eVapors

Electronic Cigarette-aka E-cig: is an electronic device that converts nicotine liquid into water vapor. The e-cigarette has three main parts: a battery, atomizer, and cartridge.  The battery, the largest part, has an indicator light on one side and it screws onto the atomizer. The heart of every e-cigarette is the atomizer, which converts the e-liquid into smoke. The cartridge, a cylindrical inhaler that contains the e-liquid, attaches to the atomizer.

 

BCC-Don't say "BOTTOM FEEDER"...Bottom Chaning Coil or Bottom Coil Clearomizer. This means the heating element, or coil, is located on the bottom of the clearomizer, which almost eliminates "dry vaping" that can occur from top heating coil clearomizers. BCC is a single heating coil.

 

BDC-Bottom Dual Coil...A BDC is a BCC but uses Duel Elements; therefore, it gives twice the vapor. The BDC is an upgrade to the BCC. The BDC eliminates common issues such as an airy draw, gurgling, and leaking that users often experience with other BCC tanks. It also works to eliminate outside influences on flavor to provide a true pure taste experience.

 

DCT-Dual Coil Tank

 

Clearomizer-A clearomizer is a Transparent Cartomizer. Clearomizers are transparent to keep the guessing out of how much e-liquid in the cartomizer.

 

Cartridge-The cartridge is a small piece that sits within the mouthpiece that contains the wick. This is the area where one will put the e-liquid that will be turned into vapor via the activation of the atomizer.

 

E-smoke (E Smoke, ESmoke)-E-Smoke is a term used for the action of smoking the electronic cigarette. E-Smoke is also known as "Vapor" as the action of electronic smoking is actually caused by a vaporization process. As the vapor produced is not caused by combustion and does not burn, it is technically not smoke.

 

Mod-A design variation of a normally manufactured battery, atomizer, or cartridge. Mods are generally done by avid e-smokers looking to increase vapor production, battery life, or ease of use.

 

Mouthpiece-The mouthpiece is what looks like a cigarette butt or a cigarillo tip. This piece houses the cartridge which houses the wick. This piece, when attached to the atomizer, allows the user to make connection with their mouth.

 

Nicotine Level-The nicotine level is the amount of nicotine present in a cartridge or bottle of e-liquid. It is usually measured in mg/ml.

 

Propylene Glycol (PG)-Propylene Glycol is used as a base carrier for the nicotine and flavoring. PG is one of the main reasons (not the only reason like most think) for the "throat hit." Propylene Glycol has been deemed generally safe to be used in medical products as well as food products for general consumption. Some people have reported having and allergic reaction to PG. These people also find that they have issues with certain brands of toothpaste, lotions, soaps, and medicine containing PG.

 

Throat Hit-Throat hit is the sensation that is felt in the back of the throat when the inhalation is taken from the mouth down the throat. There are several factors in throat hit and throat hit, like tast, is totally subjective. Some of the factors to throat hit are nicotine level, purity of quality of the E-Liquid, PG, personal smoking habits or techniques, and the proper usage and care of your hardware. The factor that vaires throat hit the most is the nicotine level. E-Liquids containing more nicotine usually give a greater throat hit.

 

Vaping (to Vape)-An alternative word for eSmoking. As the electronic cigarette utilizes vaporization instead of combustion and creates a vapor instead of smoke, many electronic cigarette users have coined themselves as "Vapers" or participating in "Vaping" vs. "Smoking".

 

Vapor (Vapour)-Vapor is what is produced by the atomizer when the E-Liquid is turned from a liquid to a gas. The vapor produced by the electronic cigarette is similiar to that of a fog machine used in theatrical performances and parades with one exception: As reputable manufacturers/suppliers use Food Grade, High Quality Propylene Glycol as their base, the fog or vapor produced by the electronic cigarette is generally purer than that of a fog machine.

 

Vegetable Glycerin (VG)-Vegetable Glycerin is another ingredient in E-Liquid. VG is thick, sweet, and creates the Vapor in the E-Liquid. VG can also be an alternative to Propylene Glycol and be used as a base. VG used as a base is very thick and should be used with either Vodka or Distilled Water in place of the PG. Vodka works the best for holding flavor and saving the wick/coil. Vegetable Glycerin comes from the production of palm or coconut oils.

 

Wick-The wick is poly batting that looks like cotton and is stuffed into the cartridge which is housed in the mouthpiece. The wick is what holds the E-Liquid that is to be vaporized by the atomizer.

