Now you've got some wire to play around with and try making different coils with different ohm ratings.
For some reason, I keep finding myself going back to the single stove top coil I built in the Nimbus and vaping on it when I'm at home in front of the computer. It's alot more consistent with it's vapor delivery because it doesn't kill off the battery as fast as my dual coil build. If I remember right I used twisted 28 for it (twisted up a cut piece I had).
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 08-02-2014).]
I'll have to try a stove top coil with some twisted 28 ga (that's all I have). Looks interesting. I'm also about to order the new version Vapor Shark (rDNA30). I thought about getting a VS a while ago but not being able to swap out batteries bothered me. The new one has a removable 18650 so, if I vape enough that I kill the battery, I can change it out on the road. Supposed to be about the same price as the original. It'll be a few weeks before I actually get the VS as it'll be in layaway. I'll post some sort of brief review once I get it.
Got my Kayfun (clone) today. Looks like nice quality. It needs a looser draw and it's flooding (even with the chimney all the way down). Other than that, I like it! Went for a .8 build but ended up with a 1.0. I must have miscounted wraps. Once the tank is empty, I'll probably try again for a .8 coil. Not sure what to do about the flooding. It's already got an oversized air hole (compared to an authentic Kayfun) but I might see about getting that drilled out a little more.
Just ordered some small 12ml juices from Vapor World. I have to try them because their bulk prices on 16oz premixed are pretty dam good. Banana Nut Bread Hazelnut Latte Mango
I need to let the dust settle and let the credit card cool down but I think next month I am going to dive into the DIY juice end of things. Heh you can mix up literally gallons for what I have paid just in the last few weeks! Well almost
Some of the DIY juices are horrible. I tried a sample from Bulk E-Juice (I think) and it all had a very harsh chemical taste. If that had been my only choice, I'd go back to analogs.
Some of the DIY juices are horrible. I tried a sample from Bulk E-Juice (I think) and it all had a very harsh chemical taste. If that had been my only choice, I'd go back to analogs.
Some people make bad cookies too '
How do you get a sample of DIY juice, kind of defeats the purpose.
I have found numerous place to by PG, VG, by the gallon and Nic base and all the common flavors.
Been doing pretty good NOT buying anything more BUT I now have a Mega on the way
Also eye balling a clone Kayfun 3.1 type jobby that honestly I can't figure out how it uses the tank, along some other entry type drip units. Of course this is going to require another battery upgrade and some other equipment. Need to do some reading.
1 Month without a smoke as of about midnight tonight! have not bought a pack of smokes 35 days! In theory I am saving all kinds of cash but with my impulse buying and juice purchases probably even. BUT I gots me some very cool tangible shiny stuff instead of about 700 dam cigarette butts.
Originally posted by Red88FF: In theory I am saving all kinds of cash but with my impulse buying and juice purchases probably even. BUT I gots me some very cool tangible shiny stuff instead of about 700 dam cigarette butts.
Yeah. That's why I suggest someone who is a smoker just spends the extra $35 and buy a Kmary K100 or K101 kit and a Nimbus (or simalar dripper) from ebay right off. Chances are, while the smaller eGo type will "get you by" they probably won't "completely satisfy you" and you will eventually upgrade. Atleast with the Kamry and a dripper you'll be able to get a much more fulfilling experience. While you may eventually upgrade from the Kamry/dripper to a better model, it will be something you could use for a rather long time. You may eventually get a tank style rebuildable like the Kayfun (I probably will at some point in the future to see if it will work with my occupation) but you won't "need" to. So initially finding what "works" for you can cost as much as smoking. Once you have it though, well with my Chi-You and Tobh dripper, I haven't had to buy anything but juice so I've already saved the money I invested into finding what would work for me and am now enjoying the further savings over cigarettes.
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 08-16-2014).]
