at my wits end with rba

[kittyvape]

Hiya 

Am really really confused ... I was building single coils at 0.5 fine, and occasionally using a pre-made, steady away, but recently every time I make a coil, or use a pre-made, the ohms jump all over, with any combo of Sigelei 150w, mvp3 30w, kayfun 4 clone, subtank [istick and subtank mini together are fine] ... that must mean it's me. I've cleaned the 510 pin thingies, washed tanks, checked batteries, really concentrated even harder when making/fitting coils, but every single time it's going wrong. 5 tries yesterday, on 2nd try today and getting so fed up. Can only take a tiny draw and ohms shoot up eg from having already risen to 1 ohm to then 1.4 ohms.

Have just got a coiling tool, which is great, new plyers that I save only for fidding with the coil (old ones are for anything else), new wire clippers, etc. Being careful to place the coil right, to tighten just enough so it's secure, to be very careful with plyers. Neither pair of plyers are ceramic, but did coiling fine with the old ones. 

Got a fright the other day when first attempt at rda ended up in a little fire, but I could see afterwards that I'd missed some of the cotton.  Don't know whether I'm being overcareful and maybe overtightening at the posts, or lost my nerve, or what. If it is that, just to check, it's impossible for fire to blast up the drip tip, except on an rda? And the worst thing that can happen when test-firing a coil is the legs drop off and the coil sits on the airhole? 

Unsure if it's something to do with the new tools, or that I've got a bit nervous, or both ... coils gone wrong since both things. Subtank has a gold pin sticking out of the bottom of it, which I can push in and out easily, since cleaning tanks and things going wrong. Eventually got them all back together, and just using Subtank as it is, since the pin goes up into the base anyway. One or two coils have lasted a day or so, then start jumping, so have to be changed. Previous coils were lasting fine. Tried everything possible, so it's time to ask! 

[blakey]

Which rda are you using? This smacks of connection issues

[decoy]

sounds like your doing things right but maybe not nipping the coil screws up tight nuff on the rba witch would explain the jumping ohms

if you mean the occ head for the sub tank then messing with the gold pin is a bad idea as it holds the coil in place

[kittyvape]

Jun 14, 2015 13:04:55 GMT blakey said:

Which rda are you using? This smacks of connection issues

I'm using 3 rbas (leaving rda aside for a while, to go back to later) ... using Kayfun 4 clone, Subtank and Subtank Mini. 

[kittyvape]

Jun 14, 2015 13:09:16 GMT decoy said:

sounds like your doing things right but maybe not nipping the coil screws up tight nuff on the rba witch would explain the jumping ohms

if you mean the occ head for the sub tank then messing with the gold pin is a bad idea as it holds the coil in place

Thanks decoy. I've been having some issues with the screws sticking, or sometimes I suddenly notice the screws have somehow loosened despite me tightening them. Bit crunchy. Just washed tanks in new ultrasonic the other day, so am surprised at this kind of thing happening. Not using occ heads. Is there any way to get the gold pin that's stuck out back in [subtank]?

It's the kayfun I'm battling with today; will have another go now. 

[decoy]

Jun 14, 2015 13:12:43 GMT kittyvape said:

Jun 14, 2015 13:09:16 GMT decoy said:

sounds like your doing things right but maybe not nipping the coil screws up tight nuff on the rba witch would explain the jumping ohms

if you mean the occ head for the sub tank then messing with the gold pin is a bad idea as it holds the coil in place

Thanks decoy. I've been having some issues with the screws sticking, or sometimes I suddenly notice the screws have somehow loosened despite me tightening them. Bit crunchy. Just washed tanks in new ultrasonic the other day, so am surprised at this kind of thing happening. Not using occ heads. Is there any way to get the gold pin that's stuck out back in [subtank]?

do you mean the gold pin in the base or coil if the base then im not sure but the coil pin push,s back in
the screws do need to be fairly well nipped up because as you use the atty it gets hot and bits change size a little and why a dryburn then a retighten helps when 1st building them

[kittyvape]

Jun 14, 2015 13:18:59 GMT decoy said:

Jun 14, 2015 13:12:43 GMT kittyvape said:

Thanks decoy. I've been having some issues with the screws sticking, or sometimes I suddenly notice the screws have somehow loosened despite me tightening them. Bit crunchy. Just washed tanks in new ultrasonic the other day, so am surprised at this kind of thing happening. Not using occ heads. Is there any way to get the gold pin that's stuck out back in [subtank]?

do you mean the gold pin in the base or coil if the base then im not sure but the coil pin push,s back in
the screws do need to be fairly well nipped up because as you use the atty it gets hot and bits change size a little and why a dryburn then a retighten helps when 1st building them

The gold pin in the base. When I'm screwing atty onto mod, have to push harder before tank locks in, but, with the extra gold pin moving easily anyway, shouldn't be doing any harm? 

Just tried 3 more times ... 2 pre-made and one I made myself. All gone wrong, despite checking screws and really tightening loads. Going to clean the tank again, with screws out this time, and for a few cycles, incase it's crud could be jamming up the screws or messing things up. Could that possibly be a reason for the ohms jumping?

[phtumshk]

Wasnt there some sort of spring issue with the Kfun 4 clone?
I recall seeing a thread on it some where here and on POTV about wondering ohms.

[phatfil]

decoy knows his coils so follow what he says first.

Me im just a beginner, but what i do is build my coils and sit on the didy ohms tester i got from fasttech

i keep it on the ohms tester as i wick juice-wett and continue the build, adding the chimney/vapour chamber bottom is the tricky bit as coils not positioned correctly can brush the metal surface short and provide a different ohms reading..

also if heating the coil on a mod to check the glow is centre out and/or even between 2 coils, redo/tighten the head screws after a heat up as metals expand and shrink with heat and cold..

