Wicking issues with iSub coils

[FCastle]

I recently got my first sub-ohm setup with a iSub Apex. I'm using the regular 0.5 ohm coils at 25-35 watts. I've seen people say the coils last for 1-2 weeks and work fine with 80+ VG. Using higher than 70 VG I start having wicking issues after a day or so with a new coil. Occasionally I get a burnt hit but mostly I randomly get hits that the vapor seems pretty thin and not much flavor, sometimes can taste unburnt cotton. I've tried poking holes in the cotton with a thumbtack, and adjusting the airflow doesn't seem to make a difference. Sometimes even happens after taking a few priming hits and letting it sit for a few minutes. Do these coils just not work well with higher VG juice? Seems like most juice makers these days only offer 50/50 or 80+ VG. I did try 50/50 and get a lot of crackling noise and some spitting.

 

[Benji_Rock]

I recently got my first sub-ohm setup with a iSub Apex. I'm using the regular 0.5 ohm coils at 25-35 watts. I've seen people say the coils last for 1-2 weeks and work fine with 80+ VG. Using higher than 70 VG I start having wicking issues after a day or so with a new coil. Occasionally I get a burnt hit but mostly I randomly get hits that the vapor seems pretty thin and not much flavor, sometimes can taste unburnt cotton. I've tried poking holes in the cotton with a thumbtack, and adjusting the airflow doesn't seem to make a difference. Sometimes even happens after taking a few priming hits and letting it sit for a few minutes. Do these coils just not work well with higher VG juice? Seems like most juice makers these days only offer 50/50 or 80+ VG. I did try 50/50 and get a lot of crackling noise and some spitting.

Apparently its common for those coils to be wicked badly. The cotton is probably crammed in way too tight. Luckily the coils are easily rewickable (theres a couple of vids on youtube on how if need be). Really the wick needs to be tight enough to stay in the coils but loose enough that its relatively easy to pull through.

Thats the only solution I can think of, the juice holes on that coil are quite big so shouldnt have an issue with 80vg. My missus uses those coils in her isub and she hasnt had any issues with high vg juice.

 

[FCastle]

Might partly be the juice I was using, seems thick even for 80 VG. I'm guessing it's not thinned at all like some juices are. Though coils from two different sources wick thinner juice like Crimmy's 70 VG great. Thicker juices barely wick at all even after poking a bunch of holes in the cotton. Guess I'll stick to thinner juice.

 

[Lannie]

I use those coils every day and I love them. I use high VG juice (70% to 80% VG), but if it's higher than that, I thin it with a little distilled water. I do, however, change wicks frequently. I'm still using the same coils I got last August and September, I just clean the coils and rewick them every day or two for the best flavor. As soon as it starts tasting the least bit "burnt," I change it out and it's all good again. They're SUPER easy to rewick. Just pull the old wick out with tweezers (and this will be hard the first time because the stock wicks ARE packed in there too tight), and put a new piece of cotton or rayon in. Clip the ends flush with the barrel with nail clippers and reinstall. It takes me about 30 seconds to rewick one of those. Try it, you'll like it.

 

[FCastle]

I tried the Clapton coil and strangely it's really dense cotton seems to wick better. I couldn't even poke any holes in it. I'll probably try the new non-Clapton BVC coils and see if the vertical coils wick better.