Fire before bringing the drip tip to mouth?

[Kazuko]

Hi everyone,

I've heard once that the actual way to vape, even for sub-ohm tanks, is to start pressing fire a little before even bringing the drip tip to the mouth.
I've also been watching a few videos, and I've noticed sometimes the person does "pre-heat" the vape by pressing fire + exhaling for like 0.1s before actually inhaling.

How I do it, I bring the tip to my mouth, start pressing fire, and nearly at the same time I start inhaling, so yeah there's a fraction of time where I don't actually inhale any vape, but I don't really mind, I guess it goes softer on the coil, and maybe avoids gunk, but that's really just an opinion, and can't be backed by any observation...

How do you start vaping, and what would you consider being the "best" way?

 

[bombastinator]

This gets into how fast your particular coil is so it’s going to vary from build to build a lot. One thing I’ve seen cloud chasers do is blow into the device until they see vapor, then inhale. Cloud chasing rigs are famous for their huge ramp times though

 

[Izan]

Hi everyone,

I've heard once that the actual way to vape, even for sub-ohm tanks, is to start pressing fire a little before even bringing the drip tip to the mouth.
I've also been watching a few videos, and I've noticed sometimes the person does "pre-heat" the vape by pressing fire + exhaling for like 0.1s before actually inhaling.

How I do it, I bring the tip to my mouth, start pressing fire, and nearly at the same time I start inhaling, so yeah there's a fraction of time where I don't actually inhale any vape, but I don't really mind, I guess it goes softer on the coil, and maybe avoids gunk, but that's really just an opinion, and can't be backed by any observation...

How do you start vaping, and what would you consider being the "best" way?

Hi and welcome,
IMO, it is device dependent.
I use simple, low mass coils and press the button as it touches my lip.
"Purging" is...a choice. (express yourself) - I point and snicker.

What device are you using?
What topper/tank are you using?
What is the resistance of your coil?
How many watts or volts do you use?
What is the nicotine level and PG/VG ratio of your juice?

Cheers
I

 

[Zaryk]

Just as bombastinator said, it is going to be dependant on your set up. The only right way to do it is the way that works for you and the equipment you are using. I treat each of my set ups differently, I may purge if I have large coils that have slow ramp up, and I may take a couple of quick puffs before taking my drag off of an MTL set up. My all day set up I simply hit the button and take a drag at the same time since the ramp up is near instant.

 

[Kazuko]

I vape on an Eleaf iStick Melo, with a Melo 4 tank (0.3ohm single coil kanthal premade atty). The ramp-up is quite fast on this kit, so I've never felt the need to purge (thanks for teaching me the correct word btw), and actually the times I've tried, it made me cough. The best vape I can make is when I purge, then stop firing for half a sec, and then fire & inhale (without purging), so the coil is hot and can produce a decent amount of vape right away.

When purging, do you exhale (to make the vape go through the bottom air holes), and do you just fire and wait for the coil to make some noise? I'm worried the second way will ruin coils faster, but I also guess the first way will add gunk in the clearo (it's already quite a pain to clean the airflow as it is, I can only do it properly while changing coils, and even then, it's hard to really completely clean it)

 

[Izan]

IMO: With a fast ramp up, a purge is not needed.
Using drop in coils, I would not expect to need to "purge".
Purging is as you described, blowing in to the device (TOP air flow devices contraindicated) until the coil has come to temperature.
Modern regulated devices tend to have enough initial power to make purging unnecessary.
If it is slow to heat, increase power. (watts)


HTH
I

 

[jim_87]

With a regulated mod, if it has a low, normal, and high setting, choose the high setting with the recommended wattage, and the coil fire-up is near instantaneous.

Best way to start vaping? Depends on the mod, and what you're comfortable with trying. I would just experiment at first to see what you like.

 

[jim_87]

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

 

[Kazuko]

I don't have this low/normal/high setting on my mod (this is actually the main reason why I'm already considering buying another mod, even though I've only been vaping for a bit less than 2 months...), but I do have drop-in coils, so yeah the ramp up is not that slow!

