Coils are getting wrecked

[Manbearzombie]

Hey guys,

I think it's time for me to post what is likely a noob question.

I've heard that coils are supposed to last two to three weeks, but I've been replacing my coil nearly every week.

At some point it just starts with a lot of gurgling regardless of how cool the liquid is and the gurgling stops every time I replace the coil, which lasts about a week until the horror begins again.

Could it be the wick that is wearing out or am I doing something wrong?

I'm using the DigiCig pro and I've only used the DigiCig coils within it.

My first coil lasted two weeks, but since then it's been maybe a week and a half max.

Also I've noticed that the wicks on past coils are less soft than they were originally although at least one of the coils doing this still has a soft wick.

Aside from the gurgling the coils also don't perform as efficiently by the end of the week.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Ashley A]

I don't know what a DigiCig is and I can't bring myself to Google it. I think that's the problem.

The only thing I can think you might actually be doing wrong is firing it for a while before puffing. I've seen some friends do the same thing (old Twisp habit to get it going). They end up with short lifespan on the coils as well.

The next thing I can suggest is using 2 coils in rotation. 1 in your device and the other soaking overnight and then drying during the day. Rinse the coil before soaking and again after soaking in hot /geyser water (not boiling kettle water ). This works well for me and I never burnt out a coil but I swop them out after 2 months so I don't get caught out. I also rinse them and refill t water in between the overnight soak whenever I can.

The last resort is to buy a known tried and trusted setup and the cost saving from changing coils should make up the upfront costs. iStick 20 with Aspire Nautilus mini or Kangertech EMOW kit would be a good option but you can go better if your budget allows.

 

[johan]

Certain e-juice is quite heavy on coils, especially the dark sweet ones. I don't think you do anything wrong, maybe try a light colored e-juice, i.e menthol, and see if it increase the longevity of the coils.

 

[Ashley A]

Yip, @joh

Certain e-juice is quite heavy on coils, especially the dark sweet ones. I don't think you do anything wrong, maybe try a light colored e-juice, i.e menthol, and see if it increase the longevity of the coils.

@johan has a valid point. High VG juice is thicker and tends to clog up smaller and lower powered coils so try to stick with juice that is 50vg/50pg

 

[devdev]

It's possible the resistance of the first coil was lower than the replacement coils.

I know with the Nautilus tanks they shipped one 1.6 ohm coil and a 1.8 ohm coil. Initially the retailers only stocked 1.8 replacements so something similar may have happened. Where did you buy it from?

And @johan has a good point on the consistency of the juice itself and how it is wicking.

Generally sweeter juices like desserts, as well as NET's or dark liquids tend to foul up clearo atomisers pretty easily

 

[Manbearzombie]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'll give it a shot.

I'll try to stick to lightly coloured juices, as @johan suggested for a bit and see how it works out.

And thanks for the upgrade advice, @Ashley A. I've actually been looking at the Nautilus mini (mainly because, being a noob, it looks cool and that's all I know for now) and I've heard great things about the iStick. How is the availability of coils for the Nautilus mini?

Not sure, but I'll see if I can find out @devdev. I bought the device from a tobacconist and have been getting the coils from a nearby tobacconist too.

I'm also gonna try washing the coils as described. Got nothing to lose.

 

[Andre]

I've actually been looking at the Nautilus mini (mainly because, being a noob, it looks cool and that's all I know for now) and I've heard great things about the iStick. How is the availability of coils for the Nautilus mini?

Widely available from most of the supporting vendors on this forum. Use only the BVC coils.

 

[KB_314]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'll give it a shot.

I'll try to stick to lightly coloured juices, as @johan suggested for a bit and see how it works out.

And thanks for the upgrade advice, @Ashley A. I've actually been looking at the Nautilus mini (mainly because, being a noob, it looks cool and that's all I know for now) and I've heard great things about the iStick. How is the availability of coils for the Nautilus mini?

Not sure, but I'll see if I can find out @devdev. I bought the device from a tobacconist and have been getting the coils from a nearby tobacconist too.