Either or. You can do like me and ween yourself off of nicotine or just use it as a much healthier alternative to smoking. At this point if I quit using my vape I wouldn't have any nicotine withdrawls but I still use it for the calming effect and because I like the many different flavors of juice I can get. It tastes WAY better than cigarettes and it smells WAY better than cigarettes. I'm sure eventually I will drop the vaping, but not dropping it isn't harming me, atleast according to my doctor it's not. Plus with me using zero nic juices mostly (I'll ocassionaly use a nic juice if I'm out and all my wife has is juice with nic), it's better for my arthritis as nicotine causes inflamation to worsen.
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 08-16-2014).]
Is this something that one does forever? Or is it a path to quitting nicotine?
(I smoked for 35 years until I quit cold turkey at age 50. )
For me it's about not smoking the cigarettes, not paying the sin tax vig, don't much care to quite nicotine. I happen to like nicotine. I will however work on lowering my resistance to it.
Also eye balling a clone Kayfun 3.1 type jobby that honestly I can't figure out how it uses the tank... Of course this is going to require another battery upgrade and some other equipment. Need to do some reading.
I have a Kayfun (clone). You have to wrap your own coils but that's easy. The Kayfun (and it's brother, the Russian 91%) uses a single coil that you wick. The good thing about it is that you can change wick in about 2 minutes although you lose whatever juice you have in the tank. Great in that wicking is dirt cheap and a coil can last months. There's a chimney that goes around the build deck (where the coil/wick is). The top of the chimney is above the level of the tank and is sealed at the top. There are a couple channels milled into the bottom of the build deck. When you draw on the PV, it sucks a little bit of juice from the tank (which surrounds the chimney and is the part you see) into the chimney and onto the wick. (The coil heats up the juice in the wick turning it into vapor which you inhale but you already know that part.) On the Kayfun, you fill the tank from the bottom through a hole filled with a screw.
You CAN use pretty much anything (including a Spinner type mod) to power an RBA/RDA/RTA depending on the resistance of the coil you build. I tend to build sub ohm coils which require a bit more power to light. Any mechanical mod will fire a sub ohm coil. The lower power mods (like the Spinner) would require a coil with a much higher resistance (closer to 1.5-2.0). For the best performance, I'd recommend a good regulated, DNA30 based (variable wattage) mod. There are a few of them out there (including some nasty clones like the Chana) priced anywhere from $70-$350. You can even build your own if you're good at soldering and know what you're doing (I'm not and I don't). I'd recommend something other than a clone in this case like a ZNA, Hana or Vapor Shark. I've got a new style Vapor Shark (rDNA) coming tomorrow. 30 watts of cloud producing power with a replacable 18650 battery). Not cheap at just under $200 but I should never need any other mod.
Nothing wrong with a mech mod (I'm vaping some tasty Suicide Bunny juice in my Kayfun on my Panzer mech mod right now) but with a regulated mod, I can adjust the wattage, vape more consistantly and worry less about safety (pretty much no way to blow the battery up). A non-mechanical mod is also easier to use since you don't have to keep adjusting the button, you don't have to continually open/close the safety collar (if you have a bottom button mod) every time you set it down, etc.
[This message has been edited by Monkeyman (edited 08-17-2014).]
Is this something that one does forever? Or is it a path to quitting nicotine?
I don't plan to stop vaping. I enjoy it. It IS a path to quitting nicotine. I've gone from the equivalent of 18mg nic to 6mg and I'm trying to find some good juice in the 3mg strength. I tried some 0mg nic juice but it lacks any sort of throat hit. 6mg (and probably 3mg) should give me a decent throat hit.
Seems kind of gimmicky. There are a bunch of "features" on that you don't need. Puff counter, temp control (?), vaping time? Not necessary. Vape until you decide to stop. Date/time? Why pay for that on your mod? You have a watch (or a phone). Also, I think variable voltage is yesterdays news. Variable WATTAGE is where it's at. Find a good DNA30 based mod like the ZNA, Hana or Vapor Shark. For $20-$40 more, you can get a Vapor Shark (1st or 2nd gen, respectively). For $100 more, you can get a Hana or for twice the price, you can get a ZNA. All of those are DNA30 based. All 3 of those are what I'd consider the Bentleys of regulated mods and are well proven. Joyetech is known more for it's entry level mods (like the eGo).