I vape at 50W (starting the day at 35~ otherwise I cough hard). I've noticed the coil takes around half a second to produce a really decent amount of vape, but even before that there's still something to inhale, it's not just air. It gets really interesting after 2 seconds though, I hear the sound change and become smoother somehow, the vape is warmer and definitely more dense.

 

[Izan]

If you like the .3Ω coil, you may also like the Vaporesso 0.6 CCell coil.
It will use a bit less battery and a bit less juice.
Aspire also makes compatible coils for the Melo3.

Cheers
I

 

[Zaryk]

I agree that with a newer regulated device, purging isn't really needed. The only time I find myself purging anything is on a mechanical mod, with a hand wrapped dual coil build with a lot of mass to them. I can't say I remember doing it with drop in coil tanks. Normally they are well balanced and have quick ramp up. If you enjoy the vape better when the coils are warmed up, take a short draw to get everything warm first.

 

[Kazuko]

If you like the .3Ω coil, you may also like the Vaporesso 0.6 CCell coil.
It will use a bit less battery and a bit less juice.
Aspire also makes compatible coils for the Melo3.

Cheers
I

I didn't enjoy the Eleaf 0.5ohm as much as the 0.3, so 0.6 sounds even less tempting :/
Plus, the battery holds surprisingly long on my mod, I easily lasts a whole day, could even maybe hold for 2 days, but I like to charge it overnight, so I'm sure I won't fall short mid-day

 

[Kazuko]

I agree that with a newer regulated device, purging isn't really needed. The only time I find myself purging anything is on a mechanical mod, with a hand wrapped dual coil build with a lot of mass to them. I can't say I remember doing it with drop in coil tanks. Normally they are well balanced and have quick ramp up. If you enjoy the vape better when the coils are warmed up, take a short draw to get everything warm first.

I did experience a slow ramp-up on dual coil SS316 drop-in coil (0.18ohm Eleaf EC head) that I tried for temp control. I didn't really purge, just pressed fire a waited a bit before inhaling, otherwise it was utterly disappointing, for the first 0.5s there was virtually no vape coming, I was just breathing air... If I knew how to properly purge back then, I probable would've enjoyed the coil more, but I'm good with kanthal anyway!

Thanks all, I guess the overall point is that purging is only "required" when it feels required, so I'l keep on vaping without bothering with it my kit!

 

[classwife]

I always press the button before I bring any mod to my mouth - and it's pointed away from my face.
I look at it as additional safe practice.

 

[Baditude]

Extremely low ohm coils require more power (watts) to heat up. If the coils are high mass (thicker wire, more metal), the ramp up time to heat those coils to produce vapor increases. Therefore, those vapers will often pre-heat the coils by pressing the fire button before tanking a draw to compensate for the ramp up time.

I vape at 30 watts, ideally with a 0.6 ohm coil resistance. I begin my draw simultaneously when I press the fire button, usually a 2 second direct to lung draw.

 

[stols001]

I use simple round wires and MTL coils I don't really do any ramp up, it doesn't seem necessary, although Classwife does raise a valid safety point.

It takes a pretty low resistance high mass coil to REQUIRE pressing the fire button prior to inhaling, especially if it's EVERY puff, not just the first one. I don't think you need to overcomplicate things though, and there are some mods that will allow you to give a user curve, when I use mine I usually set the first puff LOWER as it gives the coil a chance to heat slightly and I kind of see it as useful as far as wicking. I'm talking mostly about doing the opposite of what you are describing though.

But mainly, if it's working you don't have to overcomplicated it. Try different things and see what works for you. I am kind of "mentally locked" into a continued inhale AFTER I stop the fire button as I started out with a PG sensitivity and I felt it helped wicking for example. But my point is, if it's working for you, it shouldn't make a HUGE difference unless you are vaping out on the bleeding edge and etc.

Good luck,

Anna