Unequal Values

[atssec97]

Evening all!
Just built my very first duel clapton set up. Installed them on a dark horse rda reading at .56 ohm. Wrapped 34 gauge around 26 gauge kanthal. Problem is that one side ramps up faster than the other. I have twisted, pulled, squeezed and pulsed them but one side ramps up at least twice as fast as the other. What did I do wrong?

 

[robot zombie]

Claptons are finicky with making a good connection sometimes. A hot leg on the duller coil will often be your tell-tale sign. Look at the post holes when you pulse and see if one isn't lighting up really brightly inside compared to the rest of the coil. What often happens is that the outer wire snaps in the post and causes connection problems. It can short on the screw and wind up starving the rest of the coil.

One thing you can try is just backing out the screws on the offending side, nudging the coil forward just slightly, and re-tightening it on a new spot in the lead. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. As a last-ditch, you can try just torquing down really hard and hope that enough wire gets pulled into the post to even out the connection. It may just snap more wire, though.

A lot of times, it's easier to just wrap another coil, tbh. Just make sure that when you start getting closer to having the screws secure, turn slowly, with little to no pressure. When it stops, it's in. Don't push or torque down claptons and you shouldn't have this problem too much. Some attys just like to bite down too hard sometimes, though...

 

[blakemorder]

In having this problem too, I just went to dry burn and saw one heating up faster. I went threw four perfectly good coils to get an even set and now they're not heating evenly again. No hot legs, no clipped leads and the leads are perfectly even from the two hours I spent building it two days ago.

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[atssec97]

Claptons are finicky with making a good connection sometimes. A hot leg on the duller coil will often be your tell-tale sign. Look at the post holes when you pulse and see if one isn't lighting up really brightly inside compared to the rest of the coil. What often happens is that the outer wire snaps in the post and causes connection problems. It can short on the screw and wind up starving the rest of the coil.

One thing you can try is just backing out the screws on the offending side, nudging the coil forward just slightly, and re-tightening it on a new spot in the lead. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. As a last-ditch, you can try just torquing down really hard and hope that enough wire gets pulled into the post to even out the connection. It may just snap more wire, though.

A lot of times, it's easier to just wrap another coil, tbh. Just make sure that when you start getting closer to having the screws secure, turn slowly, with little to no pressure. When it stops, it's in. Don't push or torque down claptons and you shouldn't have this problem too much. Some attys just like to bite down too hard sometimes, though...

Thanks so much for your reply, i got really frustrated with my build, so i started from scratch with two new claptons! I took your advice and was real careful installing them on my base (used an over sized magnifying glass) and watched the screws come down on the wire and barely torqued them down. Success!!
I did notice that the holes on my base were pretty rough with jagged edges on all the holes so i took a jewelers round file and cleaned them and the ends of the screws so now everything is making a good connection. What ever the cause, its rocking now!! Thanks for your help!!!

 

[atssec97]

In having this problem too, I just went to dry burn and saw one heating up faster. I went threw four perfectly good coils to get an even set and now they're not heating evenly again. No hot legs, no clipped leads and the leads are perfectly even from the two hours I spent building it two days ago.

Sent from my XT1095 using Tapatalk

Morning Blake,
Thanks for your reply! I believe that what @robot says above may be the key to working with mounting the clapptons. If ya think about it, you've got to get all 4 wires making solid connection at the same moment to get them to fire perfectly. it was a little tedious but to go from raw materials to a bad ass double coil set up is really gratifying to me!! I love how the claptons look and they vape good as well!!!
Keeep playing with the connections and you'll be rocking before ya know it!

 

[blakemorder]

Morning Blake,
Thanks for your reply! I believe that what @robot says above may be the key to working with mounting the clapptons. If ya think about it, you've got to get all 4 wires making solid connection at the same moment to get them to fire perfectly. it was a little tedious but to go from raw materials to a bad ass double coil set up is really gratifying to me!! I love how the claptons look and they vape good as well!!!
Keeep playing with the connections and you'll be rocking before ya know it!

I've been vaping on the setup for a couple days and love it, I did get them to fire even when I built it after a while. My issue was last night I re wicked and dry burned and it went back to firing uneven, even though everything was totally fine. Next build I'll try to be gentle torquing wires and see if that helps

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[robot zombie]

Good to hear, atssec97!

I've been vaping on the setup for a couple days and love it, I did get them to fire even when I built it after a while. My issue was last night I re wicked and dry burned and it went back to firing uneven, even though everything was totally fine. Next build I'll try to be gentle torquing wires and see if that helps

Sounds like a screw backed out a little bit. That happens sometimes, especially when dry-firing. Sometimes a quarter or half turn can make all of the difference.

 

[blakemorder]

Good to heat, atssec97!

Sounds like a screw backed out a little bit. That happens sometimes, especially when dry-firing. Sometimes a quarter or half turn can make all of the difference.

I'll try that when I rewick, thanks. Just got a twisted messes rda so I'm busy trying to build some fused Clapton's for it lol

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[Saddletramp1200]

Good to hear, atssec97!

Sounds like a screw backed out a little bit. That happens sometimes, especially when dry-firing. Sometimes a quarter or half turn can make all of the difference.

Tech Tip. Wire under pressure of a screw will flatten out when it heats up. Retighten screws all the time for good contact.

 

[blakemorder]

The local b&m actually handed me some good advice today, the told me to slide bit/ screwdriver back threw after firing and the coil will heat slower, I'm not sure how but it worked perfectly everytime

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