Trusting B&M Vendors

[Gramdogg]

Today I was in and noticed my local shop had 28 AWG nichrome 80 in so I asked if it would give me less Ohms then 26 AWG Kanthal A1. "Quite a bit less" great... except it actually gives me about .1 Ohm more. So much for the one shop in town I thought knew what they were talking about. Wish I had my coil calculator with me, oh well it was .89c. Buyer beware vendors will say whatever they think you want to hear. Gonna ask my old go to vendor, see what they say lol. Sad when your customers know more about your products then you do.

 

[retired1]

They were correct.

Even at the same guage, Nichrome 80 should have a lower resistance than Kanthal.

Don't know how you're measuring, but you need to check for malfunctions.


Disregard. I misread that.

Resistance per foot for 28 gauge Nichrome 80 is 4.082 ohms/ft

Resistance per foot for 26 gauge Kanthal is 3.208 ohms/ft

 

[Gramdogg]

Yeah, I checked coil calculator when I got home. It would be one less wrap to be about the same and I already only use 5/4 so kinda useless to me. Hard to find knowledgeable staff at B&M vendors here.. 3 shops, 5 locations, all 5 have told me something wrong so far. 2 guys are complete jerks and know nothing at all. Sold me a T3S to use with my EVOD coils, tried to sell me a MVP (old stock junk) they couldn't sell to anyone else when I was new, told me the EVOD coils I purchased were SOCC (they were not), told me EVIC VT was VT only no VW... list keeps going. Glad I found you guys!

 

[Gramdogg]

They were correct.

Even at the same guage, Nichrome 80 should have a lower resistance than Kanthal.

Don't know how you're measuring, but you need to check for malfunctions.


Disregard. I misread that.
All good I often confuse 28 as being thicker then 26 or thinner wire having less resistance then thicker. Usually in the morning before my coffee kicks in lol. Maybe that's what happened to him too. Hence "quite a bit less".

 

[bobwho77]

I do my research with third-party (disinterested) sources, before I make any kind of hardware purchase. That way, I know what I'm looking for, BEFORE I go into the store.

 

[Ed_C]

This can often be the case in any type of store, not just vape stores. Best Buy used to be the worst. I haven't been in one for years, but I used to go crazy with the $100 HDMI cables.

 

[Gramdogg]

Yeah, I'm pretty knowledgeable now when it comes to vape gear. I usually suggest looking at youtube reviewers with under 5k subscribers that actually paid for the product. So true, all stores will tell you what you want to hear to make a sale, try to up sell you something you don't need or sell you junk they can't get rid of.

 

[Rule62]

I don't have much faith anymore in retail employees being familiar with the products they sell; and I haven't for a long time. It doesn't matter whether it's vape gear, or anything else. When I happen to encounter a retail employee who is well versed in whatever he's selling, it seems to be the exception, rather than the rule. It's why I try to research whatever I'm looking to buy beforehand.

 

[Gramdogg]

Yup, I worked in Hardware for a long time and even had contractors and plumbers come in and ask for stuff that was no good for what they wanted. Guessing they wanted it to break/leak over time so they'd get repeat business faster. Rather then do it correctly the first time and have it last 40 years use junk and get called back in 5-10. Use a nail gun instead of drilling and using deck screws, compression fitting instead of ABS glue etc. Easy,fast and more expensive to the client in the long run then doing it right and reliable.

 

[Rule62]

Yup, I worked in Hardware for a long time and even had contractors and plumbers come in and ask for stuff that was no good for what they wanted. Guessing they wanted it to break/leak over time so they'd get repeat business faster. Rather then do it correctly the first time and have it last 40 years use junk and get called back in 5-10. Use a nail gun instead of drilling and using deck screws, compression fitting instead of ABS glue etc. Easy,fast and more expensive to the client in the long run then doing it right and reliable.

Hardware is a very good example. Years ago, Home Depot would hire former tradesmen, to work in various departments associated with their areas of expertise. They were able to steer customers who were unsure of what they needed in the proper direction, and offer advice. Then, at some point, those people were slowly replaced with newer, lower paid employees, who often know little more than the aisle numbers where particular things can be located.

 

[Jugband]

Reading this reminded me of an incident I had in a local vape shop. I live in a very small town where vape shops popped up on every corner, people with no knowledge, but looking to make a quick buck on a growing industry. I visited one and bought two bottles of their house juice. When he finished filling the bottles I remembered I didn't tell him the PG/VG ratio I wanted. As he, for real placed the masking tape on the plastic bottles and wrote the flavors on them with a Sharpie, I told him I forgot the PG/VG ratios. He replied I can make anything you want. I said 70/30. He scribbled on, 70/30

 

[Ed_C]

I would have handed the bottle back to him and said, no thanks.

 

[kbeam418]

Happens in all manner of businesses. I work on cars in my spare time and if I had a nickel for every time a vendor told me something incorrect about a part I'd be rich. But it can be a blessing when you know misinformation abounds it drives you to know your shtuff even more.

I had to change the transmission fluid on my truck, autozone employee recommend atf-4! Stupid computers.