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I want to change over to an RDA

Hey what's up I've been vaping for about a year now and my setup is a cuboid 150 watt with a cerakoat tank. Just recently I've decided to switch over and start my first build of an RDA. I don't know what RDA to start with or what kind of coil wire to start with and is it worth it buying the V2 coil Master kit. Thanks
 

Redchigh

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When you say RDA, I assume you mean a dripper? Or a Tank?

For a first one, perhaps you could consider a clone- decent quality, cheap, and easy to experiment with.
 

RatRacer

a touch oɟɟ
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Welcome to VU
The kit is nice, if you like an organized all inclusive 1 time buy. I just picked up the essentials recommended by a builder, because kits have stuff that everybody may or may not use.
As far as an RDA, look at what everybody is praising (currently), but I would point you to a velocity deck. Everybody seems to like the Limitless plus RDTA, so you can have a RDA w/tank, and have the best of both worlds.
I'd start with simple builds to start with single wire coils in kanthal or 316SS, and progress as you learn.
 

Redchigh

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For a tank, the tfv8 seems to be near the top, if not top on vapor, and very good for flavor.
 

freemind

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Me if I were starting out with an rda?

RDA itself? A Velocity or three post deck, with decent airflow slots (and be sure to get the airflow on the side of the cap, not below the deck).

Coilmaster kits are fine. There are several kits out there. Just be sure to include an OHM meter.

Wire, my personal preference is for Kenthal, 24 gauge.

Don't forget something for wicking material. I use cotton pads. A few dozen is plenty to start with, of whatever kind you end up choosing.
 
Me if I were starting out with an rda?

RDA itself? A Velocity or three post deck, with decent airflow slots (and be sure to get the airflow on the side of the cap, not below the deck).

Coilmaster kits are fine. There are several kits out there. Just be sure to include an OHM meter.

Wire, my personal preference is for Kenthal, 24 gauge.

Don't forget something for wicking material. I use cotton pads. A few dozen is plenty to start with, of whatever kind you end up choosing.[/QUOTE

Thanks alot!
 

JuicyLucy

My name is Lucy and I am a squonkaholic
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Personally, I wish I had started building using SS wire instead of kanthal - you get a better vape and it is tons easier to build with.

Yes, you can use SS for wattage or TC.
 
Personally, I wish I had started building using SS wire instead of kanthal - you get a better vape and it is tons easier to build with.

Yes, you can use SS for wattage or TC.

Im a little unsure about what ohm it should be reading .. i vape at 60 watts rn on a regular tank.
 

freemind

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You'll need to use a calculator for this end of things. You can get an app for your phone, or you can go to steamengine.com.

Don't build a coil (or coils) lower than your battery is safely capable of handling.
 

JuicyLucy

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Im a little unsure about what ohm it should be reading .. i vape at 60 watts rn on a regular tank.

What ohm coils are you currently using?
 

JuicyLucy

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I havent started my build yet but i do have a regular setup and vape at 60 watts

Yes but the coils you are currently buying to put in the tank you already have, what ohms are those?

It should say on the package you buy them in
 

JuicyLucy

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Yes but the coils you are currently buying to put in the tank you already have, what ohms are those?

It should say on the package you buy them in

You can also see how many ohms it is on your mod
 

robot zombie

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In my mind/experience, an RDA is an RDA. There's really not much to em. Few things to look for:

- Deck/chamber space. The more of this there is, the easier it is to build on. But also consider that larger chambers require bigger, more high-powered builds. Something in the middle will give you the most range while still being easy to build on.

- Post layout. Avoid the exotic ones for now. The two you should look for are velocity-style and split-center-post. The velocity-style has two posts - one on each end with two holes stacked on top of each other in each post. Split-center-post is similar to the velocity-style, only with a t-shaped post in the middle. The outer posts have one hole, while the middle post has two holes side by side.

- Airflow. Don't just consider size, but adjustability as well. Consider single-coil and dual-coil compatibility. Some do one or the other, while others do both. Get one that does both. Starting off, the more airflow options you have, the better. Later on, you can pick more limiting ones once you know what your needs are.

- Build quality. Obvious implications here. Reviews, comments, and pictures will reveal obvious flaws.

- Price. Great RDA's often come at a higher price, but some of the best RDA's are cheap. I think you should try a handful of cheap ones first and then start looking at a $50+ endgame, if you want. Or maybe your endgame will be a cheap RDA... ...you never know. My favorite to date is the Mutation X v3, which when it came out was in the $20-$30 range. And then, there is the Snubnose, my second favorite, which ran me about $70. Point is, many of the cheap, "newbie-friendly" RDA's are the very same ones that veteran builders reach for first.

The actual building process is simple. Watch some youtube tutorials to see the general process. The harder part is finding builds you like. It will take a lot of trial and error. We can give you advice on what builds to do all day, but until you've figured out what builds you like, it's not going to be all that helpful. Steam Engine is going to become your best friend. It helps you figure out how many wraps to do with x wire over y mandrel to get z resistance.

The coil master kit has everything you need. The price is right, too. Go for it.

For wire, I recommend that you get an assortment of kanthal and just play around. The classic gauge spread is 28-26-24. This gives you good range of builds to experiment with right away. If you also want to do TC, stainless steel is probably the best choice. You can actually use it in power mode and TC mode. So feel free to go for SS instead of kanthal if that's the way you want to go. Unlike nickel, it can be dry fired for cleaning. It saves you a lot of money over keeping stocks of nickel and kanthal for experimenting with VW and TC simultaneously.

Another thing to consider in the long-term is cotton. Our prized organic, unbleached Japanese cotton can get expensive to buy domestically. But quality cotton is important. I recommend you hop on amazon and buy a ton of it for cheap direct from Japan. My vote goes for Muji. That's at least a year's worth of cotton, though it takes a while to get to you.
 
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Redchigh

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So play around with steam engine until you end up at the same number of ohms. Remember, two coils of the same resistance in a dual coil has half the resistance. Find a simple coil that's close to 50 ohms, use two, and use your current wattage, then experiment from there. (imo)
 

JuicyLucy

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So play around with steam engine until you end up at the same number of ohms. Remember, two coils of the same resistance in a dual coil has half the resistance. Find a simple coil that's close to 50 ohms, use two, and use your current wattage, then experiment from there. (imo)

I assume you meant .5 ohms, not 50

To achieve .3 ohms on a double coil set up, he will need to shoot for .6 ohms on each coil
 

xJoseph

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Get your self a Goon RDA clone or Kennedy clones that should works fine and easy to build especially the Goon. If you want something authentic and cheap I would recommend a Wotofo Sapor RDA I think that's great cheap RDA easy to build on and top airflow so that wouldn't be leaking out like a bottom airflow or something.

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk
 

HondaDavidson

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Im a little unsure about what ohm it should be reading .. i vape at 60 watts rn on a regular tank.
When I get any new atomizer tank or drip... I always get one based on how I want to vape.

Fwiw what is the ohm rate or build or coil in the current tank you use ..... I would start there when determining what wire to use at first. The atomizer might be a new type or style.... the at does not mean the vape style should or must also change.

In a Rebuildable tank or dripper. I would start with one with a 2 post type deck and adjustable air flow 510 drip tip. Beyond that skys the limit.

If i want DL hits I look for big air holes. I like a tighter draw so I look for smaller holes and single coil ability.

