# Innokin tank history, the Zenith line generation by generation

> The Innokin tank line generation by generation, from the 2017 Ares to the Zenith II, with what each model changed and a table of the Z-Coils.


An automatic liquid shut-off when filling, or a glass the owner can replace, and the two do not always come together. The best-known **Innokin tank**, the Zenith, went through three revisions in under four years, and each one settled that question differently. Following those trade-offs in order makes sense of a line that British shops list side by side without saying what separates a Zenith from a Zlide, a Zenith Pro or a Zenith II.

## The Innokin tank line, five Zenith-series models in one table

The Zenith-series **Innokin tank** comes in five versions, the Ares, the Zenith, the Zlide, the Zenith Pro and the Zenith II. The four coil-head tanks take coils from the Z family, or Z-Coils, the Ares being a rebuildable, and two technical choices set them apart, an automatic liquid shut-off when filling and a replaceable glass. The date given is that of the first launch videos published by the maker, since no official release date is stated.

| Model | Maker's videos | Diameter | Capacity | Liquid shut-off | Replaceable glass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ares (rebuildable) | November 2017 | 24 mm | 5 ml or 2 ml | No | Yes |
| Zenith | December 2017 | 24 mm | 4 ml or 2 ml | Yes | No |
| Zlide | February 2019 | 22.7 mm | 2 ml | No | Yes |
| Zenith Pro | November 2019 | 24 mm | 5.5 ml | Yes | Yes |
| Zenith II | June 2021 | 26 mm | 5.5 ml or 2 ml | No | Yes |

For the Ares, "No" means its page describes no liquid shut-off. The Zenith Pro remains the only model in the series to offer both. In the UK a refillable tank may hold no more than 2 ml, so the 2 ml version is the one to look for wherever it exists. On the coil side, the Zenith II is listed as compatible with every Z-Coil, the Zlide and the Zenith Pro with the Zenith series coils. The tanks changed shape, capacity and filling, not their consumable.

## November 2017, the Ares opens the series

The first model in the series is not a coil-head tank but a rebuildable, one of the [atomiser families](/uk/vape-atomiser/) that sit side by side on the market. Innokin presents it as the product of a collaboration with two outside contributors, Phil Busardo and Dimitris Agrafiotis, who are also named on the Zenith and Zlide pages, with a stated goal of an easy-to-use mouth-to-lung draw. The maker groups these models under the Platform name in the titles of its videos.

Its product page describes a build deck designed for a ready-made coil to be dropped in, top filling, a replaceable glass and bottom airflow with holes of 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mm. It measures 52.5 mm by 24 mm and comes in 5 ml and 2 ml versions. The first videos on the Ares on the maker's site date from November 2017.

## December 2017, the Zenith sets the pattern

The Zenith followed within weeks, its launch videos being dated December 2017. It established the choices that later models would reopen one by one.

### Filling that closes the liquid flow

The Zenith's top cap opens with a twist. That movement automatically shuts off the liquid flow to the coil, to stop it flooding while the tank is filled. The same logic allows the coil to be changed with the tank full.

### Two Kanthal coils and a fixed glass

The tank measures 24 mm across and comes in 4 ml and 2 ml versions. It ships with two Kanthal coils, 1.6 ohm for a cooler vape at lower wattage and 0.8 ohm for a slightly warmer one. Its glass, however, is listed as non-replaceable, and that is the point that shaped what came next.

## 2019, the Zlide and the Zenith Pro answer user requests

Two models appeared in the same year, and Innokin presents both as a response to feedback from Zenith users. They did not settle it the same way.

### The Zlide, a 2 ml format without the shut-off

The Zlide, whose videos date from February 2019, was not designed to replace the Zenith but to offer a simpler alternative, according to the maker. Its page states that it lacks the Zenith's liquid shut-off and comes only in a 2 ml format, billed as 22 mm (22.7 mm measured), so the sliding top cap can be used without flooding the coil.

In return, the tank unscrews for cleaning and its glass can be replaced. Its page lists a Plex3D coil, a 0.48 ohm mesh rated at 13 to 16 W.

### The Zenith Pro keeps the shut-off and frees the glass

The Zenith Pro, introduced in November 2019, combines what the Zlide kept apart. It retains the liquid shut-off when filling and makes the glass replaceable. Innokin also removed the raised mouthpiece base so that more 510 drip tips would fit.

