Welcome to our sub ohm vaping guide. There is one thing that we all know. Freeman vape juice is the best! Our juice is made for flavor and clouds when sub ohm vaping. So what we want to do is to take some time and explain sub ohm vaping and temperature control vaping. In a nutshell, subohm vaping is using an atomizer that has a resistance level of less than 1.0 ohms. Now, let’s dig into the details.
- Sub Ohm Vaping is vaping with an electronic cigarette device that has an atomizer resistance less than 1.0 ohms.
- Ohms represents the level of resistance to electric current. The lower the number the less the resistance.
The idea behind vaping with sub ohm atomizers is the immense vapor production. Because the electric resistance of the atomizer is minimal, more power is drawn from the battery more rapidly. That means the atomizer coil heats more rapidly and vaporizes more vape juice. That means more vapor. And it is that vapor that cloud chasing sub ohmers are looking for.
Sub Ohm Vaping requires large capacity batteries. The most common type of vape battery is the 18650. Not all 18650s are the same. Each battery is rated for mAh, milliamp hours, and Amps, amperage. mAh measures how much power a battery can store. Amps measures how strong the current is. A 2600 mAh, 30 amp vape battery will work nicely for most vape mods. Speaking of mods, let’s have a quick chat.
Sub Ohm Vape Mods
There are basically two types of sub ohm vaping mods.
- Regulated Mods - regulated mods are controlled by a computer processor, often referred to as a chipset. The chipset controls the power that is drawn from the battery. In addition, regulated mods are designed with numerous safety features. Regulated mods are the best choice for sub ohm vaping.
- Unregulated Mods - unregulated mods are more frequently called mech mods. That is short for mechanical mod. A mech mod has no processor. It also has no safety features. A mech mod draws raw power from the battery and using this type of device requires an expert level understanding of Ohms Law.
We do not recommend using mech mods. Regulated mods are better, more stable, and more convenient. Most of the mods on the market today are regulated mods. They allow you to select the wattage or temperature, they read the atomizer, and frankly they make sub ohm vaping pretty easy!
By the way, the sub ohm mod pictured above is the Geekvape Nova.
Sub Ohm Vape Tanks
Next in the sub ohm vaping guide we will go over sub ohm vape tanks. A sub ohm tank is a type of tank made of four basic components:
- Drip Tip
- Glass Tank
- Base
- Coil
There are two things that distinguish a sub ohm tank from a standard vape tank. First, the glass must be made of actual glass, typically Pyrex or quartz. A plastic tank will not work for sub ohm vaping. Next, the coil will have a resistance level of less than 1.0 ohms. The coil resistance range for sub ohm tanks can range from 0.1 ohms to 0.9 ohms. The most common sub ohm coil resistances range from 0.2 ohms to 0.5 ohms.
Some sub ohm tanks, called RDAs, RTAs and RBAs, are designed for the user to build their own coils. But for beginning sub ohm vaping, buying a sub ohm tank with pre-built coils is a much easier way to become familiar.
An example of a sub ohm tank is the Freemax Mesh Pro. The Mesh Pro has a large e-liquid capacity and a top fill design. The coils are easy to use and replace as needed.
An example of an RTA would be the Vandy Vape Revolver. The Revolver requires the user to build their own coils. Coil building can be a fun and enjoyable skill. But, for getting started, we recommend tanks with pre-built coils for our sub ohm vaping guide.
How To Sub Ohm Vape
Adult tobacco consumers that are used to traditional tobacco products or standard style electronic cigarettes utilize MTL vaping. MTL stands for mouth to lung. In other words, the vapor is drawn into the mouth and then inhaled. Much the same inhalation style as smoking. Sub ohm vaping is different.
It is important that any sub ohm vaping guide make clear that the method of inhaling is different. Rather than drawing vapor into the mouth and then inhaling, with sub ohm the vapor is drawn directly into the lungs. This is called direct lung, or DL.
- MTL vape - drawing the vapor into the mouth and then inhaling. This style is used for standard e-cigs with atomizer resistance levels over 1.0 ohms.
- DL - direct lung vaping is drawing vapor directly into the lungs. This style is used for sub ohm vaping and temperature control vaping.
- The tip used for sub ohm vaping has a much wider bore than a standard vaping drip tip. The extra size allows more vapor to be inhaled. Sub ohm vape tips range in size from 9 mm in diameter to 12.5 mm.
Direct lung vaping is a different sensation. The initial draw directly into the lungs draws in a lot of vapor. On the exhale, the fulfilling sensation and flavor really stands out. The satisfaction level is terrific. It may take a little getting used to but the vapor production and flavor are what vapers love. Especially with the right vape juice. By the way, Freeman has the right vape juice for sub ohm and temperature control vaping! Just saying.
