Cant get the wicking right, please help!

[Rookie407]

First off, mod if this is in the wrong place please relocate accordingly.

I did a little searching and I can't seem to find an answer or solution to my issue.

When I'm building/rebuilding my coils I can get them firing pretty and perfect from the inside out like they should but when it comes to wicking they seem to "burn" within a day.. it always starts out ok, will get a yellowish ting to them I'm guessing due to the color of juice I'm using, but as the day progresses I notice the yellow ting turns darker and darker brown. I've also noticed that after I've taken the hit that even if I hold the firing button less and breath in longer after releasing it, it tends to continue to leave a thin smoke trail streaming from the addy.. I've followed countless "how to" videos and guides and tryed several techniques on how to properly wick the coil but they all end with the same result.. now I've only been rebuilding for a couple days now but shouldn't my wick last longer then a day?

So the question is, what am I doing wrong?

 

[MannyScoot]

First off, mod if this is in the wrong place please relocate accordingly.

I did a little searching and I can't seem to find an answer or solution to my issue.

When I'm building/rebuilding my coils I can get them firing pretty and perfect from the inside out like they should but when it comes to wicking they seem to "burn" within a day.. it always starts out ok, will get a yellowish ting to them I'm guessing due to the color of juice I'm using, but as the day progresses I notice the yellow ting turns darker and darker brown. I've also noticed that after I've taken the hit that even if I hold the firing button less and breath in longer after releasing it, it tends to continue to leave a thin smoke trail streaming from the addy.. I've followed countless "how to" videos and guides and tryed several techniques on how to properly wick the coil but they all end with the same result.. now I've only been rebuilding for a couple days now but shouldn't my wick last longer then a day?

So the question is, what am I doing wrong?

I think your running them too hot.... Every coil according to material burns different.....

Start low on watts and move up. Some of us use RTA's that open at the bottom to simply check our coils and wicking...


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[Rookie407]

I've only been running at 40 watts. it's only a 55 watt mod.. :/
It doesn't ever taste burnt, I generally stop vaping as soon as the flavor looses its potency and redrip.

Currently using a dual twisted 28gauge kanthal triple parallel build reading .24 ohms.

I'll lower the wattage down to 30 for today and give it a test run all day and repost what happens.

 

[Dagoroth]

Whats the inner diameter of your coils? And how many wraps, sounds like 3-4 wraps so it should be pretty easy to wick. Just make sure the cotton isn't wicked too tightly into the coil. That can make the cotton on the inside of the coil; burn quickly if juice isn't able to get in there. Whatever wicking you have in there when it starts to burn, take a tiny amount lengthwise out of it and try that. Also make sure your dripping enough onto your cotton before you fire it up.

 

[Rookie407]

Whats the inner diameter of your coils? And how many wraps, sounds like 3-4 wraps so it should be pretty easy to wick. Just make sure the cotton isn't wicked too tightly into the coil. That can make the cotton on the inside of the coil; burn quickly if juice isn't able to get in there. Whatever wicking you have in there when it starts to burn, take a tiny amount lengthwise out of it and try that. Also make sure your dripping enough onto your cotton before you fire it up.

It's 2.5 mm in diameter and yes it's a 4 wrap. the cotton isn't to tight from what I can tell it slides in and out of the coil fairly easily and I always fluff the ends before tucking it under.

 

[Dagoroth]

What kind of wicking material are you using? My cotton balls burn throughout the day. But my cotton bacon/Koh gen do doesn't burn at all.

 

[Rookie407]

What kind of wicking material are you using? My cotton balls burn throughout the day. But my cotton bacon/Koh gen do doesn't burn at all.

I'm using some Japanese organic cotton sandwich pads made by innovaper.

 

[Rookie407]

This is a fresh wick today after only vaping on it twice in a four hour period...

Sorry for the poor quality

 

[HondaDavidson]

I've only been running at 40 watts. it's only a 55 watt mod.. :/
It doesn't ever taste burnt, I generally stop vaping as soon as the flavor looses its potency and redrip.

Currently using a dual twisted 28gauge kanthal triple parallel build reading .24 ohms.

I'll lower the wattage down to 30 for today and give it a test run all day and repost what happens.

That a single coil???? I get that having a heat flux of 329 at 40watt no wonder you are burning wicks. http://www.steam-engine.org/coil.asp?p=roundmulti&r=0.24&hfnw=15&str=3&awg=28&id=2.5 Try 25 watts or less.. I would start at 15watts or less myself, probably end up around 20.

 

[UncleRJ]

Here is what I use for wicking..................

Just search Amazon for

ORGANIC Cotton Makeup Puff, Medium
by Selena

Basically a lifetime supply of the stuff. Wick's very well and not prone to burning.

I just cut off a small strip from the end about the size of the wick I want.

Then I "Fine Tune" by removing a layer if needed.

The important thing to remember is that when the wick absorbs the E-Liquid it will swell in diameter so you need to take this into account.

I make mine to be able to slide into the coil just barely filling it and when the liquid is added, it will swell the diameter to the proper fit.

Just takes a wee bit of time and experience to get it right

 

[HondaDavidson]

It's not the type of cotton the OP is using that is causing this issue. It's the method. IMO it's too high a wattage for the build. OP either needs about half the watts currently running or if they just have to have the .24 ohms and 40 watts try 4x28 parallel at 5 wraps on 2.5mm. OR 4 wraps at 3mm, 3mm being easier to wick. HF at 40 watts will be a more reasonable 190.

