Vaping is the practice that involves the use of an electronic cigarette to vaporize specific flavoured liquids (with or without nicotine) to provide a valid and healthier alternative to tobacco smoke, with a reduction in the damage caused by the cigarette. classical.
The success of the electronic cigarette (invented by Hon Lik in the early 2000s and today used by more than 37 million people in the world) is precisely the possibility of eliminating harmful substances without changing habits such as gestures and general feelings.
The functioning of the e-cig
The electronic cigarette is based on an electric circuit that, through a button, sends an electric discharge accumulated inside a battery towards a resistance composed of a resistive wire. When the current flows through it, it overheats, transforming the soaked cigarette liquid into an absorbent material, often cotton, into a vapour that is sucked in through a mouthpiece called a drip tip.
In summary:
- energy develops inside the ecig
- the energy ignites a resistance which also allows the liquid to heat up
- the liquid heats up, passes into a gaseous state (vapour) and is inhaled.
The components of the electronic cigarette
There are many types of electronic cigarettes, but regardless of their shape and functionality, they all have the following components :
- Battery body;
- rechargeable battery);
- display (if present in the model);
- tank or atomizer;
- the resistance (or coil);
- drip tip.
The main parts and therefore the most important ones are only three of those listed: the atomizer, the battery and the resistance.
Let’s find out in detail what are the characteristics of these components.
Atomizer
The atomizer is the heart of the electronic cigarette. Inside, the vaporizing of vaping liquids takes place. It usually has a cylindrical shape and is installed above the box mod.
There are many models. Some for the cheek shot, some for the long shot. Depending on the type of resistance of these atomizers we will have less or more steam.
The market offers different categories of sprayers, but the main and most widespread are two:
- atomizer with Tank (with fixed or interchangeable head);
- RDA atomizer (without tank)
The atomizer with Tank was the revolution of the electronic cigarette, as it allowed to vaporize a greater amount of liquid than the stylus electronic cigarettes that were equipped with a sponge with little liquid.
The RDA atomizer is an expert atomizer where resistance must be made by the user. There is no tank, the vaper pours a few drops on the resistance and activates the device.
Battery Body
The battery used in electronic cigarettes are lithium and are located inside a battery body increasingly equipped with an electrical circuit and display where all the necessary information is kept under control.
This button is used to operate the device, turn it on and off but also to manage the menu. The new systems are equipped with the automatic mode that allows activation when you pull, giving a greater naturalness similar to the shot of the classic cigarette.
The resistance
The resistance is the part of the electronic cigarette thanks to which the transformation of the liquid into vapour takes place. There are different types such as those integrated into the pods, replaceable ones and artisanal ones.
Depending on the system and the atomizer used, a specific resistance must be installed which, however, may have different resistive values (in ohms).
How do you vape?
Let’s start by saying that vaping is not like smoking. The substantial differences are first of all the absent combustion in the electronic cigarette and the inhaled substances that in the traditional cigarette are about 7000 of which 70 are carcinogenic, not present in the electronic cigarette.
There are two ways to vape:
- Cheek vape consists of inhaling briefly with the mouth and then sending a small amount of vapour into the lungs, thus replicating the same pull of traditional cigarettes
- Lung vaping, on the other hand, consists in stinking a greater amount of air directly into the lungs, thus producing a greater amount of vapour. Pulmonary vaping is the most aromatic one as the taste buds on the tongue are completely invaded by the aroma present in the vapour.
These two modes differ from each other in addition to the shooting methodology also by the liquids and systems used, such as lung atomizers or MTL (cheek) atomizers.
Electronic cigarette models
As previously described there are different types of atomizers and therefore also different types of electronic cigarettes which are catalogued as follows:
- Pod mod: easy-to-use electronic cigarettes with small dimensions and lightweight, designed to have good portability and easily concealable.
- Starter kit: ready-to-use systems consisting of a battery body and an atomizer that in most cases cannot be regenerated and therefore can be used with replaceable head coils. Designed for constant use, guaranteeing autonomy both in terms of liquid and battery life throughout the day.
- AIO Kit (All In One): a box and an atomizer closed in a box. The most famous and requested are the Billet Box and DotAio
- Mechanical pipes: systems suitable for expert users, cylindrical built in different materials. If we wanted to make a parallel with the world of smoking, mechanical pipes would be smokers’ pipes, a personal collector’s item par excellence.