I'm also gonna try washing the coils as described. Got nothing to lose.

istick and nautilus mini is a tried and tested winning combo and for most people getting into vaping with some sort of cigalike or ego style battery or twisp, it's usually a big step up and improvement on vape quality. You will enjoy it I'm sure (it's my GF's setup and she's now fully off the stinkies and loving her vape). But... three weeks for a coil is pretty optimistic with any gear. Not impossible, but if you vape a lot you'll probably notice a decrease in vapour production and flavour long before 3 weeks.

 

[Andre]

istick and nautilus mini is a tried and tested winning combo and for most people getting into vaping with some sort of cigalike or ego style battery or twisp, it's usually a big step up and improvement on vape quality. You will enjoy it I'm sure (it's my GF's setup and she's now fully off the stinkies and loving her vape). But... three weeks for a coil is pretty optimistic with any gear. Not impossible, but if you vape a lot you'll probably notice a decrease in vapour production and flavour long before 3 weeks.

Agreed, I have to do HRH's maintenance on her iStick with mAN and BVC coils. After about 2 weeks she tells me it does not taste good any more, which is my signal to change coils.

 

[Manbearzombie]

Well, I guess that as good a signal as any that it's time to get a part time job

Nautilus mini and iStick, here I come!

Thanks again everyone, you have been most helpful.

 

[Manbearzombie]

So I looked around Youtube and found some useful links for anyone having similar issues:





I haven't tried any of this stuff yet, but if I do I'll let you all know how it works out.

 

[Ashley A]

I have also seen these videos when I first started and I did try them but it didn't work for me. Maybe you'll do a better job than me. I have the Kangertech devices though that use the same coils. Now I just use the upgraded coils and make sure the whole device is sealed properly.

 

[Silver]

Hi @Manbearzombie

The Digicig is a simple Clearo type of device, similar to Twisp i believe

What i have found with these devices in general is that the coil life does vary since the coils are not identical. Other factors also come into play like the juice and the way you vape.

How many mls of juice would you say you are going through before the coil needs replacement?

On my Evod1 i am getting about 20mls or about 15 tankfuls (1.5ml each) before i notice a degradation in flavour and vapour. I am using a lightly coloured strawberry menthol mix for this. I dont get gurgling though.

Sometimes just taking the coil out and cleaning the atomiser and coil and then putting it back in helps. But each device has its little quirks and fixes which also help.

 

[Silver]

PS - @Manbearzombie , when you get a chance, please upload a cool avatar pic for yourself. Helps to recognise your posts. Just log in with a normal browser, click your name in the top right then Avatar
A picture that is 300 by 300 pixels works best

 

[Manbearzombie]

@Silver

Well, I fill the tanks up about once a day, a bit more on weekends, so I guess it's also close to 20ml then. I'm sticking to lightly coloured juices at the moment so I'll have a more accurate representation by the time this coil dies.

No problem, I'll try to crack an avatar out after class today.

 

[WHeunis]

@Manbearzombie

Thats just kinda the thing with coils. Doesn't really matter if its prebuilt ones (like you are using) or DIY coils like I am using in an RTA, or rebuilt prebuilt coils (like the video somebody else posted above).
They WILL eventually just not do the job anymore.

The problems in most likely order:

1: Gunk buildup in and around the coil (the actual wire)
2: Wick degredation (the cotton/ceramic/whatever pulled through the coil)
3: Degredation of the wire/coil itself (usually the wire physically breaks when it just can't take anymore)

Nr 1 is dependant on the juice you are using. As others have noted; Lighter colored juices typically gunk the coil less than the darker do. This is not a guarantee, but a 99% guideline to go by.
The only "cure" for gunk is to clean the coil. For typical users who are not willing to tinker, and are using prebuilt coils, this basically means soaking the whole coil unit in boiling water for 30 minutes, followed by an alcohol soak (cheap, clear vodka does the trick nicely) for 12-24 hours, followed by rinsing properly under running water.
Sadly - that process ended up for me as a DAILY process, and I ultimately switched off to RBA devices.

