Temperature control

[John Lever]

Greetings.

I purchased a mod recently that has temperature control as an option. I realize that many or most of you do use TC. I typically vape in the 40-60 watt range on a tank with coils in the .3 to .6 ohm range.

I am looking for links to articles or posts that discuss how TC works and the standard practices. Like how TC adjustments relate to power. Like how to select a target temperature. I'm set up at 535 degrees now, and it's acceptable. How does changing the coil to a different resistance affect the mod's operation. In other words, how does introducing TC change the standard operating procedures?

I know that I could just do a global search, but I'm trying to keep the information focused and avoiding extraneous or incorrect returns.

Many thanks,
John

 

[Izan]

Greetings.

I purchased a mod recently that has temperature control as an option. I realize that many or most of you do use TC. I typically vape in the 40-60 watt range on a tank with coils in the .3 to .6 ohm range.

I am looking for links to articles or posts that discuss how TC works and the standard practices. Like how TC adjustments relate to power. Like how to select a target temperature. I'm set up at 535 degrees now, and it's acceptable. How does changing the coil to a different resistance affect the mod's operation. In other words, how does introducing TC change the standard operating procedures?

I know that I could just do a global search, but I'm trying to keep the information focused and avoiding extraneous or incorrect returns.

Many thanks,
John

For me, I set everything as I would for wattage use, but I set my temp at 420-450f. (below the temps that will produce PV/VG nasties)
If properly configured, until you need more juice, it just vapes.
TC will cut power to keep the coil at or below the temp limit you set.

Cheers
I

 

[Boompumper]

On a regulated mod resistance is almost irrelevant, except in TC mode most mods will have higher accuracy in the .1 to .3 range (I think).

In TC mode, think of your wattage as a 'preheat' setting, the mod will lower it to stay at your designated temp but it will not raise it.

I'm at 420 degrees and as Izan said I think most people try and stay under 450.

 

[SteveS45]

To use TC you need the correct coils made out of the right metal that works with TC lie SS, Ni, Ti or NiTi. Some MOD's do work with Kanthal for TC but not something I use as once I found how pleasureable TC with SS316L was I have not ventured any other direction. Good luck and other will be along with much, much more TC info shortly!

 

[SteveS45]

On another note depending on the coils and the MOD I am using I can be at 65W and 500°F or 100W and 420°F it is all up to you and how warm you like your vape and how flavorful it is. Depending on Coil Mass and resistance depends on how much power you need to fire it properly.

 

[Eskie]

The Cliff Notes version of TC.

TC is based on a physical property of metals whereby increasing the temperature of a piece of metal will increase resistance to current flow. That property is defined by a number you'll see splashed all around, the TCR (temperature coefficient of resistance). What that means is as a metal heats, the resistance goes up by a known amount which is just the plain property and the coefficient allows you to calculate the temperature at a given measured resistance. The more the change in resistance with heating (higher TCR) the easier to measure the difference and calculate an accurate temperature.

There are three metals types used for TC vaping, Ni, Ti, and SS. As metal wire is made out of different alloys (none are pure) there can be different TCRs for similar metal wire. Ni was the first used for TC because it has a high TCR (~620) which made measuring the change is resistance easy. Over time, as TC got more mature, other metals were available, especially the ever popular SS, usually 316L for the specific alloy. That has a TCR of only 92, meaning the change in resistance is smaller, making it harder to measure and work well in TC.

When you've got the TCR thing figured out, understanding TC is easier. At the "cold" resistance (usually the room temperature) of say 0.5 ohm, a resistance reading of 0.6 ohm, a 0.1 ohm change,would occur at a temperature of 420F. You could have entered the metal type, TCR, and "told the board" heat this up another 0.1 ohm, but it's a helluva lot easier to enter a temperature and let the board do all the measuring and math stuff.

The rise in resistance/temperature occurs with current flow. If you run 40W through a wire in the example above, the board would supply 40W until the resistance measured 420F, then reduce the wattage to keep the resistance at 0.6 ohm, which equals that 0.1 ohm difference you want. The board might reduce the power dramatically if you keep your finger on the fire button, as once the metal is at "temp", it needs far lower power to stay there.

So for TC, you need a few things. First, the metal wire and the TCR for it (either by selecting Ni, Ti, SS, or directly entering that number if the mod has that feature), the amount of power (watts) you want the board to use at maximum to heat the wire, and the temperature you want the board to keep the wire at no matter how long you hold the button (even up to the auto 10 second cutoff on most mods).

That's it. Pick a coil, pick the right wire type on the mod, set your power, and dial in the temperature you want.

 

[Foggy Road]

FWIW I've just recently converted to TC (kicking and screaming all the way). My usual wattage range was 16-18 watts on .65-.7 coils. Was told to set watts a bit higher than my usual and find my temp.

I've settled in at 25w 400°. The most beneficial part of TC for me is that the only button I ever touch any more is the fire button. Unless I get the "new coil" question.

 

[Foggy Road]

Oh and a tip for searching this forum. Don't! The search function is next to useless. Use Google, type in your search followed by the letters ecf.

