This post covers the basics of vaping. I wanted to write this because I'm a beginner to e-cigs myself, and what better time to write a tutorial/FAQ, than from the standpoint of someone learning the process?
I know there are lots of good guides out there already, some of which I will link at the bottom of the post. I just wanted to write my own however, to organize what I learned, and maybe it will help someone.
Critiques, suggestions or corrections are much appreciated!
Last update: 9.26.13 - Minor wording edits...looking up the links I need to add.
To do: Include photos / videos.
I just want to start vaping! What do I need?
At the very basic level you need: a battery, heating element (aka atomizer, or 'atty'), a container/cartridge for the juice, and a mouthpiece (tip, or drip tip). The last three can be purchased as one unit. You will also need e-juice, of course!
What's a good starter kit?
eGo Twist (battery) + eVod clearomizer (atomizer/tank/tip). You'll also need a charging cable for the battery.
The Twist is a VV, or Variable Voltage, battery. This means you can change how much power you're putting through to the atomizer.
Many people choose to get a backup battery as well, so that you can use one while the other is charging, or if one breaks, you aren't left high and dry.
It looks clunky. What if I want something that looks more like an analog?
There are 'cigalikes' which have more of the look and feel of an analog cig, such as blu or Halo. They can be cheaper, however the tanks have very small capacity so you may need to carry several on you, and battery life usually isn't very good either.
I have no personal experience with cigalikes, but here is a thread which provides some recommendations.
Wait, so what is a clearomizer?
The clearomizer is the plastic tank that sits on top of the battery, abbreviated 'clearo'. In the eVod, the atomizer is at the bottom of the tank, so-called a "bottom coil clearomizer". Some clearos have the atomizer at the top, and these will have wicks sticking out to pull the juice into the component that heats it, creating the vapor.
Where can I get some e-juice to try out?
Mt. Baker Vapor is inexpensive, shipping is fast and they have a wide selection of flavors. Be careful though - cinnamon and citrus are known to crack or melt the plastic in clearomizers. Most e-juice vendors will list these warnings explicitly on the product page but it's always best to use caution.
My favorites from them are Berry Creamy (mixed berries + cream) and Extreme Ice (mint).
How much nicotine should I get in my e-juice?
This generally depends on how heavy of a smoker you were. If you're used to a pack a day or more, you may want to try higher nicotine content - 18mg or 24mg.
If you're a light smoker or you think you might use your vaporizer a lot, then you might want to try lower nic juices, at 6mg or even 0mg.
Now that I have my e-cig, how do I use it?
Here's a video that shows how to charge the battery and fill the clearo. (<-- Need to put a link in here, haven't found the right video yet.)
Other notes: Click the button five times quickly to turn it on/off. This prevents it from firing if you keep it in a pocket or bag. Hold down the button to take a drag.
You don't need to inhale as hard as if you're smoking an analog, and it's also not necessary to inhale into your lungs, although you can if you wish. Otherwise, just hold the smoke in your mouth and exhale, as if you're smoking a clove or cigar.
Typically you take a longer draw than you would on an analog as well. 5 seconds or longer is common, as opposed to 2-3 seconds.
I know when I'm done smoking an analog, but how do I know when to stop vaping?
I suggest taking it slowly at first. If you're using a high nicotine e-juice, try pausing between each hit to gauge how you feel. Your body knows when it's had too much nicotine, so if you feel lightheaded or dizzy, take a break.
Also, vaping will dry out your lungs, so be sure to stay hydrated!
How do I maintain it / what parts do I need to replace?
Excluding battery failure, the only part you need to replace is the atomizer inside the clearo. You will also find them called 'coil heads'. Prices range from $1-5 for one, and they commonly come in 5-packs.
Atomizers have different resistances (ohms - denoted by the symbol Ω). Anything between 2.2-3.0 Ω will work with the eGo Twist. You can adjust the voltage with the dial at the bottom of the battery to find a happy medium that works for you in terms of flavor and vapor production. Start low and work your way up. When it starts to taste burnt, dial it back.
When do I need to replace the atomizer/coil head?
This really varies depending on how much you vape, and the type of liquid you're using. If you're a heavy vaper or use darker liquids, you might need to replace the atomizer more often, maybe once a week. If you're a lighter user, once every few weeks.
The rule of thumb is, if you start getting a burnt taste or the vapor production is less than usual, replace the atomizer.
You can also wash clearos by taking them apart and rinsing them with warm water, or by soaking them in alcohol such as vodka or Everclear. Then just pat dry, reassemble and refill with juice. The first few hits after cleaning may taste strange, but it should return back to normal soon.
I'm seeing the terms 'carto' and 'glassomizer' around...what's that?
