Wire?

[DeloresRose]

I’m new to this, so I could use some help. I have a couple RTAs and Rdas, mostly dl, with the exception of one Berserker. I’m not really interested in super low ohms, I feel like I’m getting a good vape experience between .20-.50.

I started with pre made coils, and got a little spool of 24 kanthal, just to see if I could manage.

I have some tc mods, but I’m still using wattage mode - I’ll get around to tc after I learn a bit more about the coils.

First, where do you get your wire?

Also, so many different kinds! What are the advantages of one vs another?

Any insight/advice welcome, thanks!

 

[mimöschen]

I get my wires mostly from FastTech.

Kanthal
Pros: durability, dryburn Wonderland

Cons: high resistance compared to other wire types, wattage mode only

Nichrome
Pros: moderate resistance so fairly good resistance range in single and dual coil configuration

Cons: can get toxic when dryburned white hot, wattage mode only

Stainless Steel
Pros: works well in TC and Wattage mode, nice for subohm singlecoil builds

Cons: can get toxic when dryburned hotter than cherry red, low resistance in dual coil

Nickel
Pros: works in TC

Cons: works only in TC, extremely low resistance, never dryburn because highly toxic

Titanium
Same as Nickel, but resistance is compareable to stainless steel.

 

[ShowerHead]

I’m new to this, so I could use some help.

I started with pre made coils, and got a little spool of 24 kanthal, just to see if I could manage.

I have some tc mods, but I’m still using wattage mode - I’ll get around to tc after I learn a bit more about the coils.

First, where do you get your wire?

A general suggestion, if you ever want to try TC or the new Replay mode, would be to get some quality SS316 or SS430. You can also use those wires in power mode, so if you try other modes and they aren't for you, no problem.

I buy most of my wire from Zivipf in Germany. Always good wire, every gauge available. For SS316, Temco is where I would get it.
Some vendors have shipped wire that was not as advertised.
People will say they got theirs from EBay for a nickel and it works great. And it may. For me, it is about getting known quality wire at a good price.

For spooled clapton wire and premade coils I love Advanced Vape Supply. Excellent quality, service, and knowledge. I have emailed questions and gotten an answer quickly. Plus they carry SS430 fancy coils and I only use SS430.

Steam-Engine is good to play with coil ideas.

Good luck!

 

[sonicbomb]

Coils have a resistance, that resistance is measured in ohms.
On a regulated mod the resistance is of no great importance. Coil mass surface area and heatflux are important, resistance is a consequence of these factors.

If you are venturing into TC I would recommend 26G stainless steel as a starting point.
I get all my wire from Fasttech

 

[DaveP]

I like SS316 stainless because it works well in power or TC mode and I get long life from a recoil. Kanthal is nice wire, but it's not compatible with TC mode. Stainless steel can be used back and forth between temp and power modes without changing coils. That's a plus.

If you vape at 15 watts or under, 28ga is common. Heavier and larger diameter, 26ga is good for higher wattage. You want to choose a wire that heats fast at the power level you use.

Kanthal is commonly used by those who vape exclusively in power mode. Kanthal doesn't change resistance with heat and the application of power, so it can't be used in TC mode.

SS316 and SS304 change in resistance with heat, so a TC mod can control power by monitoring the resistance change as heat goes up and down and determine the current temperature of a coil. TC mods control temperature by varying the voltage to the coil to keep the resistance in range.

This article explains in detail how TC vaping works. The above graphic is from that site.
Temperature Control – A Vaping Revolution

 

[stols001]

Personally I enjoy SS wire as it can vape in both modes. I generally use 28 or 26g gauge wire if I'm coiling myself but part of it will depend on your target resistance and how much mass you want in your build. More mass can mean more flavor, but may also require more wattage to heat up. Dual coils have resistance of single coils, so that may make a difference as well.

Checking out steam-engine.org and doing some target builds may help you figure out what wires and gauges may work best for your application. Good luck,

Anna

 

[Myk]

I get mine from Kidney Puncher. Go to their FB page or sign up for emails because they always have a coupon code running.

 

[DeloresRose]

Personally I enjoy SS wire as it can vape in both modes. I generally use 28 or 26g gauge wire if I'm coiling myself but part of it will depend on your target resistance and how much mass you want in your build. More mass can mean more flavor, but may also require more wattage to heat up. Dual coils have resistance of single coils, so that may make a difference as well.

Checking out steam-engine.org and doing some target builds may help you figure out what wires and gauges may work best for your application. Good luck,

Anna

Yeah, I’m thinking smaller gauge, for the dual coils, because calculating on steam engine, there would be a lot of wraps to get what I want, and I don’t want to have to cram the coils in there lol.

I don’t need to get too crazy with it yet, lots to learn.

Is there a particular brand you favor? There’s a couple on fasttech, but the other sites all seem to just have the stuff I bought.

 

[DeloresRose]

I get mine from Kidney Puncher. Go to their FB page or sign up for emails because they always have a coupon code running.

