Vivi Nova Rebuild tutorial

[Errol]

Any idea who makes the one at Good Prophet? It seems very different than all the Vivi Nova tanks I currently have, but I really do like that price! None of mine hold that much juice, and the metal piece inside the silicone cap is different as well. Can't tell where the air holes on this one from the pixelated pictures either. I have no experience with this vendor, so are they pretty reputable? Do they do good business? Fast shipping?

It says Vivi Nova on the tank, other than that I have no idea if it is a knockoff or not. The heads do look different and it does appear to be a little taller so I can't say if it's a newer or older version. I'll find out about Wed or Thur if you want to hold off, personally not worried about it.

Have been dealing with GP for two years, service and shipping has always been top notch and fast.

Edit: Just noticed the price of the Vivi has gone up to $10, no longer a bargain.

Errol

 

[MikeE3]

Most excellant MISTer E - thanks so much.

Smoke vapor in the tank is from a loose seal on the silicon cap or you head is not screwed all the way into the base.

ah ha - occasionally I'll get smoke in the tank - your answer is so obvious (now that I read it) as to the probably cause.

 

[mrelwood]

Can you expand on your comment "right measure ratios"?

The thickness and diameter of the SS tube, the wick and the coil. Changing one measure means you have to change everything, including the wattage, if you want to get the exact same behavior.

If you go .5mm larger on coil and wick, you can use 35mm of ss rather that 25mm to get a .5mm thickness wick.

Which I did, but it didn't perform well because there was too much steel. The coil takes longer to warm up, and the thick steel tube doesn't pass juice too well. The slots on the ato head determine the best wick thickness, as too thick a wick wouldn't let air pass through easily enough. And too thin would leak or at least flood the coil.

Am I missing an important point?

Yes you are. The watts only tell you how much the battery has to work, it doesn't tell anything on the effectiveness of the ato.

there was smoke/vapor in my tank???!! and the taste was a bit funny..

On my rebuilt heads the only reason for the vapor to get in the tank is if the wick is too thin, or squeezed instead of fluffy. The selaa the selves work very well, so I would suggest checking the wick at the ato head slots. Only very small holes should be visible.

 

[gdeal]

Which I did, but it didn't perform well because there was too much steel. The coil takes longer to warm up, and the thick steel tube doesn't pass juice too well.

Based upon my calculation both SS wicks have the same thickness, so juice flow should be the same and raising the voltage should compensate for having more lateral surface area.

The slots on the ato head determine the best wick thickness, as too thick a wick wouldn't let air pass through easily enough. And too thin would leak or at least flood the coil.

Hmm. the stock vivi head opening is 1.5mm sq. but I can fit more wick in by slightly notching out a bit of the silicon seal. but you only have a 5mm diameter space for the coil.

Yes you are. The watts only tell you how much the battery has to work, it doesn't tell anything on the effectiveness of the ato.

Perhaps this is the key limiting factor. A 2mm ss wick takes up about 50% of available chamber space. A 3mm wick is probably around 75%...so it all comes down to .....Air flow dynamics! Voila.

I will revisit my setups. I have your specs in one vivi and the larger wick in another. Now If I only had 2 provari's, i could do a vape off

Edit: Hold everything.....So I did a quick compare of the different wick diameters. The 3mm on the left vapes stronger than the 2mm on the right. same voltage, 3mm at 2.7ohm 2mm at 2.5ohm.

The 3mm has a tighter pull, which makes sense, but not too much to be a distraction.

 

[WindLvr]

I have time to hold off, so if you would be so kind to let me know what you think of it's quality I would greatly appreciate it.

It says Vivi Nova on the tank, other than that I have no idea if it is a knockoff or not. The heads do look different and it does appear to be a little taller so I can't say if it's a newer or older version. I'll find out about Wed or Thur if you want to hold off, personally not worried about it.

Have been dealing with GP for two years, service and shipping has always been top notch and fast.

Edit: Just noticed the price of the Vivi has gone up to $10, no longer a bargain.

