Beginner's Guide: Understanding Your First E-Cigarette
A Guide for Beginners - Your First E-Cigarette
Welcome to the world of vaping! With this article, we want to show you the differences to make the decision for your first device a bit easier.
Table of Contents
1. Preface
"A passionate smoker who always reads about the dangers of smoking to health most often stops - reading."
- Winston Churchill
Some years have passed since then. Nowadays, one does not necessarily need to stop reading, because the market continuously develops less harmful alternatives and tools - for us and for one single purpose - to make quitting smoking easier. One of these alternatives, which is increasingly asserting itself, has been able to maintain its presence in the market since its existence, and is becoming more and more established, are electronic vaporizers. Continuously, new e-cigarettes are coming onto the market, usually bringing small improvements. These are available in all shapes and colors – and so we already come to the purpose of this article. To bring you closer, to show you the differences, the pros and cons, and what the basics are, to better find your way in this completely new world.
My recommendation? Take your time, read the article calmly - I promise you - afterwards, the fog around this world will have cleared up a bit.
2. E-Cigarette - How Does It Work?
Liquid, cotton, wire, and electricity. Almost every device consists of these four components, divided into the mod and the atomizer, each fulfilling the following functions:
2.1 How Do The Devices Differ?
In general, we distinguish all devices as either "regulated" or "adjustable".
Regulated
The device features a single button or none at all (pressure sensor).
Regulated devices can be used without any further adjustments, making them the easiest to operate.
Adjustable
The device features a display, a fire button, and a plus and minus button.
With adjustable devices, it is essential to match the set power to the installed coil. However, this also provides flexibility in terms of vapor quantity, temperature, flavor intensity, and nicotine content (if present in the liquid).
2.2 What Do E-Cigarettes Feel Like? - Difference Between MTL & DL
Generally, we also categorize devices as either Mouth-to-Lung or Direct-Lung, both of which are available in regulated and adjustable varieties.
The difference is relatively easy to explain. Simply put, MTL feels similar to a tobacco cigarette, while DL feels more like a hookah.
TIP – MTL might not automatically be the right choice for smokers. If you have the opportunity to visit a shop, it could be advantageous. In our stores, you can try out several devices on-site and receive competent and honest advice.
MTL – Mouth to Lung or Traditional Vaping
Many smokers prefer to draw smoke into their mouth first and then inhale it into their lungs. Thanks to the very tight, or rather restrictive airflow through the atomizer, your mouth does not immediately fill with vapor, similar to a real cigarette. Instead, you can leisurely puff into your cheeks and then draw the vapor down into your lungs.
Besides the draw resistance, MTL atomizers generally have a very high electrical resistance. This can be advantageous as it may result in lower power consumption and vapor production – meaning, relative to the size of the device, the battery lasts quite a while, and you won't attract attention in public with large clouds of vapor. If you depend on a long battery life and low liquid consumption, MTL is an excellent option.
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The Advantages
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The Disadvantages
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DL - Direct Lung or Sub Ohm Vaping
As the name suggests, DL devices are designed for direct inhalation to the lungs.
These are particularly characterized by the vaporizer’s airflow being significantly more open. Therefore, it’s not really suitable for puffing into your cheeks, but rather for inhaling directly to the lungs. Generally, the coils of DL vaporizers have a lower electrical resistance, meaning both the power consumption and e-liquid consumption are much higher compared to MTL. A benefit that many appreciate is the more intense flavor development achieved through higher power, more air, and denser vapor.
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The Advantages
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The Disadvantages
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3. Initial Setup
3.1 Preparation
First, you should of course unpack your device, and it's best to have all the accessories that come with the device ready. The batteries and your e-liquid should also be within reach.
With a few very rare exceptions, you will find the following items in the package:
- the battery mod
- the vaporizer
- spare coils
- sealing rings
- charging cable
Now, separate the vaporizer from the battery mod, if it’s not already separate. This is possible with 90% of all devices. If this is not the case with yours, leave the device as a whole.
3.2 Vaporizer
How to disassemble the vaporizer and insert the coil can be found in the enclosed instruction manual. If a coil is already in the vaporizer, still disassemble it and take a close look at the installed coil - because with adjustable devices, you should definitely remember the power range for which the coil is designed. As a rule, a coil is already installed in the supplied vaporizer, if not, do it now.
IMPORTANT - With an adjustable device, you should never exceed the maximum power of the coil, as otherwise the heating wire will start to glow and the cotton in the coil will get burnt.
With regulated devices, you do not necessarily have to do this, as they adjust themselves automatically. However, it is sometimes good to know, as you can distinguish the coils from each other based on the resistance and power range.
TIP - You can find out exactly how the coils differ in section 5.3
3.3 Battery Holder
If the battery holder has built-in batteries, make sure it is turned off now. If not, insert your batteries into the device and also ensure that it is turned off. The correct orientation for inserting the batteries is always written on or inside the device.
