Kayfun lite+ wicking problems

Status
Not open for further replies.

smokin95

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jul 29, 2013
174
203
USA
Ehpro kayfun lite plus v2, having dry hit problems. It's fine after picking it up while it's been sitting, good for a few hits then it starts to dry out.

2.1 ohm coil, 32 gauge kanthal, bacon cotton vaping at 3.5 volts (5.8 watts). I have the coil spaced evenly instead of compressed.

Like I said it's a clone, machined very well the channels are perfect, and I'm using a fasttech bellcap (2ml capacity) with shortened chimney.

I set the coil up diagonally across the airhole, so the tails fall down and lay across the vertical part of the base going clockwise. Almost identical to the riptrippers kfl build video. They are tucked in towards the wall, just touching the base no where near the channels.

Taking primer pulls without firing helps it stay wet. I have to do 2 or 3 long pulls every few hits. And I noticed when doing this bubbles only come out of one side not both.

So yeah anything I left out let me know. Any tips?
 
  • Like
Reactions: anavidfan

Two_Bears

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jul 4, 2015
7,045
16,673
Northern Arizona
Ehpro kayfun lite plus v2, having dry hit problems. It's fine after picking it up while it's been sitting, good for a few hits then it starts to dry out.

2.1 ohm coil, 32 gauge kanthal, bacon cotton vaping at 3.5 volts (5.8 watts). I have the coil spaced evenly instead of compressed.

Like I said it's a clone, machined very well the channels are perfect, and I'm using a fasttech bellcap (2ml capacity) with shortened chimney.

I set the coil up diagonally across the airhole, so the tails fall down and lay across the vertical part of the base going clockwise. Almost identical to the riptrippers kfl build video. They are tucked in towards the wall, just touching the base no where near the channels.

Taking primer pulls without firing helps it stay wet. I have to do 2 or 3 long pulls every few hits. And I noticed when doing this bubbles only come out of one side not both.

So yeah anything I left out let me know. Any tips?
I cut the tails long enough to lie on top of the Juice Wells, and never have a problem.

I use a .8 ohm coil where the inside diameter is 2 mm.
 

ckquatt

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Oct 8, 2013
2,962
8,493
Milledgeville, GA
How are you filling it? Are you leaving enough air space at the top before putting the fill screw back in?

Is the oring present on the fill screw?

Kind of sounds like a vacuum problem more than an actual wicking problem.



Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bwh79

Two_Bears

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jul 4, 2015
7,045
16,673
Northern Arizona
I do the same completely as to length. I use a 2.5 coil for the increased wick. I think a 3.0 wick will fit, but it means less turns for the coil.

Actually, I used a "little blue screwdriver" for a coil and I think it is about 2.2ID.

Anyway, my wick length goes to the top of the juice channel.
Yes the little blue screwdriver works as a coil jig.

Mine was a TINY bit less than 2mm. I would guess it is 1.9-1.95 mm.

Yes the secret to wicking a Kayfun is having tge tails lie on top of the Juice Wells.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: 52anddone

smokin95

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jul 29, 2013
174
203
USA
How are you filling it? Are you leaving enough air space at the top before putting the fill screw back in?

Is the oring present on the fill screw?

Kind of sounds like a vacuum problem more than an actual wicking problem.

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk
Yes I was thinking the same since it works perfectly after some dry pulls. All o rings are present (fill screw, top cap). And I rarely fill it more than halfway.
 
  • Optimistic
Reactions: Labubs

ckquatt

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Oct 8, 2013
2,962
8,493
Milledgeville, GA
Yes I was thinking the same since it works perfectly after some dry pulls. All o rings are present (fill screw, top cap). And I rarely fill it more than halfway.

Hmm. Well I don't know if this is the right way (or not) but this is how I fill my Kayfuns with and without the bell caps. It's worked flawlessly everytime so it's the way I do it.

Turn KF upside down. Cover air hole with finger. Fill enough to leave a nice air bubble at the top.

Put fill screw back in (hand tight, I don't wrench down on it). Flip it upright, with my finger still on the air hole. Wait for the air bubble to go to the top, then take my finger off the air hole.

I don't know if all the air hole stuff matters but I've never had a leak or dry hit problem doing it that way.



Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk
 

Two_Bears

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jul 4, 2015
7,045
16,673
Northern Arizona
Hmm. Well I don't know if this is the right way (or not) but this is how I fill my Kayfuns with and without the bell caps. It's worked flawlessly everytime so it's the way I do it.

Turn KF upside down. Cover air hole with finger. Fill enough to leave a nice air bubble at the top.

