Striped Coil – What is it in Vaping?
Definition
A Striped Coil is a hand-built vape coil made by twisting or braiding two or more different types of resistancewire—typically Kanthal, Ni80, or Stainless Steel—into a single, candy-stripe pattern. Designed for Sub-Ohmcloud chasing, the striped profile creates alternating ridges that increase surface area, letting e-liquid vaporise faster and deliver richer flavour. Beginners upgrading from a basic Kit“>Starter Kit often notice the visual “stripes” glowing evenly when the coil is fired, making it easy to check for hot spots. The coil’s dual-metal construction also allows custom ramp-up speeds and heat retention, giving advanced Australian vapers fine control over their vape experience without needing complex Mod“>Squonk Mod programming.
Technical Details
Striped Coils are usually twisted from 2 × 26 GA or 2 × 28 GA wires, yielding a final resistance between 0.15 Ω and 0.4 Ω—ideal for regulated devices with Short Circuit Protection. The alternating stripes form micro-grooves that act as capillary channels, drawing juice deeper into the coil and delaying dry hits. Most builders use a 3 mm internal diameter and 5–7 wraps to balance mass and ramp time. Variations include:
- Triple-Core Striped: three strands for lower resistance and faster ramp.
- Clapton-Striped Hybrid: a Clapton sleeve over a striped core for extra surface area.
- Temperature-Control Striped: one Ni80 strand paired with SS316L to allow limited TC on compatible mods.
Usage & Tips
Mount the coil high enough that airflow grazes the stripes, then pulse at 20 W, pinch with ceramic tweezers to remove hot spots, and wick moderately tight with high-quality cotton. Striped Coils are thirsty—let your juice Steep for a week to mute overpowering sweetness. If you notice spitting, raise wattage 5–10 W or increase coil height; if the stripes glow red in the centre, add an extra wrap or lower wattage to avoid stressing your battery. Always confirm resistance on a regulated mod before firing; twisted wires can read deceptively low and trip Short Circuit Protection.