Vaping Article: What is a Coil? - River City Vapes

What is a Coil?

A question we’ve encountered countless times at our shops is “what is a coil?”

A coil, simply put, is a heating element near a wicking material which allows for e-liquid to be heated and atomized. We then breathe in the atomized e-liquid which we refer to as vapor. This is where we get the term “atomizer” from. An atomizer is the combination of a coil and the wicking material, although the two terms are often used interchangeably.

Coils require some preparation before use and need to be replaced regularly. To prepare a coil for use, we must “prime” it first. To prime a coil is to saturate the wicking material with e-liquid fully before use. When priming a coil, we recommend adding a few drips of liquid at a time until the coil will no longer absorb any liquid. This can be time consuming, but properly priming coils will pay off in the long run.

The act of atomizing e-liquid will leave behind some residue. This is generally flavorings and sweetener used in the liquid that accumulates and will eventually begin to taste burnt. It is possible, and one of the most common issues we see, to kill coils prematurely. This is most often caused by improperly priming your coil, or by “outrunning” your coil. When you outrun your coil, you are using it and atomizing liquid quicker than the wicking material can replenish. We must remember that the liquid travels through the wick via osmosis/capillary action; that is to move from a high concentration to a lower concentration. This process takes some time and taking numerous puffs in a row can cause the wick to dry out and burn. It is worthwhile to allow your coil to sit for about a minute between consecutive puffs.

As vaping devices have become more refined, so have coils. Some of the most common older devices utilized horizontal coils, silica fiber wicking material, and were almost always designed for a mouth to lung style of inhale. Older coil designs also saw stainless steel mesh used as a wicking mechanism. As manufacturers improved their designs, vertical coils became much more popular. Companies also started utilizing alternative wicking materials. Most commonly organic cotton, but newer devices have utilized things such as bamboo fiber, tea fiber, and ceramic. These alternative wicking materials serve to theoretically enhance flavor and coil life.

One of the biggest changes that we have seen in the world of coils is the utilization of mesh heating elements. As mentioned previously, mesh has been used as a wicking mechanism in the past. Coils that utilize mesh heating elements are generally regarded as more flavorful than their traditional counterparts. This is due to a dramatic increase of surface area with which vapor is produced. Anecdotally, many of us find mesh coils to not only taste superior, but also last longer.

You may have noticed that most tanks have multiple different coil options. These different coils tend to allow for broader adjustments in the style of inhale and wattage range of a tank that a single coil option wouldn’t allow.

Overall, coils are an extremely important aspect of one's vape. Remembering to adequately prime them and allowing them to re-saturate between puffs is imperative to have the best possible vaping experience.