RBA users get quite familiar with the ease of maintaining and rebuilding their coils, as it is definitely a thousand times easier than disassembling and rebuilding prebuilt coils.
In those cases, we simply do Nr 1 and 2 together on a frequent basis (some daily, some weekly, etc).
We simply pull the wick out, dry burn the coil clean, and whip a new wick in. Done!

Rebuilding your prebuilt coils is similar in many respects to RBA maintenance, but with the drawback that the coils were never really meant for that kinda activity.
By rebuilding these coils, you will get to save some money on coil expenses, but even then - eventually - those coils will simply degrade to the point of destination trashcan anyway. The grommets and sometimes even threads eventually just wear out - remember, they were never built to last very long to begin with...


Nr 3 hasn't happened to me yet. Over time, before that even happens, the wire will slowly degrade, and the resistance will start to change. Once that starts to happen, I rebuild my coil anyway. For me, this is usually around 4-5 weeks of 5ml per day.


The best thing I can recommend to lengthen the life of your coils, is to simply maintain them, in whatever method is best suited for you.
Cleaning them by soaking daily, or every other day, is certainly one way you can go about it. Just know that some wicks respond better to cleaning than others. Your results may vary - to the point of certain wicks getting outright ruined or destroyed in the process.
Rebuilding them once they start to fail will cost you some time, and a little bit of money (less than repeatedly buying new premade coils). There is also innate risks involved in building your own coils, especially if you are using mechanical mods. I doubt that this is your current setup/situation, but assumptions can bite! Just know that making mistakes can cost you more than a little time/money. You could end up damaging or destroying your device, mod, or (worst case scenario) lose your fingers and lips.
Such events are rare as long as you pay attention to what you are doing, and follow basic electrical safety. Know what you are doing and the risks and/or possible problems that could occur BEFORE you start doing it...


Best of luck!

 

[Manbearzombie]

Thanks @WHeunis, that's pretty comprehensive.

Is it difficult to get into using RBA atomisers? And can they be used with both mechanical and electronic mods? I can imagine for someone new to RBA, mechanical mods can be potentially dangerous.

I think it would be pretty fun to take a stab at building my own coils.

 

[cfm78910]

I don't get much more than 3 days out of a BVC coil on my Nautilus Mini. It starts to spit and vapour production takes a nosedive. I go through 10 coils a month, easy. I spend much more on coils than juice.

 

[Andre]

I don't get much more than 3 days out of a BVC coil on my Nautilus Mini. It starts to spit and vapour production takes a nosedive. I go through 10 coils a month, easy. I spend much more on coils than juice.

That is hectic. Time for a Reo.

 

[rogue zombie]

Thanks @WHeunis, that's pretty comprehensive.

Is it difficult to get into using RBA atomisers? And can they be used with both mechanical and electronic mods? I can imagine for someone new to RBA, mechanical mods can be potentially dangerous.

I think it would be pretty fun to take a stab at building my own coils.

Take it from me, I'm not exactly the 'handy man' type, building coils is not a mission at all, and definitely worth the effort.

I would recommend going with an electronic mod first, to avoid any action accidents.

Also look for the easier RBA's or RDA's at first. Some can be tricky to start building with.

I was in the same boat as you, commercial coils just not lasting. Now I strictly do not even consider commercial tanks.

 

[Manbearzombie]

@r0gue z0mbie

Thanks for the tips. So which kinds of RBAs/RDAs should I be looking at then if I want to venture into the world of building coils?

Is there a recommended RBA/RDA thing for beginners?

 

[free3dom]

@r0gue z0mbie

Thanks for the tips. So which kinds of RBAs/RDAs should I be looking at then if I want to venture into the world of building coils?

Is there a recommended RBA/RDA thing for beginners?

First a clarification - all rebuildables are called RBAs (ReBuildable Atomizer) (it's like a family name, ex. Dogs). This is then divided into two (or three) subsections - RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer) and RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomizer) [RDTA is just both of these in one].