Most devices can be turned on and off with five quick clicks on the fire button. If you are not sure, check the instruction manual. TIP - If the display or button lights up when pressed, the device is on. If nothing happens, it is off. |
3.4 Getting Started
Once the coil is in the right place and the battery holder is off, you can now screw the vaporizer and the battery holder together. Open the tank -> pour in the liquid.
IMPORTANT - After filling, wait for five minutes to allow the cotton inside the coil to fully saturate. If you don't do this, it will burn on your first draw, necessitating a replacement of the new coil, otherwise, you'll continuously experience a burnt taste, making vaping unbearable.
After five minutes, turn on your device and first set the minimum power (number of watts) that you have read from the coil.
TIP - If you can only adjust degrees Celsius when turning it on, you are in the wrong mode. You need to be in Watt mode, also known as VW or Power mode depending on the manufacturer. You can find how to change this in the included instruction manual.
IMPORTANT - If you are not using your device, it should ALWAYS be turned off. If something accidentally presses the fire button and you are not drawing on your device, you are not cooling the heating wire, and the coil will burn.
Congratulations! - You have just successfully set up your first device.
4. What is there to know about nicotine?
Since this is a bigger topic, we will divide it into the following sections:
4.1 The Addictive Factor of Nicotine
Nicotine is, unsurprisingly, cited by many as one of the main reasons why they cannot quit tobacco cigarettes.
From many years of experience, we can conclude that this is really true for only a few. The biggest addictive factor for most smokers is the act of smoking itself, bridging time, the social aspect during smoking breaks, and a lot of rituals such as coffee and cigarette in the morning or the obligatory smoke after a meal.
So, why do most people start with nicotine?
Nicotine can cause a sort of "scratch", also called "Throat-Hit" or just "Hit", in the throat which feels closer to the familiar sensation of a tobacco cigarette than vaping without nicotine. Fortunately, nicotine is one of the lesser evils - so it can actually help, and is initially recommended by us. Of course, it also has similar effects as in cigarettes, but all the additional substances that are otherwise added to tobacco are completely absent, making its harmfulness comparable to the caffeine in a cup of coffee.
4.2 What should we pay attention to?
More vapor = more nicotine, regardless of the concentration in the liquid
Less vapor = less nicotine, regardless of the concentration in the liquid
From these statements we deduce the following:
MTL
MTL devices are more suited for higher amounts of nicotine since they produce comparatively less vapor.
We recommend for beginners who want to start with an MTL device to use between 6 - 12 mg of nicotine.
DL
DL devices are more suited for lower amounts of nicotine since they produce comparatively a lot, to very much vapor.
We recommend for beginners who want to start with a DL device to use between 3 - 6 mg of nicotine.
4.3 Why can't I get every liquid in any strength I want?
Currently, the same laws apply to liquids in Switzerland as in the EU. The European Tobacco Products Directive TPD2 stipulates that nicotine-containing liquids may be sold in bottles of no more than 10 milliliters.
For this reason, liquids larger than 10ml, known as shortfill liquids, can only be mixed with nicotine under certain conditions.
Shortfill - What is it?
A shortfill liquid is a liquid that needs to be topped up with base (flavor-neutral liquid) to be able to vape the finished mixture at the flavor intensity intended by the manufacturer. Most e-cigarette shops offer ready-made shots to reach the desired nicotine level without having to do any calculations. However, shortfill liquids can also be topped up with commercially available liquid bases.
Shortfill - With Nicotine?
Since finished nicotine shots are limited to 20 mg/ml of nicotine, shortfills can often only be enriched from 0mg to 3mg or 6mg of nicotine per ml with the finished shots. However, it is allowed to order more concentrated nicotine bases from abroad (max. 150ml per order).
Which Nicotine Base?
We recommend ordering a 100 mg/ml base, dissolved in 100% PG, so you can mix any liquid to almost any strength without diluting it too much.
It also makes sense to buy half a liter of neutral base, as you generally use less than 10ml / 20ml of the 100 mg/ml base and thus do not reach the amount recommended by the manufacturer.
5. Frequently Asked Questions
5.1 When do I replace the coil with a new one?
Actually, it’s quite simple – as long as you like the taste of the vapor, you keep the coil in.
- If the whole thing gets a burnt taste, it’s time to replace the coil
- If your tank leaks or the liquid spits when drawing, it’s time to replace the coil
- If you no longer like your vape, it’s time to replace the coil
5.2 What exactly happens when I adjust the wattage on the device?
By adjusting the wattage, we change the current flowing from the battery to the heating wire in the coil at the push of a button. If you increase the power, more vapor is produced; if you decrease it, less is produced. The same applies to the nicotine, provided your liquid contains any.
Thus, with adjustable devices, the vaping experience can be set more individually than with regulated ones. However, you should always make sure not to exceed the maximum power of a coil.
TIP - it’s worth trying out – because depending on the power, we change the flavor intensity, the amount of nicotine, and the temperature and density of the vapor.
