Going to get a subtank mini for the RBA- any safety advice or guides I can read?

[conanthewarrior]

Hi people. I am using an aspire nautilus mini with my Sigelei 30 watt, and thats nice, but I fancy getting myself a subtank to try out sub ohming, and also the RBA seems cool, being able to rebiuld coils myself( A bit geeky, so I will like this).

What safety precuations do I need to take into consideration before delving into this? What would I need exactly, I can buy pr build RBA's that are cheap but that defeats the purpose. I want to make them myself, just like I wlll my juice (Just waiting on VG to arrive).

 

[Mike H.]

First watch youtube to learn how to build a coil on an rba.

Second dont try to be mr cool thinking its ok to build a coil .15 ohms as your first coil...build above 1 ohm first for practice then work down slowly to see if its what you wanna do....You have to learn about coil gauges and inside diameter and how many wraps per a certain gauge to get a desired ohm range..Educating yourself is always the first step..If you can learn it and understand it it goes alot further than asking someone for the answers and not caring if you understand it or not.

3rd...Learn what batteries are required for specific ohms you plan to build your coil at.

.5 and above Use Samsung 25R's (great safety margin)
.5 and below use NOTHING BUT SONY VTC3 OR VTC4 BATTERIES. (Great safety margin for possible error)

 

[UncleRJ]

What I would strongly suggest is that for the moment, you get to know the gear that you just purchased, try a lot of samples of different E-Liquids in different PG/VG ratios and then sit back and study building techniques on youtube while you save money to purchase the few things you need to build coils (a good ohm reader is a must) and then all the things you will need to go into DIY.

Just enjoy where you are at the moment and master one set of skills before moving on to master the next.

 

[conanthewarrior]

I don't plan on going below 0.5, just something I may get into in the future. I do agree with you Unclerj though and get used to what I've got, I'm enjoying it but getting through juice quite quickly, hurry up VG delivery! I already got PG, just waiting on VG.

 

[AmandaD]

Your Sigelei probably won't read a coil below 0.5 anyway - so aim a little higher. Always a good idea to get an ohm reader, and as already said, watch videos. There are tons on you tube, and the subtank rba is easy to build on!

 

[conanthewarrior]

Your Sigelei probably won't read a coil below 0.5 anyway - so aim a little higher. Always a good idea to get an ohm reader, and as already said, watch videos. There are tons on you tube, and the subtank rba is easy to build on!

I think it goes down to 0.4, but I won't be going that low. Is a multimeter a must if I plan on building? As if it is, I wont bother and will just buy replacements.

 

[AmandaD]

I think it goes down to 0.4, but I won't be going that low. Is a multimeter a must if I plan on building? As if it is, I wont bother and will just buy replacements.

You can get a decent ohm reader for about $15. Yes, anyone building needs one! It's a heck of a lot cheaper in the long run to build your own coils than to keep buying OCC heads. I don't have any tanks that don't have a rebuildable option - I just like to change juice too often.

 

[Mike H.]

Your sigelei or most any Variable watt device has an ohm reader built in, so you really dont need a separate ohm meter but its good to have one in the fact that if you built something with a short you would rather the ohm meter take the brunt rather than your device and it possibly fail and burn it up.

If you got into mechanical mods, an ohm meter is an absolute must have.

 

[scarecrowjenkins]

http://www.shop.usaohmmeters.com has the most reliable ohm readers i've ever used. If you plan on building for more than a week it's worth the investment haha. Plus they're full of fun options

 

[AmandaD]

http://www.shop.usaohmmeters.com has the most reliable ohm readers i've ever used. If you plan on building for more than a week it's worth the investment haha. Plus they're full of fun options

That's what I use now. My cheap one was very inaccurate, but it was pretty old.

 

[conanthewarrior]

Thats a point, my sigelei has an ohm reader built in lol! Just watched a youtube video on a subtank build, it was so simple. If I wanted more OHMS, would I use thicker wire or more wraps for more resistance?

Also the mention of shorts, how do they occur?

 

[Mike H.]

Get you some kanthal 26 guage wire...a 3mm or 1/8 diameter precision screwdriver (phillips head) and some H.D. finger nail clippers...To build a standard coil is a piece of cake and with 26g you can get your desired .5 ohm with i think 4 wraps...I did 5 and it came out to .8 so far....I would expect 4 to be in the ball park...Ill try 4 wraps tonight and let you know what it comes out to...I use either 3mm or 1/8 screwdrivers...The 1/8 will be ever so slightly larger.

I am however rebuilding the coils on the occ heads and not an rba as i hav3 a nano tank but the coil builds remain the same ohm wise either on an rba or a occ coil head.

Dont forget some good japanese cotton pads...im liking the Koh Jen Do cotton myself so far.

 

[UncleRJ]

Thats a point, my sigelei has an ohm reader built in lol! Just watched a youtube video on a subtank build, it was so simple. If I wanted more OHMS, would I use thicker wire or more wraps for more resistance?

