Some questions regarding the Protank Mini 3

[sureshk13]

Hi All! I'm still new to vaping so please bear with me if there are any mistakes made here... Anyways, I started out vaping with a ce4, then a ce5 (rebuildable ce4), an innokin iClear 16d BDC, and finally got a protank 3 mini. I'm using a standard ego 650mAh battery

While I've had some leaking issues with the ce4/ce5 (juice leaking to battery after cleaning the head and wicks not properly 'aligned'), I could understand where the leak was coming from and how to fix it, fairly easy. The innokin iClear 16d BDC, no leaks whatsoever. Since the tank is fully transparent, the only thing that I could notice building up is the condensation of vapour in the shaft leading from the coil to the mouthpiece (Something that I fully expected and not a bother at all).

The protank mini 3 on the other hand, has been giving me some problems that I've been dealing with, and I just wanted to share this to get your opinions on the matter.

• COILS
  1st off, I got the protank mini 3 with a 5 pack replacement coil. The mini 3 came with the 'normal coil', whereas the replacement coils were the 'upgraded coil'. Any of you know what the differences performance wise between these two? What is the 'upgraded coil' supposed to achieve that the 'normal coil' could not?
  
  PICS:
  
  'Upgraded coil' on top, 'normal coil' at bottom
  
  Also, I found that there is another type of coil that has a shorter tip as below, whats the deal with these??? I think I've figured this one out. This coil and the other one below are not original KangerTech products, which is why they are much cheaper than the above ones. Again, anyone tried these and the performance??
  
  
  And, while examining the 'upgraded coils' closely, i noticed inconsistency in the manufacturing, check out the threading at the base for both the coils below. Out of my 5 coils, 3 had full threading and 2 had half threading.
  
• LEAKS
  I noticed that both the 'normal coil and 'upgraded coil' caused some condensation at the battery tip. I'm pretty sure its condensation and not leakage, as it starts out with extremely tiny drops, and slowly gets bigger and bigger but never until there's a 'blob' of liquid there. Also, my juice is red and when I wipe the battery connector it has no colour. Anyway, the question I wanted to ask is, is this normal? (as mentioned above, this is on a ego 650mAh battery). Pic of the condensation below:
  
  
  After I changed my coil to the 'upgraded coil', I experienced bad leaking, both to the battery and gurgling and juice up to my mouth. I tried opening/fixing it a few times and finally after I changed the coil to a new one, it was all good. No more leaking, but I had to add the rubber gasket at the top of the coil from the defective coil to prevent leakage. If you notice the 2 pics below, you can see the extra gasket that I used, but there still seems to be some (small amount) of liquid on top of the gasket. Is this normal too??
  
• FILLING UP AND BATTERY
  I usually fill it up to as full as I can go without it pouring into the center shaft. Usually about as seen in the pic below. Is this too much or something? I don't think so due to when I tip it over there is still room for liquid.
  
  
  As mentioned at the beginning, I am using a standard ego 650mAh battery and started with the ce4/5 @ 1.8 ohm, then the Iclear 16d BDC @ 2.0 ohm, then the Protank Mini 3 BDC @ 1.5 ohm. I can't even get half the vapour production from the BDC's (both the 16d and mini 3) that I did from the ego4/5, but the flavour is way ahead! I do understand that this is due to the power requirements of the dual coils that I believe the standard ego 650mAh battery can not deliver. It outputs 3.7 volts at full charge and shuts off below 3.2 volts.
  
  So, I was thinking of getting an Innokin VV Express (800mAh VV) V3 AND a ego V V2 (1200mAh VV). I'm sure either one of these should be enough to power the mini 3 @ 1.5ohm, but has anyone tried it? I would like to get a battery that is proportional to the size of the tank, which is why i chose these two.

 

[xxJollyRogerxx]

The old ones are single coils and the new ones are dual coils so that is why your eGo is having performance issues. You need a bigger unit
Sorry couldn't resist that one
I have a 1000mah eGo and it doesn't do squat with a dual coil loaded in it. I have to put it on my eVic or SID to get it to work decently

 

[sureshk13]

The old ones are single coils and the new ones are dual coils so that is why your eGo is having performance issues. You need a bigger unit
Sorry couldn't resist that one
I have a 1000mah eGo and it doesn't do squat with a dual coil loaded in it. I have to put it on my eVic or SID to get it to work decently

Oh damn! But is your eGo a VV eGo? The Innokin VV Express Kit should do the job theoretically, since its 3.0 - 5.0 v and has a max current drain of 3.5A. I've ordered it and will see how it performs... Should be good since it comes prepacked with 5 innokin i16 dual coil clearomizers at 2 ohms.

 

[xxJollyRogerxx]

The vv should be ok while it has a strong charge but I think once it goes down that you will notice it

 

[sureshk13]

The vv should be ok while it has a strong charge but I think once it goes down that you will notice it

Thanks for the info! I am still waiting for my VV!

