Hi, I don’t have personal experience with this, but I’ve copied your comment to Gilbert and he gave some tips. I hope this helps until an experienced user comes along. Best regards 
Hi Angel31! 
I welcome the questioner too, although I see the topic has already popped up on the forum as well. I’ve reviewed the pictures and the description, and I have a few tips because this phenomenon is a typical “mesh disease”, but luckily it’s curable. 
The pictures show that the cotton has been brutally burned and darkened at one point. This can mean two things: either the mesh sheet doesn’t properly touch the cotton at one point (hotspot), or the liquid supply (wicking) is intermittent in that area.
Here are the points worth checking:
1. The most important: Cotton density
With mesh, the golden rule is: you need more cotton than you think. If the cotton doesn’t press against the mesh sheet over its entire surface, the metal overheats there and burns the cotton in moments (this is the source of ‘char flavour’).
- Tip: For the Wotofo Profile, it’s worth using the standard 6mm cotton, or if you use something else, pack it very densely. The cotton should almost “stretch” under the sheet.
2. Checking the spring-loaded ceramic post
In the Profile, there’s a spring-loaded element under the cotton that theoretically pushes it up against the mesh.
- Source of error: If this spring is weak, or the cotton gets jammed at the edges and doesn’t let the post rise, a gap will form.
- Solution: Check that the post moves freely, and don’t skimp on cotton in the middle.
3. That uneven heating…
If it doesn’t glow evenly from the center outwards when heated dry, it can mean two things:
- Contamination: Some grease from your finger or manufacturing residue remains. (It’s always worth dry-burning the mesh at low wattage – around 10-15W – after installation).
- Fixing: The ends of the mesh sheet aren’t properly, parallelly secured in the clamps. If one side is crooked, the resistance won’t be uniform.
4. The “Biggy Cactus” and the gunk
Sweet liquids (like cactus flavors often are) tend to bake onto the mesh faster. After 600 puffs, 3 days of gunk is unfortunately not rare with a sweet liquid, but such a drastically one-sided browning points more towards poor contact, not just the liquid.
In summary, what I recommend to the questioner:
- Remove the old setup, clean the deck.
- Install a new mesh sheet, ensuring it stands perfectly parallel.
- Dry-burn it at low wattage (around 15W) to see if it’s nicely even.
- When wicking, use a thicker strip, and don’t be afraid to “stuff” it under the sheet. Cut the edges at a 45-degree angle to maintain good liquid supply.
If there are still problems, it’s worth checking out this topic: Profile RDTA uncertainty, where the guys have already gone through similar ordeals. (Warning, the topic is older than 1 year, but physics hasn’t changed much since then! )
I hope I’ve helped you get started a bit! If you have more questions or new “doorbell camera” photos, feel free to share them! 
