# Squonking 101: How to get started (Q&A)



## SHiBBY (16/7/18)

*<TLDR>*
I don't see anything along the lines of a "beginner's guide to squonking" pinned under the Squonkville category, and given the growing popularity of squonking with the release of more and more affordable squonk devices such as the Vandy Vape Pulse I think it might be a valuable asset seeing as while the concept is fairly straightforward, I do believe that people coming from other device- and atomiser types (such as myself) will benefit from some tips and tricks by squonking veterans.

I really liked the look and feel of the Pulse 80W from the first time I laid eyes on it and finally got one about a week ago, but after using it for a day or two, I found myself rather opting for my Drag + Blitzen combo on account of some inconveniences with the Pulse setup. I really do like the mod though and instead of just flogging it again would rather want to educate myself on how to use it optimally in order to give it a fighting chance as a choice setup in my arsenal, so herewith some questions to get this thread going:
*</TLDR>

Setup in question: *_VV Pulse 80W + iJoy 20700 + Drop BF RDA, single tricore NI80 FC, 3mmID, 6 Wraps, 0.22ohm @ 55W, CBP wick and 70/30 juice._

- The juice level and pressure applied to the squonk bottle seems to make a huge difference to the performance of the setup. I tend to vape a lot whilst driving and a squonk on a full bottle can lead to a leaky atty (juice coming out the air holes), whereas a squonk on a rather empty bottle can lead to an inadequate amount of juice reaching the wicks and resulting dry hits. If I have to look inside the atty every time I squonk, doesn't that contradict the convenience of squonking? Or is that actually how it's used? _The real question on this point is, are there BF RDA's that perform better/worse in this regard where I can always squonk the same amount and continue getting consistent performance until the juice bottle is empty and without having to monitor the juice level with every squonk, or do I have to get to know my setup so that I consciously only depress the bottle slightly when full and then more so as the juice level gets lower?_

- _Is the wicking on a BF RDA used on a squonking setup the same as regular dripping, or should I be leaving some excess wick chilling in the dish to soak up the excess juice in order to prevent it from spilling? Furthermore on the topic of wicking, should the wicks be packed tight in the coil like it would when running a RDA setup, or looser like that of a RTA setup?
_
Apologies for the noob questions. While I've been vaping for a while, I'm brand new to squonking and my first impressions does not have me as hyped up as the rest of humanity, thus making me feel like I must be doing something wrong? Why is my mind not blown?

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## Dietz (16/7/18)

SHiBBY said:


> *<TLDR>*
> I don't see anything along the lines of a "beginner's guide to squonking" pinned under the Squonkville category, and given the growing popularity of squonking with the release of more and more affordable squonk devices such as the Vandy Vape Pulse I think it might be a valuable asset seeing as while the concept is fairly straightforward, I do believe that people coming from other device- and atomiser types (such as myself) will benefit from some tips and tricks by squonking veterans.
> 
> I really liked the look and feel of the Pulse 80W from the first time I laid eyes on it and finally got one about a week ago, but after using it for a day or two, I found myself rather opting for my Drag + Blitzen combo on account of some inconveniences with the Pulse setup. I really do like the mod though and instead of just flogging it again would rather want to educate myself on how to use it optimally in order to give it a fighting chance as a choice setup in my arsenal, so herewith some questions to get this thread going:
> ...



Thanks for the thread, i also think its needed. 
Before I answer you questions, I dont have a squonker yet, Mine is stil en-route to me at the moment.

"_The real question on this point is, are there BF RDA's that perform better/worse in this regard where I can always squonk the same amount and continue getting consistent performance until the juice bottle is empty and without having to monitor the juice level with every squonk, or do I have to get to know my setup so that I consciously only depress the bottle slightly when full and then more so as the juice level gets lower?"
*- *_*Yes, there are RDAs that "hold" the juice better than others, thats why I chose the Recurve from Mike Vapes, Check out some reviews on it, most of them praise the fact that it rarely leaks due its design.*

- _Is the wicking on a BF RDA used on a squonking setup the same as regular dripping, or should I be leaving some excess wick chilling in the dish to soak up the excess juice in order to prevent it from spilling? Furthermore on the topic of wicking, should the wicks be packed tight in the coil like it would when running a RDA setup, or looser like that of a RTA setup?
-_* I would say you should wick it the same as you would wick a normal Dripper, from how tight you'd normally wick it, to the letnh of how long the wick tails are in a normal RDA. I personally would leave a bit more cotton, but only in a setup that is using TC as I find that a long wick tail works better with a mod thats in TC mode instead of VW.

