The world of vaping is vast and often confusing. If you’ve ever put a foot in the door of rebuildable atomisers (RBAs) or even looked into the back end of vaping, you’ve probably seen mention of different types of wire. Knowing the type of wire that you want in your coils and deciding what type of coils you want to use can be a difficult but important venture. Here are some highlights in order to hopefully help you in your search.
Gauge
A wire’s gauge is its diameter, usually represented using the American Wire Gauge (AWG). Common gauges used in vaping include 24, 26, 27, 28, 36, 38 and 40. The lower the gauge that a wire is, the thicker it is and the lower the resistance. This leads to lower gauges being better suited for direct lung vaping and higher gauges for mouth to lung.
Resistance
I mentioned resistance before but what is it? In a nutshell, it's a measure of how easily an electrical current will pass through something and is measured in ohms (Ω). To expand on how gauge plays a hand in resistance, think of it like water going through a hose; if the hose is wider, you’ll end up with lower water pressure. A smaller hose means higher pressure. So, with a lower gauge, and therefore a thicker wire, you end up with lower resistance and vice versa. Now, there’s a fair bit of science we could get into but the main thing you need to know is that a coil with a higher resistance takes less power to heat up. Moving to more complicated or “exotic" coils such as parallel, twisted or clapton coils will also lower the resistance as there is more wire involved.
Ramp-up Time
A term commonly thrown around when it comes to coils is “ramp-up time". This the time it takes the coil to reach the ideal temperature for vaping. It’s most noticeable in more exotic coils but even using a lower gauge single wire coil will increase the ramp-up time due to increased coil mass.
Temperature Control
If you’re looking to vape using temperature control (TC), you’ll be much more limited in which wire types you’ll be able to use; the most common being stainless steel, titanium and nickel.
Nickel Allergy
An estimated 10-15% of people have some degree of nickel allergy or sensitivity, with people assigned female at birth being significantly more affected. They most commonly present themselves during piercings. So, if you have or suspect you have a nickel allergy, you should avoid using nichrome and nickel wire altogether, and practice heavy caution if using stainless steel.
Kanthal
Kanthal is an alloy composed of iron, chromium and aluminium. It is one of the – if not the – most commonly used wires in pre-made and DIY coils alike, and for good reason. It’s cheap, readily available, resistant to oxidisation, stable at high temperatures, has a relatively high melting point (1,500 °C) and holds its shape well once wrapped into a coil. That ease of use makes it a DIY beginner’s best friend. Kanthal is not to be used in TC mode.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Readily available
- Great ease of use
- High resistance; great for MTL
Cons
- Incompatible with TC
Nichrome
Nichrome is an alloy made of nickel, chromium and sometimes iron. You can find different grades of nichrome wire but is most commonly used, in vaping, as nichrome 80 (Ni80 or NiChr80). That is, nichrome formed of 80% nickel and 20% chromium. Nichrome is commonly used for its lower resistance and quicker ramp-up time – compared to kanthal – and also holds its shape well. It is also highly touted for its full, crisp flavour. In fact, commonly, nichrome and stainless steel are often duking it out for the throne of flavour-supreme; although some vapers complain of a metallic taste. As always, the flavour is subjective and so nichrome may or may not be your favourite. Largely due to its nickel content, you should avoid dry firing nichrome. Instead, when forming and cleaning nichrome coils, it is best to slowly pulse at lower wattages. Like kanthal, nichrome should not be used in TC mode.
Pros
- Widely available
- Low resistance
- Great flavour
- Quick ramp-up
- Ease of use
Cons
- Incompatible with TC
- High nickel content
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel (SS) is a family of alloys made up of varying amounts of primarily chromium, nickel and carbon. Nickel content in SS is typically under 15%. So, while it is much lower than in nichrome and nickel wires, it can still pose a risk to those with nickel allergies. Like nichrome, SS has lower resistance and faster ramp-up time compared to kanthal and, as previously mentioned, it is a solid contender for the “best” flavour with its clean, crisp profile. One of the largest appeals of SS is that it is the only vape wire that is suited for both variable wattage and TC. The most common grades used in vaping are SS316L and SS317L but other grades, such as SS304, SS430 and SS904L, can also be found in the industry. While SS generally has a relatively high melting point, structural and chemical integrity is a concern with dry firing. Pulsing at very low wattage or even avoiding dry firing altogether is a safer bet. Having so many grades and the option of using either power and TC modes, SS can seem quite confronting to some. I won’t deny, it can get a little bit confusing but the internet has loads of information and your local Super Vape Store will have a knowledgeable crew, who’s more than happy to part with some wisdom.
Pros
- Power and TC mode
- Clean, crisp flavour
- Low resistance
- Quick ramp-up
- Ease of use
Cons
- Low nickel content
- Care needed when dry firing
Titanium
Here’s where we step into the TC-only wires. As a metal, titanium has a bit of an image for being exotic and that kind of carries on over into vaping. It is easily the most expensive option for vape wire but for its cost, you get a strong, sturdy metal that gives clean, crisp flavour. Now, don’t go thinking titanium is perfect. If heated above 648 ℃, it can release titanium dioxide, which, is quite toxic. Also, if it catches fire, it can be very difficult to put out. If your mod is doing its job, neither of these issues should be a concern but it’s best to know what can happen if things do go wrong.
Pros
- Solid TC use
- Ease of use
- Clean, crisp flavour
- No nickel
Cons
- Expensive
- Fire risk
- May become toxic
- May be hard to find
Nickel
The other TC-only wire we’ll talk about is nickel (ni200). Nickel has a bit of a legacy in vaping. It was the first wire used in TC mode. Nickel is very soft; which, can make it a bit of a pain when working into coils, as it has a tendency to come undone. The biggest appeal of nickel is that it is extremely reliable in TC, allowing for very precise, accurate and consistent vaping. Bringing on the elephant in the room, it is essentially pure nickel. This is a cause for concern for many, especially those with a nickel allergy.
Pros
- Very reliable in TC
Cons
- Very high nickel content
- Harder to work with
Summary
You’re probably sick of hearing this but there is no single, best option when it comes to vape wire. It’s all about what it is that you’re looking for. If you want simplicity, kanthal might be for you. Flavour? Nichrome or SS is a good bet. Steady, consistent temperatures? Have a go at titanium or nickel. It is a wild and wonderful world out there in wires. Your choice in wire can make one of the biggest differences in your vape experience. So, I think it’s worth taking the first step and enjoy the journey.