What are sub ohm coils?

A piece of key equipment for your vape is the coil, this is the heating element in your vape, and is typically made of a mesh wire and a wicking material like cotton. So, what is a sub ohm coil? Read on to learn exactly what coil you should look for when sub ohm vaping.

How do vape coils work?

Sub ohm coils work in the same way as regular coils, they just have lower resistances. Coils turn e-liquid into vapour using power from the battery. The metal/ mesh components of the coil are heated by the battery which causes the e-liquid on the wick to be vaporised. This process allows you to inhale the vapour.

What makes sub ohm coils different?

Sub ohm coils are low resistance coils under 1.0ohm. These coils get hotter than high resistance ones, producing large vapour clouds with a more intense flavour. Generally low resistance coils are used with high wattage devices, as more power also allows the e-liquid to get to higher temperatures at a faster rate.

Ohms explained

The word sub ohm literally means below one ohm. An ohm is a measurement unit for electrical resistance, aka how much a material works against the flow of an electric current. Essentially, the higher ohm your coil is the harder the electrical current has to work to power your vape.

Our favourite sub ohm coils

  • Geekvape: Geekvape coils are made with sub ohm vaping in mind and are compatible with most Geekvape vape kits.

How do you prime a sub ohm coil?

Priming a sub ohm coil has slightly more steps as it is not pre-installed like in a simple MTL kit. However, you should take the same steps for any coil that does not come pre-installed, regardless of resistance.

To prime your coil:

Step 1: Grab your tank, e-liquid and coil.

Step 2: Carefully drip e-liquid onto the visible cotton wick in your coil. Around 4 drops should be enough. 

Step 3: Put your coil into your tank, it should click into place.

Step 4: Fill the tank up with e-liquid. 

Step 5: Wait at least 5 minutes before vaping. This allows the e-liquid to fully soak into the coil.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is important to clean your coil to help prolong its life. To clean your coil soak it in a bowl of hot water. If you have any hardened e-liquid that is stuck you can add lemon juice or vinegar to help it come off easily. After the coil has soaked for a couple of hours, leave it to air dry until completely dry.

You should not use salt nic with a sub ohm coil because the nicotine content will be too high and will move through the coil too fast. This results in harsh throat hits, a very strong nicotine hit and dizziness.

This depends on if your coil has a pre-built disposable top to it. If you've built your own coil though you can definitely replace the cotton, just make sure you're using organic cotton with no bleach or added chemicals.

This highly depends on usage but a sub ohm coil can last for up to 2 weeks before needing to be replaced.

Yes, any resistance under 1.0 ohm is classed as sub ohm.

You should use a sub ohm coil with DTL vape kits and an above ohm coil for MTL kits.

Voopoo offer a wide range of high quality sub-ohm coils. Other great brands include Vaporesso and Geekvape.

No, not all sub ohm coils will necessarily fit your sub ohm vape. Make sure to check compatibility with your kit before purchasing any coils.

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