With that said...
*
As with almost everything in Vaping, your experience is subjective and alot of people like various different options depending on their taste and what they like in vaping.

I personally dont think there is a "wrong" in vape setups, as its subjective.

Further to your post, Id also like to ask the Squonk Veterans to give us any and all tips that they have found after their experience.
Calling @Raindance for his input?

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## Andre (16/7/18)

The secret to squonking is getting a leak resistant BF RDA. I have been using the Origin Little 16s for many years now on my Reos - MTL only for me. The Reos have hard bottles, which make it more difficult to oversquonk. Got a Pulse 80W a month or so ago. Loving it, but with the soft silicone bottle it does take some time to learn what amount of pressure to apply, especially with higher PG juices. Mine is is dedicated to Tarks Matador, a NET fusion tobacco at 50/50 PG/VG. Even with the OL16 I oversquonked. Now I use the Chalice IV, which has a top air flow exit and is virtually impossible to oversquonk. That said, HRH uses the Pulse 80W with OL16 and a 60VG/40PG juice without any problems. Remember to orient the open air holes away from you when vaping - otherwise you might get gurgling.

Yes, it is always a learning curve on each different squonking setup. It becomes automatic after some time.

No, do not have you wick tails filling the space. The juice needs to go back into the bottle after squonking to always have the best flavour. And too much wick in the chamber tends to block air flows. Just barely touching the deck is more than good enough. Tight or not does not really matter.

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## Raindance (16/7/18)

Dietz said:


> Thanks for the thread, i also think its needed.
> Before I answer you questions, I dont have a squonker yet, Mine is stil en-route to me at the moment.
> 
> "_The real question on this point is, are there BF RDA's that perform better/worse in this regard where I can always squonk the same amount and continue getting consistent performance until the juice bottle is empty and without having to monitor the juice level with every squonk, or do I have to get to know my setup so that I consciously only depress the bottle slightly when full and then more so as the juice level gets lower?"
> ...


Thanks @Dietz, for considering me as a veteran. Only been squonking since mid December. Here's my input, subjective as it may be.

Buids-
Build as you would build a normal RDA. Squonking is a juice delivery method and does not change the way the coil performs.

Wick-
Partially covered under the above but just make sure the wick tails do not block the squonk pin. You want exces juice to drain from the RDA after squonking. Part of the beauty of squonking is always vaping on fresh juice, not stuff that has been boiled to crap while sitting in the bottom of the atty. Potjiekos is not a nice vape flavor.

Capacity-
As above ypu do not really want a reservoir of free juice. A nice deep, well drained, juice well that can hold a decent volume of wick is all that is needed. Low power MTL setups may be an exception. For DL a design like the Recurve is great.

When to squonk, and how much-
This becomes second nature so quickly. The vapour drops off signifficantly enough before hitting dry to give ample warning that its time to squeeze.
As to how much, the bottle feels different between emply and full. When full it is less spongy and feeds with less pressure. This you will pick up instinctively within a matter of days.
One thing however, do not force feed by squeezing the living daylights out of the bottle. Rather squeeze lightly for longer. Then it will not matter how full the boottle is as you will always apply the same presure. Forcing kills botoes as well. She's a lady after all.

My routine is to squeeze after vaping. I know I'm good for five or six long puffs so i take them and squonk before putting the mod down. ( sometimes i keep holding it, you get the idea...)

Closing advice is to learn on a regulated mod even if you want to go mech later. Squonking has a short learning curve, best not to complicate it by adding other variables.

Thats me, time to give the real pro's a turn.

Regards

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## Huffapuff (16/7/18)

@SHiBBY getting into squonking is awesome - you're going to have a lot of fun!



Andre said:


> Yes, it is always a learning curve on each different squonking setup. It becomes automatic after some time.



What @Andre said here is the crux of squonking - it takes a bit of getting used to. Each device /bottle/atty has its own thresholds and the only way to figure them out is by oversquonking occasionally. Some atties are better suited to blind squonking - like when driving. For this reason I use the Recurve or Drop when I'm on the road. They're not perfect, but you can squeeze a lot more knowing those atties can handle it.

Whenever a new atty comes out I always consider how squonk friendly it is. Two things I look for (after flavour of course) is the position of the airholes and how wide the drip tip is. Higher airholes, or longer small ones (like on the Recurve) reduce the chance of oversquonking. A wider drip tip is useful for observing the condition of the wicks and to see how much liquid is being squeezed in. Useful information when not driving!

