What are electronic cigarettes?
Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices often designed to look and feel like regular cigarettes. They use clearomizers / tanks that are filled with e-liquid. A heating device in the e-cigarette converts the liquid into a vapour, which the person inhales.
What do I need to get started?
If you are a regular cigarette smoker and curious about vaping and want to try it out, we recommend a Starter Kit, they contain everything you need to start vaping (excluding e-liquid). Most packs include a Vape Pen, tank, coil, head, charger and instructions. As Vape Pens are lightweight and discreet they are the ideal device to break into the world of vaping.
All our vaping starter kits carry the European CE stamp of quality and come with grade A batteries. This ensures you are able to recharge your vape pen many times!
What ingredients are in e-liquids?
PG, or Propylene Glycol
PG is typically the main flavour carrier in an E-Liquid and is also used to amplify the ‘throat hit’ of a juice. Typically, juices with a higher PG ratio will commonly provide a stronger throat hit. PG has been deemed safe to use and is also commonly found in Asthma inhalers, however some people have a sensitivity to PG, which commonly presents itself in the form of itching or wheezing amongst other symptoms, and these people find they need to use a juice with a higher VG ratio, or a 100% VG juice.
VG, or Vegetable Glycerin
VG is a sweet liquid that provides smoothness and also increases cloud production. Juices with a higher VG ratio tend to be much smoother and provide bigger clouds than juices with a higher PG ratio. High VG juices tend to be the juices of choice for people who enjoy cloud chasing. VG has also been deemed as safe to use and is commonly found in medicines as well as used in baking. A downside of high VG juices is that they tend to be very thick and some atomizers will struggle to wick them, leading to dry hits. This is one that will vary per person.
The mix percentage you should use is entirely down to preference, newcomers should perhaps start with a 50/50 mix and explore their options from there, maybe leaning towards higher PG if you prefer flavour or higher VG if you like big clouds.
What nicotine strength should I buy?
This is one that will vary person to person. A good place to start for someone who has just quit smoking and was a moderate smoker would be 12mg/ml if using a tank that has a coil resistance above 1ohm. If you find it too harsh simply try the next level down. If using a tank that uses sub ohm coils we would recommend no higher than 6mg/ml as you may find the nicotine hit very strong if using higher strength nicotine.
Why does my e-liquid taste burnt?
There are four main reasons that you will get a burned taste from your E-Liquid.
1. Your coil needs changing, as the cotton has become burnt or over saturated from excessive use.
2. You have set your wattage too high on your device, and your wicking is unable to keep up, so drop the wattage down a little.
3. You have not allowed enough time for your e-liquid to saturate into your coil. When using a new coil head allow at least 5 minutes after filling your tank before you vape.
4. The nicotine strength is too high for the coil resistance and power you are using, resulting in a horrible harshness. Consider dropping your nicotine strength!
Unfortunately, if you do burn your coil then the damage is irreversible and you will have to replace the coil.
I opened my e-liquid, it smells strange. Why?
Sometimes, the smell of an e-liquid doesn’t do justice to the actual taste of it. Many factors can affect both the smell and the taste of a liquid, such as how freshly mixed it is and how long it has been exposed to heat and sunlight. Putting it away in a dark cupboard to allow the flavours to mature, also commonly known as steeping, will also affect the smell and perhaps make it more palatable in some instances. E-liquid tends to have a long shelf life of between 12-24 months on average, so it’s unlikely that it has gone ‘off’. The best way to find out is to vape it!
Why does my e-liquid taste strange?
As above, many factors can affect both the smell and the taste of a liquid, such as how freshly mixed it is and how long it has been exposed to heat and sunlight. Giving it a steep in some instances can work wonders! Other reasons can include the nicotine strength being too high, or this particular juice just not agreeing with your taste buds. What works well in one vape can be horrible for another. It’s unlikely that it is a bad mix or contamination, due to the strict quality control procedures virtually all major e-liquid producers use.
