The Serpent Mini 22 and 25 Build Thread

[Rob Fisher]

Hi Ho @Silver suggested a Serpent Mini 22 and 25 Build Thread where all tips and tricks for this outstanding Wotofo Tank range can be kept.

Here is the current Serpent Mini Team!


All credit (from my side) must go to @BigGuy who put me on the straight and narrow with these tanks. I was on the verge of never using RTA's again and then the SM25 arrived and Craig built and wicked it before the Courier Guy delivered it.

I will put links to the YouTube video at the bottom of this post...

Rule number one is to use Cotton Bacon or The Cotton Candy Collection for you wick... both just seem to be perfectly suited to RTA's and are both easy to use.

Rule number two is to use the bow tie trimming method clearly explained in the videos below but in a nutshell you trim the tail from the coil side to the tails and remover between a third to half of tail...

I have found removing the little wick ring off the deck works better for me...

Now placing the wicks into the juice channels... Most of my SM's I let the tail touch the bottom of the juice channel and lightly pack the juice channels with the wick. However I have experimenting with shortening and fluffing the wicks to rest at the top of the juice channel... Grimm Green wicks the SM22 like this and I'm testing it on the SM25 and it seems to be working fine as well.

Another lesson learnt recently is to double check and remove and replace O-Rings... even if they look OK... my Gold SM22 dumped juice (like Hi Ho Silver experienced) as I filled it... I checked everything and thought I had a lemon and was sad... but happily @BigGuy popped around for coffee and a chin wag and the first thing he did was remove the O-Ring on the base and check it... it was OK and he put it back and all was well again...

Another tip when filling the tank is to go slow with replacing the top juice fill cap... if you go too fast you can create a bit of pressure in the tank and you may get some leaking... going slow give the tank time to equalise the pressure and no leaking.

I have subsequently bought the Gold SM22 and revived my old silver SM22 which I wasn't using and with the new wicking techniques they are both performing admirably!

An interesting quote from @Jasonjardine07 that may be worth a try...

"I thought I was going to have to sell my SM 25 because I kept getting leaks and dry hit no matter how I wicked it.

I probably wicked this thing 30 times before changing to a 5 wrap 3mm alien build with the wicks just resting on the Juice channels.... And I must say this thing is amazing and I cant get over how intense the flavour is."

Dual Coil Build Video


Single Coil Build Video


Grimm Greens SM22 build (Wicking starts at 5:07)


Any tips and tricks you have found let us know! Serpent Mini's for the Win!

 

[JB1987]

I bought an SM22 on Saturday so I could revive the Pico again. First build got some dry hits (too much cotton probably), second time a full on leak (too little cotton probably), third time a 2.5mm build with 24g kanthal and the bow tie method with cotton covering the top of the juice holes as well as the surrounding deck and it's been perfect. After nearly selling the Pico I'm starting to love it all over again. Cotton Bacon is a definite must. Once you figure out the wicking the tank is brilliant

 

[Anneries]

GREAT! Will post some pictures with my tips on wicking the SM22! This is truely an amazing little tank that have best of both. This tank is next up in line for a rebuild and then some Cotton Bacon V2!

 

[Silver]

Superb post @Rob Fisher !
Great to have all these tips and tricks in one place
Thanks

 

[Rob Fisher]

OK the test of the SM25 with the wicks just at the top of the juice channel didn't work so well... it was fine for the first couple of hours... but as time went on it started to leak... so that option on the SM25 is out.

Here is the rewick... tighish but not too tight... trimmed and made into a bow tie!


Between a third and a half trimmed off from the coil to the tip of the wick. Then primed and gentled prodded into place in the juice channel.


Happy Days!

 

[Rob Fisher]

Not sure if it's off topic , but is Cotton Bacon really a must I just can't seem to bring myself to pay R140 a pop for cotton ....

Have some Dischem cotton that I'm going to try , or am I wasting my time ?

It's certainly worth a test with Dischem Cotton... I used that for a long time... personally I think it's really worth getting Cotton Bacon because it just performs so much better in RTA's than all the other cottons...