5.3 What is the difference between the various coils?
As becomes apparent upon close inspection of various coils, they differ in two points. Typically based on the resistance, which is indicated in Ohm (Ω), and the recommended power range indicated in Watt (W).
How resistance (Ω) in vaping behaves can actually be remembered in a simple sentence.
"Less is more."
So, the less resistance the wire in the coil has, the more power is needed to operate it.
More power generally means more vapor.
More resistance - self-explanatory, less vapor and less power.
Examples:
MTL - Aspire Nautilus Replacement Coil 1.8 Ω Coil - 7W to 14W Power
DL - Uwell Valyrian Replacement Coil 0.15 Ω Coil - 95W to 120W Power
5.4 Can my tank leak?
In principle, yes. If you take a closer look at your vaporizer with the coil inside, you will see that it is actually only the cotton that prevents the liquid from leaking out of the tank. Unfortunately, it happens from time to time that one gets a coil that has too little or too thin cotton installed. This is mainly due to the fact that they are produced in large quantities, so the quality cannot be guaranteed 100%. However, it cannot really be generalized, as each model behaves differently, regardless of the brand.
The first countermeasure is to replace the coil. If this does not help, the next step should be to take a closer look at the sealing rings and replace them if necessary.
It can also leak under the following conditions:
- larger pressure differences, e.g. in an airplane or on the ski slope
- you forgot to turn off the device and burned the cotton
- the liquid is too thin for the tank used and thus flows in too quickly
5.5 Handling batteries
We find the use of lithium-ion batteries not only in e-cigarettes, but also in notebooks, mobile phones, watches, and many other electronic devices. In general, lithium-ion batteries are considered safe when handled properly. However, dangers can arise from damage, electrical faults, as well as thermal effects.
What must be urgently observed?
If the battery is damaged, gaseous or liquid substances can escape, which can be highly irritating, flammable or even toxic. If the battery shows such damage, it should be disposed of properly at a collection point without delay. Frequent insertion and removal of batteries in battery carriers can lead to the protective sleeve at both ends of the battery being torn; here too, the battery should be immediately re-covered with a new heat-shrink tubing (available in our shop) or replaced completely.
An electrical fault, e.g. a short circuit due to unprotected (mechanical) battery carriers, can lead to overheating and fire. Caution is also required here; mechanical battery carriers should only be used with sufficient expertise. Our guide to mechanical vaping
Sunlight can lead to overheating of the battery. Batteries and battery carriers should never be left in the car at warmer outside temperatures or be exposed to sunlight for extended periods of time.
Batteries should never be carried unprotected in your trouser pocket, handbag, etc., as in the worst case a short circuit can be provoked by other metallic objects, such as a bunch of keys or coins. Here we also recommend carrying the batteries only in suitable protective cases (silicone case, battery case), which are also available in our shop.
5.6 Different Liquids
As you have probably noticed, there are plenty of liquids available. But how do they differ, apart from the taste?
Liquids generally consist of a small proportion of flavoring, propylene glycol (PG), and vegetable glycerin (VG). You can leave the flavors aside for now – the important parts are especially PG and VG.
Vegetable Glycerin (VG)
VG has a consistency similar to syrup or oil. It is mainly responsible for the vapor density – and is rather viscous.
Propylene Glycol (PG)
Propylene glycol acts as a flavor carrier and preservative in liquids. Thanks to its water-like consistency, it is much more fluid than VG.
When choosing liquids, depending on your device, you should pay attention to the viscosity, i.e., the mixing ratio of VG and PG.
The usual mixing ratios of ready-made liquids are:
- 100VG – exclusively suitable for DL vaporizers
- 80VG / 20PG – exclusively suitable for DL vaporizers
- 70VG / 30PG – more for DL, works moderately in MTL vaporizers
- 60VG / 40PG – works for DL & MTL
- 50VG / 50PG – works for DL & perfect for MTL
- 30VG / 70PG – only recommended for MTL
Flavors
The flavors used for E-liquids generally come from the food industry – so they are toxicologically safe for oral consumption. Can we go into more detail here?
Yes. But we will do that in a future post, dedicated exclusively to liquids and their ingredients.
6. Glossary
MTL – Mouth to Lung / Backendampfen - cigarette-like inhalation
DL – Direct Lung / Subohm - inhalation similar to a water pipe
Coil – Wire and cotton in one unit. This is where the magic happens!
Liquid – Fluid with or without flavor, optionally mixed with nicotine, which is vaporized by the device
PG – Propylene Glycol
VG – Vegetable Glycerin
Nicotine shot – 10ml bottle with neutral liquid, mixed with or without nicotine. Used to add nicotine to larger bottles.
About me - After three years of vaping and over two years as a salesperson in the Zürich and Horgen branches, it was slowly time for a change of scenery, and so I somehow ended up in the endless depths of the Dampfi office. There, among other things, I discovered an unexpected joy in writing and sharing my experience and knowledge gained over the years with all of you.
