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Building On The GeekVape Zeus Dual RTA?

vuJim

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I just built and juiced my new Zeus Dual. The coils came out nicely, if I do say so myself, but I must've gotten the wicking wrong because it's dry-hitting like nothing I've ever experienced before at a lowly 50W. *cough* *gag*

The coils are 2.5mm, six turns of 24 ga., coming out to 0.22 ohms for the pair. They lit properly & evenly when I tested them before wicking.

I wonder if it was this RTA one of the reviewers noted it was vitally important not to over-stuff the juice wells? That the cotton should not reach the bottoms? If so: I may have over-stuffed them. They didn't seem over-stuffed, but maybe they are.

Zeus_Dual_1st_Build.JPG
 

vuJim

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That was it. Too much cotton and too far into the juice wells. Tried to save the wicks I had by trimming them and got it better, but was still getting dry hits. Decided the cotton had become compressed and there was no saving those wicks. Pulled 'em and started all over with a bit less cotton, combing it out to reduce density going into the juice wells, and getting it so the cotton didn't quite want to stay in the wells. Saturated the wicks and poked them gently into the juice wells. Cotton's still breaking in, but no more try hits
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This video by @MF_Vape shows you how it's done: Geek Vape Zeus Dual Coil RTA - My Favorite Dual Coil RTA? - Build & Wick - Mike Vapes. Thanks, Mike!
 

Pastorfuzz

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Good to know. I have one of these tanks but haven't used it yet.
Maybe try it out tonite
 

vuJim

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Let us know how it works out for you. I think I'm very close, but still not quite there. They needed to allow just a bit >< more wiggle room in the channels leading down to the juice wells, IMO.

ETA: So here's where I'm at: At 55W this tank is supplying copious vapour w/o dry hits unless I try to chain-vape it. Then I get a bit of a dry hit near the end of a pull. Note I do long pulls: Often three seconds or more. At 58W I detect a bit of a dry hit near the end of a vape. At 60W I definitely dry hit at the end.
 
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Nexcron

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What i did with the zeus dual and zeus x is to take the cotton leads into the juice well and making sure they are sticking out at the bottom and then snipping the ends of the cotton leads. And if i didn't get all of the leads then i would pull the cotton out and then snip them just a tiny titty bitty inch. Hope this was helpful. This way i didnt get any dry hits or anything and could chain vape the damn thing :)
 

vuJim

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@Nexcron, what kind of coils are you using in your Zeus Dual and how tightly do you wick the coils?
 

Nexcron

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@Nexcron, what kind of coils are you using in your Zeus Dual and how tightly do you wick the coils?

I use just enough cotton so its a perfect tolerance inside the coils. And the coils themself are some alien 3.0mm ID ohming at .20


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vuJim

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I use just enough cotton so its a perfect tolerance inside the coils.
So just a tiny little >< bit of resistance as you pull the cotton through, as opposed to so much it actually pulls on the coils?
 

nadalama

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The second time I wicked my VV Berserker, it was like this. I kept getting dry hits, had to eventually thin the cotton down so thin that I could not believe enough juice would make it up to the coil. In a million years I'd never have believed that wicking would work, but it did, and it has for weeks since.

Sometimes you have to go against what your brain is telling you. Doesn't seem to make sense, but if it works, then I guess it does after all. I shake my head every time I think of it.

By the way, after I'd wicked my single-coil Zeus a dozen times, I got hold of a dual-coil, set it up, and gave it to my son. I expected him to rave about it, and he said, Mom, I get dry hits from it all the time. Can't vape it.

I have never gotten the thing back from him to give it another try, but his experience bears out what you've said. The right wicking method for a dual is obviously quite different from a single in the Zeus. Maybe even think about thinning the tails down some after you have the cotton tension right inside the coils themselves.
 

vuJim

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Maybe even think about thinning the tails down some after you have the cotton tension right inside the coils themselves.
I think I may have that part right, now. My gut is telling me I may have too much cotton in the coils, themselves.
 

vuJim

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I think I may have that part right, now. My gut is telling me I may have too much cotton in the coils, themselves.
Yes
Nailed it!

Pulled the wicks, washed everything up, burned the coils clean and re-wicked. This time used only enough cotton such that it was just gently compressed going through the coils. With so little cotton, I didn't even need to thin it out going into the juice wells. Trimmed it so it just barely stayed in the juice wells. Primed the cotton, put it together, filled it.

Was up to 60W (which was too much, for me) and no dry hits. It vapes really nicely at 55W. Just a little warm. Spits a little bit when first firing, then settles right down.

Btw: For cotton I'm using the cotton coil stuff from Sally Beauty, as recommended by @The Cromwell. Wicks great and breaks in really fast. In fact: This time there was no cotton taste at all, right out of the gate. Am vaping Killer Kustard Strawberry.

Thanks for the help, @Nexcron!
 

vuJim

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Correction to my earlier comments: If I chain-vape at 55W it will dry hit on the second drag. Drop it down to 53W and that goes away. So next time I'll take your other hint, @Nexcron, and let the cotton extend a bit >< further into the juice wells. But it's vastly improved over my earlier attempts, that's for sure!
 

Nexcron

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Correction to my earlier comments: If I chain-vape at 55W it will dry hit on the second drag. Drop it down to 53W and that goes away. So next time I'll take your other hint, @Nexcron, and let the cotton extend a bit >< further into the juice wells. But it's vastly improved over my earlier attempts, that's for sure!


What you also can do is soak your cotton since cotton expands when wet. and then snip the ends of the leads sticking out of the bottom.

As i said over here. If you dont get it all then pull the cotton out of the well and snip it just a tiny bit.
 

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