 

[Shootist]

Originally Posted by xxJollyRogerxx View Post
The old ones are single coils and the new ones are dual coils so that is why your eGo is having performance issues. You need a bigger unit
Sorry couldn't resist that one
I have a 1000mah eGo and it doesn't do squat with a dual coil loaded in it. I have to put it on my eVic or SID to get it to work decently

Oh damn! But is your eGo a VV eGo? The Innokin VV Express Kit should do the job theoretically, since its 3.0 - 5.0 v and has a max current drain of 3.5A. I've ordered it and will see how it performs... Should be good since it comes prepacked with 5 innokin i16 dual coil clearomizers at 2 ohms.

Do not believe that. It isn't true. I have the MPT 3 and the original included heads are a dual coil. I use mine on standard eGo batteries and VV eGo style batteries. Works fine.

The iTaste VV is basically an eGo in a better, flat sided, package and has a screen. The larger VV/VW tube Mod's are the same as any eGo style battery except they have replaceable batteries. They don't deliver any more electricity than an eGo. They just last longer and you can change the battery instead of having to recharge the built in battery.

As to your leaking problem I don't have any suggestions. Supposedly the newest style heads are interchangeable with the one that originally came with the MPT 3. The one thing you could try is take the washer off the top of the older style and put it on the newer style.

 

[Wow1420]

PICS:

'Upgraded coil' on top, 'normal coil' at bottom

Those are both dual coils. The "upgrade" just has the wick entirely inside the metal can instead of sticking out. I didn't compare side-by-side, but I thought the "upgrade" had very slightly better flavor.

The condensation on the battery top is normal, just wipe it off with a cotton swab or wadded up corner of a paper towel when you notice it.

I had the 1.5 Ohm new style dual on a itaste VV for a while, it seemed to be very rough on battery life, I switched to a 2 ohm instead and the battery now outlasts a tankful of liquid at least. With the 1.5 ohm, the battery would be at yellow by the end of the tank. Both were run at 6 watts.

This all was using the aero mini, which uses the same coils as the PT3.

 

[Janet]

I don't know about upgraded replacement heads, but maybe my experience can give a clue.

After using mostly eGos and LR cartos over the past few years, I finally found a tank that didn't mute the flavor - Kangertech Mini Protank 3. Then I thought it's about time to get a more advanced device (mostly I wanted more control of the voltage and wattage, also thought it would be nice to have something to easily test what the resistance is on a carto or replacement head on a tank). Also I thought I deserved a reward for a 6 year milestone of quitting smoking. So I treated myself to the iTaste MVP v. 2. I'm very happy with it. I think the Protanks before version 3 were not made to handle dual coils - and that is what the Protank 3 is made to take. These dual coil replacement heads are not interchangeable with some tanks. Could that be your problem?

I've only ordered replacement heads 2 times. The one that came with the tank is 1.5 ohms. I wanted some extra replacement heads while I was placing my order, but the vendor I used when I first bought the Mini Protank 3, only offered replacement heads in 2.0 ohms. So I questioned the vendor why they only had 2.0 ohm replacements available. I was told the 1.5 ohm heads are a lot easier to short out. That made sense. Besides, since I now had a device that I could switch the voltage/wattage up or down, it didn't matter. Also, I assumed 2.0 ohm coils had a sturdier wrap and for that reason, they would probably last longer. When dry burning, it does look like the 2.0 ohmed coils are wrapped with a thicker wire. There did seem to be a stronger flavor (a plus for me) though with the 1.5 dual coil mini tanks on an eGo batt with no VV. Oh, and I have never seen a dual coil replacement head that didn't have a little wicking sticking out (both 1.5 and 2.0), so as mentioned earlier, I don't know what an improved replaceable head is all about.

Shortly after I got my first Protank 3, I placed an order with another vendor to buy my MVP iTaste v.2. It came with a whole different kind of tank which I still haven't used. It's top fed and a larger tank. This company carried the Kanger Mini Protank 3 and replaceable heads for it, but offered them in both 1.5 and 2.0 ohm, plus maybe one more higher ohmed (sorry, I forget now what it was for sure). So I ordered a pack of 1.5 ohm replacement heads, and 2 packs of 2.0 resistance. After fiddling with the iTaste, I realized 1.5 ohm dual coils had better taste on eGos than 2.0 ohmed dual coils. But not all of my eGos would fire with a 1.5 ohm dual coil head. I thought maybe the pin placements were a little different between an eGo and MVP iTaste, so I pulled the pins up a little in the eGos. That didn't work. But I knew I didn't break the eGos - they still worked fine with an LR carto and the carto was not dual coil either. IDK, maybe the ego's electronic mysteries had something to do with why they didn't like the 1.5 dual coils and had some kind of default built in to prevent firing, or it could have been the weather or the moon for all I know. I really don't want to mess around with the pin on the iTaste MVP.