As for wicking - it's the same as you'd usually do on an RDA, just don't cover the squonk pin. 

Have fun!

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## RainstormZA (16/7/18)

Nice thread @SHiBBY! 

I've been wanting to get into squonkers because I've switched over to rda's now as they give me a better flavour.

I have the Pirate King RDA right now and a Stagevape Venus rda on its way to me. I've spent more time using the Pirate King RDA and I have to say it's an excellent rda, nice deep juice well as well. Both rda's come with a bf squonking pin, makes it a lot easier to switch.

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## SHiBBY (16/7/18)

I made the mistake of letting my wife use the Pulse today since she burned the cotton in the Rebel yesterday. Long story short, I now no longer have a Pulse at my disposal. She claimed it for herself 

I shall use my newfound knowledge on a consultancy basis in exchange for... err... favours

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## Raindance (16/7/18)

SHiBBY said:


> I made the mistake of letting my wife use the Pulse today since she burned the cotton in the Rebel yesterday. Long story short, I now no longer have a Pulse at my disposal. She claimed it for herself
> 
> I shall use my newfound knowledge on a consultancy basis in exchange for... err... favours


That's not bad news, now you have a good reason to order more vapemail! And as we all know, you may not just order one mod, other items are also required to justify the postage etc...

Regards

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## Dobie (16/7/18)

I have only been Squonking for a few weeks using a Pulse 80W flipping between a Recurve and Drop. The best advice I can give with both is take of the top cap, squonk to see what the respective RDA's limit is(pretty much as high as the posts in the Recurve, and filling the well in the Drop) and muscle memory will eventually handle the rest.

The nice thing about the drop is, because the pin is raised so much, a few small squonks will keep a nice little dam for the wicks to lap up(and because of the height of the coils and amount of airflow specifically in the Drop, I fortunately have not had any lekker Patty Pan flavoured vape from that potjie yet @Raindance ).

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## Rob Fisher (16/7/18)

I don't get these squonk pins that protrude so much... to me, a perfect squonk is when you saturate your wicks and then all the leftover juice gets sucked back into the bottle like the REO with Cyclone RDA used to do. That way you are getting fresh juice each time and not juice that has been cooked in the RDA.

That's another reason I love the Skyfall RDA so much... it does exactly that!

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## JurgensSt (17/7/18)

Thanks for starting this thread.

The Recurve and Pulse 80W have been smiling at me everytime i walk into my local Vape Shop.

Now to get this must have combo past the voice of reason of the house

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## SHiBBY (23/7/18)

Thanks for all the responses guys! 

I decided to get a second Pulse 80W after all and give it all another go, but this time I decided to go ahead and also get myself a Recurve seeing as it seems to be the atty of choice to go with the Pulse. I fitted a single Demon Killer Fire Coil D in there, which is a very neat tricore N80 coil and wicked it so that the sides are pretty much covered with fanned out cotton, ergo the only way juice could leak out was through the air holes and, given the small size and depth of the air holes on this particular atty, that never happens.

The experience is MUCH better than that which I initially had and I am very happy to say that I now vape exclusively on this setup. Also made myself a mountain of juices over the course of the past week so I don't have to worry about consumption, which is a big plus.

Now the next step is getting another Recurve for my wife. If anyone has one or knows of someone that does (Cape Town), give me a shout. I'll trade you a Drop or Blitzen, whichever you prefer

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## craigb (23/7/18)

SHiBBY said:


> Thanks for all the responses guys!
> 
> I decided to get a second Pulse 80W after all and give it all another go, but this time I decided to go ahead and also get myself a Recurve seeing as it seems to be the atty of choice to go with the Pulse. I fitted a single Demon Killer Fire Coil D in there, which is a very neat tricore N80 coil and wicked it so that the sides are pretty much covered with fanned out cotton, ergo the only way juice could leak out was through the air holes and, given the small size and depth of the air holes on this particular atty, that never happens.
> 
> ...



Hey @SHiBBY , I'm wavering on the recurve... and I'm fairly certain it comes down to my build. Care to share a pic or to for reference purposes?

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## SHiBBY (23/7/18)

craigb said:


> Hey @SHiBBY , I'm wavering on the recurve... and I'm fairly certain it comes down to my build. Care to share a pic or to for reference purposes?