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LizClark0910

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Been vaping since 5/2014, just getting the nerve/interest/desire to build my own coils.
Just wanted to say you guys are all awesome.
Our community is truly a good one, always happy to help out w/solid advice.
Rock on! Vape on!
 

martnargh

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adding to what robot zombie said about the mutation x v3, when you wany a diff one you can get a really huge variety of caps from complyfe that fit on the mxv3 and change up airflow patterns, making for a new vape experience on the same deck, which is a lovely deck btw.
so i second the mutation x v3, its cheap and it rips pretty nicely stock and then theres the cap options.
right now i use either the mxv3 w/ different caps, battle deck w/ different caps (same diameter mxv3 but its a 3 post hole design and the pos pin sticks out more making it more hybrid friendly) and goon.
cant go wrong with goon or mxv4, battle decks are a little pricier.

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travo

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Someone recommended the Goon which to me is a nice easy deck to build on. I'm also a big fan of the Recoil. The airflow gives it great flavor and makes it very leak resistant if you over drip. The Troll v2 is pretty cheap, has a nice sized velocity deck to learn building on, and a big juice well.

Remembering what it was like to start building, I would highly recommend buying the build kit. Though I've added other pieces here and there I still use mine daily.
 

marco67

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The biggest hassel with RDAs is getting the damn top cap off. Or one that won't stay on.
Build a good collection of o-rings & vape stress free..
 

marco67

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I have about 40 (in 5 yrs), while none are perfect the novelty of new keeps me going.
As far as top caps,, Magma since it screws in. Auth Lancia 22mm & Nixon V2 are my 'current' favorites.
I'm sure they are not perfection..
 

Neunerball

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Get your self a Goon RDA clone or Kennedy clones that should works fine and easy to build especially the Goon. If you want something authentic and cheap I would recommend a Wotofo Sapor RDA I think that's great cheap RDA easy to build on and top airflow so that wouldn't be leaking out like a bottom airflow or something.

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I wouldn't recommend the Kennedy RDA, due to having a fixed airflow. I'd rather recommend the Tsunami 24 instead. At least, you would be able to adjust the airflow. However, for a first RDA, I'd also recommend the Mutation X V3. With the proper coil build, it can be used as a flavor RDA, or a cloud chaser RDA. In addition, it's easy to build on.
As for the Sapor RDA, I have two of them. They are excellent flavor RDAs. However, both are slightly leaking through the center of the 510 connection. I'd rather get the Aeolus Lite, or Hastur S2 RDA, if I'd be looking for a top airflow flavor RDA. In general, the top airflow design prevents leakage through the airflow holes. Something to be aware of, when making a choice as well. With airflow on the sides, you might get some eJuice leaking through those holes, when over dripping. Even worse with bottom airflow holes, like the Kennedy, or Tsunami RDA.
Overall, the choice for the proper RDA depends on the vaping style like MTL, or DL drags, and whether going for flavor, or cloud chasing. Therefore, (again) I also recommend the Mutation X V3, due to it's features, it's capable of fulfilling either desire.
Out of my (currently) 90 RDAs, the Mutation X RDAs are the most frequently used RDAs.
 

Nancy_Bout

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Great educational thread thank u


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On the contrary of Neunerball, I think the kennedy is one of the best rdas and I recommend it highly. One of the biggest questions new builders have are the differences of coils, wicking methods, and the juice. The fixed air flow and design keeps almost all variables constant so you can compare wires, wicking, and juice easily. Especially the new 2 post design makes it very easy to build on and leakage is now at a minimum for a dipper syle atty. Plus the damn thing looks beautiful.
If you want to have fun and experiment i recommend the Rafale X with the neautal post rda. I love to mess around with it with 4 coils and even 8 coils and yet keeping the ohms not too low and being able to comfortably vape at well about 100 watts.
If you just need airflow options and you are a beginner, the velocity rda is the shit. It was my first rda and I still use it often.

If you notice the industry is using the kennedy airflow and velocity style deck in most rebuildable tanks now for a reason.

Hope this helps
 

nightshard

It's VG/PG not PG/VG
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I would say that if you like the Tsunami with dual coils and fully open you will like the Kennedy, but if you prefer to use the Tsunami open from only one side with a single coil or partially closed, then the Kennedy is probably not the best option for you.
 

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