Why oh WHY is my Silica Wick shredding?!?!?

[HeyYouComOvrHere]

So, after buying DOZENS of coils for replacements, I've decided to jump into this rebuilding game. I bought 25' 1.5mm silica wick and 100' of 30 AWG Kanthal Wire A-1 thinking I;m READY. So, I follow the basic instructions I've seen online...burn the Silica to burn the manufacturer's crap not to mention make it stiffer. Then, I torch the kanthal wire as Ive heard some say you should, some say you don't have to. So, I figured better safe than sorry. Now, I'm trying to wrap the wire around the wick...with a paper clip and without. The wick frays and falls apart. So, I loop the wick essentially doubling the wick...start wrapping and it cuts one of the two pieces off. So, I'm now left with one piece of wick...ok, I can live with that...that's what I wanted originally. I start tightening up the coils, scrunch them together and I can see the wick starting to fray in between the coils...voilla, it splits in half yet again.

PLEASE tell me what I am doing wrong and what I can do to make this work. PArt of me is thinking I've got the wrong size silica wick with the wrong size wire. Damn this is frustrating....my kingdom for a solution.

Thanks in advance.
Mike

 

[lasttango]

I gave up with the silica too... same issue... using cotton now... Cotton is great!

---but heh... I have the same question... I would love to do something with that silica I never use...

 

[EJAB]

Maybe some bad silica or your wrapping the coil to tight? Your silica and wire sizes are fine. When I used to rebuild Kanger coils, I used 2mm silica and 32awg. I tried both 1mm and 1.5mm silica, but have found that 2mm silica worked the best for me.

 

[HeyYouComOvrHere]

I gave up with the silica too... same issue... using cotton now... Cotton is great!

---but heh... I have the same question... I would love to do something with that silica I never use...

Hey, if you have a method with steps for using Cotton, I'll give it a try...can you point me in the right direction? I'm heading out of town Wednesday and really looking to setup some heads before I leave. I have one new one left but sometimes, they burn up QUICK on me. SO, if I can make it work with cotton, I;m all for it. I just find it hard to believe I can turn a round cotton ball into a long skinny piece of string to put in my eGo CE5...lol But I'm willing to try and learn.

Thanks
Mike

 

[HeyYouComOvrHere]

I got the Silica from Lightening Vapes via Amazon. Anyone know their rep? Do they have a tendency to sell bad stuff?

 

[Moodyfisherman]

I got the Silica from Lightening Vapes via Amazon. Anyone know their rep? Do they have a tendency to sell bad stuff?

I have bought from Lightning for over 6 months....I buy direct as it is a little cheaper but all their products have been top notch...go to their online sight and look at the tutorials they offer for rebuilding coils....that might help some...

 

[HeyYouComOvrHere]

So, I've gone back and paid EXTRA close attention to make DAMN sure I did not pull the wire too hard....and I got it to work. It started fraying a LITTLE but it's acceptable. Now, the next question I have, and you have to forgive me...I'm a former college jock and professional computer nerd now, i know very little about electronics. Well, I don't know some of the basics. For example, does it REALLY matter that I do not have one of those screw-in testers to test how many ohms this thing is putting off? I have an analog multimeter, I've switched it to X10 on the ohms setting and when I touch the two tester ends against each other, the needle goes to about 4. THen, when I put one tester on the center tube inside the screw of my head and the other end on the outside screws, I get the same 4 measurement. So, that tells me my circuit IS closed and working properly but I don't know if the ohms are correct or now. I keep hearing everyone saying 1.5 or 1.8 or 2.0 or 2.5 but I've never heard anyone say 4. So, am I testing this incorrectly? Or do I have the wire wrapped incorrectly? Like I said, not the brightest bulb in the box when it comes to electronics....lol.