Try it first.

 

[Jasonjardine07]

OK the test of the SM25 with the wicks just at the top of the juice channel didn't work so well... it was fine for the first couple of hours... but as time went on it started to leak... so that option on the SM25 is out.

Here is the rewick... tighish but not too tight... trimmed and made into a bow tie!
View attachment 75180 View attachment 75181

Between a third and a half trimmed off from the coil to the tip of the wick. Then primed and gentled prodded into place in the juice channel.
View attachment 75182 View attachment 75183

Happy Days!
View attachment 75184

Rob, where can I can some of those nice drip tips in the JHB area?

 

[Rob Fisher]

Rob, where can I can some of those nice drip tips in the JHB area?

Nowhere I'm afraid @Jasonjardine07. @Sir Vape committed to buy all of @hands stock so he could concentrate on making tips instead of selling, marketing and shipping... it was a win/win for both of them.

PS A little mouse told me that there is a nice big batch heading down to Sir Vape this week!

 

[antonherbst]

This is my builds so far on the serpent 22. It is super easy.

Only one build so far and just rewicking it +\- weekly. But it is easy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ash]

Hi Mr Fisher, Seeing as you have 6 different SM, What juices are in each? As I am a menthol fan like yourself, just trying to figure out what else you vaping besides xxx. Also I use Japanese cotton in my SM's and they work just as well with Clapton coils 3mm ID 6 Wrap

 

[Daniel]

So bit the bullet and got some CBV2 , now to save up for a mod LOL nothing to drive the SM25 at the moment ......

 

[Rob Fisher]

Hi Mr Fisher, Seeing as you have 6 different SM, What juices are in each? As I am a menthol fan like yourself, just trying to figure out what else you vaping besides xxx. Also I use Japanese cotton in my SM's and they work just as well with Clapton coils 3mm ID 6 Wrap

@Ash normally I have XXX in them all... but two (one 22 and one 25) of them have juices for testing... currently have Trinity Ice in one and All Coiled Out Yo Yo special menthol edition in the other.

 

[Anneries]

So bit the bullet and got some CBV2 ,

You will not be dissapointed. But to be honest, if it where not for Juicy Joes that gave samples at the Cape Vape meet, I wouldn't have tried it. I also, looked at it and asked myself, will paying three times what I pay for KGD be worth the money, the answer is YES. And looking at the amount of cotton you get, it is not that much more expensive than the 5 pads for R50. I got the bacon bits (only 2 pieces) Have done 4 rewicks and it doesnt look like ther is that much gone, that is 7 coils. It doesnt feel like I waste as much.

 

[boxerulez]

Nowhere I'm afraid @Jasonjardine07. @Sir Vape committed to buy all of @hands stock so he could concentrate on making tips instead of selling, marketing and shipping... it was a win/win for both of them.

PS A little mouse told me that there is a nice big batch heading down to Sir Vape this week!

Ag NO man, just ordered my second SM25 in silver from them. The hands tips in stock were not too impressive except the 2 pink ones left there... anyway, hopefully by the time I order my Green V2 there will be 2 nice tips in stock that suit my black and green mods.

Either way, wanted to say that tip on your black SM25 is fantastic @Rob Fisher

 

[Rob Fisher]

Ag NO man, just ordered my second SM25 in silver from them. The hands tips in stock were not too impressive except the 2 pink ones left there... anyway, hopefully by the time I order my Green V2 there will be 2 nice tips in stock that suit my black and green mods.

Either way, wanted to say that tip on your black SM25 is fantastic @Rob Fisher

If you want specific colors and shapes you can still order direct from @hands... the postage from the middle of nowhere where he lives (Kokstad) is always a killer but if you want something specific (like mine on the black SM25) and are going to order a couple at the same time then it's worth it.

 

[boxerulez]

If you want specific colors and shapes you can still order direct from @hands... the postage from the middle of nowhere where he lives (Kokstad) is always a killer but if you want something specific (like mine on the black SM25) and are going to order a couple at the same time then it's worth it.