Capacity rises to 5.5 ml in a body of 24 mm by 56 mm. A 1 ohm coil (20 to 25 W) joins the 1.2 ohm coil (10 to 14 W), opening the draw towards restricted direct lung vaping. In the UK, a refillable tank may hold no more than 2 ml, and the Zenith Pro page lists only the 5.5 ml capacity, so the version sold by a British retailer is worth checking.

## 2021, the Zenith II comes down on the side of the glass

The Zenith II, whose videos date from June 2021, makes the opposite choice to the original Zenith. Innokin removed the automatic liquid shut-off in favour of a replaceable glass, a trade-off the maker spells out on its page.

The tank widens to 26 mm for a height of 51.7 mm and holds 5.5 ml, or 2 ml depending on the version, the size that matches British rules. The maker lists it as compatible with every Z-Coil and supplies a 0.8 ohm coil (15 to 18 W) with a 0.3 ohm coil (30 to 40 W), while noting that the coils in the box differ in at least one European market.

## Z-Coils, what the product pages say

The product pages make it possible to rebuild the coil values supplied from one generation to the next, with the maker's wattage range where one is given.

| Model | Coils on the page | Stated wattage |
|---|---|---|
| Zenith | 1.6 ohm and 0.8 ohm Kanthal | Not given on the page |
| Zlide | 0.48 ohm Plex3D mesh (listed on the page) | 13 to 16 W |
| Zenith Pro | 1.2 ohm and 1 ohm | 10 to 14 W and 20 to 25 W |
| Zenith II | 0.8 ohm and 0.3 ohm | 15 to 18 W and 30 to 40 W |

Between the Zenith Pro's 1.2 ohm coil, rated at 10 to 14 W, and the Zenith II's 0.3 ohm coil, rated at 30 to 40 W, the recommended power almost triples. The Innokin tank line therefore moved from strict mouth-to-lung vaping towards a tank able to handle both styles, without changing coil family, much as the [Aspire Nautilus line](/uk/nautilus-tank/) did with its BVC heads.

## On the same subject

- [Nautilus tank, the family tree of an Aspire classic](/uk/nautilus-tank/)
- [Zeus clearomiser, the Geekvape range explained](/uk/zeus-clearomiser/)
- [The vape atomiser, from separate part to built-in cartridge](/uk/vape-atomiser/)

## FAQ

Five questions arise around a tank from this line, new or second-hand. The answers draw on the maker's technical pages.

### Which mod suits a Zenith II?

The Zenith II screws onto a 510 connector, the standard thread on mods. Its 26 mm diameter matters more, since it overhangs a narrower mod. A device able to reach 40 W covers the top of the range for the coils supplied.

### What does RDL mean on Innokin's pages?

RDL stands for restricted direct lung, a draw between mouth-to-lung, where vapour is held in the mouth first, and full direct lung, which is much more open. On this line it matches the Zenith Pro's 1 ohm coil and the Zenith II's 0.3 ohm coil.

### How is the coil changed on a Zlide?

The maker's page says to unscrew the base of the tank to reach the coil. Since the Zlide has no liquid shut-off, it is best emptied before doing so.

### Which coils does the Zlide take?

Its page lists it as compatible with the Zenith series coils, not with the whole Z range like the Zenith II. Before buying a spare, the Zenith series reference is the one to look for on the pack.

### Why does the Zenith II top cap have a silicone seal?

Innokin tightened the tolerances of the rotating cap and added a seal on the fill port. The maker says the aim is to stop the cap catching facial hair in use.

## What the Innokin tank line says about a maker's trade-offs

From the Ares to the Zenith II, the series changed diameter, capacity and filling while keeping the same coil family. Each generation mostly moved one slider, between the liquid shut-off that protects the coil and the replaceable glass that extends the tank's life.

Working out the generation, then checking which of those two choices it made, remains the best way to read any **Innokin tank**, new or second-hand. The same line logic runs through other manufacturers that shaped the history of vaping hardware.

<em>Editorial content for adult readers only. Vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. Vaping products can contain nicotine, a substance that causes addiction. This article is not a buying recommendation.</em>