Hey guys got a question for you that would save me a lot of time building coils. How does the wire gauge affect coils. I can make any restance coil I want with any of the gauges so what does the gauge change. What I'm asking is if I make a 1.5 ohm coil with 28g and a 1.5 ohm coil with a 32g what changes besides for the number of wraps, how does it change the vapor. Also how does the diameter change the performance. I have 28g 30g and 32g but don't want to spend hours trying to find out
Wire gauge
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Well, I imagine some of these sub-ohm super-coilers may have more specific info, but as far as my experience goes, I've found that the thicker wire (lower gauge) takes a little longer to heat up after you hit the button (but it's not a problem), and it is stiffer to wrap, but it'll hold it's shape better with multiple re-wickings. Also, I've noticed that every now and then with a thicker wire, the post screws tend to maybe unscrew themselves a little more often. With 32 gauge wire I never have a problem with the screws coming loose, but with the 28 gauge wire, the screws work themselves loose sometimes. That's me.....I'm sure other more knowledgeable coilers will have more to say.
EDIT: I'll add that I like either 30 AWG or 28 AWG best. I have some 32 AWG, but I can't get enough wraps for my taste before the ohms are too high, and the 27 AWG wire is okay, but a little too stiff to work with....but that's just me. I like 8 wraps on 28 gauge for 1.1 ohms, or 6 wraps on 30 gauge for about the same ohms.
EDIT: I'll add that I like either 30 AWG or 28 AWG best. I have some 32 AWG, but I can't get enough wraps for my taste before the ohms are too high, and the 27 AWG wire is okay, but a little too stiff to work with....but that's just me. I like 8 wraps on 28 gauge for 1.1 ohms, or 6 wraps on 30 gauge for about the same ohms.
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The other thing to consider is battery life. If you have to hit the coil longer to achieve the same vapor, I would think that would wear the battery down quicker (read you would need to charge it more often). I personally like the shorter coils with the quicker heat up time. (I use 30g ~9 wraps for 1.6 ohms.)
from my experience a 32ga 1.7ohm coil heats out faster then a 1.7 28ga. 28 is thicker and you would need alot more wraps. when I do 1.7ohm coils I use 32 since the coil size comes out nice, when I do 1 or less ohm I use 28
Yeah as above quite a few differences in how it behaves although as you said you can achieve similar results all the way across the board. 28 gauge to me is the most versatile. For instance to get sub ohm or even around the 1.1 to 1.2 ohm range with 30 gauge I have to use a dual coil. If not the coil is to small (not enough wraps) to be very stable. But with 28 you can get both lower ohms and higher. Bigger then 28 and it get's really hard to get into the middle range of Ohms due to space needing more wraps.
More wraps = more coil to wick contact, which = more vapor.
For example: A 1.2 ohm coil with 29ga kanthal vapes very decently but only take 8 wraps (microcoil) while a 1.2 ohm micro with 26 gauge takes about 12 wraps plus the wire is quite a bit thicker, so there's a lot more wick contact.
The thicker gauge does take slightly longer to heat but you'll have to find your sweet spot between gauge, lag time, and preformance.
My suggestion is to just play around. You'll figure it out pretty quickly.
Personally, I'm really digging my 26ga kanthal at about 11 wraps, the lag time is maybe 1 second and the vape is amazing.
For example: A 1.2 ohm coil with 29ga kanthal vapes very decently but only take 8 wraps (microcoil) while a 1.2 ohm micro with 26 gauge takes about 12 wraps plus the wire is quite a bit thicker, so there's a lot more wick contact.
The thicker gauge does take slightly longer to heat but you'll have to find your sweet spot between gauge, lag time, and preformance.
My suggestion is to just play around. You'll figure it out pretty quickly.
Personally, I'm really digging my 26ga kanthal at about 11 wraps, the lag time is maybe 1 second and the vape is amazing.
I find 27-28 g the best options for micro coils in the reasonable human range, e.g. .08-1.5 ohm depending on whether you are going mech grand or vv grand. Lag time with 27g is not anything to worry about in my experience. It does take a hot second to heat up, but the benefits of lower resistance and the right cool length outweigh that. 28 is a nice sweet spot on a 16g needle micro. I like 27 with 8-9 wraps at .8 ohms and don't worry about the heat/cool time. Pulse the button with that setup and it's the best thing ever.
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Good info guys. Ok got that all figured out. How about flavour. I'm at 1.8 and getting tons of vapor but can't get the flavour to come through. I'm using cotton wick but can't taste much flavour. I'm using butterscotch but taste like plain to me but tons of vapor
Take a look at the size of your wick. The wick being to thick will reduce flavor. As far as cotton wicks go less is more. Your wick should just catch a little resistance when being pulled through the micro coil. It just takes a little getting used to.
eta: Also don't roll the wick tight it will fill out when wet.
eta: Also don't roll the wick tight it will fill out when wet.
lower number gauge kanthal is thicker and takes longer to heat/cool.
Lower Ω builds create more heat and a stronger vape. The taste of the juice will also change with it.
Assuming your doing micros try 28 gauge wire at a 8/9 or 9/10 wrap twisting the micro on a 1/16th bit.
To answer what changes: thickness of wire, heat produced, time to produce it.
As stated above don't choke the wick. don't wrap around the wick, wrap around a drill bit first, wick should not be tight fitting just touching, don't leave to much excess wick, don't have wick blocking or down squonk hole.
Lower Ω builds create more heat and a stronger vape. The taste of the juice will also change with it.
