Help with building clapton coils

[bluejay84]

Hi everyone, with the advice from a local shop I built a 24ga kanthal with a 28ga ss316l wrap. It's at .66 ohms. It's taking a lot to ramp it up and quite warm/hot. I'm running an ipower 80 with a merlin single coil rta.
Any recommendations to what I can use to build a higher resistance Clapton that won't require high wattage that drains my battery so fast and doesn't take so much time to ramp up?
Also should I stick to kanthal only ? Was told ss316 has a smoother taste to it?
Thank you in advance

 

[SteveS45]

Always keep in mind the metal mass when your building. Others will be along shortly to give you so much information your head will hurt! Fear Not!

Good Luck and vape Safe

 

[bluejay84]

Yeah after thinking it over I was now thinking of maybe doing a 28ga 316 core with a 38ga 316 wrap

 

[Eskie]

If you're new to building Claptons, a 38G wrap might be a bit tough. Maybe a 26 or 28G core and a 32G wrap for practice. If you intend to use the Clapton in temp control, the core should be SS.

 

[SteveS45]

@Eskie what do recommend for the outer wrap what wire or metal? I did SS316L inner and outer my SS Claptons last time.

 

[bluejay84]

If you're new to building Claptons, a 38G wrap might be a bit tough. Maybe a 26 or 28G core and a 32G wrap for practice. If you intend to use the Clapton in temp control, the core should be SS.

OK what about the outer? Can I use Kanthal or does that have to be ss as well?

 

[Eskie]

I just use SS inner and outer. Some folks like nichrome for the outer, especially with fancier Claptons because of the different colors that will develop when dry burning them.

OK what about the outer? Can I use Kanthal or does that have to be ss as well?

You can use Kanthal on the outside. There are all sorts of issues relating to heat transfer and flux depending on the metal chosen, so it can become a complicated thermodynamic discussion. The inner core wire heats the external thinner wrap wire. You want efficient transfer and rapid heating of the outer wire for performance sake. Outside of those theoretically modeling for coil behavior, I just go with what's easy. I have lots of 316L on hand for building and that's what I stick to for consistency between my builds.

If I were doing high end super fancy coils for competition judging or something I'm sure I'd get into that. I'm just happy if the resistance is OK and my vape is warm. I'm also happy if the Clapton actually turns out OK. I don't have swivels, so anything more involved just ends up being a disaster for me.