For clarity…
V1:
V2:
V2 Limited Edition:
V-RDA:
Supreme:
Supreme Limited Editions:
Supreme V2:
Plus:
Titan:
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Basically yes.
Most of the RTA has three main parts: Deck, Tank, Chimney. Here is a popular RTA for you : Gemini RTA Tank, iJoy Tornado RTA. RDTA means: Rebuild-able Dripping Tank Atomizer ,it’s RDA + RTA, with a tank to hold ejuice, and with a deck to build on, the difference is the function of “Auto Dripping”.
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@WitchWolf Forgot to answer this one. YES, you can totally chuck the rubber vape band in the trash can if you want. I tried using it on and off, and found out that with the V1 (that comes with the rubber vape band) I ended up leaving it wide open anyway, so I didn’t need it. The V2’s come with a built in metal air flow ring, and again, I end up leaving that wide open all the time.
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@WitchWolf Just got back into town, and was looking forward to testing a few steeped mixes, and put fresh cotton in the V1, which is my sole mix tester. You had asked about tips/tricks, and there really aren’t many. Your experience will mostly depend on how you load the cotton into the deck. You said you picked up the V2 which is a little bit bigger, but here’s the V1.
Fresh dry burned 7 wrap, 24 ga. Kanthal verticals:
1/2" strip of Atomizer Wick cotton with outer layers removed, twist end to pull through with tweezers:
I’m using verticals, so I clip the top even with the top of the coil:
The V1 has a small build deck, so I trim the tails about even with the outer edge:
MOST important step, fluff and fan out tails before loading deck:
Fluff and stuff, don’t PACK it in, nice and fluffy loose, covering 4 juice holes:
Juice up the cotton/coils, assemble your RDTA, and fill.
If at any point (unless you really overpack the deck) you get a reduction in juice wicking, or dry hits, turn OFF the air flow, take a drag or two (stiff pull, and you should see bubbles), and now you’ve primed it for more delicious vaping !!!
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@SessionDrummer
I’ve never tried coiling vertically. Is there a benefit to vertical instead of horizontal?
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Good question @Saxxon. It might be laziness on my part, and I can use one strip of cotton for both sides hehe. When I was using the very FIRST Steam Crave with the older build deck, I ran horizontals for quite a while. Realizing it was a smaller deck, it just seemed like I was always fighting loading two tails per side on the small deck. Started using verts and never looked back. I’ve heard stories about verts taste better, horizontals are better, etc., never tasted any difference on the same tank. I’m sure SOME tanks might favor one build or the other, but my experience on all of my SC’s has me solidly in the vertical camp. Clearly my simple single wire coils, or claps with simple loading aren’t anywhere near as fancy as many of the builds out there, but it just gives such great flavor and taste, I can’t stop using it.
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The SC’s don’t seem to be picky at all (I’ve got a few tanks that ARE) about the height of the coils. I’ve moved them higher, lower, doesn’t seem to phase the SC’s at all, which is great. Because I am loading cotton below, I leave mine in the middle or slightly higher for the cotton.
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Thank you, @SessionDrummer…you rock! As I wait for its arrival, I was just getting online to study up some more and you just addressed one of the things I was planning to look into tonight. I have a couple of pre-built coils that I plan to start with, so wicking will be one of the first things I get to explore. From what I have read so far, it seems to be one of the most, if not the most, important things in the process. Thank you for this primer.
I do have a question about making coils though. I have read that you want a little space between the wraps when it is finished, but I have seen some that look as if they are touching each other. I have seen others that were very wide and definitely not touching another wrap. Does this matter? If so, how do you space them?
I have also seen something about brushing them when you dry fire test them to get them to burn evenly. What do you use for this and how do you tell when they are right?
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As far as the spaced or pressed coils, it’s a matter of preference. I’ve tried both, noticed slight differences, but nothing major. I think the spaced coils (you use less wraps so it will still fit obviously) seemed to gunk up a bit less, but nothing major. I use both.
As far as coil brushing and pinching. Yes, yes, and MORE yes. There are tons of videos on it. It’s easier than you think. Once you load fresh coils you want to start pulsing the power to them. Most times you’ll notice they fire like CRAP !!! This is OK, and normal. You can brush/stroke the coils with ceramic tweezers, then pinch them. Start pulsing again until you get a nice even glow starting from inside of the coil out. You’re trying to get evenly firing coils, that glow at about the same speed/intensity, also removes any hot spots which cause only parts of the coil to fire, and/or uneven firing/glowing. It’s too easy to get excited about most times. Pinch, pinch, pinch, brush, brush, brush. Obviously this mostly applies more to pressed coils, because if you pinch pinch pinch spaced coils, they won’t be very spaced afterwards.
