RTA Tank suggestions wanted Please

[jasonculp]

I will pile on the SubTank Mini band wagon.  I have both the Mini and the Top Tank.  They are very versatile.  You can use just about all levels of vaping experience.  I hear really good things about the Triton 2, but have never used it.

I have really quit using normal tanks since I have been using the NEBOX.  I love it, but I honestly can't recommend it to others.  So many have had trouble with it leaking.  It also has the worst Temp Control I have ever seen.  I use the RBA with Kanthal/NiChrome exclusively.

I have been using Clapton wire from Vape NW, by Geek Vape.  I bought quite a few different spools and can't tell much difference in them.  Most of my Kanthal I bought from Temco.  When I first got into building my own coils I bought 100 ft spools of everything from 22ga to 30ga.  I found I used the 26&28 ga the most.  I picked up quite a few random gauges of Ni and Ti around the web.  I also use the UD SS316.

I really recommended the Coil Master DIY Kit.  It is a bit pricey, but it has everything you need, except a good pair of scissors.  I have the first version and use it quite often.

I personally am trying to never buy a factory made coil again.  I have 6 RBA sections and I have not built a coil in months.  I put about 5 wraps of the Clapton wire on the base and just clean/rewick them every few days.  Please do a search on Dry Burning Kanthal.  There are warnings out there not to do it, but I still do it.  When I clean my coils I rinse them before I put them in my mod and also prime them so the chances of particulates are minimized.

 

Oops, I just read you ordered a kit...lol

[FXRich]

Jason have you seen the new mod by Kanger, I can't remember what its called but its like the NEBox, but only has a 5ml tank and replaceable glass tube. Looks like a updated NEBox.

I guess its called a cupti

Edited July 3, 2016 by FXRich

[jasonculp]

I have!  The Cupti looks really good and I really want to pick a few up.  I just have not seen where the RBA has been made available yet.  I do like the top airflow design, and the leak proof design.  I really hope they have updated the electronics.  I wish they had made the tank a bit bigger.  I fill mine once a day now (10ml).  If I am using a HG2 or 30Q  I change the battery once a day.  It works great!

The only problem I see with the design is how am I going to dry burn/clean coils?  I have a evic mini that I keep a Sub Tank Mini base on and just screw on the RBA and clean/recoil/rewick while it is mounted in the base.  With this design, I don't know how I am going to do it.  I may have to build something to adapt it to a 510 base

[Edna]

Thanks all,

I've been reading and watching youtube video's until my eyes are popping out. I'm getting some 26 and 28 gauge wire from amazon AWG brand I think it is (I haven't bought it yet it's in my cart) I also put in some pre-built coils in different ohm ratings so I can learn to use my ohm meter right. (checking mine vs theirs) I want to do this in the safest way possible.

Y'all are great !

[FXRich]

I picked up one of them ohm meters on sale, personally I think using the mod is more accurate. I quit using it except for the volt meter part, I use it to see how much charge is left in Subvod batteries. Maybe I got a bad one.  

[Edna]

27 minutes ago, FXRich said:

I picked up one of them ohm meters on sale, personally I think using the mod is more accurate. I quit using it except for the volt meter part, I use it to see how much charge is left in Subvod batteries. Maybe I got a bad one.  

I'm a a bit timid when I'm dealing with ohms and electronics so I figure I had better triple check myself...I don't want to end up like those guys on TV and be a reason for more regs

[FXRich]

Those guys on TV that blow themselves up use mech mods, not regulated mods. With a regulated mod it will shut down before it blows up.

4 minutes ago, Edna said:

I'm a a bit timid when I'm dealing with ohms and electronics so I figure I had better triple check myself...I don't want to end up like those guys on TV and be a reason for more regs

 

[Tam]

33 minutes ago, Edna said:

I'm a a bit timid when I'm dealing with ohms and electronics so I figure I had better triple check myself...I don't want to end up like those guys on TV and be a reason for more regs

Good for you! Especially since you're just starting out, being extra careful is never a bad thing. Depending on the mod, the resistance reading may or may not be as accurate as a dedicated ohm meter. Some mods are better than others, but I prefer to not depend on them for my safety.   

[jasonculp]

39 minutes ago, FXRich said:

I picked up one of them ohm meters on sale, personally I think using the mod is more accurate. I quit using it except for the volt meter part, I use it to see how much charge is left in Subvod batteries. Maybe I got a bad one.  

