Coil questions

[DARKSIGNAL]

After about 5 days of heavy vaping including 3 flavor changes, my kanger SSOCC coil is giving less flavorful hits that are Kind of gross. I just looked at the wick and its intact but darkly colored and seems cruddy. Is there a way to clean this coil/wick or is that the end of the road for this coil.

Thanks!

 

[AmandaD]

Not really suitable for cleaning. Sounds like it's time to change coils!

You could try a hot water bath, boiling, or vodka, but in my experience once these coils are gunked up they're gone.

 

[MyMagicMist]

From the picture I see of these kind of coil head assemblies, may need to agree with @AmandaD 's take on them. It appears you could take these apart for rebuilding. It also appears doing so would be too much hassle involved. Still at the cost I see them sold for, well, I would consider another form of atomizer. Not everyone can afford $3 per head assembly & then need to replace these every two weeks or so.

 

[AmandaD]

From the picture I see of these kind of coil head assemblies, may need to agree with @AmandaD 's take on them. It appears you could take these apart for rebuilding. It also appears doing so would be too much hassle involved. Still at the cost I see them sold for, well, I would consider another form of atomizer. Not everyone can afford $3 per head assembly & then need to replace these every two weeks or so.

I've never, ever had two weeks out of a coil! If I did, at a cost of $6, that would be way ahead of what I spent on smoking LOL

 

[MyMagicMist]

I've never, ever had two weeks out of a coil! If I did, at a cost of $6, that would be way ahead of what I spent on smoking LOL

I used to get about two weeks out of standard SmokTech / Kanger pro tank coil assemblies that cost about $1 each. I now use Kanthal wire, bought a 50ft spool for about $6 all in. I may have used 5 foot of coil, if that so far. I'm ahead quite a while with some pre-built coils for an RTA I use.

I have used vodka baths for the old SmokTech/ProTank coils, about every two weeks swapping them out. I learned to rebuild those too. It was a hassle due to their extremely small size, arthritis, some mild nerve issues. These were used in Evod style tanks like the ARO, T-Dux 3, ARO II, RMG2.

Here's about what they look like.

When you do vodka baths, recall to rinse them in warm water. Then a gentle pulsing vape to 'dry fire' them and get most of the water steamed off.

Now, I'm doing the RTA/RDA vaping. The building is a lot more easy & the coils can usually last longer if you take decent care of them. But yes there's a trade off, you need to learn a bit of maths & understand some safety issues. Rather that instead of trying to fumble with teeny tiny pieces of junk. * chuckles *

I've spent maybe $0.60 for wire to make up probably enough coils to last me six months. * chuckles * Say I've only used 2.5 foot though, not really sure but know it has not been much. I may have spent $0.15 to maybe $0.60. So, maybe ~$0.38 fr six months of coils. I'm breaking the bank for sure. *LOL*

 

[AmandaD]

I use both RTAs and tanks that take OCC coils depending on my mood! I remember doing vodka baths on the earliest types of coils, but these new ones have dense cotton that doesn't seem to wash well! Rebuilding isn't for everyone, though.

 

[MyMagicMist]

I use both RTAs and tanks that take OCC coils depending on my mood! I remember doing vodka baths on the earliest types of coils, but these new ones have dense cotton that doesn't seem to wash well! Rebuilding isn't for everyone, though.

Agreed. Did not mean to sound elitist if I did. Buying coils all the time is not for everyone, either. *chuckles* Some of us are a. poor, b. cheap.

 

[DARKSIGNAL]

I just picked up a new SSOCC coil and its quite a bit larger then the one that came with the top tank nano. I didn't realize they had two different sizes? It fits fine and seems to work the same. I'm wondering if cleaning these before they get too heavily gunked up will help make the wick last a bit longer. I'm gonna vape on this one for a day or two then clean it and let it dry while I use the other new one I bought. If I continue to get 3-5 days out of coils I'm going to have to switch to some kind of rebuildable set up because I'm not looking to spend all the time on coils.

 

[AmandaD]

I just picked up a new SSOCC coil and its quite a bit larger then the one that came with the top tank nano. I didn't realize they had two different sizes? It fits fine and seems to work the same. I'm wondering if cleaning these before they get too heavily gunked up will help make the wick last a bit longer. I'm gonna vape on this one for a day or two then clean it and let it dry while I use the other new one I bought. If I continue to get 3-5 days out of coils I'm going to have to switch to some kind of rebuildable set up because I'm not looking to spend all the time on coils.

It may or may not work, but you won't know if you don't try, I guess. It sounds as if you'd be happier learning to build though, because - as I said - I've never got more than about 30mls out of any coil.