Also the mention of shorts, how do they occur?

You still need a separate Ohm meter to verify your builds.

Before you go to use them!

Good advice is only good advice if it is taken to heart.

 

[Mike H.]

You still need a separate Ohm meter to verify your builds.

Before you go to use them!

Good advice is only good advice if it is taken to heart.

I wont dispute owning a good ohm meter but screwing the tank on to your device is the same thing...I dont own a separate ohms meter at all..never have...If i have a short it says check atomizer...if its good it reads the ohms like it should.

 

[conanthewarrior]

What actually is a short? As essentialle the coil is just a piece of wire going to the battery, I thought that basically was a short lol thats why you got heat.

 

[Mike H.]

What actually is a short? As essentialle the coil is just a piece of wire going to the battery, I thought that basically was a short lol thats why you got heat.

I should change that to a "dead short"...This would be more so that the ohm is so low its like touching the positive and negatives together on a battery...something you dont want to do...lol....This is when the device tells you to check the atomizer...This can also mean you have no connection and something else is not correct.

 

[conanthewarrior]

I should change that to a "dead short"...This would be more so that the ohm is so low its like touching the positive and negatives together on a battery...something you dont want to do...lol....This is when the device tells you to check the atomizer...This can also mean you have no connection and something else is not correct.

Ahh thank you, so if the ohms go too low it will be a 'dead short'? And am I correct in beleiving a coil is a kind of short, just a controlled one to cause heat ?

 

[Lefty]

Thats a point, my sigelei has an ohm reader built in lol! Just watched a youtube video on a subtank build, it was so simple. If I wanted more OHMS, would I use thicker wire or more wraps for more resistance?

Also the mention of shorts, how do they occur?

You have the more wraps correct but thicker wire would give you less resistance not more. The thinner the gauge the higher the resistance. A micro coil where the wire shorts to itself throughout the coil and creates one big hot spot is controlled. When it shorts to something besides itself before it completes the circuit at the post, not good.

 

[conanthewarrior]

You have the more wraps correct but thicker wire would give you less resistance not more. The thinner the gauge the higher the resistance. A micro coil where the wire shorts to itself throughout the coil and creates one big hot spot is controlled. When it shorts to something besides itself before it completes the circuit at the post, not good.

Ahh thank you, So thinner wire-more resistance. This does make sense-I remember in school we did it, it offers more resistance as a thinner wire not so many 'bits' of electricity can get through(excuse my basic terminology).
So the coil I build is a short, but controlled to itself.

I got some kanther wire( 10 meters) 26 gauge and nice organic cotton on the way for the future, it was so cheap thought I might as well get it.

 

[Lefty]

Only if you make a micro (or continuously shorting) coil where all the coils are tight together and touching each other. A standard coil that spirals with each turn separate from the next doesn't short to itself at all. Either type works fine. With a standard coil if the wraps were uneven enough for two coils to touch you would get a hot spot. The micro makes them all touch so that it's just one continuous hot spot throughout the whole coil. The main thing to be sure of is that the coil isn't touching anything other than the positive and negative connections. That would be a dead short. With the Sig 150 that shouldn't be an issue. You get a short and it will tell you. It won't fire until you fix it. With a mechanical mod the battery would overheat quickly and fail if you didn't break the circuit fast enough.

 

[conanthewarrior]

ok, i've been watching the videos on youtube, but i'm not clear on wether the coils should all be touching, or all slightly apart? It looks like touching, but I wanted to double check.

 

[Lefty]

Your choice. The micro has been popular for several years. Recently many of the sub-ohm tanks Kanger, Aspire etc. use a standard style coil. Try it both ways and see what you prefer. I tend to use the standard for high VG juices or dark heavy coil gunking juice. Not everyone does though. When it comes to coils there's all sorts of different styles and preferences differ. Experiment to see what you prefer.

 

[conanthewarrior]

Your choice. The micro has been popular for several years. Recently many of the sub-ohm tanks Kanger, Aspire etc. use a standard style coil. Try it both ways and see what you prefer. I tend to use the standard for high VG juices or dark heavy coil gunking juice. Not everyone does though. When it comes to coils there's all sorts of different styles and preferences differ. Experiment to see what you prefer.

I'm using high PG at the moment ( I am starting to make my own juice, this was the first attempt). So its my choice if I make the coils touch together ( on the same coil obviously) or keep them apart? Sweet, I will have to try both when I get my dripper and subtank to see what I like.

 

[Slurp812]

Ahh thank you, so if the ohms go too low it will be a 'dead short'? And am I correct in beleiving a coil is a kind of short, just a controlled one to cause heat ?

Yes! .2 ohms in vaping is a coil. .01 would be a short.

 

[conanthewarrior]

Yes! .2 ohms in vaping is a coil. .01 would be a short.

Thank you, I get it now . My mods max low is 0.3, so nothing below that for me, although I doubt I will want lower.... will i? I'm coming from a nautilus with 1.8ohm so it should be a difference enough for me?