Errol

 

[mrelwood]

raising the voltage should compensate for having more lateral surface area.

I'm not willing to purposefully build a head that I need to increase voltages with. Two reasons: First, my second on-the-go battery is an eGo-T, and secondly I'm already constantly running against the voltage limit on my home battery the LavaTube.

it all comes down to .....Air flow dynamics!

I don't think it does, since the coil is not the most limiting part of the airflow even at 3mm.

Edit: Hold everything.....So I did a quick compare of the different wick diameters. The 3mm on the left vapes stronger than the 2mm on the right. same voltage, 3mm at 2.7ohm 2mm at 2.5ohm.

And what voltage are you using?

After rebuilding more than a dozen Vivi Nova head, there are still factors that I don't have a complete control over. So I would wait for a few more such results before making my mind on something.

 

[gdeal]

I'm not willing to purposefully build a head that I need to increase voltages with. Two reasons: First, my second on-the-go battery is an eGo-T, and secondly I'm already constantly running against the voltage limit on my home battery the LavaTube.



I don't think it does, since the coil is not the most limiting part of the airflow even at 3mm.



And what voltage are you using?

After rebuilding more than a dozen Vivi Nova head, there are still factors that I don't have a complete control over. So I would wait for a few more such results before making my mind on something.

I hope I am not reading this the wrong way. I did not mean to imply that I made up my mind here that one is better than the other, I was just providing my results with the two different vivi set-ups.

Ok.. further analysis...we are taking differing approaches. I am vaping at ~4.7-4.9v. I just tried both on an e-go..they barely produce any vapor. Makes sense ego is producing ~5 watts, the Provari is pushing 8 watts based upon coil ohms. I guess my next builds will need to be at ~1.6-1.9 ohms to get a better feel for comparing to your results.

They way I am thinking about this is: If we are getting adequate juice flow to the vaporization surface and we have good coil apposition to the surface, then I look toward linear wattage (total wattage over coil length) and air-flow dynamics.

Perhaps atty head heating (Vivi's do run hot) as well as ejuice type and viscosity (I use 100% VG diluted 15% distilled water) play a bigger role here.. among others.

Can you help me with the other factors that you have in mind?

 

[mrelwood]

I did not mean to imply that I made up my mind here that one is better than the other, I was just providing my results with the two different vivi set-ups.

No, sorry, didn't take it that way! I've put a lot of time to testing and I was very surprised to hear your result. I just wanted to find out how come he result seems to be different. And the reason seems clear, 4.7-4.9V surely must require very different measures and proportions.

Can you help me with the other factors that you have in mind?

Well, it seems that when running at 3.7-4.0V, the diameter of the coil has to be quite small, but not small enough to vape the wick too dry during a puff. That's where the 2mm coil seems to hit the sweet spot. Other than that, the 1.5mm slots in the head pretty much determine all other measures. If I were to drill the slots bigger, all measures could change.

 

[Errol]

I have time to hold off, so if you would be so kind to let me know what you think of it's quality I would greatly appreciate it.

I edited my previous post that the price had jumped to $10 which took it out of the bargain category so I didn't buy one, I already have too many.

Errol

 

[WindLvr]

That's okay Errol. I found another tank that uses the same head design as the Vivi Nova, but the overall tank design is more like a well done Stardust that holds 5ml. I am going to pick one of those up. It is this tank: Crystal XL Cartridge 2.0ohm Looks nicely done, but I am not sure if I will like having a drip tip that screws into the tank. Time will tell here in a few days.

 

[gdeal]

Just ordered one of these. Looks like a vivi....but with so many more possibilies.

the GotVapes SplitFire 3ml Tank : GotVapes.com, E-cigarette Supplies - Atomizers Cartomizers Mods Juice and more


I see a horizontal genisis hybrid in my future....

