Re-wiring and old wick...how do you test hot spots properly?

[KillTheNoise]

I'm loving my 500 ss mesh wick, but my coil (32g, kanthal a1, 4 wraps, 1.6ohm) keeps getting red inbetween the positive post and where it meets the wick. Grantid, this is above 4 volts, anything under around 3.8 volts and the spot stays on good behavior for the 10 seconds my eVic lets me vape.

I can't seem to work out the hot spot by moving the wire or wick, so I'm guessing I have to start over.

How do I properly test the coil on the wick now that it's saturated in juice? I can get the coil perfect until I try to stick the wick into it, and while doing so, the coil distorts and I'm left with a hot spot.

This isn't a problem with a new wick, but now that mine is used I can't really tell FOR SURE what the coil is doing. I'm thinking I can take the wick out, torch it dry, then retry, but I don't know if that will ruin it.

Any suggestions?

 

[gtbb]

Good idea. It wont hurt it to burn off the juice. No need to torch just light it up to burn off juice.

 

[ninfreak]

sounds like a wicking issue rather than a hotspot, or your wick can't keep up with the voltage. 4 volts at 1.6 ohms doesn't sound like a lot of power, but for a genny it is. my coils generally are 1.8 and i don't go above 4 or it starts to taste burnt and/or my wick can't keep up.

testing a coil for shorts is easy with a loaded tank. just keep the wick out of the liquid and burn till dry....then test your coil.

 

[KillTheNoise]

sounds like a wicking issue rather than a hotspot, or your wick can't keep up with the voltage. 4 volts at 1.6 ohms doesn't sound like a lot of power, but for a genny it is. my coils generally are 1.8 and i don't go above 4 or it starts to taste burnt and/or my wick can't keep up.

testing a coil for shorts is easy with a loaded tank. just keep the wick out of the liquid and burn till dry....then test your coil.

This is what I was worried about. I was going to start looking for a better way to roll my wicks, but there are SO many ways to do it. I liked the method where you torch it before rolling, torch it after rolling, then juice burn 3 times...it worked much better than quenching in water.

I use 50/50 juice and rolled a piece of 500 mesh that was around 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 inches long pretty tightly. I can also see a tiny pin hole of light when looking at my wick which I thought would provide plenty of wicking.

The wick was rather hard to get into the coil after first wrapping it, so maybe my coil is too tight?

Maybe I should try a different method of oxidizing/rolling my mesh for 50/50 juice?

I also have 400 mesh, but don't think the type of mesh is my problem.

 

[st0nedpenguin]

I've thrown 22w through genesis atties without any wicking problems, I doubt that's your problem.

 

[Thrasher]

the coil and wick need to be even in size if its grabbing the coil it is too big, while using a clip or fingernail you should be able to support the coil and slide the wick in, not always but, uneven tension or too tight or loose can cause this topspot problem. you can take it out do a quick burn to dry it then try to roll it tighter OR make a bigger coil for it. the wickitself should last well past a month with cleanings.

in most cases for me adjusting the other coils next to it solves this problem as spacing and angle of the wraps changes if the wick graps the coil.

 

[Railrust]

Sometimes just pulling your wick out a little and moving it right or left a little takes care of it. Make sure it didn't sink to the bottom of the tank, that will short it out as well.

 

[Rule62]

If you absolutely cannot get the top hot spot out by bumping the coil around, you should take the wick out, and oxidize it again. Usually just a couple juice burns will do it. If you are having trouble sliding the wick out, you can even loosen the connections, to free the wick up. As long as you're careful, you'll just re connect again after you re install the wick. I always leave a tiny bit of wire, beyond my + and - connections, rather than clipping them off tight, so that I can grab the ends with tweezers, if I have to undo either connection.

 

[AzPlumber]

Although not as easy as dry, you can work out that hot spot on a wet wick. Just fire the coil and prod the top coil until it fires evenly.

 

[Rule62]

If I feel that I have to readjust a coil, after I've had juice in the tank, here's what I do: Use a syringe, and suck the juice back out of the tank. Then, lay the device horizontal, with the wick/coil up, power the coil. The juice in the wick will begin to burn off. By repeatedly powering the coil, eventually the wick will begin to dry out. When the wick is dry, you'll be able to readjust the coil, just as you did when you first set it up. When you're satisfied with the coil (even glow, no hot spots, etc.), refill the tank.

 

[KillTheNoise]

Well I got carried away and decided to try doing another wick/wire completely.

It went horribly, keep getting atomizer short msg on my evic, but there is no way its shorting.

The coil is oxidized very well, its a perfect fit into the wick hole and isn't frayed or touching anything in the tank, and my wire looks good (have tried 3 so far) .

I just can't get the damn thing to work! So now im at the pub drinking my woes away, gonna try again later tonight or tomarrow. Just wish I KNEW what was causing the short.........