Kayfun Lite + Throat hit

[dannyw14]

Right, the first build I did on the kayfun was really good, but I did a second one to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and to change the cotton to Japanese cotton.
No problems with wicking or flavour but I don't seem to be getting the throat hit I had before.

I'm using 9 wraps of .32 kanthal, 2mm diameter, which measures 1.4 ohms.

I've tried upping the wattage from the 10 i was using before, to 15 and it's still not where I want it to be. The only thing I changed in this build compared to the first one is having 9 wraps instead of 10 and I raised the coil higher above the airhole than the first build.

Is the solution just to have a higher resistance(more wraps) and therefore more surface area? Or is it the position of the coil?

Thanks in advance

[ionian]

It's likely to be the change in wicking material that's changed the vape - as you are on a vw device, the changes you've made to the coil shouldn't make too much difference. Height above air hole does make a small difference, but the further away from the air the harsher the vape in my experience, so it's unlikely to be that.

I've not tried Japanese cotton so can't comment on the differences but different wicks absorb juice at different rates and move juice to the coil at different rates, so that's why I think that's your issue.

I'd keep the same build, and change back to normal cotton to see if that helps.

If not, it's possible your throat has just got used to the juice you are using causing flavour fatigue. A change of juice might be the best option, just to let your taste buds have a change.

[dannyw14]

Thanks, I will try just swapping the wick out then. Is it possible that there is too much wick in and around the coil? As I've noticed the crackling sound when it's firing is a lot less clear than it was before and sounds muffled

[ionian]

Dec 22, 2014 17:45:23 GMT dannyw14 said:

Thanks, I will try just swapping the wick out then. Is it possible that there is too much wick in and around the coil? As I've noticed the crackling sound when it's firing is a lot less clear than it was before and sounds muffled

If you have too much wick you can taste the cotton. It's possible you have more than before, in my experience the crackling happens with less rather than more wick, but don't overdo it when you take it out or you'll have flooding issues. 

[dannyw14]

I have changed the wick over, not touched the coil, just the wick and it's so much better now. I had just made an assumption that Japanese cotton would be better based on people online.

There is one difference with the cotton I'm using, it's been sat loose in a box for months, where as the koh gen do is just bought. Maybe the normal cotton is drier and therefore more absorbent?

[ionian]

Dec 22, 2014 19:34:15 GMT dannyw14 said:

I have changed the wick over, not touched the coil, just the wick and it's so much better now. I had just made an assumption that Japanese cotton would be better based on people online.

There is one difference with the cotton I'm using, it's been sat loose in a box for months, where as the koh gen do is just bought. Maybe the normal cotton is drier and therefore more absorbent?

Your old cotton is probably less dense, so it absorbing quicker but with less juice so the coil gets slightly hotter (maybe, not sure of the actual physics on this). 

Either way, your vape has to be right for you - so if standard cotton works, there's no need to use something else just because others like it. I've not tried Japanese cotton because for my set-ups a normal bit of cotton wool gives me a great vape, plus I can stock up from mrs ionian's make-up supply at no extra cost!

[dannyw14]

That makes sense. I've just tied my nautilus and the vapour and throat hit doesn't seem to be any better on the kayfun. So maybe it's my build, going to play around with it tomorrow and see what happens. Kind of feels like the coil isn't heating up quick enough

[chykensa]

Dec 22, 2014 23:46:22 GMT dannyw14 said:

Kind of feels like the coil isn't heating up quick enough

If that's what you feel, try lowering the resistance a bit so it heats up more quickly. IIRC you are using .32 Kanthal - one wrap less would give you about .1ohm less resistance. Use www.steam-engine.org/coil.asp?r=1.2&dia=0.32&id=2&ll=7 to assess the best coil for you. You can either use larger diameter wire or a larger former (I have a graduated mandrel for wrapping) to raise or lower the coil's resistance without changing the number of wraps.

[dannyw14]

What I have done is put in a dual coil, lowered the wire thickness to .28 lowered the coil diameter to 1.5 and done 15 wraps per coil, it came out at 1.7 ohms. It's definitely taking too long to heat up ( I was aiming for 1.1 ohm) but the performance is good, better throat hit and vapour. The flavour is less, but I don't mind that. Just need to get the resistance lower, steam engine doesn't seem to be giving me the right numbers.

[firewall]

dannyw14 if the thickness of the wire is correct, it should come out as 1.2ohm (assuming I am reading this right) Could it be incorrect size marked on the spool?

[dannyw14]

Iused a nail, which I measured, so I'm not sure why that's happened, what If I have accidentally ended up with 1 more wrap on one coil, then the other?

[JayJ]

I've never made my own dual coils but I imagine the shorter coil would be less resistant therefore heat up quicker not giving the best vape.

Jay

[chykensa]

Dec 23, 2014 20:30:26 GMT firewall said:

dannyw14 if the thickness of the wire is correct, it should come out as 1.2ohm (assuming I am reading this right) Could it be incorrect size marked on the spool?

That's what I make it too. Next time you are ordering from Fasttech, stick one of these Mandrels in - they are really useful and a steal at £1.80!
They will take away all the guesswork from your coil winding, and enable you to wind good coils every time.

[VapingBad]

Taking time to get up to temp is normal unless you have a DNA40 with nickel coil, the same resistance with thinner wire will speed it up a little. This is why the phrase primer puff exists.

[Greg]

Dec 29, 2014 0:29:21 GMT VapingBad said:

Taking time to get up to temp is normal unless you have a DNA40 with nickel coil, the same resistance with thinner wire will speed it up a little. This is why the phrase primer puff exists.

And that's why 0.25 kanthal is such a great all rounder, quite a long lasting robust microcoil and pretty instant to heat up 

if it it needs a primer puff then I'm out but it may suit some.