RBA, RTA, RDA, RDTA Difference Breakdown

One of the most frequently asked questions is what the heck is the difference between a RBA Tank, RTA tank, RDA tank and RDTA tank? Atomizer whaaat?

When referring to an Atomizer it usually means on of these:

1. Disposable Atomizers – top head is completely disposable, best for newbies as it requires no maintenance.
2. Coil Head Atomizer – tank where you fill/refill vape juice, and only the coil inside (heating element) is replaceable.
3. Rebuildable Atomizer – RBA tank allows you to build your own coil, and choose all of the building materials.

So lets start the breakdown with decoding of the acronyms and then Atomizer itself.

RBA tank – ReBuildable Atomizer

RTA tank – Rebuildable Tank Atomizer

RDA tank – Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer

RDTA tank -Rebuildable Dripping Tank Atomizer

What is RBA Tank?

 TFV12 Cloud Beast King RBA Tank

Rebuildable atomizer is a name for any atomizer that has a build deck. This means any atomizer that can be rebuilt is also classified under RBA tank. What makes RBA tank “rebuild-able” is the fact that it can be separated easily to replace the wick and coils within it. Although other metals can be used to make a RBA tank, it is presently made up of stainless steel. RBA tank is much cheaper than other atomizers, because you have to make the coil and the wick yourself instead of buying a ready-made one.  Running out of coils is no longer an issue, as you can simply build one your self.  The coil and the wick is referred to as the “heart” and the “soul” of the RBA tank. The coil is used to vaporize the e-liquid by heating the wick which is drenched in e-juice.

How Does it work?

The way a rebuildable atomizer works is surprisingly easier than expected. The coil in the RBA tank is usually made of a resistance wire like Kanthal or Nichrome, here are different available building wire options and pre-built coils.  So when current is applied to this resistance wire (coil), then the coil heats up the wick and vaporizes the liquid. The resistance wire used in RBA tank are usually of different gauges. Choosing a gauge for your RBA tank usually depends on the power source (Your Mod), the size of the RBAs coil section, and the user’s target resistance.

What is a RTA Tank?

Vandy Vape Berserker RTA Tank

Rebuildable Tank Atomizer, is another type of Rebuildable Atomizer. A rebuildable Tank Atomizer is almost like an RDA, except that an RTA is equipped with a tank (chamber) that holds your e-juice. RTA tank consists of three main parts known as the deck, tank, and the chimney. It is a much simpler alternative to a dripper (RDA) as you won’t need to keep dripping your e-juice every few puffs.

The RTAs perform almost as excellent as the RDA tank, and can have up to 5ml juice capacity or more that doesn’t need to be filled up frequently. Although some RTA tanks don’t have a side airflow option like that of an RDA tank, they have an under coil airflow systems which is good for blowing clouds and chasing flavors.

How Does it work?

Every normal vape tank has an atomizer containing the coil and the wick beneath the deck, and a chimney that runs up from the deck to the mouthpiece. RTA tank is also designed to work this way, except that the atomizer in RTA tanks contain a larger deck with the ability to place your rebuilt/pre-built coils in.

The deck in an RTA tank is the smaller version of the deck in an RDA, and it usually features small channels through which the e-liquid can reach the wick and the coil. The coils of an RTA device connect to the posts in the same way, while the wicks rest in the e-liquid channels.

What is RDA Dripper?

Geek Vape Peerless RDA Dripper

Rebuildable Drip Atomizer is a type of rebuildable Atomizer (RBA). Unlike RBA tank RDAs don’t have a tank for storing e-liquid, so they need to be filled with e-liquid frequently by dripping e-liquid from a bottle directly onto the wick or coil – drop by drop. So you won’t have to empty the whole tank to change flavors, all that is needed is to just change the wick or just continue vaping it till it dries out completely and then change it.

RDA Drippers also offer users a very direct way to vape. When the e-liquid is dripped directly on the wick and the coil, it creates an amazing flavor experience thanks to lack of restrictions.

RDAs also has a great and effective airflow options, so you can either use under-coil airflow, side airflow, or even use both.

How Does it work?

RDA tank only requires setting up the coil and inserting the wick, so this makes it the simplest type of RBA device. RDA tank is comprised of a top cap which has a mouthpiece and also has a means of adjusting the airflow to the coil. They have a deck section with just one positive post and one or two negative posts, they can hold a small amount of e-liquid with the help of the well-like shape around the edge of the deck.

So all you need to do is to make the coil and connect it to the posts when you are sure that everything is working properly, insert your wick and start vaping.

What is RDTA Tank?

Ijoy RDTA 5S Tank

Rebuildable Dripping Tank Atomizer is like the combination of the RDA tank and the RTA, and they are often referred to as “auto drippers”. They are designed in such a way that they cover up for the lapses of the RDA and the RTA devices. They are very easy to build than an RTA tank, and they also let users enjoy the benefits of a RDA tank and a capacity like that of an RTA device .

How Does it work?

Originally the RDTA tank is designed to work similarly to RTA tank but the only difference is that RDTA has a system that allows the user to fill in the e-liquid to the wick and the coils manually. Just like the RDA tank the RDTAs also have a coil that is closer to the top. Although the original version might not be that great, the new RDTA tank design nowadays has covered up for the mistakes of the previous ones, and they perform really well.

RDTA tank is very easy to top up than the RDAs because the dripping can be done without the removal of the top cap.

Conclusion

And that’s all folks! We hope you found this RBA, RTA, RDA, RDTA tank breakdown helpful, we post new articles daily so, please come back for more great news and updates about the vaping industry and our take on it! Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter for the latest and greatest in the vaping world. Also if you’re interested in building coils heres Top 5 Things You Need To Know About Clapton Coils  and 5 Great Reasons to Sub-Ohm.