Killer Coil – What is it in Vaping?
Definition
A Killer Coil is a hand-built, high-performance vape coil renowned for its aggressive ramp-up time, dense vapour production and intense flavour. Typically crafted from exotic wire blends such as Kanthal, N80 or stainless-steel clapton cores, the coil is wound to ultra-low resistance (often sub-0.15 Ω) and mounted in rebuildable atomisers (RDAs/RTAs). The name is community slang, not a brand—Australian vapers use it to describe any “cloud-chucking, flavour-slapping” coil that outperforms stock options. Beginners should note: Killer Coils demand high-wattage mods, Battery Safety”>battery safety knowledge and ohms-law respect.
Technical Details
Most Killer Coils use multi-core clapton or alien constructions: 3×26/28 ga Kanthal or N80 cores wrapped with 36–38 ga outer wire, yielding 0.08–0.12 Ω dual-coil setups. Internal diameter is 2.5–3 mm, 5–7 wraps, maximising surface area for juice vaporisation. Post-less decks (e.g., Kayfun Plus, Goon 25) accommodate the extra width; legs are angled 30–45° to avoid shorting. Mass ranges 0.18–0.25 g per coil; heat-flux sweet spot 180–220 mW/mm² at 90–130 W. Variations include “Fraliens” (flat ribbon core) and “Killer Stags” (staple + clapton hybrid). Always dry-burn at 15 W to check for hot-spots; glow should be even from centre out.
Usage & Tips
- Wick tight: use 100% Cotton“>Japanese cotton, strip 1 mm thinner than ID to prevent overspill.
- Juice ratio: 70VG/30PG minimum; high-sweetener liquids gunk coils—expect 25–30 mL lifespan.
- Battery check: only married 30A+ 18650/21700 cells; rotate in kit weekly to avoid knurled cap scratches.
- Common fix: if resistance jumps, retighten screws; kick (temporary spike) often means leg strain.
- Safety: never fire below 0.08 Ω on single-cell mech; carry in insulated case to avoid hard short.
History & Context
The term surfaced circa 2015 on Australian FB groups when cloud comps hit Melbourne vape expos. Builders chasing “0.1 ohm club” status branded their wildest creations “Killer” to stand out. Today, pre-built “Killer” spools sell domestically, but purists still coil-by-hand in garage sheds across NSW & VIC.