Top Airflow RTAs - Downsides?

[UncLeJunkLe]

I don't own any top airflow RTAs at the moment, but I always read how all these different top airflow RTAs are leakproof (or pert near leakproof).

But it makes me think that the top airflow design must have some major downsides otherwise all new RTAs would be top airflow designs at this point. I mean who likes a leaky tank, right?

So can anyone share the downsides to top airflow designs for RTAs?

 

[Molchi]

I would say the "downside" appears more to the industry, since leading the air through the atomizer makes it more complex to design than bottom airflow, so i assume it's also a bit more expensive to create and produce.
The leakproof-part is only half true. It can still leak, the main difference is that the liquid will stay inside the airflow instead of flooding your mod. The "downside" there is that you will notice that it leaked when you draink juice instead of vaping it.

 

[Superuser187]

Never owned one top airflow atty and yes it may sound safe to be able to avoid leaking on your mod...
but thinking about it seems like the flow of the air won't be ideal and maybe not give good flavour...
I have seen few that are top airflow but the air goes on the bottom and then up like for example the expromizer and that maybe it's not such a bad idea but takes a lot of space to make that system and end up with a bigger atty or Smaller with less e juice capacity...
The only positive of top airflow is preventing leakage I guess sooo if your atomizer is build well and u learn to wick it correctly u won't have any fear of leakage....at least not massive...maybe just few drops after refill????

 

[BillW50]

Top airflow tanks tend to have poor airflow design over the coils. But you can't say this for all of them. Like for example the Geekvape Zeus X and the Zeus X Mesh tanks. I absolutely love them! Everything else I own became obsolete.

Besides no leaks and condensation problems, something else I noticed too. You have that air gap between the chamber and the tank. In most bottom airflow tanks, the juice is touching the outside of the chamber which gets very hot and heating up the juice which destroys the flavor of most juices before it gets vaped. With most top airflow tanks, you have an air gap between the tank and the chamber. Which gives you that RDA like vape in a tank form because the juice stays cool until vaped. I absolutely love it! No more drippers or squonking for me.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

In most bottom airflow tanks, the juice is touching the outside of the chamber which gets very hot and heating up the juice which destroys the flavor of most juices before it gets vaped.

I never thought of that. But I guess it depends on the wattage you vape at. I don't vape more than 20W and usually about 15-18W. My chambers obviously get warm because I can feel warmth on the glass, but not hot.

I have 4 bottom air RTAs in rotation right now that give me a lot of flavor. In fact, so much flavor that it's kinda overwhelming to me, but I'm getting used to it. But if they were any more flavorful I'd have to trash them or dilute my juice.

I like flavor, but not kick-you-in-the-face kinda flavor.

No more drippers or squonking for me.

That's the first I heard of a squonker dropping squonking for an RTA.

 

[BillW50]

I never thought of that. But I guess it depends on the wattage you vape at. I don't vape more than 20W and usually about 15-18W. My chambers obviously get warm because I can feel warmth on the glass, but not hot.

I have 4 bottom air RTAs in rotation right now that give me a lot of flavor. In fact, so much flavor that it's kinda overwhelming to me, but I'm getting used to it. But if they were any more flavorful I'd have to trash them or dilute my juice.

I like flavor, but not kick-you-in-the-face kinda flavor.

I too don't vape at higher wattages either. Like most people are probably vaping the Geekvape Zeus X Mesh between 45W to 65W. Me, I'm vaping them between 25W to 32W. This gives me between 60 to 80 puffs per ml worth of juice. This is on par to say to something like an Atlantis. But the flavor and vapor is so much better without being a juice guzzler. They will guzzle juice at higher wattages though.

My tanks didn't get hot either (even though I chain vape) until the tanks got low on juice. And then I noticed many juices turn darker due to the warmth of the chamber and the flavor went really downhill. All of this disappears when you insert an air gap between the two. And the juice in the tank stays fresh and cool and vapes just like you're dripping.

That's the first I heard of a squonker dropping squonking for an RTA.

The goal of tank manufactures was to get the same vape and flavor of a RDA. Even when using the same decks, it still wasn't the same. Who knew the missing piece was inserting an air gap between the tank and the chamber?

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

One of my favorite RTAs right now, is the Lemo 2 and it does tend to get hotter than others because the gap between the glass and the chamber is sooooooooooooooooo narrow. Still, I get a lot of flavor from it. Not quite as much flavor as the Serpent Mini, Advken Dominator (with Ijoy EXO-S RBA) or the Griffin 25, but pretty close.

 

[Superuser187]

It's nice to make the juice in tank warmer...combined with the shaking of the atty as u use it makes juice to steep while it's in the tank ahahhshshshahs
Lol ok I an joking but if u mtl chamber won't get very hot...but if u dl ofc it will...and the summer ok the yes gets hot no matter what...
I just wish those tanks with top airflow to be able to get the air if not at the bottom of the coil at least a little lower that'll the middle....I am not a flavour chaser tho...very rarely I vape full flavourfull juices...
I was thinking of getting The Zeus x tank and the mesh deck also btw soon will see how it is

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Mine seem to be leakproof. It is just "different". I am very satisfied.

