What's up w/POP'ing in RBA's ??

[kelleymcm]

​HI I wanted to ask you guys about an issue I am having
& then I just saw another related type issue that I wanted to get your opinions on too...

Ok so my Taj ...the original coil would not meter worth a crap, it would jump around # wise & then sometimes it would just show 0000 so I changed the wick/coil to the 2.8omh one that came with the tank & it meters OK & solidly @ 2.74omh.

but..... It POP's & spits & gurgles & won't produce any vapor ???
It is over wicking if anything & the air flow seems fine ?? And I don't see any hot spots ...
I just can't figure out why it would act like this .....
the POP'ing is freaking me out ! I can FEEL it as well as hear it .
the POP'ing is NOT constant ...just every once in awhile
I have been testing it w/an older ego ... cuz I don't trust it ...
even tho every time I put it back on meter it is reading the same.
& cuz I had a BOLT switch burn up on me a few weeks ago & am NOW gun shy.




another issue ...
I just saw on FB where a GUY had a Hyper SRT explode on him today...
& the description of "explode" that was posted was way to close to what might be happening w/my Taj


snipped from FB post ...<hmmm nevermind...the FB post I took that from has been deleted


hes said that he heard a loud pop while vaping on his zmax while he was taking a toot & the juice inside the tank and where the coil is caught on fire and that quick boom it exploded. he vapes at about 8.5 watts idk if there were other contributing factors? split it and sent hot juice all over.



so any ideas what might be going on here ????????

 

[LucentShadow]

I've experienced that popping with poor airflow and/or flooded coil. The coil gets hotter because the liquid does not atomize well, and makes a more violent 'bubbling' boil occur.

In a good setup, the liquid boiling off and efficiently being carried away as steam in a good air stream is what limits the heat of the coil to a consistent temperature.

Try to make sure that the coil is well within the airflow, that the amount of airflow is adequate, and the coil isn't over-soaked.

This can be difficult with some designs.

 

[kelleymcm]

Thanks for your answer ...It makes sense ...

It has gotten better as I have used it more today &
I am hoping some of it was just breaking in the new coil etc...
Less LOUD POP's just a few small ones,here & there .
It seems better @ higher Voltages also .
I am NOT sure how I could achieve more air flow in this puppy ...
other than the "plug the original air supply w/a broken off toothpick & drilling new air supply in tank" idea.

Others (I posted this ? in several places) have suggested that it was water or alcohol in my juice...
which may also be true, I use a vg that is pre thinned w/dist. water for my DIY base.
But have for many months & had never heard POP'ing before .


hmmm, as long as it has calmed down & now produces some vapor....
I must be heading in the right direction I will consider the air flow more ....thanks again !

 

[LucentShadow]

Airflow is important, but may not be the major factor there. There are a lot of variables that can affect the quality of a vape.

I vape VG thinned with distilled water, myself, and only get popping when the setup is suboptimal.

Besides the airflow, the interaction between the coil and wick can vary vape quality quite a bit. Different wicks sometimes need different coils for best performance. Some just act differently in certain configurations, such as stainless steel genesis-style wicks having a bit of a 'volcanic effect' due to their tubular shape.

I suspect that your resistance wire may not be keeping up with your wick's ability to pull in liquid. One thing that I've noticed through experimenting with several different wick materials and sizes, is that a larger diameter wick (or a wick that just wicks very well, such as one made from cotton balls) benefits from having a coil with more surface area. This can be done by adding more turns to the coil with the same wire, and running it at a higher voltage to compensate, or by using a lower gauge resistance wire at the same voltage.

Either way, the extra wire provides a more consistent heat across the wick, and more contact area to cause finer atomization. In my experience, a very capable wick coupled with a lower gauge coil equals a great volume of vapor, as long as the airflow is also good. I've gotten too much before, and I've learned to take shorter hits instead of turning down the voltage, as that can take it back toward under-atomizing the liquid available at the wick. I'll usually make the wick a bit smaller in diameter the next time, in those cases.

Anyway, I hope my experiences may help, and you are able to perfect your setup.