New to rebuilding coils

georgia010

Hi,
I've been a convert to ecigs for just about three months now and haven't had a cigarette since I began. I was very confused how to start but thanks to lots of helpful information on this site I bought a kit I am happy with for now and some tobacco-type flavours which helped the crossover.

I use an Ego C Twist 900 (variable voltage 3.2 to 4.8) with either iclear 16 or evod clearomisers. The only problems I have encountered are with the heads, they seem to vary a lot in how long they last and how quickly they get gunked up and burnt-tasting. Thanks to this forum I have learned how to try to clean the heads and have been doing that with some success, but I would really like to learn how to make my own coils. I'd rather spend my money on liquid and I hate the idea of throwing away all those metal parts.

I'm not sure if it's possible to make new coils/wicks for the iclear 16(double coils) but I have watched a couple of vids on rebuilding evod heads and would like to give it a go.

My questions are: what size silica wick should I buy, and what size wire? I believe the resistance will depend on amount of wire used, but what size wire should I start with? Also, what do I need to buy (multimeter, voltage meter, I haven't a clue) to test the resistance? Something reliable but not too expensive, if possible!

If anyone knows if it is possible to re-coil the iclear 16s, I'd love to be able to do that too. If I understand it correctly, the heads on the 16s are usually 2.0 ohms, and 2.5 on the evod.

I'd appreciate any advice you can give me.

M00lers

2mm silica wick and some 0.20mm kanthal wire would be a good start. An ohm meter or multimeter would be a must also. I'd forget about rebuilding the iclear16 heads but the evod/protank rebuild is easy enough.

M00lers

Ohm Meter

Silica Wick

Kanthal Wire

georgia010

Thanks, moolers2000 for your reply and the links. Looking forward to this next step!

M00lers

No problem, not long in the game myself. Dont forget discount code "boards" for 10% off.

youdipstick

moolers2000 wrote: »

Ohm Meter

Silica Wick

Kanthal Wire

Info on the Ohm meter,the listing says AA batteries,they do not work,the meter takes a 14500 battery which is 11euro on the same site,BV & Bestshop only costs about 4euros.

M00lers

True about the batteries in the Ohm Meter, I just plug mine in via the USB connection to check resistance.

ghogie91

To rebuild the evod style heads I used when beginning:

2mm silica (3 euro esmoke ireland)
32 gauge kanthal wire(6 euro esmoke ireland)

Chefs Blowtorch, (25 euro Tommy Varden)
Nail Clippers, (Tweezerman 16 euro)
Pin (Cheap pin)
Tweezers,(Tweezerman 22 euro)
Multimeter (13 euro BNQ)

Cut a length of kanthal with the nail clippers. Get a length of silica, torch your kanthal to remove the springyness and make more workable, then reinforce the silica with the pin, wrap the kanthal tight as when you remove the pin and it wint be choking the silica, set up in the body of the head, secure with the rubber insulator and positive pin.

At this point you can now check your resistance, with the 32 gauge kanthal which would be 4 or 5 wraps realistically, and due to the small diameter of this wire you can leave good space between the wraps to stop any touching. Use your multimeter by putting the pins on the threading and positive pin at the bottom of the head when screwed into the base (keep in mind there is resistance of the receptors of the multimeter so touch these and minus the resistance)

If you are happy with this then put an extra piece of silica across the top of your coil and fully assemble the head (if not use the tweezers to adjust). I find it easier to trim the silica flush with it is all assembled rather than trying to assemble with minute pieces of silica falling all over the place. Give another resistance check when you are finished to see all is ok and then your done. I would recommend at lease 2/3 heads at a time so when one goes you insert your new one and then get to vaping while rebuilding and listening to ACDC

This is a very simple build, when building yourself its way cheaper as with the kanthal and silica costing 12/13 euro tops you will build god knows how many rather than buy the 6 for 2 euro a pop. It also increased interest in the building and is a spring board to further rebuilding and challenges. It takes time to get it right and remember to center that coil and dont have it touching any metal.

Hope this helps.

Edit:

Yes its possible to rebuild the iclear 16s, its slightly harder but when you get the hang of the evod head, you can go pulling apart an iclear 16 and see its not too much harder, just a different set up

You can get an ohms meter on any of the irish vendors for roughly 20 quid delivered or else get a multimeter anywhere for 10 euro and up, mines a BNQ one that cost 13 quid

csi vegas

Tweezerman tweezers and clippers Ghogie? You lotto winner, you! I have lusted after them for years now - all the top make-up artists use them on the faces of the likes of Helena Christensen and Gisele - and you buy 'em to torch Kanthal with - you lotto winner, you! Haha!

ghogie91

csi vegas wrote: »

Tweezerman tweezers and clippers Ghogie? You lotto winner, you! I have lusted after them for years now - all the top make-up artists use them on the faces of the likes of Helena Christensen and Gisele - and you buy 'em to torch Kanthal with - you lotto winner, you! Haha!