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Hehe, they’re right, when you don’t feel like messing with them anymore hehe. Basically after minor pinch/brushing, you’ll see they start to glow evenly, and that’s about it. Nothing has to be perfect, just evenly firing.
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Once again, thank you very much @SessionDrummer. Very helpful information. I think I have enough to start with, but I am sure I will have questions along the way. Lol.
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Hey, if you’re DIY mixing, you shouldn’t have any issues coil building. Much easier. Good luck. And definitely listen to @SessionDrummer, sounds a whole lot like he knows what he’s talking about.
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I’ve always spaced my coils, they seem to fire more evenly than the coils that aren’t space.
And while I’ve never had any experience with the V2, I can tell you that with the Supreme, having spaced coils is almost mandatory because the build deck is so wide that if you don’t space the coils, they won’t reach from one side to the other 
.
Unless you have like 7 or 8 wraps.
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@SessionDrummer The V2 finally arrived and I attempted my first build today on it and I did a single coil build on my new Vandy Vape Pulse 24 RDA. Both turned out well.
On the V2, I used a couple of premade .8ohm Claptons which ended up giving me a .41 end build. I went with horizontal coils this time. I was a little worried about the wicking, but I have yet to get a dry hit and there is no leaking so far. Good flavor and vapor production running at 40w. So far I am digging it. Thank you for the advice and all the info you shared. How often do you have to re-wick? How long do your coils typically last?
As for the RDA, good flavor and vapor with a single coil .5 build. The only problem I have seen so far is the occasional burnt tasting hit. This was probably my fault. The first couple of hits are great, but anything past 3 or 4 get sketchy. Since this is my first experience with a RDA, I am not sure if this is normal. How often do you have to drip using a RDA to avoid this? I know this is a BF for squonking, but I am using it on a regulated mod and replaced the squonk pin with the solid 510 pin.
I am quite happy that both of them worked well, given that this is my first attempt. I am thinking I may well be on my way to never having to buy a pre-built coil again…YAY! Now I am afraid I will have to find a Supreme…Lol.
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@WitchWolf CONGRATS !!!
If you’re not getting any dry hits, then you’re doing it right. I’m probably MORE likely to run into that with verts, and if I do (it happens sometimes), just close the air flow, draw a few times, see the bubbles, open the air flow and keep on vapin !!!
As far as RDA’s you should probably ask someone else, as I’ve only got 2, and had so-so luck with them. I actually STARTED vaping, dripping, but 8 billion years ago, on an EGO bridged atty. Worked pretty good for such old tech, but I always hated to constantly drip, and be slave to my juice bottle. RDA’s have come a LONG way since then. I have an Icon, and another one, and although they were easy as hell to build on, I never got the greatness of flavor that I continue to get from my Steam Craves, so I don’t use them much. I initially tried with some stupidly complex coils and it vaped poorly. I asked around, posted some pics, and ELR members recommended using a simple coil, spaced, and an open air channel under the coil which helped a lot. My personal experience with RDA’s has been a hotter, spittier vape, with not as good flavor than my SC’s, but I’m not an RDA expert.
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@WitchWolf Let your tastebuds tell you when. The darkness and sweetener levels in your juices will most times drive the wick changes more than anything else. What you vape dictates that. As far as coils, hehe, I’m pretty lazy. Is there anything better than a FRESH set-o-coils and fresh cotton ?? Hellz Noz, but who wants to replace coils all the time. I dry burn mine every time I replace the wicks, rinse, and dry. I don’t think there is a hard and fast rule on coil replacement. After you’ve done a bunch of wick changes if they start looking bleh, toss in some new ones.
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Man, I am loving the V2. It is great. Nice and smooth with great flavor. My only complaint is that the ramp up time on the coils I used is a little long. It is like I have to prime them with a weak pull if it has been sitting. I am sure it is the kanthal that was used. That said, when it warms up…it is the best tank I own now. Would SS coils solve the slow ramp issue? I have also read that SS is better for flavor than kanthal. What is your experience with this?
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Single wire coils heat up pretty quick. What pre-made’s you using ?
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Luckily for me a few ELR members sent me some SS so I could try it out. It’s hard to quantify, but I did do direct A/B comparisons on two identical steam craves, and “better” might be somewhat accurate, but maybe “cleaner” would be better ? Really hard to say. I did like it, and used up all the SS wire I had (thanks guys/gals), but any differences weren’t enough for me to toss all my kanthal if that helps.
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The coils in it now are 2 Clapton .8ohm…definitely not single wire. Even with that, I must say I am really liking the V2. It is just something different from what I have experienced so far. Not really that big if a deal. Just thinking that a different material might work better for me. I am actually already thinking about selling a few tanks and getting a few more Steam Craves, especially the Supreme…good stuff.
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