My 1st build...OBS Crius V3

[herb1]

Hey y'all

Finally got into the rebuilding game with the OBS Crius V3, using Kanthal 26ga.
All attempts at 2.5mm diameter, dual coil.

1st attempt - after watching a few YouTube vids, I started out with a 10-wrap coil.
First, heated kanthal wire to remove tension (which I will avoid for future builds as I don't see the necessity); then proceed to wrap coil on 2.5mm screw driver (looking to build a Coilmaster in the future to use). Repeated for 2nd coil, and secured both to posts. Started wicking but stuffed the ends too deep in juice holes.
Result = atomizer low/short; slight burning taste when vape. Ohm = 0.1Ω

2nd attempt - changed to 6-wrap coil...again heated Kanthal wire and wicked too deep.
Result = heavy burning taste. Ohm = 0.3Ω

Final attempt - ditched the kanthal heating ritual but stayed with 6-wrap coils. After watching another YouTube video, I started to fire up the coils before i started wicking to make sure both coils fired simultaneously and evenly (learnt a trick about scraping across the coils with tweezers to ensure even heating). Also, after firing, used the tweezers to align coils better. Proceeded to wick (after coils were tested) so that cotton ends slightly visible in juice hole
Result = good vape at 0.3Ω

So after a few hours and a learning curve, I've managed to gain some good experience in the practicality of coil building and wicking.

A piece of advise, DO NOT always follow the YouTube videos to the T...one guy totally stuffed his juice holes (that didn't work for me).

What worked for me:

• no preheating of kanthal wire before wrapping;
• test coils for simultaneous, distributed firing (after securing to posts);
• after test firing, use tweezers to align coils better/bring coils closer together;
• wick so that a tiny piece is visible in juice holes.

What concerned me was the atomizer low/short error messages (check internet but no really remedies for it) - could it be related to low resistance?
Also, I'm assuming that the burning taste was due to my wicking, where I stuffed the ends in the juice holes?

Also, what other builds could I experiment with?

 

[Stosta]

Hey y'all

Finally got into the rebuilding game with the OBS Crius V3, using Kanthal 26ga.
All attempts at 2.5mm diameter, dual coil.

1st attempt - after watching a few YouTube vids, I started out with a 10-wrap coil.
First, heated kanthal wire to remove tension (which I will avoid for future builds as I don't see the necessity); then proceed to wrap coil on 2.5mm screw driver (looking to build a Coilmaster in the future to use). Repeated for 2nd coil, and secured both to posts. Started wicking but stuffed the ends too deep in juice holes.
Result = atomizer low/short; slight burning taste when vape. Ohm = 0.1Ω

2nd attempt - changed to 6-wrap coil...again heated Kanthal wire and wicked too deep.
Result = heavy burning taste. Ohm = 0.3Ω

Final attempt - ditched the kanthal heating ritual but stayed with 6-wrap coils. After watching another YouTube video, I started to fire up the coils before i started wicking to make sure both coils fired simultaneously and evenly (learnt a trick about scraping across the coils with tweezers to ensure even heating). Also, after firing, used the tweezers to align coils better. Proceeded to wick (after coils were tested) so that cotton ends slightly visible in juice hole
Result = good vape at 0.3Ω

So after a few hours and a learning curve, I've managed to gain some good experience in the practicality of coil building and wicking.

A piece of advise, DO NOT always follow the YouTube videos to the T...one guy totally stuffed his juice holes (that didn't work for me).

What worked for me:

• no preheating of kanthal wire before wrapping;
• test coils for simultaneous, distributed firing (after securing to posts);
• after test firing, use tweezers to align coils better/bring coils closer together;
• wick so that a tiny piece is visible in juice holes.

What concerned me was the atomizer low/short error messages (check internet but no really remedies for it) - could it be related to low resistance?
Also, I'm assuming that the burning taste was due to my wicking, where I stuffed the ends in the juice holes?

Also, what other builds could I experiment with?

Hi Herb,

I was just using my Crius yesterday and thinking about what an amazing tank it is!

99% of the time I do a clapton (26 / 32) build in her, if I remember rightly I run about 6 wraps on each coil, with a 2.5mm ID, that comes out about 0.4ohms. The wicking on this has always been forgiving with me, but I'm not a high-powered user so I tend to over-stuff to prevent leaking rather than being worried about dry-hits.