Seems kind of gimmicky. There are a bunch of "features" on that you don't need. Puff counter, temp control (?), vaping time? Not necessary. Vape until you decide to stop. Date/time? Why pay for that on your mod? You have a watch (or a phone). Also, I think variable voltage is yesterdays news. Variable WATTAGE is where it's at. Find a good DNA30 based mod like the ZNA, Hana or Vapor Shark. For $20-$40 more, you can get a Vapor Shark (1st or 2nd gen, respectively). For $100 more, you can get a Hana or for twice the price, you can get a ZNA. All of those are DNA30 based. All 3 of those are what I'd consider the Bentleys of regulated mods and are well proven. Joyetech is known more for it's entry level mods (like the eGo).
You asked for opinions. There's mine. /shrug/
Thanks for the feedback. I don't have one, I just found a good deal on one. Your right a lot of the features seem pretty useless, but the stuff that matters seems to be there. It is adjustable voltage and wattage.
Thanks for the feedback. I don't have one, I just found a good deal on one. Your right a lot of the features seem pretty useless, but the stuff that matters seems to be there. It is adjustable voltage and wattage.
I'm just saying, for the money, I'd stick to something tried and true rather than trying something new. For heavy duty and/or long term vaping, there's nothing that beats the Evolv DNA30 chip (which this obviously doesn't have). I seriously considered a non-DNA30 mod but ended up with one because I didn't want to chance wasting my money.
Thank you so much for the clear explanation of the Kayfun! that clears up two thing for me. How it works and that I MUST have it.
Bought another Mega this morning, a guy needs spares and all that
The eBay seller apparently was called out on clones and is dumping these things for 14.99 shipped. They are boxed and etched. Can't barely even get an unmarked clone from China for that. I think 13.60 is the least expensive on DHgate and you have to buy a lot of three for that price.
I also ordered 20 (4x5 pak) coils from DHgate this morning for 20 bucks! it's Christmas in August around here!
Thank you so much for the clear explanation of the Kayfun! that clears up two thing for me. How it works and that I MUST have it.
Bought another Mega this morning, a guy needs spares and all that
The eBay seller apparently was called out on clones and is dumping these things for 14.99 shipped. They are boxed and etched. Can't barely even get an unmarked clone from China for that. I think 13.60 is the least expensive on DHgate and you have to buy a lot of three for that price.
I also ordered 20 (4x5 pak) coils from DHgate this morning for 20 bucks! it's Christmas in August around here!
That's the one I got. I can't speak for the Tobecco version but the EHPro version rocks. I'm vaping with it now on a Vapor Shark 2 filled with some awesome Suicide Bunny Sucker Punch. One note...wicking an RTA (with a chimney) takes a little bit of practice. A tiny bit too much wick and it floods. A tiny bit too little wick and it dries out. The next time I rewick, I'll try to remember to snap a pic.
As cheap as the AT/Megas are, I didn't worry about trying to find a clone. Some of the clones (in general) have a smaller airhole. You can't really drill out the airhole in the Mega.
Great price on coils. I've found that the new version of Kanger coils (meant specifically for the Mega and Giant...hidden wick) work MUCH better in my Mega than the Protank/Aerotank coils (with the exposed wick). Either version seems to work very well in my original AT.
When I buy a tank style RBA it will probably end up being a Krakken or one along the same design. Rather than bottom coil like the Kayfun, it's coil is on top and the wick goes down through the coil and into the tank. That way, you don't need to disassemble it to change the coil or wick and lose any juice that it has in it at the time.
I thought about a bottom feeder like the Kraken but it's more work to get it to vape right. With your vaping experience, you could probably get it work well. Too much thought for me.
Thank you so much for the clear explanation of the Kayfun! that clears up two thing for me. How it works and that I MUST have it.
Here's a really quick tutorial on the Kayfun. (Pardon the pics. I still haven't figured out how to take macro pics with my phone.) I'll break this up into a few different posts.
