. My doubled over "freehand" method seemed to work out just so so. At least better than before, but I think I had some issues with coil wraps touching and aforementioned "hotspots". Still a work in progress. The worst part about wrapping the coils around the wick is that you can't exactly anneal the coil metal via a flame since the wick will burn (or will it?).

One of my other issues is that I use dark liquids which have a harder time wicking with the 2 flavor wicks. Just one is "ok" and none works great until it floods after sitting for a while.

Hardest part then is to feed the wick into the coil without it fraying all to hell

 

[E_DeCastro]

I use a .256 screw wrap or or 7 turns of 32g kanthal and thread a separated cotton ball and it vapes like Heaven.

 

[dannyv45]

Using a 34 gauge syringe needle as a guide for a 2mm silica wick with 6/5 wrap of 32awg with a flavor wick overlay has been working very well for me with my T3's.

 

[Bosco]

Been playing around a bit with different builds on my protank lately - what I like the best is 4/3 wrap on 3mm silica. Using Kanthal-D ribbon - .4mm x .114mm. Resulting coil is 1.1-1.2 ohm. I'm using this on a knock-off mechanical with AW IMR batts - the performance is great and I seem to be able to get a good vape all the way down to 3.6v before I feel compelled to switch the battery.

3mm silica seems to be just right for me - no leaking and no flavor wicks needed.

 

[Kanj.nguyen]

Its all about tension around the wick. You cant choke it but cant let it slide around either. Remember to use enough wick to plug up wick hole. A thicker kanthal might be better.

 

[dannyv45]

I was just reading in another thread about the microcoil with 8 - 10 wraps. Not sure how well it will work in a T3 but I think I'm going to give that a try.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...271-micro-coils-increase-vapor-flavor-th.html