Dual Parallel Coil – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

A Dual Coil“>Parallel Coil is a type of rebuildable atomiser build where two separate heating wires are run side-by-side in parallel, effectively doubling the surface area that vapourises e-liquid. Unlike a Dual Coil setup where each coil has its own electrical path, a parallel pair shares the same positive and negative posts, halving the total resistance while keeping the same mass of metal. The result is faster ramp-up, denser clouds and warmer, more saturated flavour—ideal for DTL (Direct to Lung) vapers who want sub-ohm performance without the ramp delay of a single large coil.

Technical Details

Electrically, two identical wires in parallel cut the total resistance by half (Ohm’s law: 1/Rtotal = 1/R1 + 1/R2). A common 26-gauge Kanthal A1 round wire that measures 0.45 Ω on its own becomes ≈ 0.22 Ω when doubled, landing firmly in the sub-ohm zone. Builders typically space the strands 1–2 mm apart on a 3 mm rod to avoid hot spots; both legs enter the same post-hole, so the deck must have 2–3 mm post-holes or clamp-style posts. Variations include:

• Dual Parallel Clapton – two core wires wrapped together with a thinner ribbon, increasing surface area again.
• Dual Parallel Twisted – two strands twisted first, then laid parallel for extra texture and capillary action.
• Parallel-Fused Clapton – two parallel cores already fused inside a wrap, popular on 4 mm ID reels for mechanical squonks.

Because current is shared, use high-drain 25 A+ batteries and keep the total mass under ~80 mg per coil to prevent excessive lag.

Usage & Tips

Install both wires simultaneously, lightly pinch and pulse at 20 W until they glow evenly from the centre out. Strum with ceramic tweezers to eliminate hotspots—uneven glow means one strand is tighter; loosen and re-seat. Wicking: use 100% Japanese Cotton“>organic cotton, strip the outer layer, and thread snugly so the cotton just moves inside the coil; too tight chokes wicking, too loose causes dry hit. Start at 60–80 W for 0.2 Ω builds and adjust; chain-vape sessions above 90 W can scorch cotton, so drip every 4-5 pulls or tilt-squonk frequently. Always check post screws after the first tank—parallel legs can migrate and short.

History & Context

The parallel build emerged in 2013 when cloud-chasers began stacking wires to overcome the ramp-up limits of single-strand micro-coils on mech mods. As post-holes grew from 1 mm to 3 mm and clamp decks arrived, dual parallel became a staple of Australian rebuildable culture, sitting between simple round-wire economy and exotic alien builds in both cost and performance.