Vape Glossary
A Handy A - Z Guide Of Vaping Terms
Vaping terminology can be super confusing when you’re just starting out. It’s like you need your very own vape dictionary to wrap your head around all the new words you’re reading and hearing about.
Don’t let the confusion stop you in your tracks. At AVS we’ve complied a handy guide to help you better understand vape vocabulary.
Keep in mind, this list is ever evolving as the industry itself is aswell.
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510 – Is the threaded connection between the tank (or atomizer) and the device. It is what the tank screws into (on the main device), with the protruding thread on the bottom of the tank.
The 510 connection is the most common and most popular style of thread between tank and device and is the industry standard.
18650/20700/21700/26650 (and the likes) – are numbers representative of the different sizes of batteries used in the vaping world. The numbers themselves describe the physical size of the battery in metric measurements. For example, 18650 is for a battery 18mm in diameter and 65mm long. In the same respect, a 20700 battery is 20mm wide and 70mm long.
A
AIO – All In One. An AIO is a compact vape that comes in a simple one or two-piece design. These are usually devices where the tank cannot be separated from the battery via a 510 connection. No screws. AIO vapes come in variety of sizes and shapes, with the most common being pen and pod-style AIOs.
Airflow – The amount of air sucked into an atomizer or tank. Looser airflow results in more vapour, while tighter airflow results in less vapour but more intense flavour. Different devices/tanks will often offer different types of airflow. So generally you will have a ‘tight’ or ‘loose’ airflow or somewhere inbetween. Be sure to read the product description which will generally offer some clue on what type of airflow the device or tank offers.
Adjustable Airflow – A small rotating sleeve that the user can adjust to increase or decrease the airflow to provide for individual personalised inhalation. The less amount of air means a tighter draw from your vape and often also means more condensed flavour. Some basic devices have fixed airflow and cannot be adjusted.
AFC – Air Flow Control. This refers to the variable Air Flow Control (sometimes a screw), generally found at the base of the clearomiser/tank. It’s used to amend the inhale or ‘draw’ of the vape. Some drip tips also come with air flow control as an additional feature. More recently, some tanks and RTA’s are now utilising “Top” airflow control which significantly improves e-liquid seepage from the tank.
Advanced Personal Vaporiser (APV) – Essentially just another term for a vape device. APV, generally refers to an advanced device as opposed to a basic starter kit that a ‘newbie’ would use. For example, a box mod with a subohm tank. These units are larger, have replaceable batteries, and can either be mechanical, variable voltage, or variable wattage.
All Day Vape – A common term used to describe a specific e-liquid flavour that rocks your world! Basically a flavour you could happily vape all day!
Analogue – A term used to describe traditional tobacco cigarettes.
Amps – The abbreviated word for Amperage. Amperage is the flow of energy along a circuit. Batteries that have a higher amperage (continuous discharge rating) are recommended for use with Atomisers with lower resistance (Ohms) and/or for higher power vaping.
Atomiser (“atty”) – This is the part of the vaporiser that heats the e-liquid to produce the vapour. It typically consists of a wire coil and a wick made from cotton. It seems to be an interchangable term for a tank as well as a coil.
Auto Cut-Off – A safety feature in some devices designed to prevent overheating of the battery. For example if you leave your vaporiser in your pocket and it happens to push on the fire button, the device will automatically cut off in a certain time (usually 10 seconds)
American Wire Gauge (AWG) – Also shortened to ‘ga’ in some cases. E.g. 22ga. This is the U.S. standard for wire sizes that determine a coil’s resistance when rebuilding—the thicker the wire, the less resistance.
B
B&M (Bricks and Mortar) – A term used to express a physical shop rather than just a web based online store.
BCC – A term used to describe a clearomiser in which the atomiser/coil is situated at the base. Otherwise known as ‘Bottom Coil Clearomiser.’
BDC – ‘Bottom Dual Coil Clearomiser’. Same as the BCC, however these coils feature dual heating elements to provide twice the vapour than the BCC coils.
BVC – ‘Bottom Vertical Coil’. The coil is in a vertical configuration, which makes for improved airflow.
Base Liquid – This is the e-liquid carrier, generally consisting of either PG and/or VG.
Battery – Every vape contains a battery to power the device. It provides power to the heating element that turns the e-liquid into vapour.
Batteries can be built into the device (internal) and charged with a USB cable, or be a replaceable (external) battery that requires charging in a battery charger. The most common replaceable battery is the 18650. Be sure to check the user manual for your device or the product page information when purchasing to understand what type of battery you have and what is required for the best performance and safety.
Battery Wrap – this refers to the thin plastic casing that has been heat shrunk to the outside of a battery. It is imperative to ensure that there is no damage to the wrap of the battery so that there is no potential for a hard short.
Battery Case – A safe way to store your batteries.
Boost – A special feature in a regulated box mod allowing it to instantly increase the power.
Boro – A Boro is a tank that fits into the likes of a Billet Box, like the Cthulhu AIO RBA Box, Vandy Vape Pulse AIO, or Aspire Boxx to name a few. Boro style means you can fit one tank into another device, provide it is Boro compatible.
Box Mod – Simply refers to the shape of the device that houses the battery, i.e. box shaped (compared to a tube (pen shaped mod). Box mods generally include adjustable power and menu options for a more advanced vape that can be tailored to your needs as compared to a simple pen or pod device with just a power button with no adjustments.
