Well as soon I as got my eleaf lemo I downloaded the micro coil pro app on my phone ($5.99 but worth, I think this was the first app I ever paid for haha). I knew I wanted a 1.4-1.6 ohm micro coil, I just wasn't sure what guage kanthal and what diameter coil (wick size) was right for me. I wanted to stay under 15 watts, I'm using an eleaf istick which goes up to 20 watts, but I wanted to give myself a little extra leeway/longer battery life if possible. I played around with the numbers for a few days using 28-32 gauge kanthal, but I just couldn't seem to find anything that sounded "right" to me; I needed too may wraps for the higher gauges and I was pushing too many watts with the lower gauges. So then I tried plugging in some numbers using a twisted coil with the same gauges, still couldn't find my sweet spot.
So then I started trying some really out-there combinations. The one that really interested me was quad-twisted (4 wires) 34 gauge single coil. Four twisted coils with such thin kanthal seems kinda crazy, but for whatever reason the numbers lined up the way I wanted them to on the microcoil pro app. When I went on ebay that same night I saw someone selling 100 feet of 34 gauge kanthal for $3.20 with free shipping. For that cheap I decided to take a chance and ordered two rolls.
When I got the kanthal in today and started working with it, I was kinda of regretting my decision. Since 34 gauge is so thin and so springy it is a royal pain in the ... to work with, I was defiantly a little over my head for my first serious rba coil build.
After about an hour and half, I finally got it built (took quite a few tries to get it right). I twisted the four wires using the paper clip in the electric power drill technique, by folding over a huge piece of wire in half twice to get the four strands (by FAR the biggest hassle). I then wrapped it 7-8 times around a 3/32 drill bit and mounted it on the lemo.
I got a 1.6 ohm reading and I wicked it with some organic cotton. Working with that thin springy wire was a major pain, but I have to say it was worth it. At 11.5 watts I am getting the thickest, fullest vapor I have ever gotten and by far the best flavor.
When I first came across the twisted coil videos on youtube, I thought that it was either a gimmick or a clever way to use up extra high gauge kanthal. I've now realized that it does have a benefit: it gives you the bigger surface area of a low gauge wire (i.e. less wraps), but you don't have to use a higher wattage to get those wires heating up, because of the thinner, higher resistance wire. Kind of gives you the best of both worlds, a thicker wire you can vape at a lower wattage.
Hopes this inspires others to try some outside-the-box coils. Thanks for reading!
So then I started trying some really out-there combinations. The one that really interested me was quad-twisted (4 wires) 34 gauge single coil. Four twisted coils with such thin kanthal seems kinda crazy, but for whatever reason the numbers lined up the way I wanted them to on the microcoil pro app. When I went on ebay that same night I saw someone selling 100 feet of 34 gauge kanthal for $3.20 with free shipping. For that cheap I decided to take a chance and ordered two rolls.
When I got the kanthal in today and started working with it, I was kinda of regretting my decision. Since 34 gauge is so thin and so springy it is a royal pain in the ... to work with, I was defiantly a little over my head for my first serious rba coil build.
After about an hour and half, I finally got it built (took quite a few tries to get it right). I twisted the four wires using the paper clip in the electric power drill technique, by folding over a huge piece of wire in half twice to get the four strands (by FAR the biggest hassle). I then wrapped it 7-8 times around a 3/32 drill bit and mounted it on the lemo.
I got a 1.6 ohm reading and I wicked it with some organic cotton. Working with that thin springy wire was a major pain, but I have to say it was worth it. At 11.5 watts I am getting the thickest, fullest vapor I have ever gotten and by far the best flavor.
When I first came across the twisted coil videos on youtube, I thought that it was either a gimmick or a clever way to use up extra high gauge kanthal. I've now realized that it does have a benefit: it gives you the bigger surface area of a low gauge wire (i.e. less wraps), but you don't have to use a higher wattage to get those wires heating up, because of the thinner, higher resistance wire. Kind of gives you the best of both worlds, a thicker wire you can vape at a lower wattage.
Hopes this inspires others to try some outside-the-box coils. Thanks for reading!
