Rebuildable Atomizers
Rebuildables
The term ‘Rebuildable’ refers to the DIY nature of building, winding or assembling your own atomizer. A rebuildable atomizer is distinct from a normal atomizer in a number of ways. Rebuildable atomizers can be used on regulated or mechanical mods. Rebuildable atomizers can be split into three categories:
RDTA’s - Rebuildable Dripping Tank Atomizers
RDA’s - Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers
RTA’s - Rebuildable Tank Atomizers
The process for building on each subtype is mostly the same, with a few special considerations for each. See the guide to building below for a breakdown.
RTA’s - Rebuildable Tank Atomizers
The process for building on each subtype is mostly the same, with a few special considerations for each. See the guide to building below for a breakdown.
Wire and Coils
Building on a rebuildable atomizer requires ‘completing a circuit’. A length of wire wound into a coil, similar to those of pre-packaged coils will have the intended effect. Wire is wound on a specialised tool called a Coil Winder and cut to length with Wire Snips. There a number of factors to consider before building a coil:
- Resistance
- AWG
- Coil Diameter
- No. of Wraps
- Leg Length
- Wrap Spacing
Resistance
Resistance determines how much opposing force inhibits the flow of current through a material. The resistance of any given material can be found by measuring the voltage (or potential difference) across a material and the current.
Resistance can be calculated with the following equation:
Voltage/Current = Resistance (in Ohms).
This equation is known as Ohm’s Law and is important in determining the maximum power you can apply to a circuit. Ohm’s Law is extremely important when considering battery safety. Please read our guide to learn more.
AWG
The AWG, or American Wire Gauge, is a unit measurement system designed to establish “the diameters of round, solid, nonferrous, electrically conducting wire” ([1], Wikipedia). The AWG of a given wire will determine the final resistance given a fixed coil diameter and number of wraps.
Coil Diameter
The total distance between two opposite sides of the circular sides of a coil. Increasing the diameter increases the total length of the wire, in turn increasing the resistance. Standard coil diameter is between 2.5mm and 3.5mm.
No. of Wraps
The No. of Wraps refers to how many times the wire has been turned around a bit. You can determine the wrap count by counting the number of lines there are on the coil section. This variable has the biggest impact of the resistance of a coil. Removing or adding wraps can represent a high net change in the resistance of a coil. The ideal power to quickly heat a coil will change as a result.
Leg Length/Wrap Spacing
Both useful if you’re looking to hit a specific resistance without any variation. Please refer to the tools section for a handy calculator to find out the perfect values for your coil.
Cotton
Cotton is the part of a rebuildable atomizer that absorbs E Liquid. Threading cotton through the center of the coil will allow the E Liquid to vaporize. The cotton should be uniformly compact - but loose enough for easy juice flow. Cotton can be ‘fluffed’ at the ends to allow for greater juice flow with the help of a special tool.
Guides to Building
Building a DIY Rebuildable coil is a very visual activity. We’ve decided to forego huge walls of text and instead link to some of our favourite build guides on YouTube:
Building an sRDA (s = Squonk)
Useful Tools
Steam Engine - The accepted standard for any vape related electrical calculations. Includes a plethora of different tools, including calculators for:
Ohm’s law - for working out resistance
Coil wrapping - will tell you how many wraps to wind for a given material
Battery Drain/Battery Life - how long your batteries will last with your current coil/build
Mod Range - optimal resistance range for your build
Wire Wizard - For more advanced users, allows building of custom wire/coil types