Here's the Kayfun base/build deck with a .9ohm micro coil. (It's screwed into my Panzer just for ease of wicking. Otherwise it tends to fall over on the 510 connector.) The hole on the right is the fill hole. You invert the assembled Kayfun and remove a screw to fill it. You can see one of the feed channels (there's one on the other side). Drawing on it creates a vacuum which pulls juice up, hopefully catching the bottom of your wick. You draw air through a hole directly under the coil. (I had to pull my coil up a tad as it got pushed down too far while I was removing the old wick.) That hole goes to down to a hole on the side of the base. There's a set screw under the base where you can adjust the air flow. (I keep mine wide open.) Here are most of the important parts to the Kayfun. The plastic "tank" is shown. There's also 4 other pieces that make up a partial or full stainless tank. I usually use the stainless top/bottom with the clear (also plastic) center so I can see how much juice I have left. It REALLY sucks to inhale deeply thinking you're getting juice and only getting a dry wick. Wick before trimming. I pull the wick up, screw the base of the chimney down, cut off the wick at the top of the chimney (it's a good start) then remove the chimney and finish cutting. (FWIW, I use Japanese cotton. There are other, cheaper options but I like this stuff and I can get a months worth of cotton for a few bucks.) Here's a horribly out of focus shot of the wick all ready to go. Like I said before, a little long and it floods. A little short and it dries out and burns.
[This message has been edited by Monkeyman (edited 08-19-2014).]
Here's what it looks like with the chimney assembled. (The clear tank is on just so you can see things.) Here's the way I have it without the top cap. The top cap screws on trapping the top of the chimney (thin stack) with an O ring. Here's what it looks like with the top cap on (without a drip tip, of course). I'll show a pic of my awesome tip in the next post. Here's the complete setup on my Vapor Shark with my drip tip.
Great price on coils. I've found that the new version of Kanger coils (meant specifically for the Mega and Giant...hidden wick) work MUCH better in my Mega than the Protank/Aerotank coils (with the exposed wick). Either version seems to work very well in my original AT.
Those are the only ones I buy now. I had bad luck with the wick expose version. Yet my wife is STILL on her original. I have heard it is a crap shoot. Some guys rebuild those old style coils and swear buy it. Never miss an opportunity to tell ya all about it too . Hey more power to em but for a buck or two? well they are 3 or 4 bucks each at the store and I won't knock their hobby. As far as hobbies go it is rare to find one that actually saves money, but not worth my time.
A small draw hole eh? wonder why they would miss that detail. I will have to check out some picks.
Here's my CherryVape drip tip. You can see it's a true wide bore. It's a friction fit, not a typical O ring fit and will fit just about anything, RBA, RDA, RTA, Aerotank, etc. It's Delrin and probably the best drip tip out there. Only 8 bucks.
Here's the difference in the (original) Aerotank and Mega/Giant coils. The top coil is the new style (Mega/Giant) and the bottom is the old style (original Aerotank/Protank).
Again, sorry for the blurry pics. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
My newest setup. KSD Vamo. I bought a Nitecore I4 charger and a slew of batteries, well maybe not a slew but four, two 18650's and two 18350's.
The 20 Kangertech coils from dhgate in China got here in less than two weeks!. Sweet deal at a buck a piece shipped. Now that I know they are not cheap knock offs I will make a larger order and get a few different ohms.
I'm a bit late to the party on this thread, and still have to read through 2 pages yet, but wanted to jump in.
I started vaping about 4 months ago, shortly after my dad found out about his lung cancer. Not my first try at it, used the disposable e cigs in the past but they just weren't the same (so I'd end up switching back...tried Blu, nJoy, and Fin with the latter being the best). Decided at $5 each for those, and 3 a week, didn't make much sense when I could buy a rechargeable battery and refill tanks.
I picked up an iTaste VV 3.0 variable voltage/variable wattage battery. It will run from 3.3v-5v and 6-11 watts and has a puff counter. Not a bad deal for $40. Also got an Aspire BDC pro tank. Bottom dual coil is definitely the way to go.