 

Drip Tip-An optional electronic cigarette accessory that attaches to the mouth-end of an empty cartomizer and simplifies refilling.

 

Dripping-Refilling the cartridge or tank with e-juice.

 

Light Emitting Diode (LED)-The light at the tip of the e-cigarette.

 

 

EXPLAINING HIGH AND LOW RESISTANCE

 

The term “resistance” as it applies to atomizers and cartomizers has to be one of the more confusing aspects of electronic cigarettes. If you buy the wrong type of attachment for your e-­‐cigarette, you could experience disappointing performance, or worse yet, risk damaging your e-­cigarette.

 

Low Resistance

 

FIRST... understand that “resistance” doesn’t refer to the vapor production of an atomizer or cartomizer; it refers to the amount of power that it allows to pass through. Thus, the atomizer or cartomizer takes the input voltage from the e-­cigarette mod or battery, resists some of it and delivers a final power level that you can measure in watts. Because a high-­‐resistance atomizer resists more of the current, it actually delivers less vapor than a low-­resistance atomizer if everything else is equal.

 

All common e-­cigarette batteries are 3.7 volts, and most include atomizers or cartomizers with a resistance of 2.5 ohms. 2.5ohms is “standard resistance.” With a standard resistance 2.5ohm atomizer or cartomizer, the output power is 5.476 watts. This is roughly the power level you can expect from all popular e-­cigarette brands. By lowering the resistance to 1.5 ohms, however, you can get more power out of a 3.7 volt battery because less of the current is resisted. The output power in this scenario is 9.12 watts. As long as you have a battery large enough to handle the increased load, a low-­resistance atomizer greatly increases the vapor production and satisfaction derived from using an e-­cigarette.

 

Low-­resistance atomizers cannot be taken past 4.0-­4.5 volts without triggering the over-­current protection, which knocks the voltage down to 3.7 volts. At 4.0 volts, the Lavatube, for example, produces 10.66 watts of power. This is more than what you would get with a standard e-­cig battery and atomizer, but still less than the maximum performance the Lavatube is capable of. In addition, you should avoid using a low-­resistance atomizer on any e-­cigarette battery unless the manufacturer says it’s supported. Small e-­cigarette batteries generally can’t handle the load caused by low-­resistance atomizers.

 

High Resistance

 

A high-resistance atomizer or cartomizer — usually classified as any attachment with a resistance of 3.0 ohms or higher — resists more of the input current, allowing you to use your e-­cigarette at high voltages without fear of causing damage. Using a high-­‐resistance attachment, you can operate a device such as the Lavatube at any voltage and experience the full range of the e-­cigarette’s power.

 

If vapor production is ultimately all about watts, you might ask yourself why you couldn’t simply use a low-­resistance atomizer and lower the voltage to conserve the battery life of your e-­cigarette. The answer lies in the number of amps generated; using Ohm’s law, we arrive at the two scenarios below:

 

• A 3.0 ohm atomizer at 6.0 volts generates 12.0 watts of vapor at 2.0 amps.

 

• A 1.5 ohm atomizer at 4.24 volts generates 12.0 watts of vapor at 2.82 amps.

 

With most e-­cigarettes, a load of 2.82 amps exceeds the capabilities of the hardware. This can cause the battery to die early and stop holding a charge. It could also cause the heating element in the atomizer or cartomizer to burn out. For this reason, a high-­resistance atomizer or cartomizer is generally the best attachment to choose if you intend to use your e-­cigarette at different voltages. However, a high-resistance attachment isn’t the best choice if your e-­cigarette only operates at one voltage because the vapor production may be lower than you’d like.

 

The difference between a low and high resistance atomizer is the measure of power it derives from the battery. More power is distributed to a low resistance atomizer’s coil, which, in turn, gets hotter more quickly, resulting in quicker vaporization of the liquid. Quicker vaporization means more/better vapor production and a reported increased flavor enhancement, but the liquid depletes at a faster rate.

 

Because low resistance atomizers mimic a unit with a higher voltage, they should not be used with regular batteries because too much power is drawn and can actually damage the batteries and decrease their life. Also, due to more power being drawn, the battery would need to be charged more often.

 

Remember:

 

Low Resistance=More Vapor, More Frequent Charging

 

High Resistance=Regular Vapor, Regular Charging

 

ohms is a measure of electrical resistance or how freely electricity is able to travel through something. Ohms can also be represented using the following symbol Ω.

 

LOWER OHMS OR HIGHER VOLTAGE

 

Allow more electricity to flow; Creates more heat at the coil

 

Creates more vapor - Provides warmer vapor - May intensifying or diminish flavor.