 

[MISTer E]

MikeE3, Please know that my "thank you" to all of the ECF community, for helping me expand my vapor education does goes out to all here, & it is things like the flythreader/coilsaber that I learned from you, that make my life easier, by making me wiser. That tool is a keeper & I am amazed @ how well it works, thank you for a valued addition to my instruments of vapor.

gdeal that Sicarus's double coil is awesome looking. I love non traditional cool coil types & that one is very artistic.

The new vivi5/gotvapessplitfire looks like some excellent mod material

I need to order one soon. It would be awesome if a metal top section gets into production quickly for it. I like metal vapor combustion chambers

 

[silversx]

hey guys.. i rewicked my vivi 3 times.. each time i use either one 3mm wick or doubled up 3mm wick.. problem is after i let it sit for awhile.. the draw becomes super tight.. i thought it was the wicks being too thick and covering the hole? but when i look at it there's room around the wick for air..

how can i avoid this issue.. i like an open draw..

 

[mrelwood]

each time i use either one 3mm wick or doubled up 3mm wick.. problem is after i let it sit for awhile.. the draw becomes super tight.. i thought it was the wicks being too thick and covering the hole? but when i look at it there's room around the wick for air..

Could it be that your coil system is leaking? If the juice drips down from the coil, it might block the airways somewhat. The Vivi Nova doesn't seem to leak to the battery connection no matter what you do, so it must get caught up somewhere.

3mm is a very thick wick, did you drill the slots larger? If not, I wonder if the replacement air gets in the tank as well as it could. Does the vape get better if you screw the top cap open a few rotations for a few seconds, and close it back?

 

[silversx]

i think you're right about the leaking wick dripping juice down the air path.. i didn't modify the slot.. it's the way it came minus that piece of cloth thing..

how can i avoid juice from dripping down.. it seems like this would be a problem no matter how thin the wick? as long as the wick is in the juice and left sitting there.. it's always sitting up right on a provari or something..

Could it be that your coil system is leaking? If the juice drips down from the coil, it might block the airways somewhat. The Vivi Nova doesn't seem to leak to the battery connection no matter what you do, so it must get caught up somewhere.

3mm is a very thick wick, did you drill the slots larger? If not, I wonder if the replacement air gets in the tank as well as it could. Does the vape get better if you screw the top cap open a few rotations for a few seconds, and close it back?

 

[mrelwood]

i think you're right about the leaking wick dripping juice down the air path.. i didn't modify the slot.. it's the way it came minus that piece of cloth thing..

how can i avoid juice from dripping down.. it seems like this would be a problem no matter how thin the wick? as long as the wick is in the juice and left sitting there.. it's always sitting up right on a provari or something..

It's not at all a problem with me, but I vape 70% VG. I would check the coil you built, perhaps there is something that allows leaking. What material are you using for the wick?

 

[Errol]

That's okay Errol. I found another tank that uses the same head design as the Vivi Nova, but the overall tank design is more like a well done Stardust that holds 5ml. I am going to pick one of those up. It is this tank: Crystal XL Cartridge 2.0ohm Looks nicely done, but I am not sure if I will like having a drip tip that screws into the tank. Time will tell here in a few days.

I'll be curious to hear how it performs in comparison to the Vivi Nova. Notice the replaceable atomizer appears near identical to the one we were looking at.

Errol

 

[silversx]

silica wick with 70/30 pgvg and 32g kanthal.. my coils are pretty round.. no sharp bends... sigh

 

[L7D4N]

Has anyone tried these on the Nova yet? I see they're new, just not sure *how new*...

Rebuildable Atomizer Coils With Non-Resistance Leads - Avid Vaper

These would be perfect for this application, though.

 

[Errol]

MikeE3, Please know that my "thank you" to all of the ECF community, for helping me expand my vapor education does goes out to all here, & it is things like the flythreader/coilsaber that I learned from you, that make my life easier, by making me wiser. That tool is a keeper & I am amazed @ how well it works, thank you for a valued addition to my instruments of vapor.

You're one up on me there, I never did figure out what the "flythreader/coilsaber" is or how it is used. Maybe someone should have taken me fishing.

Errol