Any advice short of, find an electrician, would be greatly appreciated. I have managed to run Smarthome home automation throughout my house and I haven't killed myself yet...lol

Thanks,
Mike

 

[HeyYouComOvrHere]

Hmmm...I think I've opened the door with that last post. So, I shall walk through it and close the door....yes, I do have a few screws loose...

 

[skoony]

burn the silica? i dont think you want to do that.
regards
mike

 

[HeyYouComOvrHere]

burn the silica? i dont think you want to do that.
regards
mike

Yep, BURN it...lol Actually, I originally did it using the gas stove in my kitchen but it got to be a pain in the ... standing there holding the wicks. So, I went out and bought a torch. I got the standup kind you use for baking creme bule (sp?) It works great...had more trouble finding the butane than anything...lol. When you torch it, the wick turns bright white...white hot. So, make sure you hold it with some needle nose pliers or something. Burn the entire length of the wick, this removes the impurities the manufacturer puts on the Wick. I guess it's similar to dry burning. Now, I am rebuilding all of my heads...I can't believe how easy this is and how much money it is going to save in the long run. Wish I had taken the plunge three years ago...lol.

 

[zoiDman]

...

PLEASE tell me what I am doing wrong and what I can do to make this work. PArt of me is thinking I've got the wrong size silica wick with the wrong size wire. Damn this is frustrating....my kingdom for a solution.

Thanks in advance.
Mike

Not sure if there is Something Wrong with your Silica Wick. Or if it is Not Woven or Braided.

But have you tried wrapping you Coil Wire around the Wick and Then putting them into the Fire?

 

[HeyYouComOvrHere]

Not sure if there is Something Wrong with your Silica Wick. Or if it is Not Woven or Braided.

But have you tried wrapping you Coil Wire around the Wick and Then putting them into the Fire?

Yep! Ultimately, that's what I ended up doing. I used a paper clip and wrapped the wick around the paper clip and wick together, just not as tightly. Then, I slip it off the paperclip, squeeze the wire together and try to even out the spacing between the wire strands. Then, I use my torch and burn the wick...including the coiled wire for good measure...lol

So, I've now wrapped 10 coils and tried two of them. The one thing I have noticed is that I cannot inhale as much as I usually can, the hit is a LOT bigger and more than my fragile lungs can handle....lol. Does it have to do with the number of wraps? The first heads I wrapped had 7 or 8 wraps, can't remember exactly. So, I did one with four wraps around the wick and it still seems to be a little strong. So, what determines how strong the hit is going to be? Not that it bothers me, I assume this means my wick, liquid and maybe battery, will last longer. If I'm taking shorter hits on it, wear and tear should be reduced...right?

 

[zoiDman]

Yep! Ultimately, that's what I ended up doing. I used a paper clip and wrapped the wick around the paper clip and wick together, just not as tightly. Then, I slip it off the paperclip, squeeze the wire together and try to even out the spacing between the wire strands. Then, I use my torch and burn the wick...including the coiled wire for good measure...lol

So, I've now wrapped 10 coils and tried two of them. The one thing I have noticed is that I cannot inhale as much as I usually can, the hit is a LOT bigger and more than my fragile lungs can handle....lol. Does it have to do with the number of wraps? The first heads I wrapped had 7 or 8 wraps, can't remember exactly. So, I did one with four wraps around the wick and it still seems to be a little strong. So, what determines how strong the hit is going to be? Not that it bothers me, I assume this means my wick, liquid and maybe battery, will last longer. If I'm taking shorter hits on it, wear and tear should be reduced...right?

What are the Ohms of the Coils you are making?

I would be Making a Quick n' Dirty Chart of the Ohms per Wrap and how well they Hit for you.

 

[HeyYouComOvrHere]

What are the Ohms of the Coils you are making?

I would be Making a Quick n' Dirty Chart of the Ohms per Wrap and how well they Hit for you.

