If you have just started using e-cigarettes, it can all seem confusing. A Google search can give you many answers, but often just as many follow-up questions. We have therefore put together this guide, which goes into depth and gives you a simple overview of how e-cigarettes work. Benefits of vaping.
There are many benefits to replacing the cigarettes you smoke with an e-cigarette. The clearest difference is that you avoid all the tar created when tobacco is burned and which settles in the lungs. Other benefits include fewer chemicals, no ash and no smell that clings to clothes and the like. The first health benefit you will notice is improved everyday fitness. You will also notice a better sense of taste, less coughing, no bad breath or discoloured teeth. There is also an economic factor, as for many people it becomes cheaper in the long run to use e-cigarettes.
How an e-cigarette is constructed
E-cigarettes differ from model to model. But generally speaking, they consist of a battery, a tank and a coil (heating element). The battery is the actual power source. The tank is the part that holds the e-juice, and the coil is the part inside the tank that vaporises the e-juice. The coil consists of a wire that heats up when you close the circuit from the battery, and when the wire heats up, the e-juice absorbed in the cotton surrounding the wire is vaporised.
Battery
The battery is the actual power source for the e-cigarette. There are several different types. Either your e-cigarette has an internal battery that cannot be replaced and that you charge directly through a port in the mod itself. Some models use external and therefore replaceable batteries, which can be charged either directly in the mod or through an external charger.
What are 510 and eGo?
These are the names of two of the most common thread types used between the tank and battery in e-cigarettes. Make sure that the tank you want to buy is compatible with the mod (battery section) you have.
What does mAh mean?
mAh stands for milliampere-hours and is a measure of your battery’s capacity. A higher mAh means longer battery life.
How often should the battery be charged?
It is almost impossible to say exactly how long your battery will last and how often you need to charge it. It all depends on how much you use it, the battery’s mAh, the power level you run your battery at, etc.
Tank (atomizer, clearomizer, cartomizer, glassomizer, e-liquid reservoir):
The part of the e-cigarette that holds the e-juice and coil. This is where you fill up with e-juice. There are both tanks integrated with the battery section itself and separate tanks that you can screw onto and remove from different mods.
What is a coil/heating element?
The coil is the replaceable part of your tank responsible for vaporising the e-juice, which creates the vapour you inhale. The coil consists of a wire that heats up when you close the circuit from the battery, and when the wire heats up, the e-juice absorbed in the cotton surrounding the wire is vaporised.
Different tanks have different coils, and it is important to check which coils your particular tank uses. There are also often different versions, with different properties and ohm ratings, of the coils that fit your tank.
What does Ohm mean?
Ohm is a measure of the resistance in the wire inside your coil. A lower ohm means that the wire heats up faster and generates more vapour. Tanks that use coils with lower ohm ratings are called “sub-ohm tanks” and are slightly more advanced tanks that generate a lot of vapour and are suitable for people who vape “DL” (Direct Lung), i.e. draws that you inhale directly into the lungs, like an inhaler. Coils with a somewhat higher ohm rating, often 1.0 and above, are better suited for “MTL” (Mouth to Lung), which is the same way you smoke a regular cigarette.
E-juice
E-juice is the liquid you fill your e-cigarette with and which is vaporised when you vape. It consists of PG and VG. There is everything from ready-mixed e-juice with or without nicotine to kits that you use to make your own e-juice. You can also buy “shortfills”, where you purchase a container of nicotine-free e-juice, but with space in the bottle to add a so-called “nic shot” to get nicotine-containing e-juice.
What are PG/VG?
E-juice consists of PG (Propylene Glycol) and VG (Vegetable Glycerin). Different juices have different ratios of PG to VG, which also affects the properties of the e-juice. A juice with a high PG content will have a more pronounced flavour and will also be more runny. It is well suited to pod systems and simpler MTL tanks. A juice with a high VG content will create more vapour and have a thicker consistency. It is well suited to sub-ohm tanks, large coils in general and RDA:
Which nicotine strength should I choose?
When choosing a nicotine strength, you should base it on how many cigarettes you currently smoke:
6mg - If you smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes a day.
12mg - If you smoke approximately 10–15 cigarettes a day.
18mg - If you smoke 20+ cigarettes a day.
It is important to start at a nicotine level that satisfies your cravings in order to make the transition from cigarettes as painless as possible.
Shortfills
You may have heard the terms “shortfill” or “shake n vape” before, as this is a concept that has become very popular among e-juices. A shortfill is a larger bottle of nicotine-free e-juice that is not filled all the way, leaving room for one or more “nic shots”, which are flavourless liquids containing nicotine. When you mix in the nic shot and shake the bottle, you get nicotine-containing e-juice. Shortfills are often cheaper and are perfect if you do not feel like mixing your e-juice completely from scratch.
Which e-cigarette should I choose?
There are many different models and types of e-cigarettes. Therefore, it can be very difficult for a beginner to decide which model to choose. In general, it would be a good idea to start with a simple model, such as a type of e-cigarette that provides a sensation almost like that of a regular cigarette. We have selected some of the models our customers are particularly fond of and put together smoking cessation packages containing only these models.
As mentioned, there are many different models of e-cigarettes. Therefore, it can be a little tricky to know what would suit you.
There are countless different e-cigarettes, so it can be difficult to know which one to choose. As a beginner, we recommend an e-cigarette that resembles a regular cigarette to make the transition as easy as possible. If you later feel that you want something more advanced with more vapour production or a larger tank, you can always upgrade.
How much does vaping cost?
Once you have overcome the initial cost of buying an e-cigarette, the operating cost of e-juice and coils is generally considerably lower than the price of cigarettes.
Maintenance
There is no denying that coils and simpler tanks are consumables; you simply have to replace them after a period of use. The battery sections generally last considerably longer if you take good care of them. It is important for the battery’s lifespan that you use a charger that does not have too high an output. Try to use an adapter designed for e-cigarettes.
