Vertical Coil – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

A Vertical Coil is a heating element inside a vape atomiser that stands upright—like a small metal tube—rather than lying flat. Its job is to heat Juice“>vape juice into vapor by running electrical current through tightly wrapped resistancewire. By positioning the coil vertically, e-liquid can flow up through wicking ports on all sides, giving faster saturation, smoother airflow and often richer flavour than traditional horizontal coils. Vertical coils are now common in stock sub-ohm tanks and some rebuildable decks aimed at both beginner and advanced Australian vapers.

Technical Details

Construction & Function

Vertical coils consist of a cylindrical wire spiral—usually Kanthal A1, Ni80, or stainless-steel—ranging from 0.15 Ω to 0.6 Ω for sub-ohm vaping. The coil is wrapped around a porous wick (Cotton“>organic cotton or rayon) and encased in a metal chimney. When you fire your device in Wattage (VW)”>Variable Wattage (VW) or Variable Voltage (VV) mode, current passes through the wire, heating it to 200 °C–315 °C. Capillary action draws vape juice upward, vaporising on contact. Airflow slots sit parallel to the coil, producing a tight column of vapour that exits the DripTip“>drip tip.

Variations

  • Mesh-Vertical hybrids: thin vertical mesh strips for faster ramp-up
  • Dual Vertical: two coils stacked for higher wattage and cloud production
  • Vertical Clapton: wrapped with outer fuse wire for more surface area and flavour

Usage & Tips

To get the best from a vertical coil:

  • Prime it: add 3–4 drops of vape juice directly onto the wick and wait five minutes before first use.
  • Start at the lower end of the recommended VW range (e.g., 40 W for a 40–60 W coil) and increase gradually to avoid burning cotton.
  • If you notice gurgling, flick out excess liquid and check O-rings for leaks; upright storage reduces flooding.
  • Safety first: never fire a dry coil—dry hits can release unwanted compounds.

History & Context

Horizontal coils dominated early clearomisers, but around 2014 Aspire’s Nautilus and Kanger’s Subtank popularised the vertical format to combat leaking and improve wicking. Today, most major Australian retailers stock tanks and pods that rely on vertical coil technology, cementing it as the mainstream choice for reliable, flavour-forward vaping.

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