What is an atomiser coil?
An atomiser coil does a similar thing to a clearomizer which you may have found in a basic starter kit. Clearomizers are disposable tanks and vape coils all in one, so when you use a device with an atomiser coil you only replace the coil and not the tank every time it burns out. Much more cost-effective.
What does a coil/atomiser do?
A coil/atomiser is part of the vape device that helps to create the vapour. The coil, which is made from resistance wire and cotton, heats up when you fire up your device, warms the cotton that has absorbed the e-liquid to create a vapour.
Over time your coil will need to be replaced as the cotton can begin to get clogged up and the flavour will start to diminish. Your coil can also burn out and will taste horrible, this happens if you don’t let the cotton absorb the juice before you vape, or if you are chain vaping with no breaks, but more on this later.
Atomisers, also called vape coils, come in a range of different styles to suit your device, need and experience. You are able to use disposable coil heads or build your own, if you are a more advanced vaper and fancy tinkering with your device to tailor your vape.
The coils are measured in ohms, the lower the ohms the more power they will require from your device.
Your atomiser coil will need to be replaced every 1-3 weeks, depending on how much you vape, the power behind your device and how well you care for your coil. Replacing a coil costs around £2-4, or you can buy coils in multi packs and save money.
How do you stop your coil from burning out?
A burnt coil happens to us all at some point. Taking a puff on a coil that is burnt and desperately needs changing feels like you’ve swallowed a cheese grater and it tastes and smells pretty nasty too.
So, how do you stop your coil from burning out?
Here are 5 ways to keep your coil fresher for longer and to avoid the fire in your throat.
Prime your coil
You’ve just got a new juice and a fresh coil and are desperate to have a taste- but wait. If you fail to prime your coil then you can risk burning it out before you even use it. What a waste that will be. To prime your coil soak the wicks in the juice and ensure that they are saturated. Leave it for about 5 minutes before you take your first puff.
Reduce the power setting
One way to stop your coil from burning out too quick is to vape at a lower wattage. Okay, you may lose your massive clouds, but you will save your coils. The coil should indicate the wattage range that it is meant to be run on, so if you stick to this you should be okay.
Top up your tank
Don’t be tight when you fill up your tank. Make sure it doesn’t run low or the juice won’t be able to soak into the wicks. A dry tank will most likely cause your coil to burn out and be useless.
Try a High PG e juice
VG is much thicker than PG, which means that it doesn’t soak into the wicks as easy. This can lead to the dreaded dry puff and burn out your wicks. If you feel that your coils are constantly burning out then you may want to switch ejuice to a higher PG ratio. You might also want to consider a juice with less sweetener which can cause gunk build up in your wicks and prevent the coil from soaking up the juice.
Stop chaining it
If you’re sitting there chain vaping then you won’t give your wick enough time to saturate before you take another toke. If you were just taking a few puffs then this wouldn’t be a problem, but if you are chaining it then chances are your wicks will dry out. If the flavour starts to go then just fill up your tank leave the device for about 10 minutes before you go again.
Do you have any tips on how to stop your coil burning out so fast?
How do you prime your coil to help prevent it from burning?
Here is how to prime your atomiser coil:
- Remove the old coil and replace with the new one. We suggest that you prime the atomiser coil while it is attached to the device or it can get pretty messy with juice leaking onto your hands.
- Find the juice holes in the atomiser, this is the place where the wick meets the ejuice. Add a few drops of your eliquid in order to saturate the wick of the coil.
- Once you have primed the atomiser wick, it is time to do the same with the cotton. Coils with larger heads will require more eliquid to fully saturate the cotton. Be sure not to go over the top when you are priming your coil as this can cause flooding and in turn liquid will find its way into your mouth. Add a few drops at a time.
- Next step for priming your atomiser coil is to take a few dry hits. Dry hits means covering the airflow valve and without pressing the fire button take a few drags. Beware not to take the drag to deep or to over do it as you may end up flooding the coil.