As far as e juices I've used, I started with Spectrum Vapors in a few different flavors. Blueberry, Kona, menthol tobacco, vanilla, and a few other flavors, starting with 18 mg, then stepping down to 12 mg then onto 8 mg and 6 mg. I'm still vaping at about an average of 12-15 mg. I had about a dozen bottles from my initial order and am still working on about 3, 2 bottles a month. Compared to 3 cartons of smokes a month bought by the pack, I was an average of a pack a day, with some days a pack and a half, for the last 5 years off and on. Now I'm lucky to buy a pack a week, if not two.
Its still not quite the same, but doing it with the tanks and rechargeable batteries makes it more economical and the e juice tastes better/is less harsh.
One more thing to note on the battery, the vv/vw is great to have if you switch between e liquids (since some are thicker than others). Makes it easier to find the best setting for each of them. Its also an 850mAh battery.
I've starting to experiment a bit with a couple other tanks, I'm told Kanger makes a great one. Most times when I'm on the go I just pack a couple prefilled disposable tanks (the ones with the 2 long wicks),
I did try a Voodoo brand battery (an eGo clone, 650mAh) which wasn't bad. Just a simple click and vape. I did enjoy the tank that came with it (similar design to the dual wick ones, but no external wicks), but the battery was eh...decent for what it was.
My iTaste MVP would do 11W. Sometimes, that's just not enough, especially if you start dripping. My VS will hit 30W and there have been a few times I've gone that high although, with my Kayfun, I usually don't go much higher than about 18W, depending on the coil I wrap. I'm usually good with 10-12W on either of my Kanger tanks (Aerotank and AT Mega). Hope you end up quitting the analogs altogether. I've gone a bit over 2 months without tobacco. Might be the first time since I was 12 that I've done that.
I've been buying some top tier juices from Giant Vapes lately. My current daily vape is Sucker Punch by Suicide Bunny. Really good stuff although it's a bit pricey at $22 for a 30ml bottle. About the only premium juice I don't care for is Orango by HJuice. $23 for 30ml and it's still a bit "perfumey". I air it out every couple of days hoping it'll steep well but it's been a couple weeks and it's still not right. Might just be the taste. Could be others would like it but it's not for me.
I can't say enough good things about the AeroTank line by Kangertech. You can get unverified tanks on eBay for under 15 bucks, and that includes the Mega which is my personal favorite, bought two.
Variable volt/watt is a game changer and I consider it a must. I have several Vision Spinners and they are great! you must have a few so you can charge batteries and keep on Vaping and of course spares in case you break one. I consider 1300mah a minimum.
I just bought an authentic KSD Vamo that has lots of cool features and will do up to 15 watts. I bought a set of 3100mah batts for it and a set of 700mah 18350's so can shorten the length if needed and run them stacked. These are charged separately so the unit can always be in service. This should eliminate my battery fears and end my runtime issues. I was an on and off (rarely off) smoker for forty years so I cannot afford any equipment failures luring me back to the Camels so I have lots of spares.
If wishes were fishes I would have got this thing in the beginning and saved all the fiddling around. The Vision Spinners are great on the go units.
So i didnt end up buying the Evic. Instead i got an MVP 2.0, burned through the original atomizer (or whatever this kind is now) and got a Aerotank Mega. I really like the setup! I dont plan on vaping for life or anything, just a crutch for when im craving a cigarette. So for the money and its intended purpose im very happy with it.
Very nice! I almost ended up buying the exact same thing, I still might since I have about zero self control with the vape shiney's. gotta have a spare
So can anyone school me on mechanical mods and dripping with them? I talked to a local guy today about it a bit but I'm still not clear on it. I understand the fundamentals of how, and from what he says its the better way to go (3-4 drops is all that is needed and its a better flavor/hit)...
I'm looking at upgrading a bit and found a couple mechanical mods for cheap on fleabay (currently have a bid in on THIS
No idea where to even begin looking for a beginner/intermediate battery or "tank" as far as dripping goes. I do like the fact that the "tanks" are rebuild-able though, rather than disposable like my current setups. And lower resistance as well.
