Pros and Cons of Subtank OCC versus RBA

[moxiemoxie]

I really love the construction and dimensions of the Subtank Mini. I also love the convenience, especially when traveling out of town, in using the OCC coils if someone goes wrong. However, I've found a few issues that I don't love about both the OCC and RBA decks.

With the OCC coils, usually use the .5 at 30-37W, I find that at the end of a long pull (5-6s) that I get a faint burnt task which I assume is a wicking problem. I've tried a bunch of my favorite juices and I get it with all of them. Airflow is at the max open setting.

With the RBA eck, I feel like the airflow isn't as open as the OCC coils or as much as I'd like for my .8ohm 24g build. Results in a hotter vape than I'd like. I've seen some folks dremel out the holes in the bottom post but I tried that and I opened them as much as I felt comfortable so I wouldn't trash my device.

Anyone have advice on how to improve these issues?

 

[LJFinFLA]

The one thing that I have been doing with the mini RBA Deck is after I wick my coil I put e-liquid on and soak the wick.Then I take a small screw driver and I push the wick back against the wall where the juice hole is. This seems to make it wick much better preventing dry hits. I know that this doesn't answer your airflow problem but might help with the dry hits.

 

[moxiemoxie]

Yeah I do that trick ask with the RBA deck, and I don't have any problems. It's the prebuilt OCC coils that dry hit on me at the end of long hit.

 

[LJFinFLA]

I got that with the coils (red insulators on them) that came in the box with the subtank but I haven't had any with the coils that I bought in the 5 pack (white insulators)

 

[monomo]

I got that with the coils (red insulators on them) that came in the box with the subtank but I haven't had any with the coils that I bought in the 5 pack (white insulators)

Did you have any problems with the red ones?

 

[monomo]

I have had a lot of issues with this tank that are hard to distinguish as juice problems or tank problems (I buy large quantities of unsteeped juice). For the OCC I always prime them first by getting the wick soaked with juices and then run a needle or clothes pin through one of the juice holes and out the other, this loosens up the cotton I think, allowing improved suction of juice, this works well enough to extend their life to 1-2 weeks. With the RBA, I have had a lot of issues but for the most part they got fixed when I drilled holes through the casing

 

[AtmizrOpin]

I noticed that too with the rba being a little more on the restrictive side. But what bothered me was the tiny wicking holes. I had to take a Dremel to them. Now I don't pmeven use the pre made coils whether the be kanthal or ni200. I kept getting burnt hits with either of those prebuilt occ towards the end of the pull. Have you tried putting a needle through the coil so you can see through it after you pull the needle out? That worked for me especially when I'm using higher vg juices.

 

[DanJiblets]

How can you hit it at 37 watts? I get a burnt taste if I go above 18 watts. Doesn't matter what juice or whether it's my nano or mini. .5 occs for me too, either mvp 3 or istick 50w.

 

[yuseffuhler]

I've rebuilt my occs a few times and have gotten better results with the rebuilds. when they're stock, I just deal with the lower watts I have to use, normally nothing above 20 watts. With rebuilding 25-30 works well.

 

[zoiDman]

...

With the OCC coils, usually use the .5 at 30-37W, I find that at the end of a long pull (5-6s) that I get a faint burnt task which I assume is a wicking problem. I've tried a bunch of my favorite juices and I get it with all of them. Airflow is at the max open setting.

...

Anyone have advice on how to improve these issues?

Burt Taste is Just About Always a Wicking Problem.

Here is something you might Try. Take a Straight Pin or Small Needle and push it thru the Cotton at the Top of Inlet Hole on the OCC Head. Making a Small Gap.

I know it would seem like it will Leak, having a Small Gap between in the inlet hole and the Cotton, but it Doesn't.

Just do it Carefully so that you Don't Push the Cotton all the way thru the Inlet Hole. Because then it will leak.

 

[LMS62]

IMO, since the .5 coils are only rated up to 30w by the manufacturer, I don't think it would be that unusual to get a slight burnt taste with a 5-6 second pull at 37w.

 

[Wolfenstark]

For me 37 watts with the occ 0.5Ω is too much and the occ has more air than the rba section.

 

[LJFinFLA]

Did you have any problems with the red ones?

Yes the red ones were the ones giving me a burnt hit. I'm usually at 22-25 watts. With the white ones I've had no burnt hits. Even when I've rebuilt the red ones I get a burnt hit. So I think the problem is the insulators

 

[zoiDman]

BTW - Has anyone tried Drilling Out the inlet holes on the OCC Heads to 3.5mm or 9/64" ?

 

[monomo]

Yes the red ones were the ones giving me a burnt hit. I'm usually at 22-25 watts. With the white ones I've had no burnt hits. Even when I've rebuilt the red ones I get a burnt hit. So I think the problem is the insulators

You just made my day! I started out with the Vaporfi Volt (i.e. kanger subtank) and didn't have too many issues with the occ regarding flavor and such, but with my kanger subtank mini kanthel 0.5 ohm atomizers I have been having a lot of issues, however I was pretty sure the RBA's I purchased from the same site had insulator problems so this makes sense.

 

[LJFinFLA]

You just made my day! I started out with the Vaporfi Volt (i.e. kanger subtank) and didn't have too many issues with the occ regarding flavor and such, but with my kanger subtank mini kanthel 0.5 ohm atomizers I have been having a lot of issues, however I was pretty sure the RBA's I purchased from the same site had insulator problems so this makes sense.

Glad I could help. This has been just my observation with the OCC coils with the red insulators. Like I've said no problems using or rebuilding with the white insulators.

 

[mesamay2003]

37 watts is too much for the .5 occ coil, and way too much for the 1.2...I usually don't go higher than 23 watts...also, after about a day or so, try the needle trick mentioned above...it does help. It seems that some juices can cake on to the inlet hole cotton area and inhibit wicking. Also some of the coils seem to be packed tighter with cotton than others. RBA works good, once you get the wicking down, but it does have a little less airflow than the occ's. I find rebuilding the rba to be easier and more consistent than rebuilding the occ coils.

 

[Tenzarin]

Even rebuilding new coils and wicks get way to nasty after a day for me. If anything with building set your priorities as Safety>Taste>time to rebuild.

 

[mesamay2003]

If it gets nasty after a day, it usually means the juice you are using is a coil gunker...I have a ry4 blend that I really like, but it will gunk up a coil after a days use...I am starting to vape unflavored with a few drops of menthol more and more because of this...coils last way, way longer.

 

[Kilo3]

There is a Subtank mini forum, and plenty of great building/wicking info there. I use an istick50 and the RBA, and with coils in the .6 to .8 range I never go above 22 watts, with any juice...too hot.