Put fill screw back in (hand tight, I don't wrench down on it). Flip it upright, with my finger still on the air hole. Wait for the air bubble to go to the top, then take my finger off the air hole.

I don't know if all the air hole stuff matters but I've never had a leak or dry hit problem doing it that way.

Heres a gadget to fill almost any Kayfun except tge ones like i use.

$2.72 Free Shipping Refilling Tool for Kayfun Lite Five Pawns Atomizer (Refilling Tool, 316 SS) at m.FastTech.com

This is called a kay fill.

Remove the drip tip. Slide the Shaft into the standard or nano chimney. Unscrew tge base. Slide the tank or bell cap down tge Shaft then yoy can rebuild or rewick without dumping the juicd. When yoy are ready to reassemble the Kayfun put tge chimney on tge Shaft then slide tge bell cap or Tank up and screw the base back on and you havent lost more than a drop or two of Juice.

My 2.5 ml Tank bellcap doesnt use a chimney at all. The barrel screws directly into tge bell cap.

Look at My Avatar to see my ultra Compact Kayfun. Only 30 mm tall without counting the 510 and bell cap.


Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: 52anddone

Two_Bears

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jul 4, 2015
7,045
16,673
Northern Arizona
Heres a gadget to fill almost any Kayfun except tge ones like i use.

$2.72 Free Shipping Refilling Tool for Kayfun Lite Five Pawns Atomizer (Refilling Tool, 316 SS) at m.FastTech.com

This is called a kay fill.

Remove the drip tip. Slide the Shaft into the standard or nano chimney. Unscrew tge base. Slide the tank or bell cap down tge Shaft then yoy can rebuild or rewick without dumping the juicd. When yoy are ready to reassemble the Kayfun put tge chimney on tge Shaft then slide tge bell cap or Tank up and screw the base back on and you havent lost more than a drop or two of Juice.

My 2.5 ml Tank bellcap doesnt use a chimney at all. The barrel screws directly into tge bell cap.

Look at My Avatar to see my ultra Compact Kayfun. Only 30 mm tall without counting the 510 and bell cap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: smokin95

smokin95

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jul 29, 2013
174
203
USA
Heres a gadget to fill almost any Kayfun except tge ones like i use.

$2.72 Free Shipping Refilling Tool for Kayfun Lite Five Pawns Atomizer (Refilling Tool, 316 SS) at m.FastTech.com

This is called a kay fill.

Remove the drip tip. Slide the Shaft into the standard or nano chimney. Unscrew tge base. Slide the tank or bell cap down tge Shaft then yoy can rebuild or rewick without dumping the juicd. When yoy are ready to reassemble the Kayfun put tge chimney on tge Shaft then slide tge bell cap or Tank up and screw the base back on and you havent lost more than a drop or two of Juice.

My 2.5 ml Tank bellcap doesnt use a chimney at all. The barrel screws directly into tge bell cap.

Look at My Avatar to see my ultra Compact Kayfun. Only 30 mm tall without counting the 510 and bell cap.
Nice find. I'll definitely add that onto my next FT order
 

DaveP

PV Master & Musician
ECF Veteran
May 22, 2010
16,733
42,645
Central GA
Juice feed is dependent on vacuum. If you have a really bad o-ring leaking air you'll usually get flooding in the air ports, but you'll get dry hits because of vacuum loss before that starts to happen.

Just for grins, cover the air holes and pull a vacuum on the drip tip with your mouth. Clean and tape off the air hole with the air adjustment screw on the bottom of the V2. Hold the vacuum with your tongue and count to 10 slowly. When you take your tongue off the drip tip you should sense vacuum being released. If not, replace all the 0-rings. Don't forget about the one that the chimney goes through under the drip tip.
 

smokin95

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jul 29, 2013
174
203
USA
Juice feed is dependent on vacuum. If you have a really bad o-ring leaking air you'll usually get flooding in the air ports, but you'll get dry hits because of vacuum loss before that starts to happen.

Just for grins, cover the air holes and pull a vacuum on the drip tip with your mouth. Clean and tape off the air hole with the air adjustment screw on the bottom of the V2. Hold the vacuum with your tongue and count to 10 slowly. When you take your tongue off the drip tip you should sense vacuum being released. If not, replace all the 0-rings. Don't forget about the one that the chimney goes through under the drip tip.
Yes when pulling with the airhole covered I see bubbles from one side. Maybe 1 or 2 tiny bubbles from the other if that.

oh I see what you mean. Yes the pressure is slowly released so maybe it's the o ring at the top. But wouldn't this just induce flooding instead of dry hits?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: DaveP

DaveP

PV Master & Musician
ECF Veteran
May 22, 2010
16,733
42,645
Central GA
Yes when pulling with the airhole covered I see bubbles from one side. Maybe 1 or 2 tiny bubbles from the other if that.

oh I see what you mean. Yes the pressure is slowly released so maybe it's the o ring at the top. But wouldn't this just induce flooding instead of dry hits?