Whenever I go away from home, I usually leave the iTaste MVP at home and use eGos that work with 1.5 ohm mini protank 3s. I wear my egos on a lanyard so I won't lose them. The iTaste MVP is a little too heavy for wearing like that and I certainly don't want to lose it. I mostly use it on passthrough at home. (Note: where can I get a normal length USB cord that has the different mini USB plug on the other end? - The "recharging multiple device" cord that came with the iTaste MVP is annoying when used for passthrough.) Running dual coils on an eGo is a real power drainer, so I have a back-up in my handbag. EGos are still the easiest to wear and conceal under my clothes for when I am at work and other places that have smoking bans. I just don't want to draw attention to what looks like a mini telescope hanging from a cord like a pendant I'm wearing in a place that has a smoking ban. So the little eGo workhorse is still needed.

I have had problems with the mini protank 3 leaking sometimes, but it has always been user error. I have been doing dry burns every 2 or 3 tanks and have actually totally taken apart the tank for a thorough cleaning a couple times. When I did, I notice there sure were a lot of O rings - little flat ones that would be easy to lose. Seems like if one is missing, that would cause problems. Have you checked if all your O rings are still on the tank?

A stupid thing I've done more than once happens after I do a dry burn. After removing the pin and silicon cap (looks like the bottom one in the photo - excellent photography BTW), and doing a dry burn, I have forgotten to replace the pin and the cap and just proceeded to refill the tank and screw the end back on without these important pieces. I'm sure it's obvious to anyone why that would cause a leak. I'm glad I can at least catch my mistake in time to prevent juice from making a big mess.

If the end caps get a little loose, but there are still enough threads to hold them in place, that has caused a leak to happen a couple times for me.

If the head is not screwed in all the way, that has caused no vaping action or very little a few times for me. I think this happens just by the action of unscrewing the part that holds the coils, pin and silicon cap, so I can refill the tank. Not sure, maybe it's the moon or something again, and have no idea why that happens. So if I am getting little or no vapor, that has always been the reason, so it's an easy fix. I should get in the habit of making sure the end caps are screwed on all the way, as well as the coil head, whenever I do a refill.

I don't know if any of my reply helps or not, but as Forrest Gump would say, "And that's all I have to say about that."

 

[SanFranAndy]

I also have been using the mini PT3 a lot lately and with great success. Works well with fixed vv Evod batteries but better with my spinner 2 or my iTaste vv. The coil that came with it was the old style, which I hear is being discontinued. I've been switching back and forth between the old and new. I don't have any conclusion thus far.

 

[sureshk13]

Hey all! Thanks for all the posts! I've been taking some time to analyse everything and try to get a better understanding before jumping into any conclusions...

Since then, I have gotten:

• A Sigelei SMAX VV/VW Mod : 3-6V in .1 increments, 3-15W in .5 increments, Max 4AMP output.
• A Kanger Aerotank (V1)
• Still waiting for my Innokin VV Express V3.0

I have realised that while the mini pro tank 3 and aerotank (both at 1.5ohm and 2.0 ohm) work with the Ego 650mAH battery, its nowhere near its full potential on the Ego.

Vaping on the Sigelei SMAX though, is an entirely different story. Pump up the power to 12W, and the kanger pro tank mini 3 / aerotank both at 1.5 ohm and 2.0 ohm start to excel. Throat hit is excellent, vapour production is again excellent, and I'm greeted with a nice warm vape.


If i do some calculation, it does seem to agree. Taking into account, in a parallel circuit, voltage is the same across all resistors, current depends on the resistance of each coil, so if we talk about the 1.5ohm, at 12W, each coil is getting 6W (assuming each coil has the exact same resistance - which they don't, the difference is negligible though). Now a 1.5 ohm dual coil ( 3 ohm each coil) getting 6 watt is in the middle of its ideal power range, if I were to look at all the various vaping power chart available. The thing to note is, while looking at the charts, for dual coil, one would need to look at the resistance of each individual coil to find the power, so for a 1.5 ohm dual coil, i would need to look at 3 ohms.

So, although they work fine at low power (Ego batteries), they shine at high power vaping. The same can be said for any dual coil setups. Testing seems to agree with this. Vaping a single coil and dual coil on a Ego battery, the single coil will win anytime..

Now on to the coils itself, the OLD coils and the UPGRADED coils. After using both (again both at 1.5 and 2.0 ohms), using 2 different tanks (protank mini 3 and aerotank), my findings are:

• The taste and vapour production on both are almost the same. I say almost because I myself cannot feel any difference between the two, although some people seem to say the upgraded coils seem to be better.
• The lifespan on the UPGRADED coils are much much shorter than on the OLD coils. This is due to the gunk that starts to form after a while, is hard to remove. The gunk will form over the whole wick/coil and also wick at the side of the coils. Dry burning the coil will only get me so far. The gunk at the side of the coils will still be present and after a while of build up the burnt taste is there. Nothing can be done anymore.. time for the bin
• The lifespan of the OLD coils can be extended much much longer than the UPGRADED coils due to its easy to open up the top of the coil and rinse the coil in hot water and dry burn it to clear it of all gunk.
• Leaking wise, I really can't say yet. Both perform similarly and if there is a leak, its usually user error. I'd need to use both longer and then only be able to make any conclusion
• An advantage the OLD coils have are the fact that they can be easily rebuilt! The UPGRADED ones, I have yet found a way to open it without damaging the whole assembly... lol...