VAPE COILS EXPLAINED: TYPES AND COMPONENTS
What Do Coils Do in a Vape?
If you’re new to vaping or just looking to expand your knowledge, learning about coils is an absolute must. While a ton of factors influence the flavor and vapor production of your vaping experience, few things matter more than your selection of coils. This consideration is so important, in fact, that it’s strongly recommended you learn about various coils and their pros and cons before picking up a vape. Most tanks are only compatible with certain types of coils and you’d be wasting money if you buy an excellent tank that just doesn’t happen to work with your preferred coils.
What is Vape Coil Made of?
Before we get into the details of all the various types of coils, let’s cover the basic elements of a vape coil. The variables to consider when looking at vape coils are the wire material, resistance, and the shape or style of the coil. Each of these components is combined in any given coil to provide it with its unique profile and affect its tank compatibility, ramp-up, flavor production, vapor production, and style of vaping (i.e. DTL or MTL).
What are Vape Coils?
Essentially, your vaping device won't produce any vapor if you don't acquire any vape coils to begin with. This is because a vape coil is an element in charge of providing temperature that properly heats the e-juice in the vape device to provide you with much-needed vapor.
Coils for vape devices are just small wires that are spirally twisted all over a wicking material. You may not notice them, but vape coils are what bring your device to full throttle when you're indulging in vaping sessions. Every vape coil is secured correctly by a vaping accessory called the atomizer head, which in turn, is the coil that connects both the negative and positive poles from your vape battery.
While vaping, the wick surrounding the coil is generally soaked in the e-juice. When turned on, the battery works by heating the coil while vaporizing the e-juice inside. When it's all heated up, the vapor moves straight into the clearomizer and arrives at the inhalation point of your device (the mouthpiece). The wiring of a vape coil is composed of heat-resistant and conduction materials, usually stainless steel.
How Much Do Vape Coils Cost?
Since vape coils are small, you shouldn't expect to pay lots of cash when you're looking to purchase one. However, remember that even though a vape coil is a tiny constituent of any vape device, it is critical for your vaping device to function as it should. You can buy vape coils at a fair price of $10. But, if you want some quality vape replacement coils, you can expect to pay up to $25, maybe even $30. So, vape coils will cost you from 10$ to 30$, perhaps even less or more depending on whether you're using a vape pen, vape pod, or mod.
Materials
Materials used in the construction of vape coils include Kanthal, Nichrome, Stainless steel, Nickel, and Titanium. There are, of course, other options, but these are by far the most popular. Each of these materials has its own properties and is compatible with either Power Mode, Temperature Control Mode, or both.
(For those using pre-made coils in simpler vape devices, you can disregard the TC vs. Power Mode distinction as many basic vapes do not include these options)
·Kanthal – The original coil material, is malleable, easy to work with, and works only with Power Mode.
·Nichrome – An alternative to Kanthal, Nichrome is arguably more flavorful than Kanthal with a quicker ramp-up time. On the other hand, it is prone to burning and melting more easily. Also only useable in Power Mode.
·Stainless Steel – The most versatile option, stainless steel works in both Temperature Control and Power Mode. It’s also known for its durability and longevity.
·Nickel – Only works with Temperature Control, nickel is a very soft metal providing the quickest ramp-up time and excellent flavor. On the down side, it’s softness can make it hard to work with.
·Titanium – The most expensive wire option, this is also only compatible with Temperature Control. It can be highly flammable and has some general health and safety concerns regarding its use, but it is one of the only options for those with severe nickel allergies.
Resistance
Resistance (measured in ohms) is a measure of how much the wire reduces, or “resists”, the amount of electrical current flowing through it. The higher the resistance of a coil, the less vapor production you’re going to get. Resistance also affects the style of vaping for which a coil is suitable. Sub-ohm vaping is generally considered the territory of direct-to-lung vaping, while resistances above one ohm is typically used with mouth-to-lung vaping.
Each of the factors discussed in this article impact the resistance of a coil. For instance, higher gauge wires are thinner and have a higher resistance. With these higher resistance options, you will need less power, use less e-juice, and improve the life of your battery. On the other hand, you will typically get a cooler vape with smaller clouds from high-resistance setups. As with all things involving coils, resistance levels are largely a matter of preference.
Vape Coils Types
Whether you’re looking to do it yourself or buy pre-made coils, it pays to know the different styles of coil available to you. These shapes can get a bit complicated, particularly if you’re looking to create them yourself. There’s a ton of resources and YouTube videos available to provide in-depth guidance if you choose to go that route; we’ll be keeping things a bit more surface-level with our summaries here.
For DIY vapers, we’ll be using a difficulty rating between 1 – 10 with 10 being master level difficulty and 1 being entry-level. If you’re buying pre-mades, feel free to disregard this info and don’t let it confuse you.
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There are a bunch of vape coil types you ought to know about before you go ahead and purchase one. First of all, vape coils are made from different materials: stainless steel, titanium, nickel, kanthal (an alloy of 3 metals), and nichrome. As for the types of coils, let's see what sorts of replacement coils are.
Vertical Vape Coils
The most common coil kinds are the vertical ones. They are just a single wire wrapping in the form of a coil that runs from the base to the utmost top of the metal case. Naturally, the wicks are looped around the coil itself, allowing air to flow into the center of the coil wire.
