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Advanced Questions For Beginner Users, or the "I want sick clouds bro!" Thread

OBDave

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LOOK AT THE STICKY VERSION OF THIS POST (OR POST 12) FOR THE NEWEST UPDATES

Hi All:

I've been seeing a ton of questions in the last few months that seem to involve new vapers who have ended up with advanced setups they're not entirely sure how to use, mechanical mods in particular. What I'm hoping to do here is start a kind of first-stop post, with links to some threads where our members have taken quite a bit of time to type out thoughtful, detailed posts answering some of the questions that get asked quite a bit. With luck it'll save some time for those of us who've already dedicated countless hours helping out...


Are these batteries good? Plus other battery info...

Some quick and dirty info: the best known 18650 batteries (the most common size for vape use) currently in production as of this post are rated for a 20 amp continuous draw - favorites in the vaping community are the Samsung 25R and LG HE2 and HE4. Sony used to make a popular 20 amp cell, the VTC5, and equally popular 30 amp cells (the only batteries that currently exist with a continuous amp rating higher than 20) called the VTC3 and VTC4 - these batteries are no longer in production, and a significant portion of those sold today are counterfeit. Even reputable sources have been known to be duped by a wholesaler somewhere along the supply chain, so exercise caution if you buy Sony.

Some companies sell batteries they didn't produce - Efest and MXJO are popular examples. These batteries will often have a misleading amp rating, claiming 35 amps when in reality what's being stated is a "pulse" or "burst" rating that can only be achieved for a short time. The continuous rating is what most experienced vapers will rely on when calculating what kind of coil they can safely use. For this reason, these batteries are not recommended as highly as trusted manufacturers such as Samsung and LG. A simple rule of thumb is to avoid any type of battery with "fire" in the name (Trustfire, Singfire, Truefire, etc.) in order to avoid setting yourself on fire.

If you're using a mech, you should never let your batteries drop below a 3.6-3.7 volt charge – draining your batteries too low can cause serious and permanent damage. Experienced vapers will know by "feel" when to change batteries, but if you don't a multimeter is a good tool to have – install a fresh battery (which should be charged to 4.2 volts), take a dozen or so pulls on your mod, then pull the battery out and test it. Repeat this process until your battery is down to 3.7 volts, then put it on the charger and install a new one. After practicing this for a few days, you'll develop the feel needed to stay safe and can stop monitoring constantly. Instructions on using a multimeter:

http://altsmoke.com/multimeter.html

Getting a decent battery charger should also be high on your priority list – the three most popular for vape use, listed in descending order of general quality perception, are Xtar, Efest (even though the batteries aren't recommended), and Nitecore. If you must cheap out in other areas, don't when it comes to your batteries or charger.


What kind of mod should I buy?

If you're asking this question, you should probably be looking at a regulated device – these allow you to adjust power settings and have safety functions built in so the device won't fire if you've accidentally done something dangerous. With the massive proliferation of regulated mods on the market, some offering massive power well in excess of 100 watts, there's really not much to be gained from using a mechanical mod with no circuitry or safety features. This wasn't the case as late as a year ago, when regulated devices were severely limited in power output and the only way to get big power was to build yourself.

With advanced regulated devices, there are two sub-categories: self-contained and replaceable battery. The self-contained units are nice for their small size and for alleviating the need to buy separate batteries and a charger, but they're also limited in power output as compared to replaceable battery mods. Also, if you have a battery problem your whole mod is pretty much junk - with replaceable batteries you can toss them (actually, please recycle them in a proper fashion) and get new ones for a few dollars when they wear out.

That said, if you're set on a mechanical, or "mech," there are two main types – those with a 510 pin between your atomizer and the battery, and "hybrid" models with a hole in the top cap, allowing your battery to contact the atomizer directly. These are desirable because they produce less voltage drop (power loss), but dangerous because if the center pin of your atomizer doesn't protrude from the bottom of the threads and stay firmly locked in place the battery could contact the threads, causing a hard short that will in turn cause your battery to vent and/or explode in short order. For this reason, hybrids generally aren't recommended as a first mech.


What kind of atomizer should I buy?

This is a highly subjective question. Let's assume there are three main types, RDAs (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers), RTAs (Rebuildable Tank Atomizers), and clearomizers, which have factory-built, replaceable coils.

There is an insanely wide variety of RDA and RTA choices available, and new devices hit the market at a rate of several per week. Some are built to maximize flavor, others for big clouds, some strike a balance between the two. You'll have to do your own research on the forums to see what appeals to you, as simply asking this question is likely to net a slew of answers wherein members tell you what they've experienced and liked, but very few of us have experience with enough different devices to speak with authority on others with which we're not familiar. Those that do have that experience are probably posting reviews to help you with your research, rather than waiting for you to post a thread asking them to deliver a dissertation on the 100 devices they're personally familiar with.

More helpful: do some research, and if you narrow your search down to 2 or 3 devices, that's the time to start a thread asking for specific comparisons between them. You'll still get a lot of posts from people that either ignore your question or are such fanboys of their favorite devices that they'll try to tell you that you need to buy whatever they have because if they bought something it must be the best, but having some idea of what you want before posting will help reduce these usually-unhelpful comments, or at least limit them to suggestions that closely align with what you want if you've worded your desires clearly.

Clearomizers, long adored for their simplicity and shunned for their lack of power and "sick clouds bro" abilities, are making a huge comeback in 2015 with the advent of the "sub-tank" segment of the market that uses low-resistance coils. Again, there are a ton of these on the market, each with its fans and detractors, so you'll have to do your own research for the most part. One thing to note is that many of these do not have a sufficiently-protruding center pin for use on hybrid mechs, so it's strongly recommended to avoid combining the two.

A helpful thread with lots of info and reviews of sub-tanks collected in one place:

http://www.vapingunderground.com/threads/subtank-wars.60527/


What kind of wire/coil should I use to get sick clouds, bro?

If you haven't built a coil before, it may be best to start small – a single coil with a resistance in the 1.0 ohm range. To get this you're going to need some thin gauge wire, like 28. You'll probably move on to more advanced builds once you have a few successful smaller ones, so it would be a good idea to pick up a variety of round Kanthal, say in gauges of 28, 26, and 24, to start. Wire is cheap and can be had for around $5 a spool. Don't worry if you move on before you use up all your thin wire, it'll come in handy if you start learning advanced builds that involve wrapping or braiding multiple strands down the line.

YOU NEED TO HAVE A MEANS OF CHECKING YOUR COIL RESISTANCE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE IT. To repeat, YOU NEED TO HAVE A MEANS OF CHECKING YOUR COIL RESISTANCE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE IT. Ohm meters are available for around $15 and are very simple to use, not to mention handy building platforms to keep your atomizer in place while you install your coils. You can also use a multimeter, which is handy to have if you're using a mech and need to test your batteries as well. Instructions on using one for vaping purposes can be found here:

http://altsmoke.com/multimeter.html

I find that I can get great flavor and vapor production out of simple dual coil builds using the tension coil method @MacTechVpr goes into detail on throughout this thread (and there's even more over at ECF if you're inclined to visit that forum and search):

http://www.vapingunderground.com/threads/micro-coil-frustration.3692/#post-76476

Of course, there are tons of other great options, depending on how complex and intricate you want your builds to get – check out the Builders Corner subforums for more, but for basics it's probably best to stick to round Kanthal and avoid the exotic builds/wire materials/ribbon wires/etc.

Helpful calculators and assistance with planning your builds can be found at:

http://www.steam-engine.org/

A good thread on how to effectively wick your coils from @scarecrowjenkins (he's using Japanese cotton, but the fundamentals are sound for regular cotton and rayon, too):

http://vapingunderground.com/threads/rda-wicking-method-w-japanese-cotton.64969/


See Post 10 below for a continuation, including links to other helpful threads...
 
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MacTechVpr

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...I find that I can get great flavor and vapor production out of simple dual coil builds using the tension coil method @MacTechVpr goes into detail on throughout this thread (and there's even more over at ECF if you're inclined to visit that forum and search)...

Thanks for the nod D. Good job on the roundup.

Post, tag or PM me anyone stuck. Always glad to help peeps build the Unicorn gun which is what a proper t.m.c. is. The best practical use of Kanthal wire. What it was designed for and wants to be.

Comin' down to the wire when the man tells us what we gotta vape. Those reading between the lines of my posts since Oct 2013 should've gotten' the memo. I've been trying to pass on the sure fire fix for precise temperature control with a bit of household physics for two years. At the end of the day mebe the only thing that saves us…at least some of us. Hopefully don't come to that but…just sayin'. No strain, no gain.

:D

Good luck all. Vape on!

:)

IMG_1414a.jpg IMG_1415a.jpg IMG_1416a.jpg
 
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OBDave

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Thanks for the nod D. Good job on the roundup.

Post, tag or PM me anyone stuck. Always glad to help peeps build the Unicorn gun which is what a proper t.m.c. is. The best practical use of Kanthal wire. What it was designed for and wants to be.

Comin' down to the wire when the man tells us what we gotta vape. Those reading between the lines of my posts since Oct 2013 should've gotten' the memo. I've been trying to pass on the sure fire fix for precise temperature control with a bit of household physics for two years. At the end of the day mebe the only thing that saves us…at least some of us. Hopefully don't come to that but…just sayin'. No strain, no gain.

:D

Good luck all. Vape on!

:)

View attachment 19737 View attachment 19738 View attachment 19736
Thanks - after your post the other day I took out two identical RDAs (Mutation X v2) and made two identical builds (24g duals @ 9 wraps around 3 mm, approx. 0.3 ohm), using your tension technique and using one of those coil winders - I must say I was surprised by the difference, and will go back to spending an extra 20-30 seconds to do my coils right...which is probably saved post-install by having to fiddle and adjust less to get them to heat properly.
 

MacTechVpr

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Thanks D, I've trained hundreds on the net and the real world (hands on direct, phone, Skype, etc.). I found it rather amazing we have those skills of dexterity, motor memory and mental agility to so precisely measure strain and use it to our advantage. Both in the wind and the stabilization.

Here's the thing. All wire is or has tension! Although every kind of wind is done and works in vaping (but the dead short) Kanthal requires strain stabilization to run optimally. All metal when formed has internal strain imbalances. Strain defects in the coil and set are the basis for most of the anomalies we see in our builds as well. That's why we anneal for example. When we tension wind to a final closest proximity we force internal realignment which balances the wire (molecular equilibrium). In that state and with the closest possible uniform oxidation you've got to a really rather potent vaporizing circuit. So what you're seeing is what I've seen in my informal tests and surveys with users all over…increased phase transition, or vaporization. The best ratio of vapor output for the wind surface relative to power. Big clouds or small, high res or low, vapor density.

Glad ya gotcha some.

Good luck and vape on!

:)

IMG_1431a.jpg
 

MacTechVpr

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Thanks - after your post the other day I took out two identical RDAs (Mutation X v2) and made two identical builds (24g duals @ 9 wraps around 3 mm, approx. 0.3 ohm), using your tension technique and using one of those coil winders - I must say I was surprised by the difference, and will go back to spending an extra 20-30 seconds to do my coils right...which is probably saved post-install by having to fiddle and adjust less to get them to heat properly.

Wanted to remind you to try that experiment with a pin vise and bit as a tensioned experiment. You got close, you got hot. Tension will max out the temperature delivered to the wick by more evenly distributing that thermal flux increase in a micro. Then you'll see an interesting boost in production (picture above of .5Ω+ production, Kanker Subtank RBA, twisted lead parallel tensioned micro).

Good luck D.

:)
 

OBDave

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Wanted to remind you to try that experiment with a pin vise and bit as a tensioned experiment. You got close, you got hot. Tension will max out the temperature delivered to the wick by more evenly distributing that thermal flux increase in a micro. Then you'll see an interesting boost in production (picture above of .5Ω+ production, Kanker Subtank RBA, twisted lead parallel tensioned micro).

Good luck D.

:)
I've still been working off a drill bit, keeping the wire spooled and pinching the spool between my knees to provide the tension (still spinning the wire, not the tool), but I really should look into a pin vise. Got any in particular you'd recommend?

Also, as a heads-up because I'm hoping people will click on it, the link in your signature is dead - may have something to do with ECF converting to a new BBS format...
 

OBDave

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Continued from Post 1...

Other great threads to start out with


This will probably be the section of the post I update most frequently, but if there are any other areas you'd like to hear about, chime in!

Check out post 5 from @madmonkey here for another member's great take on a beginner's overview:

http://www.vapingunderground.com/th...aping-and-want-huge-clouds.57203/#post-342212

A quick read on the basics of variable voltage, variable wattage, and temperature control (limiting) devices:

http://www.vapingunderground.com/threads/newb-s-about-vv-vw.70127/#post-419194

Another great @madmonkey post here at #10:

http://www.vapingunderground.com/threads/beginner-help-please.73577/#post-437994

More on using Steam Engine, including why YOU NEED TO HAVE A MEANS OF TESTING YOUR COIL'S RESISTANCE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE IT, with some good info from @Neunerball :

http://www.vapingunderground.com/threads/steam-engine-inaccurate.77423/
 
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OBDave

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Just a place marker for if/when the original content from posts 1 and 10 spill over and beyond the character count limits...now that we have a sticky it's a place to remind myself to post updates since I don't want to pester @Whiskey all the time asking for locks/unlocks...
 
