What Makes a Sub-Ohm Coil Compatible with More Than One Tank

Vape hardware brands go to great lengths to offer everything that a vaper needs to enjoy a complete setup, with every component that’s required for a successful vape. This means that hardware brands typically produce “starter kits”, which provide you with the mod, the tank and the coil, all of which are designed to be compatible with one another for the most enjoyable vaping sessions possible. You will notice that when it comes to a sub-ohm tank, the same manufacturer offers coils that can be purchased in packs, often made just for that tank.

Why are Some Coils Compatible with Different Tanks, and Some Aren’t?

Now, at the same time, if you’ve been vaping for a while, then you know that sometimes, it is possible to come across coils made by a different manufacturer for their tank, which just so happen to be compatible with your tank.

Factor #1: Size and Shape

Every sub-ohm tank is unique, but at the same time, it’s a relatively simple piece of hardware, meaning that tanks can only differ from each other so much. Tanks have to be 510-threaded, so that they can attach to box mods, and they can only be within a certain size range, while pretty much all sharing the same structural layout in terms of where the mouthpiece, juice well, etc. exist.

That being said, it’s not surprising that a coil made by one company happens to fit into the tank made by another company. Because companies are relatively limited with their coil designs, it just so happens that coils and tanks are often compatible with one another whether that was the intention of a company or not. If your coil happens to have a diameter and shape that fits into another tank, what you’re experiencing is not as unusual as you may think.

Factor #2: Resistance Level

The other important factor is the resistance level. Not only does a coil have to be compatible with the tank, but also the mod itself. That’s because each coil resistance level is compatible with a specific range of output levels – say one coil works for devices set at 60-80 watts, etc. Basically, that means that if you’re going to use a coil with a tank it wasn’t intended for, you have to make sure that the resistance level of the coil is compatible with the mod with which you’re using the tank, as well.

Using a coil that has a resistance level that isn’t compatible with your mod isn’t as dangerous as you may think, because nowadays, hardware brands install a lot of safety features into vape hardware so that issues like an inappropriate resistance level don’t lead to harmful results. But, what can happen is that your coil burns out quickly because it wasn’t designed to handle the power of your mod, leaving you with a dead coil.

Factor #3: Material

The last factor to consider is the material, and this applies more to temperature control vaping. The wire of the coil can be made from various metal materials, and those who like to vape using the temperature control mode tend to gravitate toward certain types of metals that bring out different qualities of vapor, while responding differently to various temperature settings. If you’re using a TC-based vaping style, you want to make sure that the coil you’re using is made with a wire that’s compatible with the TC settings on your mod.

Knowing Whether or Not a Coil is Compatible with Your Tank

Now that you know why certain coils are compatible with a variety of tanks, you’re probably wondering how you can actually know whether or not you do have a tank that can take various coils. This is especially handy to know if the coil you usually get is out of stock, and you want to find an alternative. We recommend looking up which coils are compatible with your tank, rather than guessing, since vapers often share their discoveries when trying out different coils with their tanks. Basically, you don’t want to invest in a set of coils you’ve never used before, hoping that there’s a chance they will fit into your tank, because the risk of wasting money is too high.