unoxidized wick question

[vanillagurilla]

Can you use one in an rba that doesn't have an insulated wick hole?

 

[SteveW]

Yes. The technique will work in any rba - I removed the insulator from my ZAP to accommodate a bigger wick. It does not matter if the wick touches the body because the current moves through the coil (path of least resistance). There is no issue with the wick touching the bottom of the tank either is spite of what a lot of people say.

 

[vanillagurilla]

Ok nice, 1 more question, what causes the top coil hot spot? Seems like it's always that one which leads me to believe that its to tight maybe but even if the top wrap isnt touching the wick at all theres sometimes that spot in between the wick and pos post.

 

[SteveW]

Putting the wire under too much tension anywhere in the coil set up can vary the resistance of the wire at that point. The "too tight" theory makes sense to me and is something that came to the surface with the AGA Ts because people were trying to pull the coil closer to the post thinking that it was the distance that was causing problems. Relieving some of that tension has seemed to work for some.

PS. I am now using a ceramic wick and it is brilliant. With these set up takes seconds and no shorts can occur. My juicy peach has never tasted cleaner or juicier, in fact, if the performance stays as good as it is now, I will never use a stainless wick again. Stainless just tastes funky to me now.

 

[vanillagurilla]

Yeah im going to build a fishstick next week but im trying to use this 400 mesh and get it right untill then lol. How tight should the wick be? Im rolling one as I type this using a 1.5x3 in piece and I can't get it tight enough to fit in the wick hole. My wick hole is 7/32, one size larger then the one it had.

 

[vanillagurilla]

Nvm I got it haha thanks for your help, people are awesome!

 

[SteveW]

Yeah im going to build a fishstick next week but im trying to use this 400 mesh and get it right untill then lol. How tight should the wick be? Im rolling one as I type this using a 1.5x3 in piece and I can't get it tight enough to fit in the wick hole. My wick hole is 7/32, one size larger then the one it had.

Not sure if you have too much material there or not. I roll mine solid and find that if I work it for a while I can get it to the size where it will fit. If you get it in coil it snuggly (don't strangle it) and try and get an even tension. You don't need to oxidise the wick but I generally run an ordinary cig lighter over it to burn off the evidence of my dirty fingers so I don't have to vape that nastiness. When you start to bring the wick up start at the lowest voltage (short pulses at first) then you can start to work the coils with your favourite tool (toothpick, blunt whatever). You will get a feel for it. Work out any hotspots till it glows evenly from top to bottom. Add your juice and you are good to go.

 

[vanillagurilla]

Well it was abandon ship on the unoxidized wick, 4/5 wrap with 32 and it was under 1ohm. When I moved it around and got it to fire.... pop went the coil. Tried that twice and a juice burn and no go. I lightly oxidized only the part where the coil sits with a lighter and 2 juice burns and got it going. Same 4/5 wrap and im at 2.6ohms with the lightly ox wick. I do have to say that this wick is wicking way better then the last one. Slightly smaller piece of mesh and it came out with a small hole in the center. Doesn't keep up vaping vertically but who does that lol.

 

[SteveW]

Well it was abandon ship on the unoxidized wick, 4/5 wrap with 32 and it was under 1ohm. When I moved it around and got it to fire.... pop went the coil. Tried that twice and a juice burn and no go. I lightly oxidized only the part where the coil sits with a lighter and 2 juice burns and got it going. Same 4/5 wrap and im at 2.6ohms with the lightly ox wick. I do have to say that this wick is wicking way better then the last one. Slightly smaller piece of mesh and it came out with a small hole in the center. Doesn't keep up vaping vertically but who does that lol.

That is very promising. Well done! You will probably find it improves quickly after a tank or so. A bit of heat treatment with a lighter is exactly what I do and negligible compared to the full on torch blasts people carry on with. When you get one up an running quickly like this it makes you wonder what all the fuss is about doesn't it?

 

[vanillagurilla]

Yeah it does lol. This was only my 3rd wick and about 5th coil, 2.6ohms at 4.5volts and clouds of vapor. Still can't wait to get my dripping rba and then I can still have a great vape and can mess with the genny some more. Im thinking ab out trying to drill the wick hole out to a full 1/8th in when I go to a ceramic wick.