Double Vape Coils
The basics for the double, or dual, vape coils is that they function very similarly to the vertical vape coils, but with 2 coil wires rather than just a single one, generally placed beside each other. It's simple: the more coil wires, the more vapor your device has.
Triple Vape Coils
These vape coils have the same reasoning as the vertical and double vape coils but with 3 coil wires. They have a lot more surface area to work with; they're sub-ohm types and generate more vapor.
Multiple Vape Coils
These are the types of coils with more than 3 coil wires, available up to 8 of them in total. Sub-ohm, with a large surface area to work with, will generate gigantic vapor clouds. Multiple vape coils are the best vape coils for sale if you want a Direct Lung (DL) vape device.
wisted Vape Coils
Each coil type we've discussed up until now has been made from a single thread of wire, whereas the twisted coil is made from many threads of wire, wrapped and twisted into the coil itself.
Mesh Vape Coils Technically speaking, these are vape coils that incorporate wire but not in a traditional sense since they resemble bits of mesh with little pores. These coils might be more resistant than sub-ohm types and are perfect for getting some sweet flavors.
Net Vape Coils
It is comparable to mesh vape coils incorporating slightly larger pores to give them a more fish-net appearance. They have a great surface area and are ideal for outstanding flavors.
Closing Words on Vaping Coils
While coils are arguably the most important consideration when vaping, there’s a couple things to keep in mind. First, nothing here is black and white. Which coils you enjoy is always going to be a matter of preference – that’s why there are so many different kinds to begin with! Second, a lot of the criteria and terms used to discuss coils can only really be grasped through trial and error. That is to say, you’re going to have to experiment to figure out which coils work best for you. For example, you may not really understand what’s meant by “a cool vape” vs. “a warm vape” or which of those you’d prefer until you try it.
So don’t be afraid to try a bunch of different vapes and coils and figure out your own personal sweet spot! Experimentation is one of the many joys of vaping, especially in the current, rapidly-advancing state of vaping.
When To Change a Vape Coil & How To Do It?
It's not hard to know when your vape coil needs changing since they aren't manufactured to last you a lifetime. Knowing when you need to change the coil depends on how much you use your vaping device. Approximately from a single week to 4 weeks and up to a month at maximum, the vape coil needs to be replaced.
Changing the coil is quite simple. First, you need to take apart your vaping device (look for the manual for detailed instructions). Then, drain the tank of any leftover e-liquid. After that, soak your vape coils with the new e-liquids (3 to 4 drops should be enough), so they won't burn out.
Now, substitute the previous coil with a new one by unscrewing the older one. Finally, when you screw the new one in place, fill your tank with the e-liquid at hand and just properly reconnect the device. Voila, you're all set and done!
Signs That Your Vape Coil Needs To Be Replaced
It's really easy to spot when your vape coil actually needs changing. There are some things that even inexperienced vapers will get a glimpse of. For instance, if you have less vapor production, a bad, burning flavor in your mouth, or a nasty-tasting e-liquid, you can be sure that your vape coil needs a replacement.
Other things to note are whether your vape device starts to leak and if it makes somewhat of a "gurgling" sound while you're inhaling. Don't forget to clean your vape device so you won't get confused if it's the coil that needs replacing.
Vape Coils Shopping Tips
If you want to buy only the best vape coils from an online vape shop, just visit ProVape, and your worries will diminish. But, before you visit Olofly, we have some special shopping tips regarding vape coils and how you can choose the best-suited coil for your needs.
First, you need to choose what type of coil you need. The most common and regular coils are vertical ones. But if you have a vape mod or a pod that produces a lot more vapor than, let's say, a vape pen, you ought to buy the dual, triple, or even multiple vape wire coils for massive vapor clouds.
If you replace your coils regularly, buying more than a single vape coil is more appropriate, so you won't have to go back to the shop repeatedly. Finally, you should purchase high-quality coils even though they might be more expensive since they'll last you for more vaping sessions.
Additional FAQ:
How To Clean Your Vape Coil?
First of all, put the coil in ethanol or vinegar for a couple of hours. After that, rinse it with water and again with distilled water. Blow a little air in your coil's open end and let the water evaporate. Your coil will be squeaky clean.
How Long Do Vape Coils Last?
Typically, a vape coil will last you for 1 week up to a whole month, depending on how frequently you use your vaping device.
Can Vaping With a Burnt Coil Hurt You?
Burnt coils can harm your health if you inhale some particles that might catch on while you're vaping. These can cause specific allergies or even be toxic.
Is It Bad To Vape on a Burnt Coil?
It's not great to vape from a brunt coil since it may damage your health. On top of that, you will get minimal amounts of vapor if you use a burnt coil, and you may even clog or damage the vape device.
How Long Should You Let a New Vape Coil Soak Before Using It?
You won't have to let your vape coil soak for hours. From 5 to 15 minutes should be enough so your coil will soak up all of the juice from the e-liquid, avoiding a total burn-out.
How To Fix a Burnt Coil?
You should initially remove the burnt coil from the atomizer head and the wick carefully. Drowse the coil in hot water and let it sit there for 5 to 10 minutes. After that, remove your coil from the bowl of hot water and place it in a bowl of cold water to eliminate any stuck debris in the coil. Finally, carefully clean the coil in a solution with vinegar and hot water, and you're all set.