I love my Itaste VV 3.0 setup, and it will most likely be my on the go first line choice due to the size and passthrough capability (great for in the car with a 12v usb adapter), but when I'm at work it just doesn't seem to do it for me entirely. It also seems to be a bit lacking with my Cloupor tank that I just picked up, takes a few seconds for it to start heating properly, then just burns instead of vaporizes, and I have to max out the wattage to get it to give me a satisfying hit I also want something with a longer cutoff time (10 seconds on this VV3.0 is one of the biggest limitations with my Cloupor), so from what I can tell mechanical mod is the way to go...
Also have my eyes on THIS as another option to use with my VV 3.0...
Dripping and mech's are on my radar but not yet for me. Not ready for the learning curve equipment costs etc. I have seen some cute mini single coil drippers that might be better to start with. I think there are full size single coil ones too, or the Kayfun style rebuildables, which will probably be my next plunge.
Personally, I like the idea of the regulated mods. You can get huge wattage out of them now days so other than size I see no advantage and being prone to the occasional stupid move I like the safety aspect.
I feel like this is the natural progression from where I'm at now (the move into mechanical mods that is). The hardware seems pretty cheap on ebay for clones like the one I linked to. Batteries are $10 each for Sony or Panasonic IMR high drain (looking at THESE as my first choice), and the coil building stuff can't be much more than the batteries for bulk orders...
My biggest thing is I want something with a larger battery that will last longer. The VV 3.0 is great and all, but 800mAh only goes so far when I have to start cranking up the volts/watts. When I first got this setup I would see about 400-500 puffs on the counter before I had to recharge. Now it seems I'm lucky to get 250-300 out of the battery at the same settings (I keep everything set as low as possible most times for a cooler hit and longer battery life).
Originally posted by Xerces_Blackthorne: Batteries are $10 each for Sony or Panasonic IMR high drain (looking at THESE as my first choice),
One thing about the battery you linked.
quote
These will also last a long time when used with a mechanical mod, but these are not designed for high-current applications (sub-ohm).
You will have to keep it above 1 ohm, maybe higher being it's only rated at 6.8 amps. I'd suggest either of these 2 because "if" you built a sub ohm or ever wanted to build one (it's all I use really) they can handle it, and the price in pairs is actually cheaper than the Panasonics you linked to (less than $17 a pair verses the almost $10 for a single). Having a pair will allow you to charge one while using the other. My VTC4's will last me through the day unless it's a heavy vaping day (say weekends when I spend a lot of time at the computer, I use it more). The LG's I just bought and like the VTC4 they also last through the day I just wanted some extra batteries so I wasn't constantly using the same 2 back and forth. I don't know if frequency of charge/discharge matters, but I wanted extras to be sure I don't end up vaping heavy and have a dead mod with the other battery not done charging yet.
I'm sure you can find other "18650 high drain" batteries, just search e-bay with whats in quotations there, that would work also. But I really do suggest getting some that will allow sub ohm use. If you use 28 gauge+ kanthal to build your coils and you use a dual coil setup, it is super easy to end up under 1 ohm. I use 26 gauge kanthal, dual coils in my dripper with usually 5 wraps each coil and mine sits about .3-.4 ohms. If I increase it to 8 or 9 wraps dual coil, I still end up under 1 ohm. I'd have to go down to a 30-32 gauge kanthal to do dual coils and be over 1 ohm. I could probably do it with 28 or 26 if I did the figure 8 coil in a dual build, but that one is slow to heat up and annoying as heck to wrap (I've tried it a couple of times). There are other coils that might get me above 1 ohm in a dual build, the inception comes to mind, but they are tricky coils to wrap. They use a rather long piece of kanthal as they are usually a coil within a coil or one coil bent in the middle to create 2 coil packs on the same run essentially making a series coil and then running two of them in parallel.
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 09-07-2014).]