Assuming your doing micros try 28 gauge wire at a 8/9 or 9/10 wrap twisting the micro on a 1/16th bit.
To answer what changes: thickness of wire, heat produced, time to produce it.
As stated above don't choke the wick. don't wrap around the wick, wrap around a drill bit first, wick should not be tight fitting just touching, don't leave to much excess wick, don't have wick blocking or down squonk hole.
All of the above posts reflect what I have come to understand too. Different wire gauges will produce very different results even at the same resistance build.
What I like is for my vape to resemble what I remember from my Marlboro light smoking days - cooler temperature, a ton of vapor and for my unflavored juice to have a bland smoke like flavor. I notice no sweetness whatsoever in it. I prefer low TH but that variable is adjusted by coil / air placement.
Let's assume that everything I'm gonna write is about what I always build -micro coils where the inside diameter is per this chart:
Actually, no need to assume, cause that's all I build and all I'm talking about here.
I like to fire and hit right away for about 3 seconds.
That said, I started with 30 ga around 2 ohms. I run as many wraps as it took to get me to that point.
Then I tried 27 ga and built in the 1 ohm range +/- .2 ohms. I liked the 27 ga for ease of wrapping and the burliness of build but didn't like two things:
1. It is more taxing on the mod in that it arcs at the pin to battery and also very slightly deformed (melted) the fire button on my grand. No shorts, but must produce allot of heat on the firing pin. The first time I ever had to file and noalox my firing pin was about 2 weeks into running this setup. I never had this issue in the many months of running 30 ga wire. I think it's also safe to assume that it's harder on batteries and battery life too?
2. I prefer a smaller outside diameter coil as well as inside. The thicker wire makes a thicker coil.
So I went back to 30 ga. No arcing, immediate heat up and perfect vape for me. I find that after trying the 1ish ohm 27 ga builds that I now prefer a 1.5 ohm 30 ga build.
So in closing: you want a baseline wrap count 10-14. Some might even say 8-12 but I'm saying 10-14. Then you select a gauge wire that allows you to build the resistance you want and stay within the baseline wrap count. Experiment with different gauges - their inexpensive and fun to do
What I like is for my vape to resemble what I remember from my Marlboro light smoking days - cooler temperature, a ton of vapor and for my unflavored juice to have a bland smoke like flavor. I notice no sweetness whatsoever in it. I prefer low TH but that variable is adjusted by coil / air placement.
Let's assume that everything I'm gonna write is about what I always build -micro coils where the inside diameter is per this chart:
Actually, no need to assume, cause that's all I build and all I'm talking about here.
I like to fire and hit right away for about 3 seconds.
That said, I started with 30 ga around 2 ohms. I run as many wraps as it took to get me to that point.
Then I tried 27 ga and built in the 1 ohm range +/- .2 ohms. I liked the 27 ga for ease of wrapping and the burliness of build but didn't like two things:
1. It is more taxing on the mod in that it arcs at the pin to battery and also very slightly deformed (melted) the fire button on my grand. No shorts, but must produce allot of heat on the firing pin. The first time I ever had to file and noalox my firing pin was about 2 weeks into running this setup. I never had this issue in the many months of running 30 ga wire. I think it's also safe to assume that it's harder on batteries and battery life too?
2. I prefer a smaller outside diameter coil as well as inside. The thicker wire makes a thicker coil.
So I went back to 30 ga. No arcing, immediate heat up and perfect vape for me. I find that after trying the 1ish ohm 27 ga builds that I now prefer a 1.5 ohm 30 ga build.
So in closing: you want a baseline wrap count 10-14. Some might even say 8-12 but I'm saying 10-14. Then you select a gauge wire that allows you to build the resistance you want and stay within the baseline wrap count. Experiment with different gauges - their inexpensive and fun to do
Ditto...that's my optimum setup too.
Your tidbit about the post screws just came in handy. I built new coils for all my Reos yesterday and this morning ol' Roxy was a bit anemic. I cleaned the firing pin and the battery terminals and added a smidgeon of Noalox for good measure but to no avail. I pulled the wick out and dry fired her and she'd glow for a second and then peter out. Remembered what you'd said about the screws and I checked and sure enough one was almost completely loose. Tightened it down and she's firing on all cylinders again.
I suspect that with the larger gauge wire the constant heating and cooling expands and contracts the metal enough to work a screw loose on occasion. This probably happens with the smaller gauge wire as well but once tightened it has more of a crimp in it which would prevent movement during expansion and contraction.
Thanks guys for all the help and info. It saved me a lot of time. With the cotton wick less is absolutely more. I got one more quick question for you. What causes all the poping sound in the atty lol. Sounds like I'm using pop rock juice lol
I suspect it's a micro hotleg and they're hard to spot because they get lost in the glow of the rest of the coil.. Fire the coil with a wet wick and keep firing until you see a glow. The area that turns red first is your hotleg. I normally see them right where one of the legs meets the coil. Moving the coil around a little seems to work most of the time. Alternatively you can build another coil and throw it in there. Hotlegs on micro=micro coils are pretty rare but they do occasionally happen.
I have heard that it is the "bubbles" of cotton. If you look at the cotton, you will see little spots in it. That is what I am calling the bubbles.
I am happy with 30 so I refuse to read this thread.
Ok. I read it, but am sticking with what rocks for me.
Thanks to my phone, I could have posted this from anywhere.
Ok. I read it, but am sticking with what rocks for me.
Thanks to my phone, I could have posted this from anywhere.
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