Soldier Blue
The Vaper that "Can't be aroused."
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2013
- Messages
- 2,574
Dear Apes,
A while ago I promised KulrMeStoopid I’d write something for the Wiki and as I’ve taken so much from the Planet Of The Vapes forum since joining I thought I’d try and put something back so I’ve written this to hopefully educate. I’ve written it with the newer user in mind so I know there is much, much more to the world of vaping than I have written here but I thought it would be at least a good starting point.
Before reading, please note that the opinions expressed here are my own and are not endorsed by the POTV forum. Any opinions given on products have been either purchased by myself or given to me for the purpose of reviewing them and I have received no payment from any vendor mentioned.
A = Attie (atomizer) – The ‘guts’ of your ecig that basically sucks up the juice and heats it so that vapour is produced ready for you to inhale. You can either buy them ready made or make your own with Kanthal and Silica (see below).You’ll find that after you’ve vaped about 10ml that the taste will not be as good. Simply wash them out with hot water and when they are dry you can ‘dry burn’ the coil which consists of you hitting the fire button for about 5 seconds at a time until all the residue has been burnt off and then they are ready to be used again.
B = B & M (bricks and mortar) – No, it’s not the shop that offers you ‘big brands, huge savings’ but the high street version of an online vaping shop.
C = Clearo (clearomizer) – It’s basically the thing that houses an atomizer. It’s clear so that you can see how much juice you have left.
D = Dripper – Instead of using a clearomizer you can open up the bottle of your juice and ‘drip’ a few drops at a time directly onto your atomizer. There are devices specially made for this but the easiest way to use a dripper is a ‘306 atomizer’. It’s a simple and cheap device used to test the flavour of a juice and is easy to use.
E = Ego – This is the generic name given to batteries that power the atomizer. Most new users tend to start on these before moving onto other devices and they generally come in four different sizes 350, 650, 900 and 1100 mah. The mah stands for milliampere-hour and basically means that the bigger the mah the longer the battery lasts for but also the bigger the battery is.
F = Fags – Once you’ve given them up they are known as ‘stinkies’.
G = Genesis – A type of RBA (see below) that uses stainless steel mesh to provide heat that generates vapour.
H = Health – Nicotine is present in most juices but that’s it. Not all the thousands of toxic chemicals normally found in stinkies so vaping is seen as a much healthier option. Nicotine is regarded no more harmful than caffeine if used properly.
I = IMR – The best of these batteries are branded AW and are red. They are basically built in a safer way and are not protected. Which means that they will eventually drain to completely flat (which is not good for the longevity of these batteries) and therefore should really be used with a device that has some sort of built in protection such as a variable voltage or wattage device to stop this happening. You can also get ‘protected’ batteries which will not run completely flat and generally these are to be used in mechanical devices. There is much debate on this topic so the above is simply a general guide for newer users. There are also two types of batteries – those that have a ‘flat top’ and those that have a ‘button top’. They are basically the same thing although they are slightly different in length and therefore some devices will prefer one to the other. The standard battery sizes are 18350, 18500 and 18650 with the ‘18’ referring to the width of the battery and the 350, 500 and 650 referring to the length in mm’s and generally the bigger the battery, the longer it will last.
J = Juice – The name given to the liquid that ‘carries’ the nicotine and flavouring. There are a multitude of juices out there from tobacco flavoured to custard, banana, red bull and just about anything you can think of. Try mixing them together to create some amazing flavours. Whatever you do with food and drink you can do with juice.
K = Kanthal – This is the wire used to heat up your juice and make vapour. The typical size of Kanthal used to make ‘coils’ is around .20mm and using a thicker / thinner gauge Kanthal as well as how many times you wrap it around the silica will generally increase or decrease the heat, vapour and flavour created.
L = Law – At the time of writing it’s perfectly legal to vape wherever you like, however this will no doubt change and up to date information can be seen almost daily on this site.
M = Mod – This is the device that houses your battery. There are two main types of mod. The first will have electronic components in it and will usually allow you to increase or decrease the volts or watts allowing you to customise your vape. Generally, increasing the volts or watts will heat up the juice quicker, create more vapour and alter the taste of the juice. Just like food, this is user preference although there is a point where you can ‘cook’ the juice if using very high temperatures. The other type of mod is a mechanical mod (mech mod) which has no electronic components. They are much simpler to use and have fewer parts to break etc’ but they also have no ‘protection’ built in so you should only really use these after researching their pros and cons.
N = Nicotine – You can purchase your juice in various strengths, which are typically 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg. A medium / light smoker will probably start around 12mg. The higher the nicotine content the more ‘throat hit’ you will get. It also has a slight ‘peppery’ taste to it and different mg levels of nicotine can alter the taste of the juice.
