Active coils vs total coils: what's the difference?

In compression springs with closed or closed/ground ends, the total number of coils includes all coils through the entire spring body including the first and last closed coils. Typically with closed and closed/ground ends the first and last coil are mostly inactive. The closed and closed/ground end coils will make physical contact with the next coil prior to pitching out. Springs with less than 4 total coils are manufactured to spring physical dimensions only due to the limited number of active coils available to mechanically function. Active coils are the coils in the spring body that mechanically function by storing energy or resisting applied forces. Typically active coils in compression springs are pitched out or have a gap between them.