If you want to start easy get an RDA (commonly referred to as a dripper). Some of these are the easiest devices to build for with the most options for what you can do - single/dual/tri/quad-coils, don't worry you can just start with single coils
With an RDA though you add juice from time to time, it does not hold any, so you need to keep a bottle of juice handy. They can also leak if placed on their sides.
For and RDA look at something like the IGO-L or a Tugboat v2 - very easy to build (single coil) and a good vape.

RTA's on the other hand allow you the ease of use of a clearomizer tank which you can fill up and carry around all day. The only difference is that instead of replacing the coils with commercial ones, you build your own. In this category the clear winner right now is the Kanger SubTank Mini - it allows you to either build your own coils OR use commercial store bought coils, best of both. Second to that would be IMO the Lemo - great quality tank, easy to build, very forgiving, cheap, and vapes like a champ. There are many more tanks but they are a bit more tricky to build so leave those for later.

Personally, I'd recommend going with the SubTank Mini...it's the clear winner right now for first time rebuilders

 

[free3dom]

@r0gue z0mbie

Thanks for the tips. So which kinds of RBAs/RDAs should I be looking at then if I want to venture into the world of building coils?

Is there a recommended RBA/RDA thing for beginners?

Forgot to mention (and I'll do it in a new post, to keep it separate) you will need some extra stuff:

1. Resistance wire (Kanthal) and I'd recommend using 28G (which refers to how thick it is, and also what resistance it has per "wrap") at first. Available almost everywhere
   
2. Wicking material...here I'd recommend either Japanese Cotton or Rayon, both freely available from various vape shops
3. Something to wrap around...drill bits work well and come in known sizes, get some 2mm and 2.5mm ones. You can also use most precision screwdrivers, they work great too
4. Tweezers, this is very handy when making coils

That is the bare bones, and as you build you will find many other useful stuff to add to your kit

And, as always, keep asking questions...we are here to help

 

[Manbearzombie]

That sounds great @free3dom

I'll look into the SubTank Mini or the Lemo as I like to vape while I'm driving and I just now that a dripper would be a great way to end up with juice all over my lap.

Maybe later I'll get a dripper for when I'm at home.

How would you compare the vape between RDAs and RTAs? Assuming best case scenario for either.

And thanks, I'll definitely get a little kit going once I get the stuff.

 

[WHeunis]

@r0gue z0mbie

Thanks for the tips. So which kinds of RBAs/RDAs should I be looking at then if I want to venture into the world of building coils?

Is there a recommended RBA/RDA thing for beginners?

For starting out, and also at minimum matching your current gear, you would be looking at RTA (tanks), imo.
The two standouts in this would be Kayfun for mouth-to-lung vaping, and Lemo for lunghitting.

I would hishly recommend the Kayfun as a starting point. As a mouth-to-lung device, it will closer match what you are used to right now - while also being a severe step up in quality of vape.
The deck is pretty much the pioneer of all decks used in most RTA's out there.
It's a tried, tested, and reliable tank any way you look at it.
The only downside is that you will likely be getting a clone, as the originals are extremely hard to get hold of, not to mention their skyhigh pricetags.

EDIT-ADD: Instead of Kayfun, go for Subtank Mini (not nano!). My oversight of that device is criminal at best!

At the same time though, a quality dripper should become part of your arsenal by default. Even if it just for experimenting with juices. Some standout names here include: Odin, Plumeveil, Patriot, etc.
As a beginner, I strongly recommend you stay away (at first) from oddballs like Veritas etc. While they are amazing drippers, building on one for the first time is very intimidating.
Look at pictures of a Plumeveil. Pay attention to the build deck, with it's posts. Anything that deviates from that same type of building deck by too much, will probably be a pain to learn on...

As for a mod, I just dont think you can go wrong with the new eLeaf products. iStick 50W is a champ in every department that matters.
Affordable, quality, original, massive battery life, USB passthrough, allows decent sub-ohm... the only serious drawback is that it's batteries are not user-replaceable (at least, not without risking damage).

Both of these devices are pretty readily available from numerous vendors here on the forum, at very affordable prices.

Large warning though:
WHATEVER NIC CONTENT YOU ARE USING IN YOUR CURRENT SETUP, HALF IT.