Flooding is the usual telltale symptom of leaky o-rings. Wicking is the usual cause of dry hits. When you wick the coil the wick needs good contact all around against the coil. If it sags inside the coil you get dry hits with a red glow on the part of the coil that isn't touching the wick. I always roll my wick between my fingers to compact it before inserting.

The wick should have enough drag when you pull it through the coil to require a twisting motion to feed it through the spiral windings. When the wick is in place there should be visible fluffing on both sides of the coil that tells you the part inside the coil is compressed.

More is better in terms of wick size. That said, too much can choke the wick. Once the wick is in the coil you should be able to pull it back and forth a mm or so and see slight back and forth deflections of the coil as the wick moves in the coil. If the coil moves and the wick doesn't slide it may be too tight. It's a thing that you develop a feel for over time.

Those bubbles are air intake from creating a vacuum. When you vape you pull a partial vacuum and juice gets pulled into the wick through the juice channels to re-wet the wick. When you stop to inhale the vacuum releases and air is pulled into the tank from the deck chimney as the pressures equalize in the tank. That causes the bubbles.

Static pressure keeps the juice in the tank and out of the air holes, much like you can hold water in a straw by putting your finger over the end. A slight o-ring leak can allow juice to seep into the deck area and leak out of the air holes. Changing all the o-rings might fix your issues. It only takes a few minutes and may just fix the dry hit problem. Don't forget the tiny o-ring where the top of the chimney goes through the top cap. That's a biggie in terms of vacuum leaks.

I install my coils at a right angle to the mounting screws instead of at an angle. That makes the wick fall directly over onto the deck vertically instead of looping around and laying flat on the deck. It's also easier to guide the coil leads around the screws when you install the coil if you wind it with the leads going in opposite directions. The tails of the wick should be cut so that they just touch the deck surface.

Step11a_zps71d61eb0.jpg
 
Last edited:

smokin95

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jul 29, 2013
174
203
USA
Flooding is the usual telltale symptom of leaky o-rings. Wicking is the usual cause of dry hits. When you wick the coil the wick needs good contact all around against the coil. If it sags inside the coil you get dry hits with a red glow on the part of the coil that isn't touching the wick. I always roll my wick between my fingers to compact it before inserting.

The wick should have enough drag when you pull it through the coil to require a twisting motion to feed it through the spiral windings. When the wick is in place there should be visible fluffing on both sides of the coil that tells you the part inside the coil is compressed.

More is better in terms of wick size. That said, too much can choke the wick. Once the wick is in the coil you should be able to pull it back and forth a mm or so and see slight back and forth deflections of the coil as the wick moves in the coil. If the coil moves and the wick doesn't slide it may be too tight. It's a thing that you develop a feel for over time.

Those bubbles are air intake from creating a vacuum. When you vape you pull a partial vacuum and juice gets pulled into the wick through the juice channels to re-wet the wick. When you stop to inhale the vacuum releases and air is pulled into the tank from the deck chimney as the pressures equalize in the tank. That causes the bubbles.

Static pressure keeps the juice in the tank and out of the air holes, much like you can hold water in a straw by putting your finger over the end. A slight o-ring leak can allow juice to seep into the deck area and leak out of the air holes. Changing all the o-rings might fix your issues. It only takes a few minutes and may just fix the dry hit problem. Don't forget the tiny o-ring where the top of the chimney goes through the top cap. That's a biggie in terms of vacuum leaks.

I install my coils at a right angle to the mounting screws instead of at an angle. That makes the wick fall directly over onto the deck vertically instead of looping around and laying flat on the deck. It's also easier to guide the coil leads around the screws when you install the coil if you wind it with the leads going in opposite directions. The tails of the wick should be cut so that they just touch the deck surface.

Step11a_zps71d61eb0.jpg
Thank you!! I will rewick with your tips in mind see if it helps.

During normal use while it's wicking correctly, should there be air bubbles coming out of the channels after you draw?
 

smokin95

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jul 29, 2013
174
203
USA
Did a new build, this time used more cotton. Seems to be wicking better no more burnt taste. However now I'm getting very muted flavor, sort of the wet cotton T-shirt taste.

If I do some hard pulls to prime it before drawing the flavor improves a bit. Any more tips for this?

How close should the tails be to the channels? I'm confused as to whether they should sit on top of the channels to wick as juice comes through or if the tails should be back and rest in a pool of juice away from the channels
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread