spaced vs compressed coils
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I believe it has to do with wicking. The standard (spaced) coils will wick thicker juices better. I could be wrong though thats just how I have always built.
I didn't factor in juice viscosity. Seems spaced would allow thicker juices to saturate the cotton better. I will have to do some experimentation.
Microcoils (compressed so the loops touch one another) have less chance to develop "hot spots" or shorts.
Open or spaced out coils have the potential to have one loop of the coil to burn hotter than the rest (a hot spot or short). When vaping, the goal is to avoid shorts at all costs to protect the battery, the mod, and the vaper from a catastrophe.
Open or spaced out coils have the potential to have one loop of the coil to burn hotter than the rest (a hot spot or short). When vaping, the goal is to avoid shorts at all costs to protect the battery, the mod, and the vaper from a catastrophe.
How so? From theoretical point of view it is the compressed coil that can easier to develop shorts.
News to me! Thanks for the tip. Though I've only been doing spaced coils on ni200 builds because I just can't seem to make a contact coil work right for temp control.
With 32 ga wire there is more chance of crossed wire hotspots with tight coils. I think you get more vapor with spaced coils too.
^^^^ Even more reason to use tensioned micro coils ----->>>>http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/coil-builds/633436-tensioned-micro-coils-next-step.html
Tip: much easier to compress the wires on 24 gauge and lower than 26 and over. Compressing the coil(s) makes for more of an even burn or the coil(s) heat up faster. Plus the resistance will read much lower on the ohm tester if the coil(s) are compressed.
I have trouble with dry hits on a spaced coil...but interestingly enough I don't have as many problems with cotton burning on a spaced coil...
FYI I'm using a Kanger Subtank Mini and I know it can be difficult to wick properly, so it might be user error on my part and have nothing to do with the coil.
FYI I'm using a Kanger Subtank Mini and I know it can be difficult to wick properly, so it might be user error on my part and have nothing to do with the coil.
In realty it doesn't make much of a difference. They won't short if they are touching because of the coating of the wires. These problems come from the gauge of the wire, I have been rebuilding for years and I just wrap it tight spaced. You shouldn't be compressing, but wrapping it in the final configuration you want. If you want it tight, then wrap it tight, don't do a loose wrap and then compress it. Viscosity and wick medium are all important. Also VG will give better clouds and you can thin it with some DW, but also, we need to look at semantics: loose wrapped coil and loose spaced coil are different. If you choke off the wick with tight winding, then you will get dry hits, so it is not so much about spacing than it is about loose or tight around the wick. Spacing doesn't matter if you are going to cut off the flow.
Y'all got me really confused with this....
I've watched a number of videos and read lots of different opinions on this. I look at my Kanger OCCs, and they are spaced. I build my PT2 heads as tensioned microcoils. I'd read a number of times throughout ECF that spaced coils "spread out" the heating so that "more surface area" is available to vaporize the juice.
Agreed that you shouldn't choke the wick. I typically wick with cotton, and looser is better (for me) in that as the cotton expands with juice, the flow is less likely to get cut off. When I first started playing with my kayfuns, I'd already been building my PT2 heads on a 1/16" drill bit (30g.) That works marvelously well in those heads. However, for me to avoid the burnt hits on my kayfuns, I had to start building larger diameter coils (using 1/8" bit - sometimes 30g, sometimes 28g), and so many of my dry hit issues seemed to be resolved.
I've tried rebuilding some of my OCCs, but using a spaced wrap on a 1/8" bit. Jury's still out on this method, and smallest gauge wire I currently have is 28. The pre-installed coil that came with my STM RBA head is "loosely spaced" and now that I have my wicking right, it's hitting like a champ. I don't pre-torch my wire - I'll fire it after I have a measured build, just to check for hot-spots and even glow. Then I wick it up and load my tank....
For me, to achieve more surface area, I'm starting to twist my wire. I'm running a twisted 4-strand 30g coil on one of my RDAs, and this thing is a monster. The wraps are touching, but not tightly compressed.
All I know is what I'm doing seems to be working (most of the time).... I have only myself to blame if I can't get it wicked correctly.
I've watched a number of videos and read lots of different opinions on this. I look at my Kanger OCCs, and they are spaced. I build my PT2 heads as tensioned microcoils. I'd read a number of times throughout ECF that spaced coils "spread out" the heating so that "more surface area" is available to vaporize the juice.
Agreed that you shouldn't choke the wick. I typically wick with cotton, and looser is better (for me) in that as the cotton expands with juice, the flow is less likely to get cut off. When I first started playing with my kayfuns, I'd already been building my PT2 heads on a 1/16" drill bit (30g.) That works marvelously well in those heads. However, for me to avoid the burnt hits on my kayfuns, I had to start building larger diameter coils (using 1/8" bit - sometimes 30g, sometimes 28g), and so many of my dry hit issues seemed to be resolved.
I've tried rebuilding some of my OCCs, but using a spaced wrap on a 1/8" bit. Jury's still out on this method, and smallest gauge wire I currently have is 28. The pre-installed coil that came with my STM RBA head is "loosely spaced" and now that I have my wicking right, it's hitting like a champ. I don't pre-torch my wire - I'll fire it after I have a measured build, just to check for hot-spots and even glow. Then I wick it up and load my tank....
For me, to achieve more surface area, I'm starting to twist my wire. I'm running a twisted 4-strand 30g coil on one of my RDAs, and this thing is a monster. The wraps are touching, but not tightly compressed.
All I know is what I'm doing seems to be working (most of the time).... I have only myself to blame if I can't get it wicked correctly.
Both very good points.
I personally build my coils compressed but not He-man tight. I also pay very close attention to the amount of cotton used to ensure proper wicking.
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Lots of over thinking it here, if you ask me. They both work great. With either method, you want to fire the coils before wicking to work out any shorts. I build both.....depending on the atty and the juice. One's not hands down better than the other. Your ohms are determined by the length and gauge of wire used....not what style coil you built. Try both and use what works best for you. Wicking properly is more important than spaced or contact.
I started using compressed coils. Heard someone mention "spaced", and gave that a try: prefer that now
Is a lil bit harder to wind (I do the spacing by eye). But otherwise prefer spaced to compressed (running vertical coil at @1.5 ohms)
Is a lil bit harder to wind (I do the spacing by eye). But otherwise prefer spaced to compressed (running vertical coil at @1.5 ohms)
I can't stand all the fuss with micro coils.
5 wraps of wire touching the wick is 5 wraps of wire touching the wick.
Only so many seconds will go by before the heat outruns the wicking on any coil
You have just as great a chance from a sloppy micro coil shorting or hot legging as any other coil.
And a hotspot has nothing to do with a short it comes from uneven wraps or legs.. Lol
5 wraps of wire touching the wick is 5 wraps of wire touching the wick.
Only so many seconds will go by before the heat outruns the wicking on any coil
You have just as great a chance from a sloppy micro coil shorting or hot legging as any other coil.
And a hotspot has nothing to do with a short it comes from uneven wraps or legs.. Lol
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Try just wrapping your coil spaced, then push it together on the bit. It'll spring back apart with nice, even spacing.
I used to do spaced coils since I was wrapping over a screwdriver...now my coils touch since I am using a coil master tool...I don't see that much difference in performance...but wrapping the coils consistently now is easier 
Agreed with this! whatever works for you is the way to go. and the way to truly figure out is to understand your hardware and what it needs to perform its best.
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