What value should I choose for my coil?

Hey team!

Today we are here to talk about your coils, a key element of your e-cigarette without which vaping would not be possible.

There are several coil models that fit different e-cigarette models, but there are also several values for the same model so you can adjust the power of your vape as you see fit.

But how does it work? What are the different values of a coil? Which model should you choose for your e-cigarette? How do you adapt the coil to your needs? Which e-liquid should you choose based on your coil?

We will go over all of this together.

What is the role of the coil and how does it work?

The coil is the key component of your e-cigarette. It is thanks to it that the liquid in your tank is transformed into vapor and that you can vaporize it.
The coil is made up of resistive metal wires (coils) and cotton.

When you want to take a draw on your e-cigarette, you press the switch button to inhale the vapor. The switch button activates the current in your circuit, starting from your battery, passing through the connection pin to your clearomizer, reaching the coil — your coils slow down the current and convert the energy into a heat source.

The heat passes through the cotton wick inside the coil and heats the liquid — it is the heat that transforms your liquid into vapor during inhalation. As you can see, the role of the coil is therefore essential for your e-cigarette to work and produce vapor; it is what channels the energy from the electric current by converting it into a heat source.

Are all coils the same?

To choose the right coil for your e-cigarette, you need to take into account the model of your clearomizer, the brand, and the resistance value.
There are a multitude of them, as they are not compatible from one model to another.
Generally, a brand will create an e-cigarette model with a battery and a clearomizer.

It is possible that the clearomizer fits several models, meaning that from one e-cigarette to another you may be able to use the same coils, because the clearomizer model will not have changed — only its battery will be different.
As is the case, for example, with the Vaporesso brand and the GTX Go 80 3000mAh model, where the GTX cartridge is the same as for the Kit Luxe 80 2500mAh model.

Even if they are not all the same, coils are all made up of the same elements: one or more resistive wires and cotton.
However, the elements can differ in shape, size, or material.

For resistive wires, there are coils made from different materials such as nickel, stainless steel, and Kanthal — depending on the material, you will have coils suited to high or low-temperature heating, so as to adapt to your draw and your power for an optimal vaping sensation.

Depending on the coils, you will be able to adjust the temperature control setting on your device.

Tip:

When you are unsure, the best approach is to try different coil models, because there is no perfect model — depending on the draw you adopt and the viscosity of the e-liquid you vape, the possible combinations are numerous, so don't hesitate to test the variants available for your model and you will be able to make your choice as easily as possible.

Bear in mind that the coil adapts according to several criteria, and that if you change your type of inhalation, power, or e-liquid, the coil will adapt accordingly.

What are the different values of a coil?

There are several coils on the market so that they fit perfectly with the brand or model of your e-cigarette.

But do you also know that on a single model you have variants with different values?

Because it is through these different values that you will be able to find the vaping sensation that suits you best, in terms of draw or in terms of power.

Two essential points for choosing your coil:
The value (measured in Ohms): On every coil you will find the Ohm value indicated, but why? It tells you what type of draw you will be using — either an open draw or a tight draw. The value scale for coils ranges between 0 and 1 Ohm.

Mouth-to-lung draw (1 Ohm and above): Corresponds to a tight draw, an indirect inhalation (MTL). For a vaper who is not looking for high vaping power, generally someone who vapes with a high nicotine level or who is new to vaping, in order to gradually adapt to the sensation of vapor and begin their cessation journey. This is the draw closest to that of a traditional cigarette.

Sub-ohm draw (less than 1 Ohm): Corresponds to an open draw, a direct inhalation (DL). For a vaper who seeks a significant vapor sensation and who generally uses little nicotine. This draw is closest to that of a hookah, where you need to inhale with an open lung.

As you can see, the value affects your type of draw — the closer you are to 1 Ohm, the tighter your draw, and the closer you are to 0 Ohm, the more open your draw.
The power (measured in Watts)
The power of the coil affects the draw, making it more or less tight, and therefore also the type of inhalation. The power and the value of the coil are linked.
If you have 1 Ohm coils, the power will be lower than if you have 0 Ohm coils, where the power will be higher.
The power is indicated on the coil and generally appears under "wattage range" — this range defines the settings you will need to apply on your battery; it is the power indication you should refer to in order to correctly adjust your intensity for good vapor output.

Example: The Coolfire Z 50 Kit - Innokin with Zénith Innokin coils.
1.6 Ohm: 10-14 watts
0.8 Ohm: 15-18 watts
0.5 Ohm: 14-19 watts

Here you can see that the Ohm value indicates a power range in Watts that you must respect in order to make the correct settings on your box. You can also see that the lower the Ohm value, the lower the wattage range, and conversely as you approach a value of 0 Ohm, the wattage range is more powerful.
The value and power of your coil are essential for determining which e-cigarette to choose.
Both are indicated on your coil or on the coil packaging.

Which e-cigarette model should you choose?

To choose the e-cigarette model that will be perfect for you, simply ask yourself what vaping sensation you are looking for and what kind of vaper you are.
To give you more guidance, we saw earlier that when you are starting out with e-cigarettes and beginning a smoking cessation journey, it is preferable to go for an e-cigarette that produces little vapor and does not have much power, as the throat hit is provided by the nicotine.
On the other hand, when using an e-cigarette after quitting or simply wanting to vape for pleasure — meaning using little or no nicotine — you will need to go for a model with fairly high power in order to feel a sensation in the throat as the vapor passes through.

To define this sensation of power and vapor inhalation, the part to look at is the clearomizer. The clearomizer is the top part of your e-cigarette, where you will find the coil that gives you information about the power and the type of inhalation, since the value will be indicated along with the appropriate power to adopt based on that value.
As we saw earlier, if you want low power to start your cessation journey, go for e-cigarette models with a clearomizer designed for tight draw vaping, where the coils will offer low power.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a strong vapor sensation and an open draw, you can opt for a model with more powerful coils.
If you are undecided and cannot determine which draw suits you best, there are also intermediate models available, with the possibility of a tight (MTL) or open (DL) draw, as they offer a wide range of coils with different values and different power levels.
You will simply need to test the different values offered by the coils to determine which values suit you best and are most adapted to the draw you want.

MTL clearomizer: Zénith Upgrade - Innokin
DL clearomizer: Zeus Tank - Geek Vape
MTL/DL clearomizer: Drag X - Voopoo

Which e-liquid should I choose for my coil?

In order to optimize the lifespan of your coil as well as the vapor sensation it provides, we will give you some tips for choosing the liquid that will be perfect for your coil.
To start with, your e-liquids are all made with two base ingredients: propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin.
Propylene glycol is a liquid substance and vegetable glycerin is a viscous substance — depending on your coil, you will need to favor a higher proportion of propylene glycol or a higher proportion of glycerin for optimal heating of the e-liquid.
Propylene glycol: this component is suited to low-temperature heating, as it is liquid.
It is therefore suited to MTL draw and will ideally be used with coils with a value close to 1 Ohm and low power.
Vegetable glycerin: this component is suited to high-temperature heating, as it is viscous. It is therefore suited to DL draw and will ideally be used with sub-ohm coils having a value close to 0 Ohm with high power.
Vapor production will also differ depending on the coil — if you use a low-power coil you will not get a large amount of vapor, and conversely the more powerful the coil, the more abundant the vapor.
Make sure to use the correct ratio of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin for your coil. The indication is found directly on the e-liquids under the acronym PG/VG.