Xc-116 vs ekowool

[super_X_drifter]

hey thanks for that. I feel like I did when I first started vaping, excited. lately i have settled on what i think is a great vape with porous ceramic and believe that it cant get much better then this, and now with this set-up there is no where else to go, so im getting bored, that's why i am trying out this dripper thing with the xc and am excited to see what all the hype is about. thanks X

Bro, there is somewhere MAJOR for you to go still: dripping from the bottom - fresh squeezed juice on demand. That will be much more of a game changer than any wicking material not just in vapability, but in portability.

You'll definitely get bored with a REO, cause their so damn easy, reliable, consistent and durable.

Just look at this little beast:

 

[pdib]

hey guys the xc will be arriving soon. when it does this will be my first attempt at anything other then a genesis atty. I will be trying this stuff out in the only dripper I have, the agi,(which is now in genny mode). I have heard this xc-116 can frey if not handled correctly, can you tell me the best way to do this? and if it takes a certain device for cutting, what is the best for this? thanks

Vap. There is, for some reason, a big difference in fraying between the two sizes of xc. super_X uses the xc-132, which doesn't fray. The xc-116 pops into a 1/2" long fray when you cut it. (folding good). Also, the xc-116 cuts more cleanly with some sharp angle cutters, nail clippers, etc.

 

[vapdivrr]

Bro, there is somewhere MAJOR for you to go still: dripping from the bottom - fresh squeezed juice on demand. That will be much more of a game changer than any wicking material not just in vapability, but in portability.

You'll definitely get bored with a REO, cause their so damn easy, reliable, consistent and durable.

Just look at this little beast:

X, I meant with the porous ceramic im doing in a genny, which I have been doing since feb and have been really happy with, but kind of hit a wall, not sure that theres anymore to do to make it better. so on to these dripper types, ill start out with a basic one and take it from there. always been interested in the bottom feeders so well see. thanks

 

[vapdivrr]

Vap. There is, for some reason, a big difference in fraying between the two sizes of xc. super_X uses the xc-132, which doesn't fray. The xc-116 pops into a 1/2" long fray when you cut it. (folding good). Also, the xc-116 cuts more cleanly with some sharp angle cutters, nail clippers, etc.

you know I did notice he uses the thinner one compared to the one I received today! nail clippers? cool, I have a new one, and there the big ones, thanks.

 

[pdib]

OK, everybody. The exchange is complete. Samples have been successfully swapped. As Commie has so graciously offered to do the "scientific" wicking test; I won't be gettin' all redundant 'n shistle. Any requests? Suggestions?. I intend to try, of course a low res micro coil. Probably a girlie one too (1.7 or something). I might do a Genny test, although, well, whatever. What else?

Also, I happened to pick up some sterile cotton balls today, so, maybe when I'm done ekowooling a coil, I'll slip in some cotton and confirm what we already know.

 

[IcyX]

I would like to see the scientific type test where equal lengths of different types are compared on capillary action. Like a one inch pieces of xc-16 vs the equivalent size ekowool (multiple sizes if you have em) as well as 1mm, 2mm, and 3mm regular twisted silica. If I were to set it up I would use two pieces of each type of those wicks and measure the time it took to wick two different samples of fluid to wet something at the end of the wick. Perhaps lay one end on a paper towel and putt a few drops of kerosine on one end and watch it go then try the same with 50/50 e-liquid and compile the data for each.

For a taste test (which I will have to say is always subjective to the tester) I would like to see a two setups exactly (as much as possible) one with ekowool one with xc-116 and here how the taste is. I know it'a super hard to wrap two coils that are going to perform the same so perhaps you could slide one wick out and slide the other in? If your coil winding skills are up there and you have two of the same droppers then maybe a side by side same coil resistance and numer of wraps along with the same number if drips at the same setting on a vv/vw. It would be cool also to do a blind test on a person so they didn't know what type of wick they were using.

Is that a bit carried away? Perhaps but it would be fun to and and see I think.

Whatever methods you guys use or however you go about things please do write in detail what you do and try with this stuff.

 

[darkzero]

Could you compare the OD size of the Ekowool you have to the XC Nextel you have? The Ekowool does come somewhat flattened but if you torch it, it will become stiffer & round making it easier to measure.

 

[Commie]

Could you compare the OD size of the Ekowool you have to the XC Nextel you have? The Ekowool does come somewhat flattened but if you torch it, it will become stiffer & round making it easier to measure.

2mm Ekowool seems to be about 1.5 times bigger in diameter than 1/32 Nextel. However, the same length of wire makes for the same number of loops in a coil, with the same needle through the center. That leads me to believe that Ekowool is "squishier". That leads to better contact with the coil, but, as Pdib told me, slower wicking.

 

[pdib]

Well now, size, that's easy enough. My Nextel xc-1/32 is 1.5mm. The 2mm ekowool is . . . . . . . . . 2mm. (analog calipers, here, nothin' fancy). The ekowool, depending on how I squeeze and rotate it, can measure 2.1, 2, 1.9. So . . . . .2.

This, of course makes side by side testing (like IcyX up there wants to see) not so much happening. Tonight, I'm just doing general impressions on a low-to-medium demanding build. Here's my initial thang.

Remember, I am a Nextel devotee.

I set up the IGO-L with a drill bit wound 5/64" coil. The moistened ekowool slid/corkscrewed right in there. So, @ 2mm it sneaks (head first) into a 1.98mm hole. This is same as when my 1.5mm Nextel snakes its way into a slightly smaller than 1/16" hole. (I think I managed a fat 3/64" hole once).

