Subtank mini issues (leaking, gurgling etc).

[Jerri]

Right. Before I start I'll be clear I realise these issues will be caused by something I've done wrong. I'm new to rebuilding so not really experienced with what might cause what issues.

I have a lemo and a subtank mini. I can only assume the lemo is very forgiving because it's never given a dry hit. Never leaked unless I've over filled it and vapes great.

Got a subtank mini last week. Set up exactly the same was as the lemo. It's got the v2 RBA plus base. All great until Friday then it was dry hit central. Rewicked and all seemed to be fine until this morning when it dumped its content all over my pj pants! Sorted that only for it to spit and gurgle like mad, then once again empty its contents.

Now as I said I'm new to rebuilding so am hoping someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong to prevent this happening? I'm not he most patient of vapers and if it does it again I'll simply throw it in the draw and never use it again which I'd hate to do because it looks lovely and vapes really well.

Im using a1.3ohm coil and rayon wick if that makes a difference.

Any advice?

[Greg]

Sounds like a wicking issue to me, with the V2 you need to make sure each of the two holes are completely filled with wick so the juice can't bypass the wick and leak through the airhole. Maybe your not using quite enough wick. I've found the mini Subtanks to be the most leak resistant tank ive ever owned, so much so I currently have ten of them.

You could also check you have all 3 O'rings in place and they are not damaged. There is a fourth oring on the base of the RBA deck, is that in place and damage free ? Have you screwed the RBA base down tightly so the oring can seal.

Is the glass tank intact, any cracks would let air in and cause a leak.

[Jerri]

Jul 19, 2015 11:39:22 GMT Greg said:

Sounds like a wicking issue to me, with the V2 you need to make sure each of the two holes are completely filled with wick so the juice can't bypass the wick and leak through the airhole. Maybe your not using quite enough wick. I've found the mini Subtanks to be the most leak resistant tank ive ever owned, so much so I currently have ten of them.

You could also check you have all 3 O'rings in place and they are not damaged. There is a fourth oring on the base of the RBA deck, is that in place and damage free ? Have you screwed the RBA base down tightly so the oring can seal.

Is the glass tank intact, any cracks would let air in and cause a leak.

Thanks! I know it's something I'm doing wrong,.

Glass is in tact and o-rings are all in place and intact. I'm screwing the base in as much as I can. So it must be the wick.

I'll give it a go later as I'm out for the day. I couldn't use as much wick as I usually do because I couldn't get a 3mm coil in there. It kept shorting so it's a 2.5mm coil. And I've been a bit scared to put too much wick in incase a damage the coil. It took me hours to actually get one in. I found it really fiddly.

[Greg]

I'm not an expert with rayon as I didn't like to taste but I understand you have to put a lot of rayon in as it shrinks when wet, maybe try cotton wool

Coils are easy to fit in the RBA base although I understand some people are more dexterous than other. Keep the coil on whatever you've wprapped IT on to keep it in position whilst you tighten up the screws. You can get a 3mm ID coil in there, once the legs are tightened down try lowering the coil a little again using whatever you wrapped the coil on to lower it.

[Jerri]

Jul 19, 2015 11:56:18 GMT Greg said:

I'm not an expert with rayon as I didn't like to taste but I understand you have to put a lot of rayon in as it shrinks when wet, maybe try cotton wool

Coils are easy to fit in the RBA base although I understand some people are more dexterous than other. Keep the coil on whatever you've wprapped IT on to keep it in position whilst you tighten up the screws. You can get a 3mm ID coil in there, once the legs are tightened down try lowering the coil a little again using whatever you wrapped the coil on to lower it.

I don't have any cotton I prefer rayon as it lasts a bit longer and for me personally gives a cleaner taste. Will order some though. Can't hurt to try it.

I assume it was shorting because I'd get the coil in, fire it up and one leg would just melt (and I was only firing it at 15w) and then the coil would collapse. Always the same side. I change the screw in case there was something wrong there but ended up just using the 2.5m coiler.

[gm111]

This is using kanthal Jerri ?

[Greg]

There's not a lot of space between the coil securing screws and the inner wall of the chimney, you may be snipping the coil legs off, if you are try wiggling them off under tension as you'll get a neater shorter break. Also no need to wrap the coil legs around the screws if your doing that.

Have a look at the link to a RBA build in my sig although it's for the v1 RBA deck, I do the v2 almost identically but leave the wick tails a little longer and push the wicks in place with fine point ceramic tweezers then tease the wicks to ensure they are completely covering the wick holes.

[Jerri]

Jul 19, 2015 12:29:14 GMT gm111 said:

This is using kanthal Jerri ?

Yes 28agw

Jul 19, 2015 12:29:48 GMT Greg said:

There's not a lot of space between the coil securing screws and the inner wall of the chimney, you may be snipping the coil legs off, if you are try wiggling them off under tension as you'll get a neater shorter break. Also no need to wrap the coil legs around the screws if your doing that.

Have a look at the link to a RBA build in my sig although it's for the v1 RBA deck, I do the v2 almost identically but leave the wick tails a little longer and push the wicks in place with fine point ceramic tweezers then tease the wicks to ensure they are completely covering the wick holes.

I have been twisting the legs off not trimming them. And I've not been wrapping the legs around the screws, just catching them under.

Will have a look at the guide in your sig now, I couldn't see sigs on mobile.

[Jerri]

No idea what I'm doing wrong whenever I put a 3mm coil in it looks fine. I twist the legs of so there's a clean break. Press fire and the coil just collapses

[Jerri]

Okay I trimmed the legs off with clippers and now all is fine. 1.4ohms. Glowing as it should. So obviously something is going wrong when I twist the legs off (I hold the driver in the screw to make sure that doesn't come loose as I twist the legs).

[Greg]

Sounds like the wire under the screw is coming loose when you twist it off leavening the wire a little loose. If it's working for you with clippers stick with that or if you prefer to wiggle double check your terminal screws are still tight afterwards

[Jerri]

Jul 19, 2015 22:54:01 GMT Greg said:

Sounds like the wire under the screw is coming loose when you twist it off leavening the wire a little loose. If it's working for you with clippers stick with that or if you prefer to wiggle double check your terminal screws are still tight afterwards

Have gone with clipping.

I've packed in as much rayon as I could. Just hope I don't get dry hits now because of it.

Will see how it goes tomorrow.

I find recoiling this thing as fiddly as a fiddly thing.

Hope it behaves. I love how the tank looks and it was vaping brilliantly up until Friday. No idea what changed.

Just remembered I have some cotton the subtank came with a pack of it. So will try that if this doesn't work.

[vapernonimous]

It's the cotton. Too little cotton or cotton worn and shrivelled up leaving xtra space where the juice could simply and slowly flow out the vents. Change ur cotton and you're good to go. Not too much cotton as it'll give u dry hits. Jus enuf to reach the Base and not tightly pack as it'll take longer to soak up juice.

[Deleted]

mine looks very nice on my small garden .....i trow this bloody subtank mini straight from window . Mine was working good only few hours ,licking like crazy with or without stock coils . Using his deck only dry hits ...i love my kayfun V4 and now Uwell Crown RTA is my fav sub ohm (10 x time better than faulty subtank mini )