- Once you have completed all of the above steps for priming you atomiser coil it is time to break it in. Start using the coil on a lower wattage than you might usually use and gradually increase it after a few hits. Shorter hits will also help to slowly so that you don’t overheat the wire in the coil.
What coils are there and which should I buy?
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The Disposable
If you are just wanting to try vaping before you fully invest then you might look at getting a disposable atomiser. This is usually included in a very basic starter kit. The negative to this is in the name, it is disposable. Every time you find that you are unable to draw air through it, it starts making noise or if it tastes burnt, then you have to buy a new one. Over time this cost can really add up. In my experience they are made of plastic which can crack, causing juice to leak in your pocket. If you decide that vaping is for you it is 100% worth investing in an atomiser with replaceable coils.
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Replaceable Coil Head Atomisers
Atomisers with replaceable coil heads are probably the most popular. They look pretty smart and are really easy to replace the coil head when it gets worn out. Replaceable coil head atomisers are a little more expensive than the disposable ones initially, but once you have made the initial investment the coils are usually pretty reasonably priced. On these atomisers, you will have features such as airflow control and are made of pyrex glass. They produce better flavour and vapour than the disposables. You should buy this atomiser if you like full flavour and clouds, but you aren’t quite into the fully tailoring your device with a rebuildable.
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Rebuildable Coil Atomisers
This is the atomiser you should buy if you like working with your hands and are keen on getting that perfect tailor-made vape. To build your own custom coils you will need a little time, care and knowledge.
That being said, they are not only designed for expert vapers, if you know what you are doing then they are pretty easy to use. Or you can buy prebuilt coils already pre made.
You can buy different resistance coils, wire sizes and wicking material to get the vape exactly where you want it. This level of customization will require a bit more of an investment in time and money, but you will have the benefit of a perfect vape, suited to you.
Can you clean your vape coils to make them last longer?
Yes, you certainly can! Coils aren’t expensive to replace, however, if you are away and in need of a coil ASAP, or if you are just trying to cut down on your spending then it might be a good idea to know how to clean your coils.
Cleaning coils will save you money and from that nasty burnt coil taste. This method of cleaning vape coils can be used on pretty much all coil heads on the market at the moment.
How do I know if my vape coil needs cleaning/changing?
- Visible gunk on the coil
- Vape flavour is reduced
- Vapour production is reduced
- Tighter draw
- Vape tastes burnt or “off”
How long should my coil last?
This depends on a number of factors, including:
- How often you vape
- The type of eliquid you are using
- Power/Wattage used – 3.7 volts is the sweet spot to help your coils last longer
Here’s how to clean your vape coils to get them tasting a little fresher, even when they’re on their last legs:
What you need:
- Ceramic bowl
- Your grubby coil head
- Grain alcohol
- Paper towel
How to deep clean your vape coils
- Rinse the coil head in cold water
- Brush gently with a toothbrush or coil cleaning tool
- Place the coil head in the bowl and fully cover with the alcohol
- Leave the coil head to soak for 12 hours, you will notice that over time the alcohol turns brown as it has pulled out the gunk from the coil
- Rinse the coil under the hot tap for a couple of minutes then leave in a bowl of water for a few hours, before rinsing off again
- Wrap your coil in a paper towel and blow through it to remove any excess water from the coil head
- Leave the coil to dry overnight. Make sure it is completely dry before you reassemble your kit
- Reassemble your device, fill her up, let the juice soak in and take a puff
Why clean vape coils?
Cleaning your vape coils could well get an extra week or two out of them. A coil that is gunked up is going to reduce the flavour and vapour production, it can even make your vape taste burnt.
Keeping good coil hygiene will, therefore, prevent you from having to keep buying coils when actually, maybe they just need a good clean!
What if cleaning my coil didn’t work?
If you have cleaned your coil properly and you are still noticing a reduction in flavour and vapour, then it might be time for a new coil. Coils generally last around 2 weeks, depending on how much you vape and how you take care of them. When you install your new coil, make sure you take care of it, avoiding dry hits and gunk build up and it should last a little longer.
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