OCC Coil – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

An OCC Coil (Cotton“>Organic Cotton Coil) is a replaceable heating element used in modern vape tanks and pods. It contains a spiralled resistancewire wrapped around or threaded through a bed of pharmaceutical-grade organic cotton that acts as the wick. When the device is fired, the wire heats up, vaporising the e-liquid soaked into the cotton and turning it into the flavoured vapour you inhale. OCC coils are designed for convenience: instead of manually re-wicking with loose cotton, vapers simply unscrew the spent coil and insert a fresh one, restoring clean flavour and reliable performance in seconds.

Technical Details

OCC coils work on a simple principle: electrical current from the battery meets the coil’s resistance wire—typically Kanthal, stainless-steel, or nickel-chrome—creating heat that falls within a safe vaping temperature range (roughly 180 °C – 300 °C). Resistance values vary: sub-ohm versions run 0.15 – 0.5 Ω for massive cloud production, while 0.6 – 1.2 Ω options suit mouth-to-lung (MTL) styles. Inside, the organic cotton wick must balance absorption speed with heat tolerance; most manufacturers use bleach-free Japanese cotton for purity. Coil housings are built to precise tolerances—thread pitch, seal rings, and chimneydiameter—to match specific tanks and prevent flooding or dry hits. Some OCC designs feature parallel or Clapton wires, mesh strips, or ceramic cores, but all retain the plug-and-play format. Always check the recommended wattage printed on the coil; exceeding it can melt insulation, collapse cotton fibres, and shorten lifespan.

Usage & Tips

• Priming: Before first use, drip 3-4 Ohm-tested drops of e-liquid directly onto the cotton, then let the filled tank stand 5-10 min. This prevents burnt “dry hits”.
• Break-in: Start at the bottom of the suggested watt range and increase by 5 W every few puffs until flavour peaks.
• Chain-vaping: Leave 20-30 seconds between draws; the cotton needs time to re-saturate and avoid overheating protection activation.
• Leak fix: If juice seeps out, check O-rings, tighten the coil firmly, and ensure you’re using the correct VG/PG ratio for your coil’s wick port size.
• Replacement cue: Swap the coil when flavour drops, vapour thins, or you taste a slight “paper” note—usually after 15-60 mL of liquid depending on sweetness and nicotine level.

Safety: Never fire an open systemmod without e-liquid; dry cotton can ignite. Recycle spent coils at local e-waste centres to keep heavy metals out of landfill.

History & Context

KangerTech introduced the first commercial OCC Coil heads in 2014 with the Subtank series, moving vapers away from rebuildable dripping atomisers toward user-friendly tanks. The format quickly became an industry standard, paving the way for today’s plug-and-play pods and for OLED screen devices that read coil resistance automatically.