 

[Caveman]

Congrats on the build. In the beginning it can be daunting and one can easily get discouraged if it doesn't turn out great immediately.

I never pre-heat kanthal, never seen a point to it, unless you really worked it a lot and it might be oily or otherwise dirty.
When you say test for simultaneous firing, always remember to make sure they heat up from the middle out, do your dry fire (fire without cotton) at sub 20W.

The burning taste could come from too much or too little cotton. Too little, it doesn't wick fast enough and leaks, too much, it doesn't wick fast enough, both result in burning taste. There is a window that you get to learn after a few coils/re-wicks of where the sweet spot it is with cotton.

Generally for any RTA/RDA having the wick just touch the bottom of the well is good measure, if I get a new tank/dripper that's my first goto way to wick, always. If that fails, then I might go in search of a new technique. The shorting was probably too low resistance, or it was touching the base somewhere. What mod are you using?

I am glad you stuck with it and got it right though.

Some other builds you might find easy enough to start with, some twisted or parallel coils.
For me the sweet spot is always around 0.25ohm to 0.35ohm on most of my builds, but it depends so vastly, eg, on my Kayfun a 0.8 - 1.4 ohm build with kanthal is great but I sometimes go 0.2 - 0.5 ohm with SS if I am going to use TC on it.

Have fun and be safe

 

[RichJB]

A pair of kanthal 26ga coils, 10 wraps, 2.5mm diameter should give you a resistance of around 0.6Ω. If you were getting 0.1Ω, the error messages were probably well justified. Shorts can be caused when you screw the base back into the tank, by the coils touching some part of the chimney. So watch for a difference in resistance after you have reassembled the tank. If you get a jump in resistance, something is probably touching and shorting. Obviously, you also need to check before you reassemble that the coil and the clipped leads aren't touching any part of the base, and that the leads are tightened down snug by the grub screws.

This coil wrap calculator is a handy tool that will give you a ballpark resistance for your coil depending on wire, diameter, wraps, etc. If your finished coil is substantially different from the calculated resistance, there is a problem.

 

[herb1]

Thanks guys
@Caveman: I do the firing as you stated above.

It was disheartening and frustrating cos I wanted to vape and my wife's ciggies were nearby but I told myself that I'd rather not vape the rest of the day than go back to ciggies...

 

[spiv]

I found that the Cruis v3 has a smaller build deck so I can't use stuff like claptons and still get to 0.5ohm. So I just went with 10 spaced wraps each of SS and it's amazing. Wicking wise, I get the cotton just viewable in the juice well and I haven't had any issues with leaking/dry hits at 45w. Any less cotton and it's going to leak a lot!

I also got the Crius Plus recently and that has a way bigger build deck. I put in 6 wrap spaced claptons (ends off at 0.4ohm) and it fits perfectly. Wicking is also VERY forgiving in this tank. Never had a drop of juice leak or dry hit. It did take a while for me to come to terms of vaping at 75w after never cracking 30w on my cubis and 45w on my Crius v3.

For what it's worth, I have the v3 on my mod at the moment. Such a great tank.

 

[Silver]

Congrats @herb1
Well done for persevering. Although I find the Crius has behaved well for me, its not easy to build your first coil as a dual and get it firing correctly.

Agree with @RichJB - check if the coils are touching the chimney or something they shouldnt be touching
Sometimes you cant really see it and its tricky to figure out. Especially with duals.

As for wicking you need to experiment with slightly thicker or slightly thinner amount of cotton till you find the best for that coil. I have found the Crius to be quite forgiving regarding how much is stuffed into the little channels. I tend to put a fair amount in there and havent had any problems. But i am vaping on fairly lowish power around 30Watts. With dual 28g coils around 0.5 ohms.

 

[herb1]

Ok, I'm bored with Power mode on the VTC mini
What modes can I use with the 26ga Kanthal?

 

[incredible_hullk]

Ok, I'm bored with Power mode on the VTC mini
What modes can I use with the 26ga Kanthal?

@herb1....kanthal can only be used in power mode

 

[herb1]

@herb1....kanthal can only be used in power mode

Thanks
So, I'd have to change to Clapton or something else to use TC modes

 

[incredible_hullk]

Thanks
So, I'd have to change to Clapton or something else to use TC modes

Yep...TC on SS or Nichrome only...havent played too much on claptons so I dont know if a kanthal core wrapped in stainless steel would work well in TC

If it does only downside is the SS outer will drag down overall resistance