How often do you have to rebuild your coils in a sub ohm setup running drip Khw? I don't mind the idea of rebuilding coils, however I don't want to be rebuilding every week (once or twice a month I could deal with, but more than that and it's not really a hobby anymore imho). I'd like to find a nice balance between durability and functionality (that sweet spot where the gauge is just heavy enough to withstand being pushed to the limits of the hardware occasionally, while remaining durable enough to withstand daily use at ~10w-15w est. average and not have to be rebuilt constantly)
On another note, I've seen a couple drip tanks on ebay that have ~2ml pyrex dome tanks, listed as auto drip tanks...anyone have any experience with something like this? If its an auto drip tank, basically it'd be like a clearomizer without wicks, correct (say, like my Aspire BDC but without mesh running through the coils)?
As for batteries, the biggest thing I am looking for is 3000mAh or higher. I want to be able to give myself a bit of an extra buffer so to speak. This iTaste VV 3.0 is 800mAh and just doesn't get me there. I've talked to a handful of people I know (one of my close friends runs a smoke shop and sells a lot of pen vapes/mods) and everyone has said that this is a good setup, but 1200mAh-1500mAh batteries are the bare minimum these days for the most part. I've found some 5000mAh batteries on ebay in 18650 that come with a charger, but I'm not so sure about the quality (seems a bit like sketchy chinese made junk, iirc they were Ultrafire blue batteries, and a 4 pack with charger was $12 and are PCB controlled?)...
[This message has been edited by Xerces_Blackthorne (edited 09-07-2014).]
How often do you have to rebuild your coils in a sub ohm setup running drip Khw? I don't mind the idea of rebuilding coils, however I don't want to be rebuilding every week (once or twice a month I could deal with, but more than that and it's not really a hobby anymore imho). I'd like to find a nice balance between durability and functionality (that sweet spot where the gauge is just heavy enough to withstand being pushed to the limits of the hardware occasionally, while remaining durable enough to withstand daily use at ~10w-15w est. average and not have to be rebuilt constantly)
Typically, I go 2 weeks without a full rebuild sometimes longer. My wife can go a month or more because she doesn't use hers as much as I do. Now, that is a full rebuild meaning removing the old coils, making new coils, adjusting the new coils and putting in the wicking. Usually in between full rebuilds I will change the wick about once a week. I use cotton which is dirt cheap so I pull the cotton out, clean the coils and put new wicking in. It's maybe a 5-10 minute job where as a full rebuild is a 10-15. With the kanthal being about $7 for a 100' roll and it only taking about 6" to make new coils, they are dirt cheap also. I could build 200 sets of the regular coils I use with 1 roll of kanthal, so .035 cents per set. Really, I could just keep cleaning and re wicking the coil until the wire finally burns through and I've never done that to see how long I could go without changing the coils but I figure 2 weeks is good enough for me.
quote
On another note, I've seen a couple drip tanks on ebay that have ~2ml pyrex dome tanks, listed as auto drip tanks...anyone have any experience with something like this? If its an auto drip tank, basically it'd be like a clearomizer without wicks, correct (say, like my Aspire BDC but without mesh running through the coils)?
I've never used one so I have no idea unfortunately. I like my dripper but it's because of what I posted earlier, it doesn't flood. That's important to me because I can't always take the time to get the excess juice burned off so I can use it.
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As for batteries, the biggest thing I am looking for is 3000mAh or higher. I want to be able to give myself a bit of an extra buffer so to speak. This iTaste VV 3.0 is 800mAh and just doesn't get me there. I've talked to a handful of people I know (one of my close friends runs a smoke shop and sells a lot of pen vapes/mods) and everyone has said that this is a good setup, but 1200mAh-1500mAh batteries are the bare minimum these days for the most part. I've found some 5000mAh batteries on ebay in 18650 that come with a charger, but I'm not so sure about the quality (seems a bit like sketchy chinese made junk, iirc they were Ultrafire blue batteries, and a 4 pack with charger was $12 and are PCB controlled?)...
