E-smoking Pen on cold days

[panderson01]

I was out on my boat yesterday and the temps were low to mid 30's F and I couldn't get any good vapor. I don't know if it was the atomiser being too cold or the batteries but I had to suck hard 4 or 5 times to get even a minimal vapor to come out.

I tried 3 differnt power sources, regular battery, usb on my power pack and usb on my car (boat) adapter.

I leave the river, get back in my warm truck and it starts working again, same atomiser, same power sources.

This same thing happened 2 weeks back on a cold day on the boat

Any common cold weather problems out there like this?

 

[Mufftrix]

I have found this too! I have 2 dogs and when out walking just doesn`t seem to be as effective as when indoors? I don`t bother taking out with me now just leave in car then ready for a good vape ha-ha! (this with a 901 by way)

 

[jingin]

I'm in Alaska, and our temps here in town have been running in the teens and below. Having the same problem so I strictly e-smoke in my vehicle, garage, home, etc...

Unfortunately, that means no vapin' while snowboarding.

 

[Cage]

Do you think it has to do more with the freezing point of the liquid or the temperature of the cold air being drawn through the device? Interesting. I wonder if limiting the airflow or using a manual switch would solve this.

 

[Steph2323]

I was vaping my penstyle outside the other day for the first time, it was around 25 degrees, and I thought that it wasn't working that well. But it was hard to tell if I was blowing out vapor or just air. I couldn't taste anything though. Wasn't out long enough to see if I was going to have a nic fit
Stephanie

 

[katink]

Try to keep the e-cig isolated (lanyard lined with wool or something?) and/or keep it in a lanyard under your clothes against your body, until you want a vape ... I don't remember where, but I read that the working-conditions for an e-cig are between -5C and +45C (= 23-113F).

 

[Keef]

I think it may be the liquid.

It gets thicker in the cold it may be taking longer for the atomiser to heat it to the required temp.

 

[camoruin]

Ive noticed a difference when it's cold too. Can't say it's the atomizer or the juice, but it definitely takes some primer puffs to get it going. Clouds of smoke are a bit thicker too when you exhale.

 

[Keef]

Anyone keep their liquid in the fridge ?.

I dont but it would be interesting to hear how it performs immediately it is taken out as opposed to letting it get to room temp.

 

[panderson01]

Anyone keep their liquid in the fridge ?.

I dont but it would be interesting to hear how it performs immediately it is taken out as opposed to letting it get to room temp.

I kept my liquid in my beer fridge for about a week or so at 33d F, and did not have any issues. I stopped doing it because I was too lazy to go to the garage, so I don't think it's the liquid.

 

[smog]

I was out on my boat yesterday and the temps were low to mid 30's F and I couldn't get any good vapor. I don't know if it was the atomiser being too cold or the batteries but I had to suck hard 4 or 5 times to get even a minimal vapor to come out.

I tried 3 differnt power sources, regular battery, usb on my power pack and usb on my car (boat) adapter.

I leave the river, get back in my warm truck and it starts working again, same atomiser, same power sources.

This same thing happened 2 weeks back on a cold day on the boat

Any common cold weather problems out there like this?

Yes i had the same problem here during the last few weeks when we went through a cold spell .It's because the heater coils on these things aren't very well insulated and so it has to heat up all the metal casing before the element gets hot enough to do it's thing also the fact your drawing in very cold air so more heating power required.
.I found a small woolly glove finger to slip over my ecig to just to try it out in the cold and it does improve vapor production if your smoking with short gaps between puffs it keeps ecig casing warm.

The only other solution is higher voltage batteries to supply the extra power needed .

 

[Steph2323]

Yes i had the same problem here during the last few weeks when we went through a cold spell .It's because the heater coils on these things aren't very well insulated and so it has to heat up all the metal casing before the element gets hot enough to do it's thing also the fact your drawing in very cold air so more heating power required.
.I found a small woolly glove finger to slip over my ecig to just to try it out in the cold and it does improve vapor production if your smoking with short gaps between puffs it keeps ecig casing warm.

The only other solution is higher voltage batteries to supply the extra power needed .

That is a great idea. Thanks for sharing
Stephanie

 

[Keef]

Well I have not noticed a drop in performance when it is cold -4 C sitting in the garden a few weeks ago and it worked fine plenty vapour.

I have a 901 atomiser but with the screwdriver , guess the switch and battery help ?.

The screwdriver body was freezing but I carry my liquid in the back pocket of my jeans so that would have been body temp.

 

[smog]

Probably the manual switch helps alot .You can do a preheat with manual switch without sucking in cold air so u already got vaporized fluid before you draw in cold air .I would have thought his usb 5v batterries would have coped though .

 

[tribalmasters]

I get this same problem with my pen. My guess is that the very thing that gives it its smooth vapor is causing the problem - its large size. The poor little pen is acting like a giant pen sized heatsink perhaps! Not only that but its double trouble as the e-liquid becomes more gooey and less watery making the journey from cart to atomiser harder or something hehe! The 901 kinda goes that way too but the EVO copes better outdoors.

 

[smog]

Have been trying to figure out this now for a few days .Seems to be more than one cause
affecting it in the cold and it's only certain types of ecig mainly pen style . I think i have to agree with what keef has said as being as one of the main causes .I noticed it only happens with some e-liquids and not so bad with others .so perhaps as keef said liquid viscosity is one cause . BTW anyone trying what I said, DON'T let your lithium battery get to hot because it will ruin it at best or explode at worst .

 

[Heed]

I keep my e-cig up my sleeve with my hand around it while I'm vaping in the cold. Body heat inside a coat sleeve will warm it up quite quickly and keep it warm while you're vaping. Makes a fair bit of difference to the vapour output.

 

[nicowolf]

I too have noticed poor performance on both my 901 and my penstyle in the cold. I typically keep them in my front pants pocket. I have tried keeping them in my inside jacket pocket like my analogs, it helps a lot. It seems they stay warmer there. I think the lithium batteries are sluggish in the cold too - my NiMh battery pack performs better in the cold.

 

[thejager]

i havent had a problem with my Screwdriver at all...it was down to 0 yesterday and i was vaping away as took a stroll to the autoshop in the AM when my car wouldnt start (...yes...my car was not starting because it was too cold out, but my Screwdriver was just fine)...maybe its the black version i have that does the trick

 

[Doostin]

I read this topic as a Canadian (still waiting to receive my first e-cig) to find out how these things operate in cold weather, as half the year is spend below 0C.

As I thought, they don't seem to operate well when the device is cold, which is a bit disappointing for snowboarding. Just thought I'd contribute various factors (some already mentioned) that probably all contribute to the decrease in performance in some way.

- Cold batteries don't work too well, however, cold is great at preserving a charge.

- Viscosity of fluid will certainly thicken as the temp lowers.

- Cold fluid will take longer to heat up.

- Air density increases as temperature drops.

I suspect the main cause of difficulty is getting the liquid viscous enough for it to pass effectively through the atomizer with the denser air to produce a good liquid:air ratio. I don't believe changing the diameter of the atomizer hole would produce wanted results. The best way to resolve this would likely to produce a liquid which remains viscous at colder temperatures. However, the downside is that it would likely require additives to the liquid, which is something we're trying to avoid with the very essence of e-smoking.