Notes on a KF4 Clone

[atomised]

Today I are be mainly playing with an Infinite KF4 Clone from Fast Show err.. FastTech. (It's the same one I saw recommended on Ment's rather excellent Chinese Crackers site.)

It needed a damn sound degreasing to start with. When I disassembled it an O ring had split (the one that seals the square section in the base to stop liquid getting into the air intake.)
Fortunately a spare was provided.

I built a very standard Kayfun coil circa 1.5 ohm, 28 gauge, 8 or 9 turns around a 2.5mm Kuro coiler. Muji wick. Noticed the deck posts are very close to the chimney indeed. No sloppy wiring here please.

Opened the airflow right up and ... Fab! For a minute or two. Then gurgling.

Much head scratching later I found that the wretched replacement O ring was leaking juice into the air chamber; not much but just enough to make the airholes gurgle.

This time there was no replacement ring and none of my spares was exactly the right size. (Shock, horror! ) So I just reseated the thing.

So far so good and I've now turned the air down for mouth to lung hits without a gurgle.

And the flavour is not at all bad, excellent even. I just hope that O ring holds up for a year or two!

£17? Pretty good really and I haven't even looked at the bell end other bits that came with it.

 

[atomised]

So a bit more investigation on that O ring round the square section. (Number 16 on the supplied wallchart.)
The one supplied was 10 x 1 mm. It should have been 11 x 1.5mm. Apparently it's a known problem and causes leaking / gurgling.
Viton and/or nitrile replacements are available on fleabay (sealforce53 is the vendor I use). I ordered some nitriles.

Other notes:
The terminal post screws are OK but the heads are rounded underneath which encourages the kanthal to squeeze out when they're tightened. I shall replace them with M1.6x3 machine screws.

I recoiled and rewicked the thing as I was getting a faint monkey ass flavour (half way between raw VG and machine oil). This time I used circa 9 wraps 26 gauge kanthal around 2mm (~ 1 ohm) and lifted the coil a little more above the air hole. At 15W on an iStick 30 this has been good all afternoon. At 20W it gets a bit dry.

Whilst the O ring kit was out I fished out a 20 x 3mm and rolled it over the KF4 right to the bottom. It makes it much easier to grip the 510 ring so you can shut off the juice when you refill without having to take the whole thing off the mod.

I have the KF4 on an iStick 30 on my desk alongside a subtank 25mm on an iStick 50. Both have the same 50/50 juice. So far, I have been mostly reaching for the KF4. Read into that what you will!

 

[Aerovape Ltd]

Have you been squirting liquid on your o-rings before you tighten them up ? this will stop them from splitting and make the tightening up more smooth and easy and to undo.

 

[bellyman]

Have you been squirting liquid on your o-rings before you tighten them up ? this will stop them from splitting and make the tightening up more smooth and easy and to undo.

Will try that.

The 4 dumped another tank of fuel overnight so its been relegated for a few days.

 

[atomised]

Have you been squirting liquid on your o-rings before you tighten them up ? this will stop them from splitting and make the tightening up more smooth and easy and to undo.

Sure have! The troublesome O ring was broken straight out of the box.

 

[atomised]

Today I took the whole thing to pieces and soaked it in boiling water with some dishwasher powder to get rid of the last traces of "monkey ass". I then repositioned the coil much higher above the air hole, rewicked it and opened the air flow up a bit.

Finally I understand why the KF has a reputation for flavour! Very nice indeed; I'm glad I spent so much time on it.

 

[Blackhack]

To be honest, I think that most peoples problems with the K4s are down to user error and a new learning curve..
I've got four of them (all clones) and they all just work, construction quality is better on some than others, but eventually settled on the Infinites as the standard to work with........One (no name clone) was a bit of a pain in that it leaked a bit but soon sorted by stripping down, cleaning, and replacing the o'rings.

The K4 is a lot more technical to set up than other kayfuns, but once it's done right it's a cracking attomiser

 

[Malc6552]

Spot On

To be honest, I think that most peoples problems with the K4s are down to user error and a new learning curve..
I've got four of them (all clones) and they all just work, construction quality is better on some than others, but eventually settled on the Infinites as the standard to work with........One (no name clone) was a bit of a pain in that it leaked a bit but soon sorted by stripping down, cleaning, and replacing the o'rings.

The K4 is a lot more technical to set up than other kayfuns, but once it's done right it's a cracking attomiser

Couldn't agree with you more

 

[atomised]

To be honest, I think that most peoples problems with the K4s are down to user error and a new learning curve..
I've got four of them (all clones) and they all just work, construction quality is better on some than others, but eventually settled on the Infinites as the standard to work with........One (no name clone) was a bit of a pain in that it leaked a bit but soon sorted by stripping down, cleaning, and replacing the o'rings.

The K4 is a lot more technical to set up than other kayfuns, but once it's done right it's a cracking attomiser

I totally agree. I've now spent the evening with the KF4 and it really is a delight. Dare I say I really prefer it to my subtanks? Maybe it just suits my mouth to lung vaping style a bit more but, goodness, the flavour the thing produces is new to me. Refilling it is a joy now that all the threads have been worked smooth.

I have only one gripe at the moment. On my iStick 30, the resistance starts dancing all over the place sometimes. I have to twist the liquid control ring around a bit to quieten it down. I'm suspecting that silver(?) plated spring; but that's for tomorrow.

 

[Ment]

I totally agree. I've now spent the evening with the KF4 and it really is a delight. Dare I say I really prefer it to my subtanks? Maybe it just suits my mouth to lung vaping style a bit more but, goodness, the flavour the thing produces is new to me. Refilling it is a joy now that all the threads have been worked smooth.

I have only one gripe at the moment. On my iStick 30, the resistance starts dancing all over the place sometimes. I have to twist the liquid control ring around a bit to quieten it down. I'm suspecting that silver(?) plated spring; but that's for tomorrow.

Nice account mate, I'm gonna have to get some of those o-rings as I have the same problem with mine, and I've an Infinite on the way from FT.

Did you see this thread by tubbyengineer about resistance?

http://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/f.../60652-kayfun-4-resistance-stabilisation.html