Question on sub-ohm vaping and wattage

[LeonP2]

Hello everyone. I'm new to vaping and I recently purchased SMOK X-Priv mod with TFV12 Prince tank.

Q4 coil that comes preinstalled in TFV12 tank has 0.4 ohm and requires 40-100W range. Vape was little too hot for me (I was using MTL device before), so I was looking to buy a replacement coil that didn't require high wattage. I found M4 which has lower 30-70W range. However, it has 0.17 ohm. I thought lower ohm means it requires higher wattage. Why does M4, having lower resistance require more wattage than Q4?

Question 2: SMOK website says M4 is applicable to mechanical mod. Does that mean it works better on mechanical mods and it was not meant to be used in regulated mods?

 

[bombastinator]

I can only approach question 2 I’m afraid. Applicable means that you can theoretically do it not that it works well or better. I personally would only put a drop in coil on a mech at all if I was in a serious pinch

 

[sonicbomb]

You can vape either of those coils at any wattage you like best. The resistance of the coil has no bearing on how much power you choose to apply to it with a regulated mod. Lower resistance coils will often be made of heavier wire, that may need more power to light up.
Understanding the relationship between power and coil resistance | E-Cigarette Forum

You say you are looking for a low wattage setup, but the TFV12 is specifically designed for high wattage and big clouds.

As my bombastic colleague said, premade coils on a mechanical mod is generally a bad idea. Inconsistencies in manufacture may result in a shorted coil and a thoroughly bad day for you and yours.

 

[uthinkofsomething]

If you are used to mouth to lung, DL hitting is going to take some getting used to.... It's all about balance of airflow and heat. If it's too warm for you try lowering wattage and closing airflow a little. And shorter drags, should be like 1 and a half to 4 second pulls or it's gonna get hot. A key for me is at higher wattage you really need to bring in a lot of air, hit it hard and fast. A hard inhale with good airflow cools the coils and makes the vape cooler. Flavor is balanced in there too, more air will generally give you less flavor more cloud.

 

[uthinkofsomething]

Hello everyone. I'm new to vaping and I recently purchased SMOK X-Priv mod with TFV12 Prince tank.

Q4 coil that comes preinstalled in TFV12 tank has 0.4 ohm and requires 40-100W range. Vape was little too hot for me (I was using MTL device before), so I was looking to buy a replacement coil that didn't require high wattage. I found M4 which has lower 30-70W range. However, it has 0.17 ohm. I thought lower ohm means it requires higher wattage. Why does M4, having lower resistance require more wattage than Q4?

Question 2: SMOK website says M4 is applicable to mechanical mod. Does that mean it works better on mechanical mods and it was not meant to be used in regulated mods?

I think "applicable to a mech mod" would mean that it will work well at the output level most ppl get on a mech, a regulated box can have the same output but you have to find it.

 

[Steve Parry]

SMOK website says M4 is applicable to mechanical mod. Does that mean it works better on mechanical mods and it was not meant to be used in regulated mods?

No. I think what they're suggesting is that, factoring in voltage drop, .17 ohms is going to put you at roughly 70 watts on your average mech. Ymmv. For example, if you have a dual battery mech that is very efficient, you're going to be significantly over 70 watts on that mech with that coil. So let me take the liberty to rephrase that for them. If you intend to use that tank on a mech, that is the coil you should use.

No coil will perform better on a mech, since it's direct output, and as such you can't dial in the best setting for your preference. If you're experienced with mechs, use an ohm meter of some kind, and use some common sense you can use a prebuilt coil on a mech mod, but it's not the preferred option. Your regulated mod will give you a better vape on that coil.

 

[stols001]

Just experiment with the coils and wattage, manufacturer recommendations are just that "recommendations." You may find yourself liking the vape far more at a slightly lower wattage than recommended, even. I wouldn't go above it, that tends to shorten coil life.

