Notch Coil – What is it in Vaping?
Definition
A Notch Coil is a type of vape coil made from a thin strip of stainless-steel or Wire“>nichrome wire that has been precision-cut with a series of evenly spaced “notches” or slots along its length. When rolled into a cylinder, these notches form a continuous heating ribbon with large, open surface area. Unlike traditional round wire coils, the notch coil’s perforated design allows heat to spread quickly and evenly, delivering rich flavour and dense vapour at lower wattages. Its rigid, self-supporting structure eliminates hot spots and the need for wrapping wire, making it a beginner-friendly option for rebuildable tanks (RBA, RTA, RDA) and some stock sub-ohm heads.
Technical Details
Notch coils function as temperature-control-friendly resistive elements because stainless-steel and nichrome wire offer stable TCR values. A typical 0.35–0.45 mm thick strip is laser-cut into a comb-like pattern, then coiled to an Diameter“>inner diameter of 2.5–3.5 mm, yielding resistances between 0.15 Ω and 0.4 Ω. The slots increase surface area by roughly 30 % compared with equivalent round wire, while the solid spine preserves structural integrity. Most versions are spaced, allowing e-liquid to feed from both the outer and inner faces, reducing dry hits when chain-vaping. Variants include “mini” 2 mm ID coils for MTL atomisers, dual-notch staggered builds for cloud chasing, and pre-notched SS316L strips sold by the centimetre for custom builds. Because the entire coil is one continuous piece, ramp-up time is shorter and micro-adjustments with ceramic tweezers are rarely needed.
Usage & Tips
Mount the notch coil so the perforated section sits slightly above the deck’s air-flow slots; this maximises flavour while preventing spit-back. Start at 20–30 W and pulse-fire to check for even glow—any dark lines indicate trapped e-liquid, so gently brush with a small coil-cleaning brush. Wick with moderately fluffy Cotton“>organic cotton or rayon, ensuring the tails just kiss the juice wells; over-stuffing chokes the capillary action. Expect 3–4 weeks’ life with clear 70 VG e-liquids; sweeter juices shorten lifespan. To clean, remove the cotton, dry-burn at 15 W until residue glows off, then rinse under warm water. Never exceed 40 W when dry, as the thin bridges between notches can fracture. Finally, lock your mod’s resistance at room temperature if using stainless-steel in TC mode to avoid “temperature protect” errors.
History & Context
Notch coils debuted in 2015 when Chinese manufacturer Wotofo introduced pre-made SS316L strips for the Serpent RTA, aiming to give beginners the surface area of Clapton wire without complex wrapping. Their success spurred rebuilders to experiment with laser-cut nichrome sheets, leading to today’s wide availability of DIY notch spools and factory-built heads compatible with Nicotine Salt”>nicotine salt or freebase nicotine e-liquids.