I thought the same way you are thinking when I first got into a mech mod. I bought a couple of the Ultrafire 5000mah batteries because I was thinking "5000mah aught to last me awhile for vaping". I bought a set of 2 batteries with the charger off of ebay. I still use the charger, but I won't put those batteries in my mech mod. They weigh about 1/3rd of what my LG or Sony batteries weigh. They are made for flashlights that use LEDs as the light source. LEDs have nowhere near the current draw a mech mod does. The batteries used in mech mods are actually the same batteries used in your lithium battery power tools or lawn equipment (weed wackers and such). They are made to dish out the current where as a battery designed for a flashlight is not. If you want a couple of those 5000mah Ultrafire batteries I'll send you the 2 I have but I won't be responsible for any damages that might come from their use, equipment or medical. The amp draw of a mech mod can cause those batteries to internally short, meltdown and explode. As far as the mah value, yes the higher the mah generally the longer it lasts for vaping, but it has to be a battery designed for the use your putting it to. THat means when it comes to mech mods your generally limited to 2600mah (Sony VTC5) or less. The LG at 2500mah is pretty nice and unless you are constantly vaping I doubt you'd kill of one before the other is charged. I've had it happen before, but that's been when my daughter or her fiancee have been over and they forgot their vape at home so they take the occasional draw off of mine. Luckily my wife has 2 VTC4s for hers also and with her use they last her several days before a recharge so I had been using her extra when both mine are charging at times like that. With the LGs I ordered I don't need to do that anymore when those situations arise.
Main reasons I am looking into dripping and bumping up to a mechanical mod are longevity and not having to buy analogs anymore. The biggest problem I have on the latter is that when my iTaste dies, I'm stuck without any nic intake (which leads me to spend $5 on a pack of smokes).
Honestly though I've found that since I started vaping, I really don't get nicotine cravings anymore like I did with analogs, and have found that I can go longer without (used to be that in an 8 hour shift I would smoke half a pack, now I'd be ok with vaping 5-10 puffs in that same shift or prior to my shift, then a couple puffs halfway through as long as I can keep myself busy).
Not unlike you I find the tanks to be kind of a PITA. The ones I have flood constantly since I carry my vape in my pocket. So I'm always trying to clear them and burn off the leftover excess before I can get a satisfying hit (and the first 3-4 I have to crank the battery to max to make it happen, which shortens battery life).
If so, then it's what I've been thinking of trying except I was thinking of the dual coil model. What it does is locate the coil above the tank. By doing this, if the tank goes dry you can use it like a dripper instead. Or if say you had cinnamon ejuice in the tank, you could put a drop or 2 of apple directly on the wick from the top so you'd have "candy apple" type of flavor. I'm thinking of getting the Kraken, it has a hole to fill the tank from the top and then it has two other holes for wicks. You can screw a plug into two holes if you want to use it as a single coil/wick or only plug 1 hole (the fill hole) and use it as a dual coil/wick. I think the top coil style will have less issues with flooding verses the bottom coil style, at least I hope so.
I don't know if you saw the links I posted earlier in the thread, but for a mech mod kit that comes with a couple of batteries (the 18650 will do sub ohm) and a charger the Kamry K100/101 are decent. All you'd need is a dripper to add to it like the Nimbus, Patriot, Helios or Tobh among many others. Basically something like this would get you started for...
Some cotton from a local store, less than $2.00 a bag. Just put the cotton in some water and boil it a couple of times to get any bleach used to whiten it out. So basically, $60.00 will give you a setup that will keep you going for a very long time. Th only modification I would recommend to that is to drill out the Nimbus air hole. 3/32" or 1/8" through the hole it has and straight across through the other side. When you put the cap on align the air holes so they point at the coils inside.
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 09-07-2014).]
I really liked that Nemesis mod with the Stillare that I linked to. Also found something called the Atomo that was a full 3 tube set that sold for $17 from the same seller.
I'm gonna hit up the local vape shop tomorrow (E-Titan) and talk to them about these, I know they sell a few and I'd like to give one a try before I drop the $$.
From what I've been reading, those AGI tanks and Genesis tanks are the easiest to work with for beginners like me. I was also looking at this one here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251...id=p3984.m1423.l2649
The last one I was looking at mainly because it works directly with the Nemesis mod using a hybrid adapter that comes with it
[This message has been edited by Xerces_Blackthorne (edited 09-07-2014).]
gotta have a spare