I use generic store bought cotton balls. I don't get burnt wick unless I use too much or too little or under drip. Pads do make figuring out the correct amount a little easier, I guess. But you still have to keep the wick wet and get the amount of wick correct.

 

[nightshard]

Having the wick change color and even turn dark brown doesn't mean it's burned in any way, it just means the the coloring is transfered from the juice to the wick and stays there. Some juices color wicks more then others, it all depends on the juice composition.
Having the coil hiss and release some vapor after releasing the button is fine, the bigger the mass of the coil the longer it takes for it to cool down after being heated up and it's doing that while it cools.

 

[Rookie407]

Having the wick change color and even turn dark brown doesn't mean it's burned in any way, it just means the the coloring is transfered from the juice to the wick and stays there. Some juices color wicks more then others, it all depends on the juice composition.
Having the coil hiss and release some vapor after releasing the button is fine, the bigger the mass of the coil the longer it takes for it to cool down after being heated up and it's doing that while it cools.

So what your saying is I'm just being paranoid and everything that is occurring is normal? I haven't been using a wick for more then a day because of the discoloration, thinking it was burning and didn't want it to auto ignite while taking a hit.

@Honda Davidson I get that running it really hot will cause it to burn faster but if I lower the wattage anymore then 30 it won't produce much of anything, be it vapor or flavor..

 

[HondaDavidson]

So what your saying is I'm just being paranoid and everything that is occurring is normal? I haven't been using a wick for more then a day because of the discoloration, thinking it was burning and didn't want it to auto ignite while taking a hit.

@Honda Davidson I get that running it really hot will cause it to burn faster but if I lower the wattage anymore then 30 it won't produce much of anything, be it vapor or flavor..

IMO you would get better flavor from that build at 20-30 watts. Yes you won't get the cloud. Too hot, just like too cool, reduces both flavor and clouds.

I don't do parallel builds, I prefer twisted wire. about the lowest I would gow ith 3x28 is about .35ohms, for the wattage you want to run. to do less than .3ohms I would go to 4x28 or use thicker wire to begin with.

 

[nightshard]

When it's actually burned you have a burned taste, unless it does it's not burned.

I rewick maybe once a week and dry burn when needed.

 

[nightshard]

I don't see the wattage as the problem.
40W isn't much for an RDA unless it's really tiny, with really small build or has really limited airflow.

 

[Rookie407]

When it's actually burned you have a burned taste, unless it does it's not burned.

I rewick maybe once a week and dry burn when needed.

That's what I thought. I figured it wasn't truly burnt because it didn't taste dry or burnt but it just looked horrid.

 

[nightshard]

Also if you take that dark wick you pulled out and put it under running water, you will see that most of that color will come right off.

 

[HondaDavidson]

I don't see the wattage as the problem.
40W isn't much for an RDA unless it's really tiny, with really small build or has really limited airflow.

4 wraps of 3x28awg is a really small coil for 40 watts..... Might work great on SS mesh or cable wick in a Geni tank, just too hot for natural fiber wick. IMO.

 

[Rookie407]

Thanks everyone for all the help

 

[Rookie407]

After reading all the posts and considering every aspect and opinion I desided to fire my mod till the cotton looked like it was almost dry enough to catch fire. in doing so all the brownish ting that I was seeing and was mistaking for "burnt cotton" has all but vanished..

My somewhat educated guess is that I wasn't fully vaping all the juice from my cotton and what I was seeing was leftovers so to speak gunking it up..

 

[madjaggar]

First off, mod if this is in the wrong place please relocate accordingly.

I did a little searching and I can't seem to find an answer or solution to my issue.

When I'm building/rebuilding my coils I can get them firing pretty and perfect from the inside out like they should but when it comes to wicking they seem to "burn" within a day.. it always starts out ok, will get a yellowish ting to them I'm guessing due to the color of juice I'm using, but as the day progresses I notice the yellow ting turns darker and darker brown. I've also noticed that after I've taken the hit that even if I hold the firing button less and breath in longer after releasing it, it tends to continue to leave a thin smoke trail streaming from the addy.. I've followed countless "how to" videos and guides and tryed several techniques on how to properly wick the coil but they all end with the same result.. now I've only been rebuilding for a couple days now but shouldn't my wick last longer then a day?

So the question is, what am I doing wrong?

First off I didn't read everything everyone had told you so if I'm repeating what someone else had said sorry. Secondly i do think your over thinking it and not taking into account you are using a different method than your used to. I change wicks daily, mostly because I like the fresh taste and I change flavors a lot. I've noticed that dripping (which is what I pretty much have always and only do) gunk's up a lot faster than tanks. So imo you have to change cotton a lot more. I've used Japanese cotton quite a bit and sometimes I'll take the top and bottom off to make it more absorbent. Also in the picture it looks like your coil is pretty dark. It might actually be your not running hot enough. When i run anything more than just a regular single wire coil I have to up my watts. If it's too low I get a burnt taste a lot faster and my coil gets burnt out, almost like the juice isn't burning fast enough off the coil so it's just cooking it's self.
So try cleaning your coil or building a new one and change your wick more and run hotter. Just make sure your putting plenty of juice in, maybe every 4-6 pulls.

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