What Wattage Is Best For Sub Ohm Vaping?
Today’s vape mods allow the user to select the wattage. The power settings can range from 35 watts all the way up to 300 watts! The most common type of sub ohm vape mod is a dual 18650 device that has the capacity of up to 235 watts.
Vapers using pre-built coils can look to the manufacturer for guidance on the wattage range for the coils. The recommended wattage ranges will usually be stamped on the side of the coil. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines!
While these are not hard and fast guidelines, here are some examples of appropriate wattages based on the atomizer resistance level:
- 0.5 ohms - 30 watts to 70 watts
- 0.4 ohms - 40 watts to 80 watts
- 0.3 ohms - 40 watts to 90 watts
- 0.2 ohm coils - 40 watts to 100 watts
Now remember, the above sub ohm wattage ranges are general. There are other factors that will factor in. For example, some coils will have two or more coil heads. Adding more coil heads can dramatically change the best wattage for sub ohm vaping. There are some coils that have as many as 12 heads and can be vaped at over 300 watts! In the final analysis, we go back to where we started. Follow the manufacturer guidelines that will be imprinted on the external surface of the coil.
Prime New Coils
It is very important to prime new coils. By priming we mean putting a few drops of vape juice on the coil after installing it into the tank base. First, install the new coil in the base of the tank. Then you are ready for prime time! I had to say that. Just put a drop of two on the exposed cotton that you can see through the opening on the side of the coils.
After assembling and filling the vape tank, allow it to sit for ten minutes before taking the first vape. By priming and waiting the 10 minutes, it ensures that the wick will be fully saturate by e-juice. If the wick is not saturated you can burn the cotton and get a dry hit. That first dry hit can burn the cotton and ruin the coil. Priming is important and only takes a few minutes!
Break In The Coils
Vapers often want to crank up the wattage right after putting in a new coil. Don’t do it! You can fry your coil right out of the gate and end up with nothing but burnt tasting hits. It is important to break in new coils. By breaking in new vape coils we mean start out at the low end of the recommended wattage setting. Take a few small, quick vapes at the lower setting. Increase the wattage gradually until you reach the desired setting.
After you gradually increase the power on the coils, it may take some time before the flavor profile really shines. It all depends on the coil that you are using. Some deliver the flavor right away. Some may take an hour or so of vaping to bring out the best in vape juice flavors.
Sub Ohm Vaping Chart
This chart shows the recommended wattage settings to match a specific atomizer resistance. This chart is intended as a general guide. This chart is may help vapers who build their own coils. If using pre-built coils, use the manufacturer guidelines. For more information, make sure that you examine the specifications of your atomizer coils.
Temperature Control Vaping
Temperature control vaping is also a style that uses sub ohm atomizers and direct lung vaping style. Instead of setting the wattage, you set the temperature. The temperature range for vaping is usually anywhere from 200 F to 600 F, or 100 C to 300 C. The most frequent temperatures for vaping are 300 F to 420 F. In order to enjoy temperature control vaping, you have to use the correct type of coil material.
The most common type of coil material is Kanthal. And Kanthal is terrific for vaping with variable wattage. But you can never, never use Kanthal for temperature control vaping. Examples of coil materials that will work for temp control vaping are:
- Nickel, Ni, or Ni200
- Stainless Steel
- Titanium
Also, you will have to use a type of mod that is capable of temperature control vaping. Look for Mods that have a TC designation. TC stands for temp control. Most mods are capable of TC vaping.
With temp control, you set the atomizer temperature. The mod chipset will calculate the wattage necessary for the coil to reach the desired temperature. TC vapers say the like the consistency. It is a general consensus that the best chipset for TC vaping is the DNA chip. For example the Lost Vape Paranormal DNA 250C mod. But to be clear, most of the mods available today do offer temperature control as an option.
Sub Ohm Vape Juice
Of course, this is our favorite part of the sub ohm vaping guide. Sub ohm vape juice! Not all vape juice is suitable for sub ohm vaping. An e-liquid must have at least 70% VG content to be used to sub ohm vaping. To learn more about this, check out our tutorial on what is vape juice.
Here’s the deal. The more VG in an e-liquid, the more vapor that it makes. But, some PG is needed for flavor. At Freeman, we have formulated our vape juice at 80% VG and 20% PG. Folks, we found the sweet spot and vape juice recipes that maximize vapor while at the same time maintaining a vibrant flavor profile.
So that wraps up the sub ohm vaping guide! Before you leave, make sure to check out our latest vape juice flavors and deals.