O = Ohms – If you’re buying replaceable atomizer heads you’ll often see different options which are normally 1.8, 2.0 or 2.2 ohms with a symbol next to it that looks a bit like a horse shoe. This is the ‘resistance’ and the lower the number the more heat and vapour is created. This also affects the flavour of the juice and will drain your battery quicker. Much is written on this topic, including its relation to volts but the above is a good starting point.
P = PG / VG (Propylene Glycol / Vegetable Glycerine) - Other than flavouring and nicotine PG / VG makes up the main bulk of your juice. You will often see juice sold as 50 / 50 PG / VG (for example). PG is a thin liquid that creates throat hit. VG is a thick, sweet flavour that creates vapour. If you like a sweet vape with plenty of vapour than a higher percentage of VG would be preferable or of course plenty of throat hit would require a higher percentage of PG. Personal preference is again the norm here although as PG is a chemical, some users are sensitive to it but this is not common.
Q = Queen – No, the Queen does not vape but here at Planet Of The Vapes we have our own version of royalty, otherwise known as KulrMeStoopid. Whilst she doesn’t quite have the authority to say ‘off with your head’ she’s not far from it – so cross her at your peril!!
R = RBA (rebuildable atomizer) – So, if you’re fed up with buying the pre made ‘inners’ of your clearo etc’ then you can buy an RBA. This will allow you to re-build the atomizer and customise it to suit your vaping preference. You can also buy an RDA, which is a rebuildable dripping atomizer.
S = Silica – This is the cotton like material you’ll find in most atomizers that is used to suck up the juice that your Kanthal can then heat up, to create vapour. There are various thickness / styles of silica with 3mm thickness being common. Using a different thickness of the silica can change the flavour / vapour of the juice and like most things to do with vaping, this is personal preference.
T = Tank – This is the central tube that houses most of the juice / guts of your clearo or RBA. The bigger the tank the more ml of juice it will hold. A standard tank will usually hold around 2 or 3ml of juice. Obviously the bigger tanks need less refilling than the smaller ones. They are also made of different materials – stainless steel is a common material for tanks which has the benefit of appearance and strength but of course you can’t instantly see how much juice is left in the tank. There are various clear tanks that can be used but caution should be noted as some juices (citric, acidic, fruity juices) can literally ‘crack’ a tank, particularly those made of polycarbonate. Glass is a great material that won’t crack with juice inside it but of course is easy to break if dropped.
U = Us – This forum is all about us, the apes that make up Planet Of The Vapes. If you want a place to relax, a place to learn or simply a place to have a laugh then this forum has the lot. Please remember though that once you’ve written something it cannot be undone. Respect the opinions of other members, don’t get personal and use ‘smilies’ to get your point over, as something you mean in fun isn’t always read that way. Above all else, respect the ‘mods’ and ‘admin’ of this site as they spend countless hours on here and receive no payment for doing so.
V = Volts – This is the ‘power’ that comes from you battery – typically 3.7 volts. If you’ve got a device that allows you to alter the volts then the higher you go, the more power (heat) will be created but the faster your battery will drain. This is also dependant on the ohms of your atomizer and is a complex matter for new users. A bit of research about Ohms Law will explain things in more detail but generally the higher the volts, the more heat is created, which will in turn alter the taste of your juice.
W = Watts – This is the figure that is created by using the volts (power) against the resistance (ohms). If you’ve read up on Ohms Law then this will be clear. Many users that have a variable wattage device will vape at around 9 watts. This is a more consistent way to vape as the resistance of your atomizer or the volts of your battery are less important.
X = Xtar – Generally seen as the best make of battery charger out there. A little more expensive than many other chargers but essential for safety. Many chargers now come with different settings that are usually rated in amps. The bigger the amp setting the quicker it will charge a battery but it can put ‘stress’ on a battery if the wrong setting is used. Typically an 18650 battery should be charged at the higher setting, usually 1 amp and an 18350 battery should be charged at the lower setting which is usually .25 or .5 amps.
Y = You - You are the one vaping and you are the one that determines your budget so whilst it’s good to get as much advice as possible don’t fall into the trap of spending a fortune on vaping gear straight away (unless of course you want to). There are a multitude of options and you can spend fortunes on devices only to find they work no better than low cost ones. It’s better to educate yourself at first, particularly around the safety aspects of batteries, RBA’s and chargers.
Z = Zoo – A shortened name for Atmizoo, who make probably the most well built (easily available) mods you can get. The most common of which are the Dingo and the Roller. The Dingo is a small top button firing mod, that is one of the smallest on the market and the Roller is basically the same mod but it’s telescopic so that it’ll take all sizes of battery. There are many other brilliant mods out there like the Nemesis and the GP Paps but they are not as easily available as the Zoo mods.
So there it is, the A to Z of Vaping. I hope you’ve found it useful.
Soldier Blue - AKA Jason.