I personally agree with you.  Today's modern temp control mod is extremely accurate.  Most Digital Ohm meters were never designed to have the resolution required to measure less than one ohm with great accuracy.  The less expensive vaping ohm meters will keep you from having a dead short, but you can't rely on it too much for accuracy.  The Flukes we use at work are great, but just the amount of resistance in the leads and the connections from the probes to the 510 base can skew the ohms by .01 - .1 ohm.

Honestly it doesn't matter what the meter says, it matters what the mod says.  If the mod thinks it has a .5 ohm coil and you have it set to 50 watts it is going to supply 5 volts.  If the mod reads it as 1 ohm it will apply 7+ volts. (This is greatly oversimplified)  If it thinks it is shorted it will not apply voltage (hopefully).  This is why I never recommend any mechanical mods, or even variable voltage mods any more.  If it can't adjust in watts, or TC it just isn't as safe.

All this being said, I do still recommend all beginners to get one, and use it.  It will provide a fairly stable work stand for your atomizer base and will make sure it isn't shorted before you stick it on a mod.  I have a bad habit of building on a mod and I have accidentally hit the button while installing the coil....lol

I feel like the most important safety purchase is good batteries.  Mods, while much safer, and smarter than just a few years ago, are still dumb.  They will still ask more from a battery than some batteries can supply.  This is when mods become unsafe.  Luckily most Lithium Ion batteries' voltage will collapse quickly on a variable wattage mod and go below the mods low voltage cut off if they are asking for more than the battery will supply.

[FXRich]

To a mech mod user a good ohmmeter is very important, probably critical. I don't use a mech mod but if I did I would use a protected battery in it. I have read where some mech mod users use coils as low as .1 or .2 in my opinion that's a bomb waiting to go off.

[jasonculp]

22 minutes ago, FXRich said:

To a mech mod user a good ohmmeter is very important, probably critical. I don't use a mech mod but if I did I would use a protected battery in it. I have read where some mech mod users use coils as low as .1 or .2 in my opinion that's a bomb waiting to go off.

I still have quite a few mechanical mods.  I really like the simplicity, and the dependability of them.  You are correct though, they are essintially a pipe bomb in the wrong hands.

I don't use them any more.  I like the consistent vape of a variable wattage mod so much better.

[Edna]

All my mods are regulated I think, My dripbox is a flat 60w and my 2 eleaf's (pico and istick 40 tc) are regulated.

I bought 3 sets of batteries they're the

4 LG HE2 18650 2500mAh 35A 3.7v Rechargeable Flat Top Batteries

2pcs 18650 2500mah 20A discharge Samsung INR18650-25R li-ion power cell

and I've kept them "married" for my devices. I read a lot before I got a replaceable battery mod so I think I did ok.

Am I on the right track? I use the Samsung in the dripbox and the LG's in the pico

Edited July 3, 2016 by Edna
typo

[jasonculp]

1 hour ago, Edna said:

All my mods are regulated I think, My dripbox is a flat 60w and my 2 eleaf's (pico and istick 40 tc) are regulated.

I bought 3 sets of batteries they're the

4 LG HE2 18650 2500mAh 35A 3.7v Rechargeable Flat Top Batteries

2pcs 18650 2500mah 20A discharge Samsung INR18650-25R li-ion power cell

and I've kept them "married" for my devices. I read a lot before I got a replaceable battery mod so I think I did ok.

Am I on the right track? I use the Samsung in the dripbox and the LG's in the pico

You are absolutely on the right path!

I am not sure exactly how the dripbox functions.  It seems to be a set 60 watt output.  This means it varies the voltage to the coil based on the resistance.  So even though it is not variable wattage, it is controlled by the chipset to keep you safe.  The Pico and 40TC are regulated and very safe mods.

The batteries are good.  They are not the longest lasting batteries, but very good batteries just the same.  They will handle safely everything your mods can throw at them.

I personally have quit buying batteries from amazon.  I have had good luck with them, but prefer going to a source that I can go back to if I have a problem, and also verify authenticity.  My current favorite batteries/vendors are:

Samsung 30Q:

Samsung INR18650-30Q Battery 15A 3000mAh (Liion Wholesale)

18650 Samsung 3000mAh INR18650-30Q (Illum)

LG HG2:

LG HG2 18650 Battery Genuine & Tested - 20A 3000mAh (Liion Wholesale)

18650 LG 18650HG2 3000mAh (Illum)

You can also can catch them on sale at 101 vape and a few others for a great price.

There are other batteries that are coming out that look pretty good, such as the new Sony VTC 5A.

[Edna]

@jasonculp

Thanks for the links, I got the batteries with a gift card I had received. But I'm sure I'll be needing more sooner or later and I'll look there first.