Spaced Coil – What Is It & Why Use It in Vaping?

Definition

A Spaced Coil is a type of vape coil where each wrap of resistancewire is deliberately separated by a small, even gap instead of being compressed together. This simple spacing allows e-liquid to flow freely between every wrap, improving wicking and reducing the chance of hot spots that can cause dry hits or burnt cotton. Popular with both Sub-Ohm builders and mouth-to-lung vapers, spaced coils heat more evenly, ramp up slightly faster, and are forgiving for beginners because they rarely require “strumming” or pinching to fix hotspots. The design works in rebuildable atomisers, tanks, and even some advanced Kit“>Starter Kit decks that accept user-made coils.

Technical Details

Spaced coils are created by winding wire around a jig or screwdriver, then pulling the wraps apart a fraction of a millimetre so that light can just be seen between each turn. Typical gap width is 0.2–0.5 mm, depending on wire gauge and wicking material. Because the wraps are not touching, resistance is fractionally lower than an equivalent contact coil—usually 0.05–0.1 Ω difference on a Mod“>regulated mod. Common builds use 24–28 ga Kanthal, stainless-steel 316L, or Ni80; 3–4 mm Diameter“>inner diameter is most popular, yielding resistances between 0.3 Ω and 0.8 Ω for single coil set-ups. Variations include “semi-spaced” (light tension, minimal contact) and multi-core spaced Claptons, where the outer wrap is also spaced to maximise juice channels.

Usage & Tips

• Wicking: Use slightly more cotton than you would with a contact coil; the fluffy fill prevents collapse and ensures every gap stays fed.
• Installation: Mount the coil, tighten screws, then gently pulse at 15–20 W until the entire coil glows evenly from the centre outward. No strumming required—if hot spots appear, increase spacing on that wrap only.
• Safety: Always check resistance on a regulated mod with Short Circuit Protection before firing; spaced coils rarely short, but loose tails can touch the deck.
• Common issue: muted flavour—usually too much cotton or gaps too wide; re-wick with lighter density or compress wraps slightly.

History & Context

Spaced coils date back to the early rebuildable era (2012–2013) when vapers first moved away from factory silica wicks. Australian builders favoured them for high-VG e-liquids that needed generous wicking, and the style resurged with the 2016–2017 squonk revival—Squonk Mod users found spaced coils less likely to flood when over-squonked. Today they remain a staple in both cloud-chasing and discreet mouth-to-lung set-ups across the Australian vaping community.