 

[GeorgeS]

So you purchased a mod that claims it can do TC. Sadly not all mods are created equal and some might regulate temperature of your atomizers coil well and others not at all. As examples, Kanger, Pioneer4U and Sigelli have released mods that can TC and mods that can't.

How do you know for sure? Besides the dedicated TC forum here on ECF (where there might already be a device specific thread for your mod) there are two internet reviewers that actually test how well a mod that claims TC can actually do it. Obviously they can't test EVERYTHING so venturing into the TC forum might be your best bet if one of the reviewers have not tested the model you purchased.

Jumping ahead assuming your mod CAN do TC, here are a few TC suggestions:

• Connections are important. A mere 0.1 or 0.01 ohm intermittent parasitic resistance in your atomizer or 510 can really throw TC for a loop and lead to not a very good experience.
• While "resistance is fruitile" with VW mods, most TC modes work better if over a minimum resistance is used and many models have a MAXIMUM resistance that the mod will regulate.
• Keep your first builds SIMPLE. (KISS) Single spaced wrap coils when your starting out are easier to get working than complex or contact coils.
• Keep in mind the TCR for the wire your using. From best to worse there is: Ni200, NiFe48, Ti, NiFe30, SS430 and then the SS31xx variants. While a 0.15ohm coil might be all you can fit with Ni200 wire the high TCR makes up for the low resistance. It is suggested that fairly low to very low TCR wire have 0.4-0.6 cold resistance.
• With TC your WATTAGE controls the ramp up time and the temperature setting controls the maximum average coil temperature. I generally start with 10-20W and see how long it takes to reach temperature. If it is longer than 1 second I'll turn the power up. Less than a second I might consider turning the power down.
• Factory wound/store bought TC atomizer heads can be as hit/miss as their VW cousins (and even more so) so winding your own is recommended.

My vaping journey went directly from eGo type stuff to TC controlled rebuildables. I use TC setups ~95% of the time. It is different then VW vaping. Some of us prefer it and others hate it. One of the fun parts of vaping, always different ways of doing it to satisfy every user.

 

[Imfallen_Angel]

Greetings.

I purchased a mod recently that has temperature control as an option. I realize that many or most of you do use TC. I typically vape in the 40-60 watt range on a tank with coils in the .3 to .6 ohm range.

I am looking for links to articles or posts that discuss how TC works and the standard practices. Like how TC adjustments relate to power. Like how to select a target temperature. I'm set up at 535 degrees now, and it's acceptable. How does changing the coil to a different resistance affect the mod's operation. In other words, how does introducing TC change the standard operating procedures?

I know that I could just do a global search, but I'm trying to keep the information focused and avoiding extraneous or incorrect returns.

Many thanks,
John

Hi John...

Please.. just read my blog: Temperature control explained | E-Cigarette Forum

Let me know if you have questions.

(Note: I've just extended it with just about everything that I could think of)

 

[papabogart]

Hi John...

Please.. just read my blog: Temperature control explained | E-Cigarette Forum

Let me know if you have questions.

(Note: I've just extended it with just about everything that I could think of)

You mention in your blog that you have discovered that there is a minimum "critical" mass necessary for proper temperature control when using SS316L wire. Can you state what that minimum mass is (e.g. minimum resistance?), or give an example of a coil wrap (gauge, wraps, inside dia.) that meets that mass?

 

[Imfallen_Angel]

You mention in your blog that you have discovered that there is a minimum "critical" mass necessary for proper temperature control when using SS316L wire. Can you state what that minimum mass is (e.g. minimum resistance?), or give an example of a coil wrap (gauge, wraps, inside dia.) that meets that mass?

I've yet to find an actual cut-off, but by building as large a coil as I can fit on a deck for single coil decks, it's been working fine since. My regular type would be 26 or 28 gauge, from 2.5 to 3.5 mm width, which usually gives me 0.3 and higher ohms. I no longer aim for a particular ohm, more for what I can fit in both width, thickness and size while still being properly spaced.

For dual decks, as the resistance gets split, as long as you get over 0.2 ohm, it should be fine as the mass is doubled anyways, but the coils do need to be well balanced.

Note that part of why it may be difficult to establish a "recordable" number, is that from the enormous number of mods out there, all using different chipsets (among multiple variables) some may work better with a lower range than others... but that said, with every mod I have, increasing my coils by a few more wraps worked every time.

 

[papabogart]

So, for 26awg @2.5mm dia. at 3 ohm, per Steam Engine: about 4.5 wraps for a single coil is what you're making?

 

[Beamslider]

You won't get 3ohm out of 26 awg. More like 0.3 ohm

I am using 30 AWG ss316l at 1.25 ohm and 28awg at 0.75 ohm. Works fine

Run the the 1.25 ohm at 14.5 W and 400F

 

[Imfallen_Angel]

You won't get 3ohm out of 26 awg. More like 0.3 ohm

I am using 30 AWG ss316l at 1.25 ohm and 28awg at 0.75 ohm. Works fine

Run the the 1.25 ohm at 14.5 W and 400F

Checking one single coil deck RTA I have in use now, and I've been going with around 0.5ohms for single coils, so around 7-8 wraps.