May the wind always be at your back, the sun upon your face and vapour in your lungs. xx
A while ago I promised KulrMeStoopid I’d write something for the Wiki and as I’ve taken so much from the Planet Of The Vapes forum since joining I thought I’d try and put something back so I’ve written this to hopefully educate. I’ve written it with the newer user in mind so I know there is much, much more to the world of vaping than I have written here but I thought it would be at least a good starting point.
Before reading, please note that the opinions expressed here are my own and are not endorsed by the POTV forum. Any opinions given on products have been either purchased by myself or given to me for the purpose of reviewing them and I have received no payment from any vendor mentioned.
A = Attie (atomizer) – The ‘guts’ of your ecig that basically sucks up the juice and heats it so that vapour is produced ready for you to inhale. You can either buy them ready made or make your own with Kanthal and Silica (see below).You’ll find that after you’ve vaped about 10ml that the taste will not be as good. Simply wash them out with hot water and when they are dry you can ‘dry burn’ the coil which consists of you hitting the fire button for about 5 seconds at a time until all the residue has been burnt off and then they are ready to be used again.
B = B & M (bricks and mortar) – No, it’s not the shop that offers you ‘big brands, huge savings’ but the high street version of an online vaping shop.
C = Clearo (clearomizer) – It’s basically the thing that houses an atomizer. It’s clear so that you can see how much juice you have left.
D = Dripper – Instead of using a clearomizer you can open up the bottle of your juice and ‘drip’ a few drops at a time directly onto your atomizer. There are devices specially made for this but the easiest way to use a dripper is a ‘306 atomizer’. It’s a simple and cheap device used to test the flavour of a juice and is easy to use.
E = Ego – This is the generic name given to batteries that power the atomizer. Most new users tend to start on these before moving onto other devices and they generally come in four different sizes 350, 650, 900 and 1100 mah. The mah stands for milliampere-hour and basically means that the bigger the mah the longer the battery lasts for but also the bigger the battery is.
F = Fags – Once you’ve given them up they are known as ‘stinkies’.
G = Genesis – A type of RBA (see below) that uses stainless steel mesh to provide heat that generates vapour.
H = Health – Nicotine is present in most juices but that’s it. Not all the thousands of toxic chemicals normally found in stinkies so vaping is seen as a much healthier option. Nicotine is regarded no more harmful than caffeine if used properly.
I = IMR – The best of these batteries are branded AW and are red. They are basically built in a safer way and are not protected. Which means that they will eventually drain to completely flat (which is not good for the longevity of these batteries) and therefore should really be used with a device that has some sort of built in protection such as a variable voltage or wattage device to stop this happening. You can also get ‘protected’ batteries which will not run completely flat and generally these are to be used in mechanical devices. There is much debate on this topic so the above is simply a general guide for newer users. There are also two types of batteries – those that have a ‘flat top’ and those that have a ‘button top’. They are basically the same thing although they are slightly different in length and therefore some devices will prefer one to the other. The standard battery sizes are 18350, 18500 and 18650 with the ‘18’ referring to the width of the battery and the 350, 500 and 650 referring to the length in mm’s and generally the bigger the battery, the longer it will last.
J = Juice – The name given to the liquid that ‘carries’ the nicotine and flavouring. There are a multitude of juices out there from tobacco flavoured to custard, banana, red bull and just about anything you can think of. Try mixing them together to create some amazing flavours. Whatever you do with food and drink you can do with juice.
K = Kanthal – This is the wire used to heat up your juice and make vapour. The typical size of Kanthal used to make ‘coils’ is around .20mm and using a thicker / thinner gauge Kanthal as well as how many times you wrap it around the silica will generally increase or decrease the heat, vapour and flavour created.
L = Law – At the time of writing it’s perfectly legal to vape wherever you like, however this will no doubt change and up to date information can be seen almost daily on this site.
M = Mod – This is the device that houses your battery. There are two main types of mod. The first will have electronic components in it and will usually allow you to increase or decrease the volts or watts allowing you to customise your vape. Generally, increasing the volts or watts will heat up the juice quicker, create more vapour and alter the taste of the juice. Just like food, this is user preference although there is a point where you can ‘cook’ the juice if using very high temperatures. The other type of mod is a mechanical mod (mech mod) which has no electronic components. They are much simpler to use and have fewer parts to break etc’ but they also have no ‘protection’ built in so you should only really use these after researching their pros and cons.
N = Nicotine – You can purchase your juice in various strengths, which are typically 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg. A medium / light smoker will probably start around 12mg. The higher the nicotine content the more ‘throat hit’ you will get. It also has a slight ‘peppery’ taste to it and different mg levels of nicotine can alter the taste of the juice.