Thanks! Wow, some selection!

 

[DaveP]

Beserker is happy around 1 ohm +/-. It's a great MTL tank for 10 to 15 watts and MTL vaping. Personally I think it produces some of the best flavor I've experienced from an MTL tank.

Kidney Puncher is one of the best suppliers for wire and rebuilding supplies. I like 28ga SS316 in all the RTA's I own. You can also pick up vape wire at Amazon and get free shipping if you are a Prime member .

 

[DeloresRose]

Beserker is happy around 1 ohm +/-. It's a great MTL tank for 10 to 15 watts and MTL vaping. Personally I think it produces some of the best flavor I've experienced from an MTL tank.

I used the coil that came with, and it reads .84 ohms, at 15 watts.

I’ll admit, it took a while for this tank to grow on me, but I’m a fan of how easy to build, and zero leaking. Are you using the larger glass, or the smaller whatever material that is?

 

[stols001]

I got my wire from Amazon, I forget what I bought ATM (not that great with names) but it's one of the more well known brands. Honestly, I am not a wire "connoisseur" I've pretty much used what I got, unless I'm using premade coils, which I do sometimes. I'm not all fretful about which company I use, at least I wasn't at the time, and I bought PLENTY, LOL, so it will be a while before I get wire again, but if I do it will probably be from Kidney Puncher.

Master of Clouds is the wire name, I just looked. It's been fine for me. Good luck in your search.

Anna

 

[DaveP]

I used the coil that came with, and it reads .84 ohms, at 15 watts.

I’ll admit, it took a while for this tank to grow on me, but I’m a fan of how easy to build, and zero leaking. Are you using the larger glass, or the smaller whatever material that is?

I use the large glass tank section on the Siren 2, Ares, and the Beserker. Why not have more juice in a smaller package?

 

[rob33]

I get my wire from Lighting Vapes or Advanced Vape Supply. I'd recommend a two wire clapton 26/36 SS316L it's great for the mid subohm range .4Ω to .7Ω

 

[DeloresRose]

I use the large glass tank section on the Siren 2, Ares, and the Beserker. Why not have more juice in a smaller package?

I’m using the smaller, because it came set up for that. I was too chicken to take it all apart to use the big one lol.

 

[DaveP]

I’m using the smaller, because it came set up for that. I was too chicken to take it all apart to use the big one lol.

The first thing I do with a new atomizer is take it apart and put the parts into the ultrasonic cleaner with water, a dash of dish soap, and a shot of alcohol. Most have residual machine oil on them. The Beserker, Ares, and Siren 2 didn't reek of oil but I cleaned them anyway.

After that, I put the large tank section and chimney on and filled it up. It's an easier task than you think once you get it apart.

 

[Clark Kent]

If your in the states the best I have found is Advanced Vape Supply and Lightning Vapes. since finding AVS I don't even bother twisting my own anymore. Great wire and they run frequent sales with 30% or more off. free shipping over $25, Free Priority over $50, I really like their Triple and Quad core fused spools.

 

[DeloresRose]

The first thing I do with a new atomizer is take it apart and put the parts into the ultrasonic cleaner with water, a dash of dish soap, and a shot of alcohol. Most have residual machine oil on them. The Beserker, Ares, and Siren 2 didn't reek of oil but I cleaned them anyway.

After that, I put the large tank section and chimney on and filled it up. It's an easier task than you think once you get it apart.

I broke it down and washed it - I always wash tanks- but didn’t take the center thing (chimney?) out. Next time I will.

 

[Letitia]

I have been using AVS for about a year now and love them, especially good for single coil builds. I'm fond of the tri & quad core fused clapton and alien wire for rtas and staggered fc for rdas. They offer a sample pack so you can explore with different coil types as well. Spooled wire and prebuilt coils are all great. They have excellent customer service and were very helpful with me figure out what I would enjoy trying out. Code AVS will get you 20% off.
Advanced Vape Supply

I would suggest you stick with ss 316L for now, it performs much better in power mode than the ss 430 imo.

 

[score69]

Also have to give some props to AVS. I've only bought spooled wire from them, but it is great quality wire. No visible imperfections in wrapping or the like.

I bought a spool of the Vertebraid, and also the Twisted Fused Clapton. Both are great wires and I'm going to enjoy using them.

Been getting into braided wire lately, the Vertebraid is a very well made braid. Not bad to work with either.

The Twisted Fused Clapton I got because I prefer higher ohm builds a lot of times. I get a great vape at low wattages. This wire would even be great for MTL users since it's not too difficult to wrap a higher resistance coil out of it. With a 3mm coil, you get close to 0.55ohm , 0.65ohm, and 0.75ohm with 5, 6, or 7 wraps respectively.

Since you're new to it, using simple plain wire is probably the way to get started though. There's a lot of great options out there once you're comfortable with wrapping and want to move on to more complex wire.