If you are looking for a "true" MTL experience, well, you can experiment with coils but that doesn't change the fact that airflow and drip tip are probably set up for DL vaping, so you probably won't get the same kind of "draw" that you would with a MTL tank. MTL is not "all about wattage" many other factors come into play. If you truly would like to have full MTL experience I would suggest a tank dedicated to that endeavor. You can still use your larger box mod, and if you like the vape, you can just enjoy your wildly increased battery life.

MTL tanks that are inexpensive and drop in coils:
Nautilus 2
Ijoy Elf (has proprietary coils also accepts N2 coils)
Joytech Ego Mega V2 (requires purchasing the coils separately, you need the Joytech CLR coils specifically, and the make a 1.0 and a 0.5 coil, you may enjoy the latter). The coils can be rewicked and rebuilt easily too, so you may find you enjoy changing the resistance of the coil some). Flavor monsters of coils and they get great longevity too.
The Innoken Zenith tank (1.6 resistance coils and 0.8 coils) 4 ml capacity. The 0.8 coil is said to be a flavor monster right out of the gate, the 1.6 coil does have a break in period of about 2 tankfuls). Coils aren't the cheapest, but they also have good longevity, and nice flavor, also 4 mll capacity. Really nice solid, well constructed tank that has a nice topfill system and is easy to use.

Best of luck,

Anna

 

[Baditude]

Sounds like you're looking for a tank that uses higher resistance coils that are more applicable for a tighter mouth-to-lung (MTL) experience and doesn't require as much wattage. I recommend the original Uwell Crown clearomizer tank. It has coils ranging from 0.15 ohm up to 1.25 ohm. It has a ratcheted air control ring that adjusts from a MTL draw up to a wide open DTL (direct lung) draw. Probably one of the most versatile tanks on the market.

• 0.15 ohm Dual Ni200 Nickel Uwell Crown Sub-Ohm Coil - 400 to 600 Degrees Fahrenheit
• 0.25 ohm Dual Stainless Steel Uwell Crown Sub-Ohm Coil - 80 to 120W
• 0.5 ohm Dual Stainless Steel Uwell Crown Sub-Ohm Coil - 30 to 80W
• 1.2 ohm Single Stainless Steel Uwell Crown Coil - 10 to 30W

You can find my review (no association with the manufacturer) here: Tanks & RDA's Ratings & Explanations

@LeonP2 You have a variable wattage regulated mod. The best feature it has going is that you can use any tank and any coil resistance; you just set the appropriate wattage to match the coil you use.

 

[LeonP2]

Thank you all for very helpful replies. It sounds like 2 different coils having the same resistance (let's say 0.2 ohm) may work differently based on thickness / type of the wire, number of wires, number of wraps, etc. and may require different wattage for the same desired vapor output and flavor. Let's say for coil A, I find it best at 40W. For coil B, I find the same best results with 80W. My vaping experience will be the same on both settings. Does it mean with coil B with 80W, other than wasting more battery, am I also using up more e-liquid and also get more nicotine for the same number and length of pulls, compared to coil A with 40W? Or is it unlikely I will get same amount of vapor production using only 40W no matter which coil I use?

 

[Steve Parry]

It's hard to accurately measure things like nicotine consumption and vapor production, and 80 watts to 40 is a pretty wide gap. Let me give you a practical example.

I have a tank I was running on a DNA 200. I built dual coils, 22 gauge Kanthal with a 4mm inner diameter, .20 ohms, and vaped it at 80 watts. I decided to move it to a single battery mod, so 80 watts wasn't practical. So, I rebuilt it with the same wire, but dropped to a 3mm inner diameter and added a wrap. Now, it measures at .22 ohms and Vapes about the same at 60 watts as it did at 80 with the old build.

It's basically the same coil, just a little thinner and longer, and it gives you a much different vape.

 

[BrotherBob]

Hello everyone. I'm new to vaping

Welcome and glad you joined.
The information below may help you to approach vaping on the right foot.
Haptic Habit
A Word On Vaping Technique | Nicoticket
frequently_asked_questions - electronic_cigarette
Buying and Using an Electronic Cigarette: A Primer
Visual Learning - Beginner's guide to vaping • r/electronic_cigarette
Guide: The Beginners Guide to Vaping | onVaping