O = Ohms – If you’re buying replaceable atomizer heads you’ll often see different options which are normally 1.8, 2.0 or 2.2 ohms with a symbol next to it that looks a bit like a horse shoe. This is the ‘resistance’ and the lower the number the more heat and vapour is created. This also affects the flavour of the juice and will drain your battery quicker. Much is written on this topic, including its relation to volts but the above is a good starting point.
P = PG / VG (Propylene Glycol / Vegetable Glycerine) - Other than flavouring and nicotine PG / VG makes up the main bulk of your juice. You will often see juice sold as 50 / 50 PG / VG (for example). PG is a thin liquid that creates throat hit. VG is a thick, sweet flavour that creates vapour. If you like a sweet vape with plenty of vapour than a higher percentage of VG would be preferable or of course plenty of throat hit would require a higher percentage of PG. Personal preference is again the norm here although as PG is a chemical, some users are sensitive to it but this is not common.
Q = Queen – No, the Queen does not vape but here at Planet Of The Vapes we have our own version of royalty, otherwise known as KulrMeStoopid. Whilst she doesn’t quite have the authority to say ‘off with your head’ she’s not far from it – so cross her at your peril!!
R = RBA (rebuildable atomizer) – So, if you’re fed up with buying the pre made ‘inners’ of your clearo etc’ then you can buy an RBA. This will allow you to re-build the atomizer and customise it to suit your vaping preference. You can also buy an RDA, which is a rebuildable dripping atomizer.
S = Silica – This is the cotton like material you’ll find in most atomizers that is used to suck up the juice that your Kanthal can then heat up, to create vapour. There are various thickness / styles of silica with 3mm thickness being common. Using a different thickness of the silica can change the flavour / vapour of the juice and like most things to do with vaping, this is personal preference.
T = Tank – This is the central tube that houses most of the juice / guts of your clearo or RBA. The bigger the tank the more ml of juice it will hold. A standard tank will usually hold around 2 or 3ml of juice. Obviously the bigger tanks need less refilling than the smaller ones. They are also made of different materials – stainless steel is a common material for tanks which has the benefit of appearance and strength but of course you can’t instantly see how much juice is left in the tank. There are various clear tanks that can be used but caution should be noted as some juices (citric, acidic, fruity juices) can literally ‘crack’ a tank, particularly those made of polycarbonate. Glass is a great material that won’t crack with juice inside it but of course is easy to break if dropped.
U = Us – This forum is all about us, the apes that make up Planet Of The Vapes. If you want a place to relax, a place to learn or simply a place to have a laugh then this forum has the lot. Please remember though that once you’ve written something it cannot be undone. Respect the opinions of other members, don’t get personal and use ‘smilies’ to get your point over, as something you mean in fun isn’t always read that way. Above all else, respect the ‘mods’ and ‘admin’ of this site as they spend countless hours on here and receive no payment for doing so.
V = Volts – This is the ‘power’ that comes from you battery – typically 3.7 volts. If you’ve got a device that allows you to alter the volts then the higher you go, the more power (heat) will be created but the faster your battery will drain. This is also dependant on the ohms of your atomizer and is a complex matter for new users. A bit of research about Ohms Law will explain things in more detail but generally the higher the volts, the more heat is created, which will in turn alter the taste of your juice.
W = Watts – This is the figure that is created by using the volts (power) against the resistance (ohms). If you’ve read up on Ohms Law then this will be clear. Many users that have a variable wattage device will vape at around 9 watts. This is a more consistent way to vape as the resistance of your atomizer or the volts of your battery are less important.
X = Xtar – Generally seen as the best make of battery charger out there. A little more expensive than many other chargers but essential for safety. Many chargers now come with different settings that are usually rated in amps. The bigger the amp setting the quicker it will charge a battery but it can put ‘stress’ on a battery if the wrong setting is used. Typically an 18650 battery should be charged at the higher setting, usually 1 amp and an 18350 battery should be charged at the lower setting which is usually .25 or .5 amps.
Y = You - You are the one vaping and you are the one that determines your budget so whilst it’s good to get as much advice as possible don’t fall into the trap of spending a fortune on vaping gear straight away (unless of course you want to). There are a multitude of options and you can spend fortunes on devices only to find they work no better than low cost ones. It’s better to educate yourself at first, particularly around the safety aspects of batteries, RBA’s and chargers.
Z = Zoo – A shortened name for Atmizoo, who make probably the most well built (easily available) mods you can get. The most common of which are the Dingo and the Roller. The Dingo is a small top button firing mod, that is one of the smallest on the market and the Roller is basically the same mod but it’s telescopic so that it’ll take all sizes of battery. There are many other brilliant mods out there like the Nemesis and the GP Paps but they are not as easily available as the Zoo mods.
So there it is, the A to Z of Vaping. I hope you’ve found it useful.
Soldier Blue - AKA Jason.
May the wind always be at your back, the sun upon your face and vapour in your lungs. xx
