Why does plugging the fill hole reduce wicking?

[chabos]

I was looking into a plug for my Kraken clone today in order to try and make it semi portable. On the FT forums someone mentioned that plugging the fill hole will reduce wicking. Can someone explain why that is to me? I'm just curious. Is a bit of juice meant to come out onto the deck to saturate the top of the coil? And does setting it up cotton auto dripper style influence the effect of a plugged fill hole on wicking? I tried a single coil (can't find the damn key I need to open the second coil hole ) cotton dripper set up with the fill hole plugged with another piece of cotton stuffed as tight as possible. It's currently on it's side with no leaking, and hasn't had wicking issues yet. I only plugged it a few minutes ago though, so fingers crossed that it stays that way haha.

 

[folkphys]

As long as air can get IN to your tank somewhere it will work. Your wick is there to remove juice from the tank and bring it up to your coils. But it can only do that if air is allowed to trade places with said juice. Usually, a soft wick like cotton/silica or a rigid wick like rope that isn't too tightly fit or tightly rolled (mesh) will allow enough air back into the tank to keep the whole wicking juice air exchange thing going. But cotton swells and there is a fine line between tight enough not to leak when sideways and too tight for air/juice exchange.

And so, sometimes people find that keeping a breather hole open in a genny's top deck is useful especially when going sub-ohm and high heat where you need superfast wicking speed to keep up with how quickly you are vaporizing the liquid at your coils. I found that a post insulator could suffice as a fill hole plug because it sill had an opening in it but one that was too small for excessive juice (> 10% VG) escape.

 

[emus]

+1 folkphys.

The needed deck to tank air intake hole can be tuned w/ a separate mesh wick.
The separate mesh wick can be made like a q-tip for wicking assistance.
The separate mesh q-tip wick will allow sufficient air to enter tank unless it sits flush against tank floor.
If deck air hole is open enough to produce a stream of bubbles when topper inverted then it will leak on it's side.
If zero bubbles when topper is inverted then dry hit is possible.

With some tuning a genny style can be setup for minimal to no leakage.

 

[UncleChuck]

especially when going sub-ohm and high heat where you need superfast wicking speed to keep up with how quickly you are vaporizing the liquid at your coils.

I think this might account for some of the difference of opinion when it comes to getting gennys leak free and still wicking properly.

Vaping at 40 watts, I just can't imagine a sealed up genny, which doesn't leak a drop on it's side, would wick fast enough to not dry out. Even with SS cable, which doesn't bring mesh rolling skills/technique into play, with a sealed genny I'll dry out in a couple good pulls. I've put the fill screws in, sealed her up, tipped it completely upside-down and it doesn't leak a drop. Sounds good until you fire her up, and two seconds later the wick is bone dry.

I'm thinking perhaps a triangle-shaped oversize wick hole would be better, because it would leave open "ports" around the wick. Where as with a round wickhole hugs the outside of the wick leaving a smaller path for air/juice swapping and higher surface tension of the juice in a round hole. A triangular shaped hole would "cut" the surface tension and in theory encourage better wicking with a plugged airhole.

 

[TrentTC]

Do a dual coil in your kraken. The fill hole is to small for liquid to leak out and it still wicks great. I have mine set up at .4 ohms and it doesn't leak or ever get dry. I only have to tilt when the liquid gets very low in the tank

 

[BobC]

The best solution to this problem:

Don't buy a gennie, and if you have them, put them on a shelf and get you sum bottom coils.

Gennies leak, that's the nature of the beast, it's an old technology bested by the kayfun/Russian/Taifun/Squape/Aqua style RTAs

 

[suspectK]

^While I agree on liking vacuum tank systems better, comparing a genesis to kayfun style RBA is apples to oranges. There's a reason cartomizers and genesis style tanks are still so popular...

 

[emus]

The best solution to this problem:

Don't buy a gennie, and if you have them, put them on a shelf and get you sum bottom coils.

Gennies leak, that's the nature of the beast, it's an old technology bested by the kayfun/Russian/Taifun/Squape/Aqua style RTAs

Genny doesn't leak a drop if you know how to treat her. My Aqua has been on the shelf a couple weeks now. I use Genny every day.

 

[WattWick]

The best solution to this problem:

Don't buy a gennie, and if you have them, put them on a shelf and get you sum bottom coils.

Gennies leak, that's the nature of the beast, it's an old technology bested by the kayfun/Russian/Taifun/Squape/Aqua style RTAs

There's only one thing the KFL does better than my gennies. Collecting dust.

 

[grayscale]

But it can only do that if air is allowed to trade places with said juice.

This. Internal volume, it must be balanced. All of our technology is based on atmospheric pressure, meaning these things don't work in a vacuum.

 

[BobC]

There's only one thing the KFL does better than my gennies. Collecting dust.

Now that's funny

 

[BobC]

Genny doesn't leak a drop if you know how to treat her. My Aqua has been on the shelf a couple weeks now. I use Genny every day.

Ly almost any gennie on its side, it leaks, period, at least the 5 I have

 

[emus]

Ly almost any gennie on its side, it leaks, period, at least the 5 I have

AGT can be set up for zero leaks.

 

[WattWick]

Now that's funny

I'm just joking around, of course. I don't think the KFL and the like are bad. They're just not for me.

My pocketable gennies don't leak. The others do. That doesn't bother me enough to do anything about it, tho.

Have to admit using mesh rolls to tighten up fill holes is one of those brilliant "why didn't I think of that" ideas.

 

[BobC]

Better be using thick juice, cause 50/50 will run right through the mesh

 

[BobC]

AGT can be set up for zero leaks.

U can plug the air hole, but how's that work out?

 

[emus]

U can plug the air hole, but how's that work out?

If plug both air holes dry burn likely.

I have 4 AGT toppers. The 2 w/ essentially one open air hole do not leak on side or in pocket. The 2 w/ 2 open air holes will leak if laid down too long.