We are at 1.8Ω. I put a few drops on the tail of the wick and watched it suck the juice up. It wicked surprisingly well. Here's where I get REALLY scientific, Kids. The Nextel wicks better than the Ekowool. How much? Not enough to care in a dripper scenario. Lets just say, "a little better"

This relates to the next observation. The ekowool is swelling a little bit. How much? Not too much. The Nextel almost doesn't swell. I would venture to say that the Nextel wicks better by the same margin that it swells less. (makes sense, right?)

The first vape: This ekowool is GREAT in a dripper. Basically flavorless, nice, "invisible". I wouldn't be able to differentiate these two wicking materials in a blind-dripper testing.

Ok that's all for now.

Maybe Commie will come through on the pictures, science, yada.

 

[darkzero]

Well now, size, that's easy enough. My Nextel xc-1/32 is 1.5mm. The 2mm ekowool is . . . . . . . . . 2mm. (analog calipers, here, nothin' fancy). The ekowool, depending on how I squeeze and rotate it, can measure 2.1, 2, 1.9. So . . . . .2.

From what I remember, the size listed for Ekowool if for the ID when used as a sleeve. I remember measuring the 3mm Ekowool & it was 3mm flat but when torched & rounded....I forget. I guess I should just check for myself I have 2mm & 3mm & some 1mm on the way. Thanks for the dim on the XC.

 

[Commie]

The only science coming up is a wicking test. Hopefully tomorrow or early next week.

 

[pdib]

Ok, wait, wait, wait. Things are changing rapidly here . . . . . let me just start by popping a few photos up, so you all can see what I've got here.

 

[pdib]

First thing I see, is, why is that juice pooling at the tail of the wick? This thing was sitting the whole time I made my initial findings post. (I'm using 2 diff. color juices, to monitor how they move through the wick. Yellow and blue.) That juice should be IN the wick. So, I take a few vapes, and, the flavor. There is a flavor here. Its a bit like, fuzzy. I can almost feel it in my mouth. Kind of a tired, fuzzy, cottony flavor. Not good. Also, this is basically a brand new wick and coil. What's with all the discoloration?

So, I top off with 3 drops. I don't look to see where they land, because with Nextel, I'm in the habit of knowing it'll get to where it needs to be right quick. Not so much here. I'm finding that I need to aim. I gotta put those drops right on the coil, cause they apparently aren't gonna grow legs . . . . . . . and the ekowool doesn't seem inclined to carry them there.


hmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[Commie]

That *is* weird. I have the discoloration too, but I generally have it on all the wick types. But the wicking should be much better than what you're seeing. I wonder if the coil is too tight, or not enough of a hole through the middle. That's about the length of the wick I had in my RM2, but it vaped until the entire wick was almost dry. Thickness of the juice shouldn't be a problem, I've used it with 50/50 and 90%VG

 

[pdib]

Ok, so I wrote the above. What, 3-4 minutes. Went back out to the vape-spa . . . . man cave, and guess what. The three drops DID find their way to the coil.

So, with the Nextel, I feel like I'm getting either a hit of juice or a dry hit. With the ekowool, there's a big in-between area wherein its not juicy, but not dry either: not all juice, some wick flavor, not great. This, of course goes back to wicking ability. So, its looking like this. In the dripper scenario, with a 1.8Ω build, the nextel is better than the ekowool. Faster wicking, much closer to flavorless. (IMHO flavorless). I could beat a dead horse; but I'm impatient. I'm gonna stick some cotton in there, and see what that's all about. (I've used cotton before, but not this kind.)

 

[pdib]

Ok. Cottonvape. This would be the sterile cotton balls from the pharmacy. (as recommended to me by super_X_drifter; but I know, enjoyed by many). No soak, no boil, just out of the box and into the coil.

first impression: Wow! . . Nice! . . . . . . Really nice!

Photos of setup:

 

[pdib]

As the initial dripping started to wear off, I found simply less flavor. No added flavors, just less. Added 3 drops, purposely on the back end of the tail (different flavor). Well, I didn't get the new flavor, but the old flavor kicked right back up to full presence. So, things are moving along in there. It looks like the cotton retains more juice than even the ekowool did; however, that juice moves right along!! Ok, gonna go check on it.

 

[Jeremy Evans]

Ok, so know I think need to get some Nextel, I'm pretty sure I have some cotton here. I know when I used yarn it tended to get burnt pretty fast even with juice to spare. Maybe I'm a chain vaper, but with ekowool it takes 2-3 pulls to lose the flavor. 2mm is the best so far with ekowool. IMHO.

 

[pdib]

I've used a few different cottons, J.E., and this is very different. Definitely not the same thing as yarn, or braided cotton, or candle wick.

So, here's cotton after more vape time than the ekowool got. I've been going with yellow, then back to blue, then yellow, so the colors are mixed; but look, no discoloration. And the flavor reflects it.






and top off with a bit more juice . . . .

 

[super_X_drifter]

Rolled Cotton is badass. This thread is mislabeled.

Rolled cotton is like Floyd Mayweather - there are a few who have looked promising and have even challenged him, but in the end he always wins.
Nextel may be the Pacquiao whom he avoids?

I'm rolling back with cotton not only cause it is supreme for my style vaping and builds but it just feels *safer*

I'm not a Mayweather fan either. I can't wait till someone kick his ....