The Difference among Vape Wires

Do you see vapes around and wonder how many types they have, and what each type does offer to its users? If, yes, then this comprehensive guide is for you, so don’t stop reading.

The fact is that vapers are always looking for ways to get more flavor and vapor from their tanks. After vaping for long enough, you eventually try to build your own coils. While this is not a simple step, you will be good to go with the right knowledge about various vape coils you can use.

It is important to be aware of the different vape wires you can and use what are the key differences among them.

What Fundamental Characteristics Should We Consider for Vape Wires?

Usually, there are some fundamental characteristics that apply to all types of wires despite their different compositions. These characteristics are the Wire Gauge, Resistance, Ramp Time, and TCR. Let’s dive a little further into them.

Wire Gauge:The diameter of the wire is one of the basic characteristics of wires. It is usually recognized as the wire gauge and it is expressed in the form of a numerical value. While the diameter of the wire is not what matters, what truly is important is how the wire diameter decreases with an increase in the wire gauge number.

For starters, a 26 gauge is thinner than a wire with 24 gauge but it is comparatively thicker than a wire with 28 gauge. Regardless, it is important to remember that common gauge sizes for single-strand coils are 24, 26, and 28.

Wire Gauge

Resistance:With an increase in wire diameter, the wire resistance reduces. It is worth noting that a coil with a 32-gauge wire will have a higher resistance than a coil with a 24-gauge wire. You also need to check the internal resistance of the material used in the coil.

For instance, a 2.5 mm ID coil with five wraps from Kanthal will undoubtedly have a higher resistance than a coil made from stainless steel with the same specs. Not to mention, with an increase in the length, the resistance of the coil increases.

Ramp-up Time:It is actually the time your coil usually takes to reach the required temperature for vaporizing e-juice. Remember, lower gauge wire will consume more time to heat while thin wires will heat faster, especially 32 and 30-gauge wires as compared to 26 or 24-gauge.

TCR:The TCR of a vaping wire is actually a rise in the resistance of a wire with an increase in temperature. All wires have a specific TCR. However, measuring an increase accurately is possible in only TC-compatible wires.

What are the Most Widely used materials used in vape Wires?

Kanthal wries

Kanthal

When it comes to Kanthal wire, it is a ferritic iron-chromium-aluminum alloy with significant resistance to oxidation. Commonly, it is used for vaping in the mode of straight wattage. If you are getting into dripping and rebuilding, it is a great place to start as it is quite easy to work. At the same time, it is stiff enough to hold its shape when it is formed or moulded into coils.

When you are building single-wire coils, it is quite a popular option among vapers. Not to mention, Kanthal is readily available with its affordable rates. You can find it almost anywhere. However, be sure to remember that it is not really compatible with TC. For example, The material of Aspire Cyber S Coils  is Kanthal AF.

Nichrome

Nichrome

Nichrome is yet another type of wire that is suited well for wattage vaping. It is an alloy that involves chromium and nickel but can also contain some other metals like iron. While nichrome comes in various grades, a rather popular grade is ni80.

While nichrome behaves just like Kanthal, it heats faster and has lower resistance. Furthermore, it is quite easy to coil and even holds its shape well when you are wicking it.

Typically, nichrome comes with a lower melting temperature as compared to Kanthal, which means you must be careful when you dry burn the coil. Another downside of using a nichrome wire is its nickel content. In fact, people with nickel allergies should consider avoiding it. Similar to Kanthal, nichrome is also not compatible with TC.

Stainless Steel

There is no doubt that stainless steel is one of the most unique vaping wires. After all, it is capable of pulling double duty and can also be used for temp control vaping or straight wattage vaping.

It is an alloy that contains carbon, nickel, and chromium. The content of nickel is typically between 0 to 14%. Even though it is not high, people with allergies should still not take any risks. In addition to it, there are various grades or variations of stainless steel, which are generally expressed numerically. Regardless, for building coils, SS316L is one of the most commonly used grades and it is followed by SS317L. Even though other grades such as 430 and 304 are also used, it is not that often.

Actually, stainless steel is quite easy to form and is also capable of holding its shape well. Similar to nichrome, it offers a quicker ramp time due to the fact that it has lower resistance.

Kanthal vs Nichrome vs Stainless Steel (wattage)

Cloudflas III Coils

Actually, most vapers prefer and use power mode. Nichrome, stainless steel and Kanthal are the three widely popular wires for power mode right now. In case you have a nickel allergy, you should not consider using nichrome coils for vaping. In fact, you may even avoid the use of stainless steel.

Meanwhile, when it comes to stainless steel and nichrome, they are great power model wires when you are vaping lower resistances. And even though the flavor is highly subjective, most vapers that use stainless steel and nichrome attest that they acquire better flavor with them.

Nicke

Nickel wire contains pure nickel and it was the first wire to be used in temperature control. In addition, it is the first wire that cannot be considered and utilized in wattage mode. With Ni200, there are two critical drawbacks. First, the wire is soft and it is hard to mould it in uniform coils. Second, it is pure nickel and some people often find it uncomfortable to use.

It might be quite popular among TC enthusiasts and it is also available locally. However, it may not be worth all the trouble.

Titanium

Titanium is yet another TC-only wire. It is worth noting there is some controversy surrounding the security and safety of using titanium wire for vaping. For instance, heating it is capable of releasing a toxic component. Similar to magnesium, it is quite difficult to extinguish titanium if it ignites. It is possible that some shops might not even sell it due to safety issues and liability.

Regardless, many vapers still use it to get the results they need. After all, titanium is very easy to work into coil but it might be difficult to source because of the reasons mentioned above.

Stainless Steel vs Nickel vs Titanium

When it comes to the battle between these TC-compatible wires, there is no doubt that stainless steel is a clear and obvious winner. There are various reasons why it stands out from others. First of all, it is quite easy to source. Second, it can be used easily and can hold its shape as well. Third, it is even capable of working in power mode when you need it. Not to mention, the nickel content in steel wire is rather low. Even though people with nickel allergies should consider avoiding it, it is not likely to cause any type of adverse reactions to people with allergies.

Upon consideration of all factors, in case you have a nickel allergy, you should not consider using a TC wire. Instead, you should consider sticking to wattage vaping with the use of a Kanthal wire, which is used commonly by vapers.

Conclusion

Overall, it can be said that all the vape wires mentioned in this post are different from each other and tend to perform relatively differently as well. Regardless, your choice of vaping wire is quite an important variable that determines your vaping nirvana. It is perhaps one of the most critical components to affect your vaping experience.

After all, choosing the right type of wire and its gauge allows us to have precise control over wattage, current, and ramp time. Ultimately, it allows us to determine the vaping experience and pleasure we will derive from it. By adjusting the number of wraps, wire type, and coil diameter, you can actually make a completely unique experience. The moment you find something that is compatible with a specific atomizer, be sure to note down the specifics and save the features or specs for the future.

Anyway, if you are allergic to nickel, you should consider using Kanthal as it is quite popular among vapers, it is also the reason why Kanthal AF was chosen by most of aspire coils . However, if you are looking for only a TC-compatible wire, you should go along with steel wire because it is a clear winner among titanium and nickel. Moreover, it is readily available.