What is a Vape Coil?
A vape coil is responsible for heating up the e-liquid in your vape tank and turning it into vapour. The coil is essentially a wire that is wrapped in a spiral shape around the wicking material of your device.
When you vape, the wick is usually saturated in e-liquid, the battery is activated which heats up the coil, and the coil then vapourises the e-juice into vapour. The vapour is then taken up the chimney and into your mouth, providing you with a flavourful experience.
The coil wiring is made from conductive materials, most commonly stainless steel.
Experienced vapers who have established their vaping preferences will often make their own DIY coils. You can purchase special alloy wires, preferred wick material and then intricately wind their own coil wire to create a bespoke coil that fits their vape kit. For less experienced vapers or vapers who have a familiar coil that they prefer, you can always buy replacement coils that are premade and ready to install. It’s always a good job to make sure that the coil will be compatible with your device prior to purchasing.
How Long do Vape Coils Last?
Most vape coils will last between 1-2 weeks; it entirely depends on your vaping style and how frequently you use your device. Most e-liquids leave a thin layer of residue when you use your device and so this can often build up around the components of your device, including the coil. Whilst you should always make sure your device is clean and in good working condition, it is recommended that you replace your coil every 1-2 weeks to prevent your coil from altering the taste and quality of your vapour and flavour production.
Cleaning your components helps your tank and coils last longer. Regular cleaning of the coils and vape tank can prolong the lifespan of these components. Leaving the coil and tank to continue to build up residue will shorten the lifespan and quality of your vape.
Cleaning also gives your device better performance. Removing built-up residue will prevent your atomiser from becoming affected. If your atomiser does get targeted by built-up residue, it can often alter the quality of your e-liquid and ruin the flavour production. The residue might also clog up air vents and lead to overheating and dry hits.
Cleaning will ultimately give you more flavour. The quality of your e-liquid flavour is one of the most enjoyable aspects of vaping, vaping from a clean device will deliver fresher and tastier flavours.
How Do I Know When to Replace My Vape Coil?
Coils don’t last forever. You may want to use your coil right until the end of its life, which is fine, you just need to know what to expect and know when it's time to replace it.
You will know that the coil needs replacing when you get a burnt taste, receive a weaker vapour production or it simply stops working.
It’s always good to have a couple of spares lying around in case your coil reaches the end of its life unexpectedly. If you are using a modern tank, you can easily replace the coil and keep using your tank.
How Should I Clean My Vape Coils?
One way to extend the lifespan of your coil is to prime it. When you need to change or replace your coil the first thing you should do is to prime the device and not vape straight away. Priming and cleaning will lower the frequency of replacing your atomizer head and will improve the overall performance quality of your device.
It is important to remember that not all coils can be cleaner. The coils in pod systems cannot be cleaned because more often than not, you won’t be able to access them. The only solution to a faulty or used pod coil is to replace it with a new one.
Although replaceable coils can be cleaned, there is often debate in the vaping world on whether you should. Some people argue that this will benefit your vaping experience and allow for a smoother more flavoursome vape. Others believe that you should just leave it to live its life and replace it when you need to. Cleaning your device is entirely up to you, it is probably best to try it out for yourself and decide whether it's worth the extra effort.
A step-by-step guide to cleaning your coil:
- Remove the wicks from the coils
- Dry burn the coils as lightly as you can
- Remove the atomizer from your device
- Place the atomizer under running water (you can use a small brush to wipe away any residue)
- Rinse one more time
- Dry burn the coil to remove any droplets of water
It’s important to know that all aspects of your device must be dry before reassembly otherwise they won’t work to their full potential. To ensure that your device is entirely dry and ready to use before you vape again, leave the components out to dry for 24 hours before you get back to vaping your favourite flavours.