Not the best lighting in the office but hopefully this helps:

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## craigb (23/7/18)

Maybe a little thicker wicked than I have, but otherwise much of a muchness. 

Time to experiment with juices then 

Shot bud 




SHiBBY said:


> Not the best lighting in the office but hopefully this helps:

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## SHiBBY (23/7/18)

craigb said:


> Maybe a little thicker wicked than I have, but otherwise much of a muchness.
> 
> Time to experiment with juices then
> 
> Shot bud



I worked off the previously supplied advice of wicking it like a dripper. I didn't comb the wicks out because I want that little dense curtain keeping the juice at bay when squonking and so far it's been working really well. I've been hitting this particular build since Friday with nothing but awesome performance, AND I've klapped it side by side with the other Pulse with a Drop on top and the flavour on the Recurve is noticeably better when running matching builds.

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## Heino13 (23/7/18)

I have a drop and goon

Will the recurve serve me better than the goon?

What wattage you vaping the recurve at? 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

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## craigb (23/7/18)

Heino13 said:


> I have a drop and goon
> 
> Will the recurve serve me better than the goon?
> 
> ...


0.31 ohms @ 40w with the pictured coils and a decent juice and it's kicking my arse.

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## SHiBBY (23/7/18)

Heino13 said:


> I have a drop and goon
> 
> Will the recurve serve me better than the goon?
> 
> ...



That Demon Killer tricore fused clapton sits pretty at 0.25 ohm. Im vaping at 50W and it's magical. The wife goois the same build at 55W because she likes quicker draws with the same yield.

Next I want to treat myself to some of Hilmar's creations and see if that kicks the flavour up another notch

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## BATMAN (23/7/18)

Wow what an informative and engaging thread-great intro @SHiBBY

I must confess that I got into squonking really late in the game as I was trying to knock off other gear which had been on my list much earlier - and I had my eye on the limited edition monark Gotham edition squonk which @Sir Vape had launched.
I also had a phobia for mechs so this added to my delay. 

Anyways a couple months back I managed to grab one and it is the best decision that I had made in terms of flavour. 
If I knew that it was so incredibly different I would have probably bumped it up my list ages ago. 

Got a nudge 24 BF RDA with 3mm ID at 0.16 and they are klapping properly with a fully charged Sony VTC 5A!

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## RainstormZA (23/7/18)

I'm eyeing the Ohm Boy X Desire Squonk mod... Looks like a nice dual battery mod for my needs

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## JurgensSt (26/7/18)

Picked up a Pulse 80W at a Vape shop that is running a closing down sale 
Today I'm off to find a Recurve.

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## SHiBBY (26/7/18)

JurgensSt said:


> Picked up a Pulse 80W at a Vape shop that is running a closing down sale
> Today I'm off to find a Recurve.



I'm telling you now, you won't regret it. The Pulse + Recurve is such a winning combo. I get decent clouds and zero leaks regardless of how hard I squonk it. This bubblegum milk I made last night is seriously nom nom in this thing

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## JurgensSt (26/7/18)

Awesome come





Send from this side of the screen

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## SHiBBY (26/7/18)

JurgensSt said:


> Awesome come
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Welcome... to awesomeness...

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## Nadz1972 (26/7/18)

Unfortunately I don't have a Recurve. This Ghoul is good enough for now.

Nice thread

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## RainstormZA (26/7/18)

I see the pulse is quite popular.

How's the battery life?

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## Heino13 (26/7/18)

RainstormZA said:


> I see the pulse is quite popular.
> 
> How's the battery life?



I use 2x batteries a day 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

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## Heino13 (26/7/18)

JurgensSt said:


> Picked up a Pulse 80W at a Vape shop that is running a closing down sale
> Today I'm off to find a Recurve.


What did you pay? HE model? 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

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## Nadz1972 (26/7/18)

About 1.5 bottles with an LG Chocolate with a 0.49 ohms single coil at 40 Watts

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## JurgensSt (26/7/18)

Heino13 said:


> What did you pay? HE model?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


Paid R770 for the at Vaperite in Rosebank. It's the STD edition, no 30ml refill bottle 

Send from this side of the screen

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## Nadz1972 (26/7/18)

I have to say that I was never particularly drawn to squonking. @SHiBBY kind of got me on this path. It's not my only device in use, but it has become my run around device due its portability and optional dripping (depending on the tank used).