But it sounds as if your doing pretty much all that anyway?????


(STRAW CLUTCHING!!)
If heating the coils on a mod to check the glow is even etc are you pulsing on the power or just pressing the fire button the once and holding it?? pulsing on n off is preferred as to not overheat and melt the wire at a hotspot.. probably not the problem as whenever ive melted a coil thru over application of power when dry its been a catastrophic coil failure..

[hijack]

The only time I have had same thing was due to poor circuit, as i did not tighten the screws holding the coil enough.
It sounds like your checking everything. As it happening on all mods, it must be the atty where the problem is.
I would go over the atty again and try follow the path the current would take, checking every nut or screw the current flows through.

EDIT

Subtank has a gold pin sticking out of the bottom of it, which I can push in and out easily, since cleaning tanks and things going wrong. Eventually got them all back together, and just using Subtank as it is, since the pin goes up into the base anyway. One or two coils have lasted a day or so, then start jumping, so have to be changed.

This may be the problem. The pin pushes up and after use the contact is poor and the jumpy readings.

[kittyvape]

Jun 14, 2015 14:37:27 GMT phtumshk said:

Wasnt there some sort of spring issue with the Kfun 4 clone?
I recall seeing a thread on it some where here and on POTV about wondering ohms.

You're right phtumshk; just looked it up and seen the solution is to tighten one end of the spring. Having soldiered on with the Kayfun, and 4+ coils later, I've switched to Subtank for now ... posts are easier. At the moment, field where I gave any ***** has long been sold onto a developer, lol. Will take a look at the Kayfun again after a good rest, as it's a great tank; just needs more concentration than I can muster right now, after hours of trying.  Goblin and Goliath clones on way; liked the posts, so am hoping can do better with that kind of post. 

[kittyvape]

Jun 14, 2015 15:11:30 GMT phatfil said:

decoy knows his coils so follow what he says first.

Me im just a beginner, but what i do is build my coils and sit on the didy ohms tester i got from fasttech

i keep it on the ohms tester as i wick juice-wett and continue the build, adding the chimney/vapour chamber bottom is the tricky bit as coils not positioned correctly can brush the metal surface short and provide a different ohms reading..

also if heating the coil on a mod to check the glow is centre out and/or even between 2 coils, redo/tighten the head screws after a heat up as metals expand and shrink with heat and cold..

But it sounds as if your doing pretty much all that anyway?????


(STRAW CLUTCHING!!)
If heating the coils on a mod to check the glow is even etc are you pulsing on the power or just pressing the fire button the once and holding it?? pulsing on n off is preferred as to not overheat and melt the wire at a hotspot.. probably not the problem as whenever ive melted a coil thru over application of power when dry its been a catastrophic coil failure..

You're so right about the shorting; spent last 45 minutes trying to find out why screwing on the top part cuts it to 0.0; gave up and gone to Subtank for now, lol. Yes, surreal, as am doing everything. Ultrasonic'd the Kayfun base too, and screws/airflow were perfection, but still no joy. Did find out how to sort the little gold post sticking out of the base ... that part was the wrong way around, lol haha. 
I pulse first, to see if any black bits show. Once it's looking okay, I tend to burn it for a while, to see if it'll stand up to anything. Is it so that the worst that could ever happen when test-firing is the legs drop off and the coil centre drops? 

[kittyvape]

Jun 14, 2015 15:28:54 GMT hijack said:

The only time I have had same thing was due to poor circuit, as i did not tighten the screws holding the coil enough.
It sounds like your checking everything. As it happening on all mods, it must be the atty where the problem is.
I would go over the atty again and try follow the path the current would take, checking every nut or screw the current flows through.

EDIT

Subtank has a gold pin sticking out of the bottom of it, which I can push in and out easily, since cleaning tanks and things going wrong. Eventually got them all back together, and just using Subtank as it is, since the pin goes up into the base anyway. One or two coils have lasted a day or so, then start jumping, so have to be changed.

This may be the problem. The pin pushes up and after use the contact is poor and the jumpy readings.

I think you're right about checking every nut and bolt of the Kayfun, and other 2 tanks too. I'd washed the Kayfun for the first time the other day, and unscrewed something I shouldn't have. Had a faff putting it back together, but it seemed fine. [is the Subtank that had the gold pin sticking out, but I discovered it was upside down, lol]. Using Subtank now, with corrected base pin, and ... was just about to type it's steady at 0.5 but it's just jumped to 2.1! Makes me really nervous to vape. Looking at the occ heads very much indeed right now. Odd, as used same pre-made and same 24 awg for various coils today, same as when coiling used to work fine before. Maybe if I try an occ, if there's still jumping that would confirm the tanks need fitting together again ... may take them to the vape cafe if so. Might be to do with tools; supposed to use only ceramic on the coil? Read different things, so just got some little plyers, but wondering if I'm shorting everything if there's something wrong with tools. 

EDIT: just put Subtank on iStick instead, and, even without pressing the button, ohms rapidly jumping and changing, lots of times in succession. 
Put 0.5 occ head in Nano, and reads 1.1 ohms on Sigelei 150w, 0.7 on mpv3 [occ's always used to read 0.5, reliably]. On iStick, reads 0.6. 

[decoy]

is the lose pin the one inside the 510 that the mod connects to because that's not supped to move about

[tim]

Are you pinching the coils too tight with your new pliers kittyvape? If you overlap the coils it will read wrong, and change as it heats. If it happens on all your rba's, it sounds like you are doing something different.

Also, we all have days when rebuilding is a bad idea. It happens to me about once a month. If I stop and have a day not thinking about it, I can get it right first time again when I retry.