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Merlin Mini - anti-leaking tips?

monsterlove

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
I got a merlin mini today and it is a beautiful little thing. I decided to try it mtl as best I can as I've never done that before, so I installed the smallest air hole widget, did 9.5 wraps SS316l (0.5 ohms) 3.5mm diameter, and then looked up a youtube tutorial for wicking. The wicking went against what I thought was right, I used a 5mm strip or so of muji cotton and pulled it through. There was barely any resistance in the coil and it didn't seem to pack those wick holes. Anyway, I start to use it, and I' enjoying the tight vape, it's different, but I notice the atomizer is getting a little warm. I turn down the wattage to something like 10 to see how that is and there's no vapour so I go back to 20 but there's now a gurgling sound. I figured maybe I could vape it off but then it just pissed juice out of the airflow.

This is the 3rd RBA I've used, I also have a troll v2 and an obs engine nano. No need to worry about leaks there! But this is obviously a little different. I think the wick technique I used sucked, and I'd just like some input from you guys. For instance, is my coil build okay? How should I wick? Are my ohms too low for mtl (I read another mtl'er recommend this build)?

Other things to note, I had the 'juice flow control' open (which makes me a little uncomfortable it's just unscrewing the tank isn't it), and the airflow was fully open.

EDT: rewicked it to what I thought was best, maybe 10mm or so of muji, good amount of resistance through the coil. Tucked it into the wells gradually, bottom to top until it was all in there. So far so good. I am tentatively vaping with a roll of toilet paper in my other hand lol

Still would appreciate some solid tips. I don't want to be scared of this thing ruining my mod or I'll never use it, let alone leave the house with it. What's the proper usage of the 'juice flow' for instance? Is there a certain way to fill it? Certain time to open or close the juice flow? Do you often experience leaks or do you have the wicking down? What's your technique?
 
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monsterlove

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Also, the tank still gets pretty warm. I am taking long puffs as the draw is so tight, but I'm wondering is it supposed to get so warm? Is it because my ohms are too low? Because the airflow is so restricted in combination with the lowish ohms? My engine nano barely gets warm at 0.4ohms but then I have the airflow wide open with that.

I could use 28g SS316l, 9.5 wraps, 3.5mm diameter and get about 1.2 ohms. Would that be better for the mtl I want?
 

Justin89

Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
The Merlin mini doesn't have juice flow control. Always close off the airflow when filling to avoid it pissing . For mtl I tend to keep my tails kinda thick.
 

vapemesilly

Member For 4 Years
I have the Merlin and made the same mistake of opening the holes but by doing so was loosening the tank and it leaked like a sieve. Tighten the tank like you should and it will stop leaking. Those holes don't need to be open.
 

Briandesimone

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I open the holes in mine and it doesn't leak. It might be in my head but it seems like I get better flavor that way.

Sent from my SM-S120VL using Tapatalk
 

monsterlove

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
I built another coil yesterday and rewicked it. I did a spaced 3.5mm ID, 28g SS316L, 9ish wraps, 1.1ohms. Used a good amount of cotton. No leaking, plenty of vapour. Better. Still got the smallest restrictor installed, experimenting with airflow but mainly 3/4 closed.

I have to say though, flavour wise, this isn't doing it. People always talk about the Merlin Mini as the flavour tank so I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong. My baby beast kills this for flavour so far.

I've also been switching between TC and wattage. Power mode gives me a much, much warmer and better vape at 20ish watts. In TC it feels kinda weak, and cool. I have it at 420F (so it doesn't dry hit, I haven't gone higher than 450F) with a 20 watt ramp (I read the ramp up should be the same as you use in power mode). In TC the tank gets very warm, but the vape never gives that instant, full mouth heat that I get in power mode.

I'm thinking that the flavour is dull for a few reasons. 1. my coil diameter is too big (not sure why that matters for flavour but I read better flavour in mtl = smaller ID) 2. my wicking is too tight is the coil and juice cups. If it's not one of those reasons then I just don't know. Vaping a juice in this and then the same juice in the baby beast is like night and day difference.
 

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