what should i be asking about rba's? some random rookie questions...

[doubliner837342]

Hi all. First of all I hope I'm posting this in the right place. Let me know if I should go elsewhere.

I am stepping up from my smokeless image 808 stuff (including vv spinners and a T3) and want to get into rebuildables (I think...I know I'm a tinkerer). I have on pre order, hopefully coming soon, an svd and a natural. I'm excited to get the iclear 30's that come with the svd, but I know I'll be wanting something more, but I'm not totally sure what that should be. I'm about to order some batteries from rtdvapor and as a result have been looking over their line of rebuildable things, such as the igo-l, the aga+t, and the vision eternity. (I'm really frugal and stick to a strict budget, so I always like consolidating orders if it helps and rtd seems to have good prices.) I like things potentially about all these things, but am not really sure which way I should go. I know they are pretty different types of devices and in some ways not comparable but I'd love anyone's input and thoughts about them.

Also, advice about how much wire I should get, (is 100 ft of 32 kanthal too much,not enough? 32 seems to be a commonly used guage so I figured that would be safe to start with...) what kind of wire mesh, silica wick (or something else?) And what else am I not thinking of?
I guess the wisest question I could ask is, what SHOULD I be asking that I'm too ignorant to even know to ask right now?

An aside: should I just go ahead and get the kick for my natural now, or will I be OK with it for a while without it since I'll also have the svd for home use (since I'm not sure I want to be caught dead vaping off of the light-saber-of-an-svd in public)?

Sorry for such a random and vague post, hopefully the crowd's wisdom will help me to know at least what to ask next and be more succinct. Thanks in advance.

 

[pdib]

Lots of questions. A few answers/opinions: Start with a few feet of multiple gauges of wire. If you're a tinkerer, like me, you'll be wanting to try way more than what you can do with 32! With mechanicals (don't get a kick!) you MUST have 28 & 30 gauge. Nichrome is just as good as Kanthal (but its resistance specs are different). This site has Nichrome @ $2.50 per gauge (free shipping, and an interactive resistance calculator). NichromeCalc This site http://www.temcoindustrialpower.com/search.html?category=Resistance_Wire&sort=price+-+lowest has Kanthal in every gauge (incl. 27,29 etc.), you will average $5/gauge (incl. shipping) and the Ω/ft is listed on each item.

edit: I have everything (stated in Kanthal equivalents) from 25-36 gauge (26,27,28,29etc), and I use it all with glee. You should start with 28,30,32 at least

 

[doubliner837342]

Thanks pdib! Why should I not use a kick? And why must I use 28 or 30 guage?

-tralfmordian

 

[Atlexus]

my favorite gauge wire is 30 with vv devices and 28 with mech mods. 28g kanthal gives you more wraps with lower ohms than 32. you really dont need a kick once you learn the amount of wraps needed to make a certain amount of ohms. i started with an eternity but it was so small i didnt really like it. my next rba was a phoenix which i loved! i used cotton gauze available from walmart or amazon, boiled it up, rolled it, wrapped it with 32g kanthal, and vaped away. now i have 3 igo ls and 3 aga t2s. i like them because theyre pretty big compared to the phoenix or eternity. i use cotton gauze for my drippers and ss mesh or ceramic wicks in my gennys. i buy my kanthal from temco and my ribbon from ebay. mech mods allow you to build coils under 1 ohm. before i used my vamos but now that i have mech mods i barely use my vamo. hope this helps

 

[Buzzsaw46]

I agree get a few feet of the 28, 30, and 32ga and play around, 32 works well with a regulated device like the SVD, 30 can work well with either a regulated mod or a mechanical, 28 is best reserved for your Natural.

I would suggest doing a bit of reading about the RBAs you are considering so you have a better idea of what you will need to put them together and enjoy them. The only RBA from RTD I have any experience with is the DiD clone, which I'm vaping right now with a 400 mesh wick and a 1ohm 30ga coil on a mech mod.

 

[pdib]

Thanks pdib! Why should I not use a kick? And why must I use 28 or 30 guage?

-tralfmordian

QU#1: because you have 28 and 30 gauge

QU#2: because you don't have a kick

 

[pdib]

Well, there are many reasons not to use a kick. Here's one, there's a very good chance that you will be wanting to use MNKE 18650 batteries . . . . . no room for a kick. Without getting that specific, I have yet to hear a single good thing about any 18500 batteries. Also, if you build Superlowresistance setups (which you may very likely do), 18350 batteries are impractical at best, and dangerous below .8Ω.

Ok.; here's another, they are expensive, unnecessary, and have very mixed reviews (user feedback)

Ok.: here's another, they drain batteries even when your not using them (check me on that one)

Ok.; here's another, its not cool.


edit: I totally forgot! They go to 10 watts! I vape anywhere from 20 to 35 watts (on paper). I think they are for people who want to look "mechanical", but vape "ego".