I can send my courier up there to collect. Intertown Transport, not that far from East London. About halfway between you and me. Is there a specific phrase I should mention to get that shape of yours that is VERY wide at the bottom tapering up to the tip? Like on the White V2 in OP of this thread.

 

[Daniel]

You will not be dissapointed. But to be honest, if it where not for Juicy Joes that gave samples at the Cape Vape meet, I wouldn't have tried it. I also, looked at it and asked myself, will paying three times what I pay for KGD be worth the money, the answer is YES. And looking at the amount of cotton you get, it is not that much more expensive than the 5 pads for R50. I got the bacon bits (only 2 pieces) Have done 4 rewicks and it doesnt look like ther is that much gone, that is 7 coils. It doesnt feel like I waste as much.

Tried it out on the Reo + Cyclone , and must say can taste the crispness. Currently vaping Roll Over , and the banana is very distinct now , very enjoyable good 140 bokkies spent! Somehow it's a 'smoother' vape also can't describe it .... "soos engel piepie oppie tong!"

 

[Rob Fisher]

I can send my courier up there to collect. Intertown Transport, not that far from East London. About halfway between you and me. Is there a specific phrase I should mention to get that shape of yours that is VERY wide at the bottom tapering up to the tip? Like on the White V2 in OP of this thread.

Just send him the picture.

 

[Taytay]

@Minamoo

 

[SpiralSequence]

So after tinkering for a couple of weeks and trying different builds the first really steady build was spaced 24g Kanthal with a Scottish Roll as a wick.

I got hold of some 316l stainless to try my hand at some TC to check how the Serpent performs. It was crap. Taste of stainless put me really of it.

So today I got some cotton bacon and some alien Clapton and OMG. Smooth smooth smooth. No dry hits, no pops and crackle which was probably down to the KGD.

So all and all finally very happy with my Serpent Mini. Just have to find the right build.

 

[Scissorhands]

Glad to hear im not alone using alien/clapton and cbv2 Scottish roll in the sm25, on a 0.5 ohm build i usually get a warm vape at 30 watts, if you need improved wicking when pushing watts ( hot vape at 40+ watts for my 3.5ID, 5 wrap 0.5ohm flat clapton build ), try remove the ring and rewick with slightly more cotton, fantastic flavor, respectable cloads

 

[Kalashnikov]

@Rob Fisher I took these photos after wicking without the wick ring last night. Before the leak.

Was meaning to post them for you to have a look.

The one looks better than the other. I was trying to get it so that the wick just touches the floor of the wick channels.

This side doesn't look that good. Not very even.
View attachment 75147

This side looks better
View attachment 75148

How does it look to you? This is after lubing it up with juice

The tanks is vaping beautifully though.

I think the issue here is not the wick length but the actual thickness. If it filled out more of the slot it wouldnt leak. Thats if you dont use the wick ring.

 

[Rob Fisher]

I think the issue here is not the wick length but the actual thickness. If it filled out more of the slot it wouldnt leak. Thats if you dont use the wick ring.

Thanks for the heads up... will play some more with that technique!

 

[Rob Fisher]

I think the issue here is not the wick length but the actual thickness. If it filled out more of the slot it wouldnt leak. Thats if you dont use the wick ring.

@Kalashnikov you were spot on... I have been fighting with one of the SM25's that I have been experimenting with different wicking... I have been trimming the tails a bit more than I should have... followed your advice and it's rocking like gang busters again! Thanks!

 

[Kalashnikov]

@Kalashnikov you were spot on... I have been fighting with one of the SM25's that I have been experimenting with different wicking... I have been trimming the tails a bit more than I should have... followed your advice and it's rocking like gang busters again! Thanks!

Glad to help but why the choice of not using the ring? It helps to insure you got the right thickness. I have tried many styles. but the best has always been thicks wick just over the top. Barely in maybe like 1mm under the ring. Here is a pick of my build. Its 1 week since i wicked and the cotton still looks mint . chain vaping at 45W...