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Whiskey

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Awesome job on this OBDave!!
Great idea for beginners to get the correct information for safety!!!
 

RobbieR

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Great post,

I wish I would have read something like this BEFORE I bought my first set up.
 

UncleRJ

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Great job and thanks for all the time you spent creating this post!
 

madmonkey

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@UncleRJ , @Whiskey, @5150sick, @Zamazam, @TygerTyger

This is excellent work @OBDave ....I think we've needed something like this here for awhile and it's awesome you took the initiative to create it. I also motion that this thread be Sticky'd at the top of the "Ask an expert" and the "help I have questions." sub forums. So not only can vapors start their own questions thread but see there is a "reference guide" for them smack at the top. This thread will never be complete...as the vape world evolves so will this thread. Make it sort of an interactive user guide. I believe this thread so be liquid with other vapors to contribute knowledge if they're willing to take the time to help. But I also believe that it's content should also be limited to context with out radical biased opinion.

Meaning that for a broad example that it should be based on vaping fact not just one someone thinks. For example...saying something like "Samsung 25-R batteries have a 20 amp continuous drain limit spec'd and a 2500 mah storage capacity when new." Not saying something like "Samsung batteries hit like a school bus ducked taped to freight train being pulled by a C-131."

The vape world is full of preference and personal opinions and it's awesome that it can cater to everyone's personal tastes and no one is more of a firm believer in "try it to see if you like it" than I am as my preferences and tastes a definately my own for sure...but there is still some basic knowledge and fact about it that has to be learned to vape safe and happily even if you're perfectly content with your eGo starter kit and never need to move on to anything else (hey, i could happen :) )

Maybe this is what we need also on another front....The FDA wants to regulate us and mandate guidelines...well, on top of normal and traditional activism, let them show us we can regulate and produce guidelines for ourselves....not just with childproof caps on our dripper bottles and such...but let's take this, or something like this and use it as an informal guide. The Vaping Underground's Basic User's Guide to Vaping. Not a list of "do's and dont's," but a guide of "how to and not to's" and "recommendations for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced vapor" with a "DIY basics" and "RDA basics and understanding."

The beauty of doing this in an online forum format is you don't have to re-write anything....just post and link your threads and contributions to the topic at hand by topic and section. We have all the information here and you can find it if you search for it...but everyone knows where their part and is and if we compile them into one basic thread it could/would save a tremendous amount of time and googling and make it that much easier for our new vapors struggling as well as trying to find that one thread you just can't remember what it's called. Maybe I am thinking to big or too redundant but I am willing to donate my time for the cause...even delete this post when it's more compiled together to avoid clutter from the thread or start over with another for the final product and make this the "sandbox" or rough draft.

Just some food for thought. :) Thanks again to @OBDave for putting it together!
 

OBDave

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...but let's take this, or something like this and use it as an informal guide. The Vaping Underground's Basic User's Guide to Vaping. Not a list of "do's and dont's," but a guide of "how to and not to's" and "recommendations for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced vapor" with a "DIY basics" and "RDA basics and understanding."

The beauty of doing this in an online forum format is you don't have to re-write anything....just post and link your threads and contributions to the topic at hand by topic and section. We have all the information here and you can find it if you search for it...but everyone knows where their part and is and if we compile them into one basic thread it could/would save a tremendous amount of time and googling and make it that much easier for our new vapors struggling as well as trying to find that one thread you just can't remember what it's called. Maybe I am thinking to big or too redundant but I am willing to donate my time for the cause...
Exactly what I was hoping for, thanks man! Anyone that's seen a valuable thread, DM me a link or post it up yourself - my goal here is to send people where they're looking to go, even if they're not internet forum pros who already know how to figure it out on their own...I could see another post like this for DIY and for basic Ego/clearo users being equally valuable if anyone wants to tackle the issues relevant to those interests, to me the new users trying to tackle high-end devices are the most at-risk population, which is why they're my first target...
 

Whiskey

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Yes indeed a wonderful fact filled post Dave, I've commented on a few of your posts, Bravo again sir:)
Thread stickied:)
 
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dre

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Add lg hb6 is a new 30 amp continuous battery but its only 1500mah
 

dre

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Here's a pic of one I'm beta testing for Pegasus vapor academy
faac13e895ac18897f1760125aca1311.jpg
 

OBDave

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Yes indeed a wonderful fact filled post Dave, I've commented on a few of your posts, Bravo again sir:)
Thread stickied:)
Thanks, Whiskey! I've re-created the thread as well, so that one can get its sticky and this one can remain open for discussion...
 

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