Well, that's the problem, I'm not sure how to do that. That's what i was saying in my earlier post. I don't have one of the fancy screw-in tools to connect the tank to so I can check the ohms. I have an analog multimeter that I picked up but I'm not sure what parts I should touch to the testers. I know, I'm an idiot...but I lost my old man before he had a chance to teach me that kind of stuff....lol

 

[zoiDman]

Well, that's the problem, I'm not sure how to do that. That's what i was saying in my earlier post. I don't have one of the fancy screw-in tools to connect the tank to so I can check the ohms. I have an analog multimeter that I picked up but I'm not sure what parts I should touch to the testers. I know, I'm an idiot...but I lost my old man before he had a chance to teach me that kind of stuff....lol

No Worries.

But if you are going to build coils, you Really Need to invest in a Decent Digital Multi-Meter (DMM).

You can check out this Vid which shows the Technique of Reading the Resistance of something.

How to read resistance with an analog multimeter - ohmmeter - YouTube

The Concept is set the Meter to Ohms.

Touch the Meter Leads together. The Meter should read ZERO. But if it Doesn't Write the Number it Reads down.

Put one Lead on one end of you coil. Then put the Other lead on the Other.

If when you Touched the Leads together before your meter read Zero, then what the meter says is the Resistance.

If when you Touched the Leads together before your meter did Not Read Zero, then Subtract what you Wrote Down from what the Meter now says, that is your Resistance.

 

[FWon]

burn the silica? i dont think you want to do that.
regards
mike

What Mike says ^^ Burning dry silica will break it down real quick and make it worthless.

 

[zoiDman]

What Mike says ^^ Burning dry silica will break it down real quick and make it worthless.

Nothing Wrong with Torching Silica Wick to Clean it.

 

[Giraut]

Silica wicks are somewhat finicky to work with, and brittle. When the wick is severed by the wire, it's quite typical of a coil that's too tight. Also, any friction against the inside of the coil (if you pull the wick through it after coiling for example) is enough to break many of the fibers.

When you coil your wire around the wick, hold a very thin needle alongside the wick to keep it straight while coiling and avoid bending it and moving inside the coil. Coil finger-tight. Then when you remove the needle, the wick will have extra space to "breathe". Once the coil is done, don't tug on the wick: if it's too short on one side, just redo the coil. Be very gentle with it and it won't break or unravel.

Personally, I've given up on cotton: yes it's easier to work with, and it allows more creativity in wick shapes. But it's a pain in a .... to change cotton wicks every two days, and I find a properly done silica wick to be just as flavorful as a cotton wick.

 

[rurwin]

Well, that's the problem, I'm not sure how to do that. That's what i was saying in my earlier post. I don't have one of the fancy screw-in tools to connect the tank to so I can check the ohms. I have an analog multimeter that I picked up but I'm not sure what parts I should touch to the testers. I know, I'm an idiot...but I lost my old man before he had a chance to teach me that kind of stuff....lol

Can you post the make and model of your meter, or failing that, a clear photo of the meter scale, and we can tell you what you should be doing.

For example, you do know that there is probably a separate scale for ohms and it probably runs backwards?

You are measuring between the right points, but you do need to take a reading of your meter's zero ohms by shorting the probes together and then subtract that from any measurement you take.

Although at a guess though, your reading of 4 ohms sounds about right for eight wraps of 0.20mm (32ga) Kanthal A1. I use 4-5 wraps around 2mm silica doubled over with a pin, and I get about 1.8 ohms.

The smaller the coil, the lower the resistance, and the harder and quicker it will hit. A bigger coil is cooler and takes longer to warm up.

BTW: do you get a lower numerical reading on ohms x 1 or ohms x 10? There's two ways to interpret "x10", and I'm not sure you haven't chosen the wrong one. You want the one that gives you the highest number, because that will be more accurate.

You can always practice using your meter by measuring the resistance of any commercial atomisers you have lying around.

 

[zoiDman]

BTW - Here is a Pretty Good Tutorial of one way to Make Coils and to Wick them...

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-vapes/576755-microcoil-pictorial-simple.html