Haha I took the plunge and went to boots and bought the tweezermans haha there the best cause I went through a heap of others before that and 28 gauge kanthal doesntt chip the tweezerman clippers, just imagine me in boots buying that stuff red faced and she asks me do I have a boots card haha I do yeeeeaaahhh

dePeatrick

csi vegas wrote: »

Tweezerman tweezers and clippers Ghogie? You lotto winner, you! I have lusted after them for years now - all the top make-up artists use them on the faces of the likes of Helena Christensen and Gisele - and you buy 'em to torch Kanthal with - you lotto winner, you! Haha!

I second this, do you know Ghoogie, they are the very best tweezers and clippers you can get! Ha ha haaa.....hope you got a girlfriend who steals them........:D

ghogie91

dePeatrick wrote: »

I second this, do you know Ghoogie, they are the very best tweezers and clippers you can get! Ha ha haaa.....hope you got a girlfriend who steals them........:D

Haha to be honest boots wouldnt be in boota more than twice a year so I seen them being used somewhere and bought them, was more of a get in and get out and go to the sports shop and replenish my manliness by talking about hurleys hahaha

Ah no there good I would recommend them, even when torching micro coils they manage the heat well with the thick paint so it doesnt travel up the handle and burn the fingers off ya

Edit:

Plus the girlfriend knows that the vaping shelves with all my stuff is sacred and touching will not be tolerated haha

csi vegas

ghogie91 wrote: »

Haha I took the plunge and went to boots and bought the tweezermans haha there the best cause I went through a heap of others before that and 28 gauge kanthal doesntt chip the tweezerman clippers, just imagine me in boots buying that stuff red faced and she asks me do I have a boots card haha I do yeeeeaaahhh

Check this out:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=87195000&postcount=12

My tweezer-envy is historic and extends way beyond the remit of social acceptance. RiP Trippers guy has no shame in showing the world his little pinky You should parade yours LOUD 'N PROUD! (assuming it's pink, that is. If not then just go ahead and torch the hell outta it with butane, feeling like Rockefeller all the while

georgia010

Thanks, ghogie 91, for that detailed instruction. I wouldn't have known to torch the wire. As it happens I have a chef's blowtorch in a kitchen drawer somewhere (never used), but like others here I am still aspiring to the tweezerman products.

I started with two i16 clearomizers and they lasted nearly two weeks. Then when I got replacement heads, the trouble began. Some lasted only a day or never really worked well - no flavour, or burnt taste very quickly. Pretty much the same story with the evod. Luckily I discovered some discussion here about cleaning and dry burning heads and managed to salvage a few. But I'd love to be able to omit the expense of buying heads if they are going to be unreliable, and the anxiety of possibly running out of them.

I will order the materials and have a go at the evod. I took a dead iclear head apart to have a look at it, but it looks tricky, such a small space to work in.

I am new to all this and when I started I was amazed at the level of discussion and information on vaping and vaping tips on here. I don't know anyone else who uses a pv and had no way of getting advice on newbie issues like gurgling, leaking, burnt taste, etc. This forum has been a lifesaver as I was so frustrated with it all. My original plan was to buy a fairly simple kit, try some new liquids now and then and leave it at that, stay away from the big boys' and girls' stuff. Now here I am trawling through threads, ogling the fancy drip tips and thinking about making my own heads. Who knows, you might see me at Vapefest next year.:)

Speaking about trawling through threads, I came across some discussion about using cotton or ekowool instead of silica for wicks. Have you ever used either, and if so, do you have a preference?

Thanks again for all the responses.

grindle

georgia010 wrote: »

...I came across some discussion about using cotton or ekowool instead of silica for wicks...

Ekowool is a fancily-woven silica rope. Wicks faster, tastes much the same to me.

Caw-tun, caw-tun, caw-tun.

/chant

Cotton's great, much less rebuilding necessary & Tastes good too.
With a capital 'T' apparently. Not sure how that happened.

ghogie91

I personally use cotton in all my builds buy silica is a good place to start I have never bothered with eco wool myself

dePeatrick

I prefer cotton too, but I only get a day out of it using tobacco liquids.....have started getting a bit lazy about rebuilding lately so might try Eco wool....just to see...