Due to the issue with cinnamon/citrus in plastic mentioned above, some *omizers are made with glass or Pyrex. These are called glassomizers and should be safe with all flavors.
Carto is short for cartomizer. These are usually treated as being disposable, and instead of filling them directly with juice, they're filled with polyfill/cotton, which you then drip juice into, saturating the material.
You may also see mention of cartotanks, which are a combination of cartomizer and clearo/glassomizer.
What's an PV/APV/mod/RBA?
PV stands for Personal Vaporizer, which is the entire mechanism you're using to vape!
APV stands for Advanced Personal Vaporizer and is sort of synonymous with a mod. The primary difference between a PV and APV is how customizable the APV is.
With a battery such as the eGo Twist, if it burns out, you will need to toss the whole thing and buy a new one. With a mod, such as the ProVari, you can replace the battery so that you won't need to junk the whole piece.
Another option for advanced users is a mechanical mod. There is a good discussion on what exactly constitutes one here. Advantages of it are greater control over the performance of the device and increased durability.
Here is a good analogy between mechanical mods and APVs!
RBA stands for Rebuildable Atomizer. Once you buy an RBA, you will also need wire and wicks. There are lots of good tutorial videos on how to use and rebuild them.
That's too complicated...what if I just want to upgrade my kit?
Here you may have to start buying parts separately.
The Vision Spinner is comparable to the Twist, but a step up might be the iTaste VV V3.0, or the iTaste MVP.
For *omizers, good clearos are the iTaste iClear 30 (included in MVP kit) and Smoktech Aro. Good glassomizers are the Kanger Protank II and Anyvape Davide.
How do I know if the parts I'm buying are compatible?
The vast majority have either eGo or 510 threading. eGo threading is what you will see on the eGo Twist; 510 threading can typically be found on cigalikes.
Many clearos and batteries are both eGo and 510 compatible however, and typically vendors list this on the product page.
---------------
In closing:
Apart from ECF, reddit's /r/electronic_cigarettes and /r/Vaping101 are both extremely helpful communities to look into. Check out reviews for good vape shops around your area too - being able to talk to someone face to face is a great way to learn for a lot of folks.
Don't feel pressured into buying something that's outside of your budget or too advanced for you - what's important is that it works for you and you're comfortable using it.
Lastly, good luck!
---------------
Links to e-cig suppliers: Discount Vapers, Tropical (?)
Links to e-juice vendors: MBV, TVC, Gremlin, Seduce, Halo
Links to other FAQs, tutorials and guides: Baditude's Blog, ecf library
I know there are lots of good guides out there already, some of which I will link at the bottom of the post. I just wanted to write my own however, to organize what I learned, and maybe it will help someone.
Critiques, suggestions or corrections are much appreciated!
Last update: 9.26.13 - Minor wording edits...looking up the links I need to add.
To do: Include photos / videos.
I just want to start vaping! What do I need?
At the very basic level you need: a battery, heating element (aka atomizer, or 'atty'), a container/cartridge for the juice, and a mouthpiece (tip, or drip tip). The last three can be purchased as one unit. You will also need e-juice, of course!
What's a good starter kit?
eGo Twist (battery) + eVod clearomizer (atomizer/tank/tip). You'll also need a charging cable for the battery.
The Twist is a VV, or Variable Voltage, battery. This means you can change how much power you're putting through to the atomizer.
Many people choose to get a backup battery as well, so that you can use one while the other is charging, or if one breaks, you aren't left high and dry.
It looks clunky. What if I want something that looks more like an analog?
There are 'cigalikes' which have more of the look and feel of an analog cig, such as blu or Halo. They can be cheaper, however the tanks have very small capacity so you may need to carry several on you, and battery life usually isn't very good either.
I have no personal experience with cigalikes, but here is a thread which provides some recommendations.
Wait, so what is a clearomizer?
The clearomizer is the plastic tank that sits on top of the battery, abbreviated 'clearo'. In the eVod, the atomizer is at the bottom of the tank, so-called a "bottom coil clearomizer". Some clearos have the atomizer at the top, and these will have wicks sticking out to pull the juice into the component that heats it, creating the vapor.
Where can I get some e-juice to try out?
Mt. Baker Vapor is inexpensive, shipping is fast and they have a wide selection of flavors. Be careful though - cinnamon and citrus are known to crack or melt the plastic in clearomizers. Most e-juice vendors will list these warnings explicitly on the product page but it's always best to use caution.
My favorites from them are Berry Creamy (mixed berries + cream) and Extreme Ice (mint).
How much nicotine should I get in my e-juice?
This generally depends on how heavy of a smoker you were. If you're used to a pack a day or more, you may want to try higher nicotine content - 18mg or 24mg.
If you're a light smoker or you think you might use your vaporizer a lot, then you might want to try lower nic juices, at 6mg or even 0mg.