 

Will drain your battery quicker

 

Dry hits are more likely

 

May cause premature battery failure

Uses more juice per puff, more refilling

 

HIGHER OHMS OR LOWER VOLTAGE

Allow less electricity to flow; Creates less heat at the coil

 

Creates less vapor - Provides cooler vapor - May intensifying or diminish flavor

Will drain your battery slower

Dry hits are less likely

Doesn’t cause premature battery failure

Uses less juice per puff, less refilling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atomizer-­The atomizer is contained in a metal housing that screws into the battery. When the mouthpiece is removed, it looks like a silver loop of metal. The atomizer is what turns the liquid into a vapor.

 

• An electronic cigarette that uses an atomizer and cartridge is referred to as a three-­piece model. An atomizer works by using power supplied by the battery to vaporize liquid that comes in close contact with a coil.

 

• The primary variation in atomizers is in the resistance of the coil. Regular resistance atomizers are most commonly included with electronic cigarette kits Low resistance atomizers provide warmer vapor at lower power and high resistance are made to withstand higher voltages.

 

• Atomizers are made to work with cartridges that hold a reservoir of liquid. Cartridges are made to fit either inside or over the atomizer, depending on the design. 510, 801 and 901 are examples of models where cartridges fit inside of the atomizer, while 306, 401 and RN4081 are examples where the cartridge fits over the atomizer.

 

• Once the cartridge is inserted into the atomizer, the liquid is transferred to the bridge and then to the coil. Many people enjoy the performance of an atomizer, but find that electronic cigarette cartridges do not adequately supply liquid fast enough to keep the atomizer wet. The result is the dreaded burnt taste that is very difficult to get rid of. The solution that many have found is “dripping,” where a few drops of liquid are dripped directly on the atomizer bridge or coil. This provides enough liquid for several good inhales, then the process is repeated. A drip tip makes dripping a lot easier, as the cartridge does not have to be removed each time more liquid is added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cartomizer-­A Cartomizer is the Atomizer and Cartridge all in one unit. It is a two-­piece model.

 

• In a Cartomizer the airflow typically runs through a center tube where the heating element is located. This tube is surrounded either by filler material or a reservoir with a wick that transfers liquid to the coil.

 

• The first cartomizers came prefilled with e-­liquid and were meant to be disposable. The design is now available for almost every style of electronic cigarette, including numerous styles for the ubiquitous 510 and eGo models. Cartomizers now come in a wide variety of prefilled flavors as well as empty versions ready to be filled with any e-­liquid.

 

• Cartomizers hold quite a bit more liquid than the typical cartridge and provide consistent flavor until empty.

 

• Cartomizers do not normally last as long as atomizers, however their lower cost makes this an acceptable trade-­off. It is possible to clean cartomizers to get more life out of them or remove unwanted flavors.

 

• Cartomizers, like atomizers, come in low, regular, and high resistance.

 

Dripping

 

Many veteran e-cig users prefer to drip instead of using tanks and cartomizers.
A tank is usually a plastic type reservoir that the user fills with eliquid and is then seated
into the atomizer. The tank will feed the atomizer as long as it is full. A cartomizer is an
atomizer with a cotton type filling that holds the ejuice and acts as a reservoir.
Many beginner electronic cigarette users like these two methods because they are more
user friendly and doesn’t require much effort. However, any veteran electronic cigarette
user will tell you that for maximum flavor, throat hit, and overall vapor production,
nothing beats dripping ejuice directly onto the atomizer.

 

Dripping means to “manually” drip e-liquid into the atomizer instead of relying on a
tank or cartomizer to hold and feed the e-juice. Any 510, 901, 306, 801, 4081, or 401 atomizer can be used for the dripping method. When any one of these atomizers are bought, they usually come with a standard mouuthpiec. These mouthpieces can be discarded and replaced with the proper dip tip. A drip tip has a wide hole at the mouth end, which allows the e-cig user to drip the e-juice onto the atomizer without having to take off a mouthpiece. The drip tip is the mouthpiece now.

 

One pet peeve of dippers is the fact that there is a greater chance of e-liquid leaking from the atomizer. This can be pretty messy and overall annoying to combat this issue, the drip shield was invented. A drip shield is basically a small metal tube that fits over your atomizer and collects any e-juice that leaks out as a result of over dripping. This is a perfect solution that allows you to drip all day without any mess. At the end of the day, simply remove your drip shield, rinse under wter, dry completely, and you are ready to go for the next day.