For me, single coil setups are best suited to squonking due to the increased battery life and decreased juice usage, although sirvape.co.za has a dual battery squonk kit for some ridiculously low price where the batteries are in parallel, which will completely change this preference.

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## JurgensSt (6/8/18)

So I'm planning to pickup a Drop Solo at Vapecon. I need a squonker to go with it.

Must be regulated and not to big.

What's in the market to have a look at ?

Send from this side of the screen

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## Andre (6/8/18)

JurgensSt said:


> So I'm planning to pickup a Drop Solo at Vapecon. I need a squonker to go with it.
> 
> Must be regulated and not to big.
> 
> ...


Pulse 80W.

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## SHiBBY (6/8/18)

Andre said:


> Pulse 80W.



Wait for the Pulse X man... More power and 21700 support. Unless you get a Pulse 80W for like R500.

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## JurgensSt (6/8/18)

Have a Pulse 80

The X is maybe something to wait for








Send from this side of the screen

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## Brommer (20/8/18)

Got my Recurve RDA last Friday from Severus Vape Co. at a bargain (for me) price R400.
Now waiting for the Pulse X to make its appearance...

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## Nadim_Paruk (20/8/18)

Not gonna lie I am missing my Pulse 80W but I must say the Lost Vape Therion BF 75C is ticking all the boxes for me right now 
Happy Chappy

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## Brommer (21/8/18)

Is it worth it waiting for the Pulse X 90W? There doesn’t seem to be much difference to the 80W?

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## Andre (21/8/18)

Brommer said:


> Is it worth it waiting for the Pulse X 90W? There doesn’t seem to be much difference to the 80W?


For my personal vaping style I do not think so as the 20700 batteries on the market at the moment have the same capacity as the 21700 batteries. I use the Sanyo 20700B, which has 4000MaH and a CDR of 15A - good enough for 80W if your coil does not go below 0.5 ohms. I vape at around 0.8 ohms and 20-30W. If you are a low ohm, higher power vaper the 21700 batteries at 4000 mAh, has a much higher CDR - waiting for the Pulse X would then make sense. I presume the Pulse X will be a touch thicker in body than the Pulse 80 - to accommodate the thicker batteries.

Another consideration is whether your charger can take 21700 batteries. My intellicharger i8 has no problem with 20700 batteries, but 21700s are a struggle and I am afraid it might be overstressing the charger.

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## Roodt (21/8/18)

Nadim_Paruk said:


> Not gonna lie I am missing my Pulse 80W but I must say the Lost Vape Therion BF 75C is ticking all the boxes for me right now
> Happy Chappy
> 
> View attachment 142634



I would say we can swop, but the pulse 80 is such a awesome mod, i will miss her too much

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## Puff the Magic Dragon (21/8/18)

Andre said:


> I vape at around 8.0 ohms and 20-30W



I would have thought that 8.0 ohms at 30W would blow your head off ! You must get amazing battery life.

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## Andre (21/8/18)

Puff the Magic Dragon said:


> I would have thought that 8.0 ohms at 30W would blow your head off ! You must get amazing battery life.
> 
> View attachment 142654


Funny, hopefully! Thanks, edited.

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## Brommer (21/8/18)

Andre said:


> For my personal vaping style I do not think so as the 20700 batteries on the market at the moment have the same capacity as the 21700 batteries. I use the Sanyo 20700B, which has 4000MaH and a CDR of 15A - good enough for 80W if your coil does not go below 0.5 ohms. I vape at around 0.8 ohms and 20-30W. If you are a low ohm, higher power vaper the 21700 batteries at 4000 mAh, has a much higher CDR - waiting for the Pulse X would then make sense. I presume the Pulse X will be a touch thicker in body than the Pulse 80 - to accommodate the thicker batteries.
> 
> Another consideration is whether your charger can take 21700 batteries. My intellicharger i8 has no problem with 20700 batteries, but 21700s are a struggle and I am afraid it might be overstressing the charger.



Thanks Andre, I somehow missed the battery capabilities of the 80. I currently use a Golisi (30A CDR, 3750mah) 21700 in my Lost Vape Mirage and it lasts me the whole day. I guess that is a fair point for waiting for the 90W outjie.

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## Daniel (21/8/18)

Bit late to the game here but my first choice would be the Recurve + Therion 75C BF running SS core Fused or Aliens it just works....

On a budget the Recurve and 22mm cap and a Pico Squeeze if you staying under 50W and above 0.5ohms

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## Rob Fisher (17/12/18)



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