Now that I have my e-cig, how do I use it?
Here's a video that shows how to charge the battery and fill the clearo. (<-- Need to put a link in here, haven't found the right video yet.)
Other notes: Click the button five times quickly to turn it on/off. This prevents it from firing if you keep it in a pocket or bag. Hold down the button to take a drag.
You don't need to inhale as hard as if you're smoking an analog, and it's also not necessary to inhale into your lungs, although you can if you wish. Otherwise, just hold the smoke in your mouth and exhale, as if you're smoking a clove or cigar.
Typically you take a longer draw than you would on an analog as well. 5 seconds or longer is common, as opposed to 2-3 seconds.
I know when I'm done smoking an analog, but how do I know when to stop vaping?
I suggest taking it slowly at first. If you're using a high nicotine e-juice, try pausing between each hit to gauge how you feel. Your body knows when it's had too much nicotine, so if you feel lightheaded or dizzy, take a break.
Also, vaping will dry out your lungs, so be sure to stay hydrated!
How do I maintain it / what parts do I need to replace?
Excluding battery failure, the only part you need to replace is the atomizer inside the clearo. You will also find them called 'coil heads'. Prices range from $1-5 for one, and they commonly come in 5-packs.
Atomizers have different resistances (ohms - denoted by the symbol Ω). Anything between 2.2-3.0 Ω will work with the eGo Twist. You can adjust the voltage with the dial at the bottom of the battery to find a happy medium that works for you in terms of flavor and vapor production. Start low and work your way up. When it starts to taste burnt, dial it back.
When do I need to replace the atomizer/coil head?
This really varies depending on how much you vape, and the type of liquid you're using. If you're a heavy vaper or use darker liquids, you might need to replace the atomizer more often, maybe once a week. If you're a lighter user, once every few weeks.
The rule of thumb is, if you start getting a burnt taste or the vapor production is less than usual, replace the atomizer.
You can also wash clearos by taking them apart and rinsing them with warm water, or by soaking them in alcohol such as vodka or Everclear. Then just pat dry, reassemble and refill with juice. The first few hits after cleaning may taste strange, but it should return back to normal soon.
I'm seeing the terms 'carto' and 'glassomizer' around...what's that?
Due to the issue with cinnamon/citrus in plastic mentioned above, some *omizers are made with glass or Pyrex. These are called glassomizers and should be safe with all flavors.
Carto is short for cartomizer. These are usually treated as being disposable, and instead of filling them directly with juice, they're filled with polyfill/cotton, which you then drip juice into, saturating the material.
You may also see mention of cartotanks, which are a combination of cartomizer and clearo/glassomizer.
What's an PV/APV/mod/RBA?
PV stands for Personal Vaporizer, which is the entire mechanism you're using to vape!
APV stands for Advanced Personal Vaporizer and is sort of synonymous with a mod. The primary difference between a PV and APV is how customizable the APV is.
With a battery such as the eGo Twist, if it burns out, you will need to toss the whole thing and buy a new one. With a mod, such as the ProVari, you can replace the battery so that you won't need to junk the whole piece.
Another option for advanced users is a mechanical mod. There is a good discussion on what exactly constitutes one here. Advantages of it are greater control over the performance of the device and increased durability.
Here is a good analogy between mechanical mods and APVs!
RBA stands for Rebuildable Atomizer. Once you buy an RBA, you will also need wire and wicks. There are lots of good tutorial videos on how to use and rebuild them.
That's too complicated...what if I just want to upgrade my kit?
Here you may have to start buying parts separately.
The Vision Spinner is comparable to the Twist, but a step up might be the iTaste VV V3.0, or the iTaste MVP.
For *omizers, good clearos are the iTaste iClear 30 (included in MVP kit) and Smoktech Aro. Good glassomizers are the Kanger Protank II and Anyvape Davide.
How do I know if the parts I'm buying are compatible?
The vast majority have either eGo or 510 threading. eGo threading is what you will see on the eGo Twist; 510 threading can typically be found on cigalikes.
Many clearos and batteries are both eGo and 510 compatible however, and typically vendors list this on the product page.
---------------
In closing:
Apart from ECF, reddit's /r/electronic_cigarettes and /r/Vaping101 are both extremely helpful communities to look into. Check out reviews for good vape shops around your area too - being able to talk to someone face to face is a great way to learn for a lot of folks.
Don't feel pressured into buying something that's outside of your budget or too advanced for you - what's important is that it works for you and you're comfortable using it.
Lastly, good luck!
---------------
Links to e-cig suppliers: Discount Vapers, Tropical (?)
Links to e-juice vendors: MBV, TVC, Gremlin, Seduce, Halo
Links to other FAQs, tutorials and guides: Baditude's Blog, ecf library
