microcoils vs ribbon wire

[vapo jam]

i've never tried building a microcoil, but a lot of people seem to rave about them. do they have any major benefits over ribbon wire? my understanding is that both work on the same basic principle (ie, more surface area in contact with the wick in order to vaporize more juice).

i'm pretty familiar with ribbon wire - would i notice any drastic differences to vape quality if i used microcoils instead?

 

[Statistic]

I think ribbon wire stinks. Not literally, figuratively. It was fun to play with for a minute and it's real novel but the vape qualities of it were underwhelming. Especially compared to how a 26g .6 - .8 ohm cotton stuft micro performs

If you like vaping with ribbon give micros a good try. Be careful though.. they may just blow your mind.

 

[vapo jam]

thanks for the reply! how many wraps of 26 awg do you use to get .6-.8 ohms? i guess my impression was that people typically go for higher-resistance microcoils, but a sub-ohm micro sounds very intriguing...

 

[Statistic]

Start with 12 tight wraps around a 1/16" drill bit. If that doesn't cut it for you then pull a wrap off and try it again.

It is REALLY easy to use too much cotton, really easy, which makes for a pretty flavorless and unenjoyable experience.

Also... join the discussion in the micro coil thread.

 

[Lavaca5]

I've been using microcoils with cotton for dripping, and it really is the best vape I've ever had. I'm waiting on some 28g Kanthal - I've been using 30 and I usually end up with a 2.5 or 2.6 ohm coil. That's not unreasonable, but I only really enjoy them on my Provari and I only have one of those so I have to keep switching atomizers (I "suffer" from juice-ADD ). I still like the ribbon wire for my genesis-style attys, though.

 

[vapo jam]

thanks! think i'll try one out. i've been reading through the microcoil discussion, but i couldn't find any direct comparisons between them and ribbon wire. my gut instinct was that they'd be similar, but it sounds like micros are a completely different animal.

 

[Rmcgloth]

thanks! think i'll try one out. i've been reading through the microcoil discussion, but i couldn't find any direct comparisons between them and ribbon wire. my gut instinct was that they'd be similar, but it sounds like micros are a completely different animal.

They are a different experience. I currently have a 5-6 kanthal .08 ribbon on my cobra that rocks! It is violent! The 6-7 micro in my aga2 is a quiet performer. No drama, just a steady, even vape. I love them both, for different reasons. For the aga, it just makes vapor in decent quantity, no noise or fuss. The ribbon goes Wrarw, Wrarw, and fills my mouth with vapor. Good taste from both, but brighter with the ribbon, subtle with the micro.

 

[Zak Rabbit]

Didn't someone in the micro-coil thread make a micro using ribbon?

 

[CloudZ]

Didn't someone in the micro-coil thread make a micro using ribbon?

Probably, there are a zillion variations and everyone says their personal version is the best vape ever experienced.

They are a different experience. I currently have a 5-6 kanthal .08 ribbon on my cobra that rocks! It is violent! The 6-7 micro in my aga2 is a quiet performer. No drama, just a steady, even vape. I love them both, for different reasons. For the aga, it just makes vapor in decent quantity, no noise or fuss. The ribbon goes Wrarw, Wrarw, and fills my mouth with vapor. Good taste from both, but brighter with the ribbon, subtle with the micro.

Yes, micro's give a smooth consistent vape. I feel they function a bit better than a spaced out coil of the same wire and resistance, but the high ohm ones noticeably lack the oomph of a sub-ohm coil. The sub-ohm micros are intriguing, but you pretty much need 26 gauge to pull it off.

As you say, ribbon wire vapes violently, you can tell there is a wide spread of droplet sizes being inhaled. It is warmer than equivalent round wire as well.

 

[dimline51]

Can you say me what materials is neccessary to realise a Micro coils?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Seames5]

I've made a microcoil aroung the leg of a paperclip with ribbon wire. Can't remember how many wraps it was, but measured .8 ohm. It was no better or worse than coils i do with 28 gauge wire of same resistance. A little harder to get it wicked. Just haven't bothered trying it again.

 

[TheSystemHasFailed]

Depends on the ribbon thickness.
Usually the regularly available ribbon is 0.5...I use 0.7, and there is nothing weak about it.
SS mesh with a piece of 3mm silica inside. 1.0 on an AGI. Launches flavor/vapor.

 

[vapo jam]

well, the next couple weeks could be interesting... just ordered a vho helios, but i generally prefer to stay at or above 0.5 ohms, and i just had this awful, awful idea...

i'm thinking quad 2 ohm microcoils (for 0.5 ohm overall)... is that crazy? the helios looks like it's really easy to set up dual-coils on, but it's obviously made for quads. like i said above, i prefer not to fry my face off, so i was going to pick up some 32-34 gauge wire or some thinner ribbon (i usually use 0.8mm), but i think this might be a good opportunity to try out a few micros.

 

[Itsdbcooper]

Use 30 gauge wire at least, if not 28. I have a 12 wrap micro made by wrapping on 2mm hollow ekowool with a paper clip in the center and it measures like 2.6 ohms. That's sounds awesome though. The only thing I've found is the ramp up/down time is longer on a micro coil.

 

[vapo jam]

Use 30 gauge wire at least, if not 28. I have a 12 wrap micro made by wrapping on 2mm hollow ekowool with a paper clip in the center and it measures like 2.6 ohms. That's sounds awesome though. The only thing I've found is the ramp up/down time is longer on a micro coil.

cool, thanks for the advice! didn't realize i'd have to use wire that big - i ordered some 3mm ekowool along with the atomizer, so i guess i'll try wrapping a coil with 28 gauge first to see if that gets me around 2 ohms.

 

[EagleTa2]

Didn't someone in the micro-coil thread make a micro using ribbon?

I did one just to try it out...results were OK, but not as awesome as the 29ga coil I am using now.
I've tried twisted 31 and that was OK...but the best gaping micro coil I have had so far has been single wire



Thanks
Geo

 

[CloudZ]

cool, thanks for the advice! didn't realize i'd have to use wire that big - i ordered some 3mm ekowool along with the atomizer, so i guess i'll try wrapping a coil with 28 gauge first to see if that gets me around 2 ohms.

With 28 gauge, you'll probably want to keep resistance below 1.5 ohms in a microcoil. You can try higher, but I have found that it just doesn't get hot enough. I had a 1.2 ohm micro (1/16" ID, 8 or 9 wraps) of 28 gauge that worked alright, but I still prefer a 0.8 ohm normal coil with 28 gauge. Or around 1 ohm with 0.1 x 0.8mm ribbon. Actually, I am running 7 wrap micros of 30 gauge in a dual coil and it is working pretty well. Interestingly enough, they each are 1.6 ohms which makes 0.8 ohms in parallel.

I really wish I could get a 1.5+ ohm micro that I liked as much as the sub-ohms, it would just be easier on my batteries. I've experimented a lot and thrown out a lot of wire trying to get it, but no dice for now.