What is sub ohm vaping? Welcome to one of the biggest attractions in the vaping world: Huge clouds and superior flavour! But, before we get technical, let’s explore what sub ohming is, and its pros and cons in this post…Well, sub ohming pretty much all comes down to one three word sentence, “huge, flavorful clouds”. Sub ohm vaping clouds are larger and thicker when compared to regular vape clouds, which also turns out to produce more intense flavors. In addition to this, sub ohm vaping has the characteristic of creating a warmer vapor which for, most, makes the experience way more satisfying. Now that we get what all the hype is about, let’s answer the question, “What is sub ohm vaping?”.
Sub ohm Vaping Explained
The name pretty much sums it up. Sub ohm vaping involves vaping on a device that uses atomizer coils with a resistance lower than one ohm (hence, sub ohm) where regular vapes usually use a resistance between the range of 1.5 ohms to 2.8 ohms. To fully understand the concept of how sub ohming works, you'll need a quick crash course on the concept on which it is based- Ohm's law. Ohm’s law can be stated in words as “electric current equals voltage divided by resistance,” and with its simpler mathematical equation written as:
I=V/R
Named after the man who invented it, Georg Ohm, the law states that if you keep your voltage constant and lower your resistance you will increase the current, and more current means more power.
You may be wondering why you can't just use more powerful batteries to get a higher voltage. Well, you're not alone. People initially did try to use batteries with more power, but this didn't really work as the amount of amps that can be pushed in your device is limited. Therefore, the focus came to reduce the amount of resistance in the circuit in order to pass more current through which in turn heats up the coils and results in thicker smoke plumes. That’s pretty much the basics of sub-ohm vaping explained. It is usually advised that sub ohming be left for more advanced vapers, but everyone has to start somewhere right? So when you are ready to take that small step-up, here is what you'll need to get started.
Different types of vape atomizers
While there are many different types, from simple e-cigarettes and vape pens to more advanced types such as mechanical mods, they are all pretty much doing the same thing to give you your vape experience.
E-cigarettes and vape pens generally have a button to activate the atomizer, whereas the more advanced type of vaporizers have some high-end features like variable voltage temperature regulation. If that sounds crazy scientific, well, it’s because it is. But in the end, all you really have to do is push a button and draw on your device to get the vape experience you want!
Vaporizer components
A major difference in how the different types of vapes work comes down to their components. Simpler devices will have a battery, a simple vape atomizer and drawing tip.
The more advanced devices have a varying range of fancy-sounding components like tanks, coils, RDAs and mods - all of which serve to tailor the vape experience to the user’s tastes and needs. Basically, every vape houses an atomizer, which is the element that heats up e-juice and creates vapour. The question is whether you prefer a:
- Tank: An all-in-one housing wher you fill it with e-juice and then vape away.
- RTA: Similar to a tank, but you build the atomizer yourself to your specification.
- RDA: Not a 'tank' as such as it doesn't hold a reservoir of e-juice; rather you drip your juice directly onto your atomizer as required for extra taste and clouds.
The coil itself will commonly bemade from different elements such as stainless steel, titanium, ceramic, or tungsten. They each behave differently, and therefore provide different performance, such as being able to handle a hotter temperature. Often the coil chosen is merely down to personal preference, so try some and see!
Hopefully, we’ve given you enough of the simple science behind how vaping works for you to understand a little bit more about how that amazing tasting vapour is formed! And for you to want to experiment too...
Stay tuned for more blogs in the Vaping 101 series. Happy vaping!
Do I Need A Special Vape Atomizer To Sub ohm?
Yes, you definitely do. Due to the increased current allowed by the low ohm coils, mechanical mods that use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, or mods which recharge through the use of a USB cable, need specific cells that can cope with the higher current flow. Regular vape pens and mods do not have the higher wattage capabilities and will therefore not be able to work with coils under 1.0 Ohms. These are the main three ways that you can enjoy Sub Ohm Vaping:
1. RDAss (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers)
RDAs were initially the first way people were able to vape using a lower resistance. Also known as Drippers, these are usually smaller devices than sub ohm tanks that attach to Mechanical or Box Mods. They involve building your own wick and coils by making use of a deck where coils are built and attached using a screwdriver and wicked with cotton. Before every few puffs users need to drip a small amount of e-juice directly onto the coils and wick. Many advanced vapers still enjoy building their own coils, and even regard it as a hobby.
2. RTAs (Rebuildable Tank Atomizers)
Many people want to build coils, but don't want to drip which can get messy. RTAs allow just that. RTAs are essentially clearomizers where the user actual builds the inside coil(s). This gives the vaper the freedom to create a coil that will give them the exact type of vape they want. More recently, many RTAs have been designed based on the Sub Ohm vaper or 'cloud chaser' in mind, by fitting them with the appropriate airflow options.
3. Sub Ohm Tanks
As discussed above, in the past, if you wanted to Sub Ohm you would have to channel your inner MacGyver and build your own wick and coils. But, fortunately for those of us who wish to start blowing colossal clouds as soon as possible, we can now purchase a Sub Ohm Tank or any other Mod on the market that can produce 30 watts or higher. Generally beginners are encouraged to not go too far when selecting sub ohm tanks. So a vape atomizer with a coil resistance at 0.5 Ohms - 1 Ohms would be the best choice.
What are the disadvantages of sub ohm vaping.
So we already know that the pros of sub ohming include bigger and thicker clouds, enhanced flavor, and warmer vapor. These can all earn you some serious bragging rights within your vaping community. However, as you know, every up has its down and here are the disadvantages to vaping at a lower resistance.
- It uses more battery power. This one may be a bit obvious. Higher wattage = less battery life. Lower ohm coils requires more wattage to get hotter and produce the higher amount of vapor that everyone finds so attractive. This is especially true when using more old school mechanical mods. On a regulated mod, your setting determines how many watts you're using, and therefore influences your battery life accordingly. This could help it drain a bit slower but your battery may still not last as long as with your regular vaping devices.
- It uses more juice. Blowing bigger clouds, means using more e-liquid. Therefore, sub ohm vaping requires the use of larger quantities of e-liquid which will be more expensive than your standard setup. However, some vapers have certainly found their way around this problem by making their own e-juice. This ends up being a lot more affordable than buying commercial juices, and even offers you the ability to create your own flavors.
- It comes with some added safety concerns. Thankfully, the problems experienced are really low, when you take into account the millions of people vaping around the world. However, a number of incidents have occurred from misusing mods and poor quality merchandise which have resulted in serious consequences from the devices setting alight. No matter which vape kit you use for vaping, they all contain batteries with the potential for danger, and should therefore be treated carefully. It is vital that you read up on some sub ohm vaping safety tips before you try it yourself.
- Stronger lung hit. Although this may be considered an advantage for most vapers, some people just do not want that stronger lung hit that many sub ohm vapers live for. The stronger hit imitates that of conventional cigarettes, making it a huge benefit for some, and a drawback for others.
I am sure this guide has successfully explained what sub ohm vaping is and what it all entails. There is no denying that blowing huge sub ohm vaping clouds is entertaining. But before you rush into the sub ohm trend, make sure you are well prepared and fully understand the risks involved as well as the rewards.
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