 

[Jebbn]

My favourite DL/rDL rta's were all top airflow.
I have a few mtl top airflow rta's and am using a GV ammit mtl right now.
I dont notice any difference in flavour between top airflow and bottom airflow rta's. There are good and not so good in both camps.
The Zeus X is one of my least favourite rta's. I cant pinpoint why though, I just didnt enjoy using it compared to others. Moot point really, I only mtl now. I havnt DL'd for over a year.

 

[TrollDragon]

All of my main RTAs are side air (Steam Crave Plus & Supreme V2) but I do use the top air OG Zeus (single coil) and qp Juggerknot (dual coil) on occasion. Both of those tanks are leakproof but can flood the deck if your wicking is not up to par.

 

[AngeNZ]

I use both bottom airflow and top airflow RTAs, along with bf RDAs. And it all comes down to what gives me the best flavour, with the minimum amount of drama.

So far the Dvarw DL and Gear RTA in the bottom AF group qualify, along with the Juggerknot Mini RTA in the top airflow group.

 

[SupplyDaddy]

Using OBS Engine Nanos, Solomon2's, Zeus Singles, a Zeus Dual, Diesel's,a Juggerknot Mini and some Kylin M clones (yuck). I also have some TFV8 X-Baby's in backup (and the SO uses them daily).

I generally find that Top Air flows tend to run warmer, several tend to vapor lock. I run about 42 watts using .3 ohm steel aliens with rayon. Once you know how a certain RTA goes, it's easy to fix most issues on the go and you forget there is even a problem.

My biggest problem is finding the ones I want since most are gone now.

 

[Mordacai]

The only issues that I'm aware of with top air is flooding and the airflow designs are not necessarily optimised, so RBA's end up much wider and airflow can be a lot more looser than liked.

 

[mimöschen]

Top air RTAs are a bit bulkier or have slightly less capacity or a slightly smaller build deck, because the air has to travel down the chimney or dedicated air tubes, which both takes up more space.

They may be a bit louder than standard RTAs, because the air has double the surface to rub against. But then again I've encountered dozens of bottom air RTAs that are much louder than any top air atty I've ever used.

For me top air atties are more suited for cake and cream, tobacco or mint than straight fruit flavors, but i seldom vape the latter, so no big deal for me. Ymmv.

Other than that, I don't have any complaints.

Depending on the tank itself, coils and wicking, the flavor is as good as with classic RTAs.

You don't have a problem with condensation. Everything will stay bone dry on the outside.

Sure, the deck may flood if you did a ....ty wickjob, but any bottom air atty would bleed juice all over the place under the same circumstances instead.

For me the positives outweigh the negatives by far, so that nowadays I have only 2 bottom air RTAs in my rotation, but even those don't get much use anymore. I enjoy my top air RTAs and my side/top airflow RDAs a lot more.

 

[Steamhammer]

I think the pros and cons all have been mentioned yet. The main point, I think, is that top airflow RTA won't ruin your mod if not wicked properly. But the chamber can be flooded anyway.
If you do your wicking right, you won't have problems with either.

Top or bottom airflow design doesn't affect my buying decision. There are good and bad attys in both categories.

I only have one top airflow RTA. It's the Serpent Elevate by Wotofo. At least for this one I can say that things like "more noise" or "bulkier" don't necessarily apply here. It's only slightly taller than my Hellvape MD, same width, but it holds 3,5 ml of E-Liquid compared to 2 ml in the MD.
It's all relative.

 

[Dearth Vapir]

Had bottom fill tanks before, including one rebuildable, all bottom intake, didn't like a one of them. The very first tank of any kind I got that I liked came with my Reuleux Gen3 kit several days ago and hits just like a good open dripper with the stock coil and I love it, but it does leak a touch when abused.

3 days after that I took delivery of the Vandy Mesh 24RTA - a top breather tank, my very own first one, and quite different all round.

I like it, but my issue is a breathes like it needs an iron lung, and that's even without a build in it so I know I'm not choking the thing. Don't know if this is an issue with a lot of the 2-skinned chamber, top intake malarkies or just this one? I have a tiny dripper that is the same 2 skinned/walled design, and that seems to offer a freer draw for the size of it.

But yeah flavour is fabulous, and it hasn't leaked a bit.

DV

 

[BillW50]

I like it, but my issue is a breathes like it needs an iron lung,

Others including myself find the Zeus X and Zeus X Mesh (both top airflow) to be a bit too airy (yet not noisy). Most people including myself vapes them half closed. I loved the first one so much, I bought 9 more. And they have been totally dry on the outside for me always.

 

[Dearth Vapir]

Others including myself find the Zeus X and Zeus X Mesh (both top airflow) to be a bit too airy (yet not noisy). Most people including myself vapes them half closed. I loved the first one so much, I bought 9 more. And they have been totally dry on the outside for me always.

Maybe you'd like the VV then, and I may need to take a look at the X Mesh there. This VV one is great as a MTL, or small STL pull, it's just not near as breathy as it looks like it should be, after several years of abusing fairly large RDAs.

Cheers.

 

[BillW50]

Oh Dearth Vapir, I don't believe MTL vapers will like the Zeus X or the Zeus X Mesh. I tried to MTL with it once and it works far better as a DL device.