How To Rebuild A KPT Head - A Pictorial Tutorial

[Rixter]

Here's a hastily compiled tutorial (with pictures) to show you how to rebuild the heads for KPTs, EVODs, and various other BCC (bottom coil changeable) tanks.

In this tutorial, I will be making a 4/3 wrap of 32g Kanthal A-1 around a 3.5mm silica wick to achieve a 1.8Ω coil.

Break everything down to this point (just start pullin' stuff apart...you'll figure it out ).

Coil some Kanthal around a silica wick using a sewing needle as a support.

Place both leads through the housing until the wick and needle are as shown.

Bend one lead to the side, thread the bottom grommet onto the other lead, and slip it into the bottom of the housing.

Bend the other lead (the one you just threaded through the grommet) to the side and slide the bottom pin into the grommet.

Bend the excess leads of Kanthal back and forth (really fast) until they break off flush with the head.

Remove the needle.

Replace the top stem.

Trim off the excess silica (I use Chinese nail clippers).

Replace the cup seal.

All you have to do now is install your freshly rebuilt head into your BCC tank's base and vape on!

Hope this was helpful...it works for me.

Oh, yeah...I almost forgot...always check your new rebuilds with a meter before using it!!!

Edited September 13, 2013 by Rixter

[rcoe]

no flavor wick added?

Where's the best place to get the kanthal and wick?

thanks alot btw...can't wait to try it.

[Tam]

Do they have to be Chinese nail clippers?

I'm thinking a pair of full jaw cuticle nippers might also work there. Anyway, great pic tutorial, Rix. This will make my foray into coil rebuilding that much easier. Thanks!

[Bebop]

Awesome! Pin this sucker now

[Rixter]

no flavor wick added?

Where's the best place to get the kanthal and wick?

thanks alot btw...can't wait to try it.

No need for a flavor wick if you use 3.5mm silica wick..I get mine here. You can get 100' of Kanthal A-1 32g resistance wire for under $5 here.

Do they have to be Chinese nail clippers?

No. You can use Norwegian nail clippers if you like.

Awesome! Pin this sucker now

Thanks!

Edited September 13, 2013 by Rixter

[rcoe]

thanks again...simplest tutorial I've seen yet.

How would that vape on a twist?

[Rixter]

How would that vape on a twist?

For an 8 watt vape with a 1.8Ω coil, set your Twist at 3.8v.

[Jeffb]

Rixter got a pin for an awesome tutorial.

[Rixter]

Rixter got a pin for an awesome tutorial.

They like me...they really like me!

[Jeffb]

[Bebop]

Well done Rixter!

[Tam]

Congrats on the pin, Rixter!

[DragonGunner]

Great tutorial. Very helpful. Congrats on the pin.

[wizard46304]

Celebration party at rixter's

[Aquatroy]

Nice job. With my stff hands and bad eyesight, I'm gonna have to find someone to do this for me, but charge less than the new ones cost.

[IMEDICx90]

Aqua you buy the silica and pay for postage and ill do it. I wouldn't mind just rebuilding heads. I have rebuilt close to 80 for myself so if you have 10 or 20 ill be glad to help.

[Rixter]

Does this mean I'm famous now?

[Tam]

Does this mean I'm famous now?

I think the word you're looking for, Rixter, is infamous -- but only in a good way.

[Rixter]

I think the word you're looking for, Rixter, is infamous -- but only in a good way.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Rixter

[Aquatroy]

Google time... Throw him 500 hits.. Give out his phone numba!!!!!

[DragonGunner]

I've rebuilt 5 new heads using your method and all of them came out to a perfect 1.5 ohms. I must say though that I'm still experimenting because 2 out of the 5 although both 1.5 ohms I must have done something a little wrong as the draw was way too tough. I've since rebuilt them and they are working spot on. I dont know what I did wrong (perhaps wound the kanthal wire too tightly or something). Do any of you better at rebuilding have any ideas what I could have done wrong so others or myself wont make the same mistake?

The other method I had been using (found on youtube) was to take a pin and thread it into the center of the silica wick. What a disaster that was for me because no matter how thin the needle the silica wick alway began to unthread itself when the needle was inserted. Your method is much more easier.

Thanks again Rixter!

[Rixter]

I must have done something a little wrong as the draw was way too tough.

If you're experiencing a stiff draw, it's probably because the wick and coil is sitting a little too high in the housing and blocking off the air flow through the top stem. You might try removing the needle before inserting the bottom grommet & pin so you can pull the coil a little further down into the housing. Like I said before, there's some trial & error involved with rebuilding, but you'll figure out what works best for you after doing it a few times.

What diameter silica wick did you use?

*EDIT*

Take care when inserting the bottom grommet & center pin not to push the wick & coil too high in the housing. Bending the leads to the side should prevent this from happening, but if it does happen, you should be able to pull the coil wire that's still sticking out around the grommet and/or center pin to lower the coil back down before breaking off the leads.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Rixter

[DragonGunner]

Thanks for that tip about removing the needle before inserting the bottom grommet and pin. It makes sense. I wasnt actually removing the needle until after the entire assembly was put together. I will most definitely give that a shot. And as in your edit I did notice on earlier attempts that I did in fact push the wick up a tad when inserting the grommet and pin. Seriously though getting a consistent 1.5 ohms was super easy. Almost magical IMO.

I'm using 3.5mm wick just like you have described in the OP.

Thanks.

[Bebop]

Rixter

I'm hoping to get more in the neighborhood of 2.2Ohm

Do you have any feel for how much res adding one wrap to make a 5/4 would create maintaining your 32g and 3.5mm wick?

It looks like if im reading the chart right, the wire you specify is 1.15 ohms/inch so I want a total of 2 inches pole to pole roughly

Edited September 14, 2013 by Bebop12

[Rixter]

Rixter

I'm hoping to get more in the neighborhood of 2.2Ohm

Do you have any feel for how much res adding one wrap to make a 5/4 would create maintaining your 32g and 3.5mm wick?

All of mine are either in use or already rebuilt, but the next time I do some up, I'll try 5/4 & 6/5 to see what that meters out to be.

Dragongunner said earlier that he is getting a consistent 1.5Ω from his 4/3, and I get a consistent 1.8Ω from mine, so YMMV based on technique and (possibly) climate or altitude.

I've found that once you figure out the number of wraps that works for you, it's pretty consistent from one build to the next.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Rixter