How long do batteries last for?
There are many factors that can affect this, such as the resistance of your coil, battery mAh rating, selected wattage and your own personal vaping habits. For example, a low resistance sub ohm coil (such as 0.5Ohm), with a 2100 mAh battery and a selected wattage of 50w vaped heavily may only last a few hours at most. A higher resistance coil (such as 1.8 Ohm), with a 2500 mAh battery, vaped moderately at 15w may well last you an entire day, if not more!
How do I store my battery cells?
Ideally, battery cells should be stored in plastic or silicon battery cases as they can short out and cause hazards if they come into contact with a metal object such as keys, hair grips etc.
Why won’t my Mod/battery charge?
First off, you want to check the connection of the charger to the battery and make sure it is securely connected. You also need to ensure the charger is suitable for the battery.
The display on my device is flashing, why?
This is indicating there is a problem with your device. Check the atomizer is screwed in fully, the resistance of the coil is not lower than what the device can handle and that the battery has not depleted.
What charger should I use? Can I use my phone charger or another charger I have in my house?
You should use the charger supplied with your device or one recommended for it, phone chargers are not recommended to charge your devices as they tend to output more power than your device can handle.
How long does a coil/atomizer last and how do I know when it needs to be replaced?
A coil tends to last between 1-2 weeks depending on wattage and usage, sometimes you may find a coil only lasts a couple of days as they are very fragile. You can tell when your coils need changing when there is a burning/smoky taste, when there is a lack in vapour production or when you find your e-liquid is turning a murky brown colour.
Why is my tank leaking?
If you experience a leak then your tank will tend to leak from three main areas, the base, the airflow holes or the mouthpiece.
From the base: Leaking through the base of the tank can also be caused by a pressure issue, but also a lesser-known cause can be a loose insulator. Check the seal around the pin and the connector is securely fitted, if it has come loose this can cause seepage from the base.
From the airflow holes: Leaking from the airflow holes is the most common leaking occurrence and can be the source of frustration for many a user. One of the most common occurrences is when a rebuildable tank does not have enough wick covering the airflow holes, and e-liquid is seeping through the juice channels and out through the airflow holes. Probably the biggest cause of a tank leaking through the airflow holes is that not everything is screwed down correctly and the tank is not making a correct seal, which leads to depressurisation, and the juice will leak out of the nearest available hole, which tends to be the airflow holes. Check everything is screwed together correctly, and the o-rings are making a correct seal. Don’t over-tighten though, as this can also cause issues! Usually when you start to meet resistance when tightening that tends to be enough.
From the mouthpiece: If your tank is leaking from the mouthpiece then this is usually down to your coil becoming flooded with juice, which means you usually need to up the power to compensate for this. Blowing through the mouthpiece can also clear the excess juice away
What are re-buildable coils/atomizers?
Re-buildable atomizers are aimed at advanced users as RDA’s (Re-buildable Dripping Atomizer) are intricate to use. We would not recommend using these products if you are a beginner as they require a good knowledge about e-cigs. Typically, an RDA has two posts, one positive and one negative. The coils used in RDA’s tend to be hand built coils or can be brought pre-built, they are attached to the posts and wicked (specially made cotton i.e Cotton Bacon). The cotton and the wire that is used come in different thicknesses.
Which battery cells can be used with Mods?
Batteries can come in 3 different sizes; 18350, 18490/18500 and 18650. These batteries are used in MODS. The most popular used batteries are 18650’s, they come in many different brands and most MODS take these batteries. They can be high-powered and long-lasting.
What are regulated mods?
Regulated mods are the most popular mods, they are fairly easy to use and tend to come with manuals and instructions. Regulated means the wattage can be controlled to your tanks capacity. They can be used with all tanks, RDA’s and RDTA’s.
What are mechanical mods?
Mechanical Mods are for advanced users; they are un-regulated meaning they do not have a controllable wattage. These mods can only be used with RDA’s and should be used with caution.