Bridge – An RBA for use in a Boro Style Tank.
C
Cartridge – A small cylinder or mouthpiece that is the third part of a 3-piece set and attaches to a battery. It is usually stuffed with some sort of absorbent filler material that holds e-liquid. These are generally prefilled with e-juice or THC/CBD oil.
Cartomiser – Or ‘carto’ is a combination of a cartridge and an atomiser. Due to being a disposable item, they are less expensive (initially as a one off), however their life span isn’t as long as a tank. These are also available as punched (for use in tanks), and with dual coils.
Charger – A battery charger used to recharge your vape battery once it’s drained. Quality is important so as not to overheat or overcharge batteries. This term can relate to chargers that charge replaceable batteries or a USB Charger for your internal battery vapes.
Chimney – The section of a clearomiser/tank that connects the coil to the drip tip/mouthpiece.
Cig-A-Like – An e-cigarette designed to look like a traditional tobacco cigarette. Has similar shape, size and can even have a glowing red tip mimicking the burning end of a cigarette.
Clapton Coil – A coil made with a larger gauge of wire wrapped tightly by a smaller gauge of wire. It’s called a Clapton because it resembles a guitar string.
Clearomiser – A see through version of the cartomiser where you’re able to see the e-liquid level in the tank. Clearomisers hold the e-liquid in your vape. Just like a tank, they consist of a drip tip (mouthpiece), an atomizer coil (which heats up the eliquid into vapour), and a thread at the base to connect it to the battery part of the device. They are usually made out of pyrex and stainless steel.
Clone – A copy or counterfeit product. For virtually every authentic e-cig brand there is clone made and sold. It can often be impossible to tell the difference, except for the price, which is generally a lot cheaper than an authentic brand. At Australian Vaping Supplies, we value safety and performance and DO NOT stock clones.
Clouds – A term that describes exhaled vapour after inhaling from your device. This term is due to the look of the thick white vapour when exhaled.
Cloud Chaser – A vaper with a preference towards thick, dense vapour ‘clouds.’ This is often achieved by the use of high-powered devices, with coils under 0.5 ohms and e-liquids containing a percentage of 70% or more of the base ingredient Vegetable Glycerine (VG).
Coil – The coil essentially is the wired part of the atomiser which when heated produces the vapour. The terms coil and atomiser are regularly interchanged. The coil can be made from several different types of wire such as Kanthal, Nichrome, Nickel, Stainless Steel etc. This wire is wicked with materials that absorb the e-liquid, like organic cotton. You can purchase pre-made coils that are easily replaced in your tanks. Experienced vapers tend to build their own coils which besides being a hobby can be very cost effective.
Cotton – this is the material most commonly used to wick your coils. It makes up part of the coil along with the heating wire. Cotton absorbs your eliquid and when heated by the heating wire, goes on to produce vapour. It will eventually wear down and your coil will be spent, requiring you to replace it. Organic cotton is the preferred choice to reduce the chance of inhaling other chemicals such as bleach.
Coil Jig – A device with multiple diameter sections that assists with making your own coils
Coil Winder – A tool used to wrap perfectly shaped, spaced coils every time.
Connector – This is the threaded section, (often a 510) on the mod that allows you to screw in an atomiser, tank, clearomiser etc.
Custom Mod – Any handmade or customised vaping device, often using everyday items not necessarily vaping related. This can even include wooden mods.
Cutoff – A safety feature in vaping devices. A cutoff refers to the amount of time one can take a drag from an e-cig before it cuts off power to prevent overheating. Cutoff times in regulated e-cigs typically range from 10 to 15 seconds. Cheap devices like disposables often don’t contain them and can overheat and blow up. Beware, cheap often means no safety features are built in.
D
Deck – The flat base of the tank in which the positive and negative posts are found. This term is usually used in relation to an RBA/RDA/RTA/RDTA tank. The deck houses the positive and negative posts that you feed your coil tails through and keeps e-liquid off the battery connection.
Diacetyl – Some e-liquids used to contain diacetyl for flavouring. This led to the idea that e-cigarettes might cause popcorn lung. However, there have been no actual confirmed cases of popcorn lung reported in people who use e-cigarettes or e-liquid containing diacetyl. Infact the chemical diacetyl is present 100 x more in traditional cigarettes than in any vape e-liquid and its worth noting traditional cigarettes also don’t cause ‘popcorn’ lung.
Still, as a consequence, responsible, ejuice makers don’t use diacetyl anymore. Australian Vaping Supplies doesn’t stock e-liquid containing diacetyl.
Direct To Lung (DTL) – A style of vaping, usually associated with higher power subohm devices with open airflow. The user will draw on the mouthpiece at the same time as taking the vapour directly into the lungs. This is an ‘airy’ type of a vape as opposed to a tighter (mtl) vape which is like inhaling on a traditional cigarette.
Disposable E-Cigarette – Electronic cigarettes designed to be used and then thrown away rather than charged. Besides being a terrible problem for the environment, they are often of a lower quality, subject to overheating and blowing up.
DIY – Do-it-yourself. This usually refers to homemade e-juice and the mixing of.
DIY E-Liquid – Same as above. The term used for ejuice made at home rather than store bought.
DNA Chip – Built by a company called Evolv, the DNA is a popular variable wattage chip.
Draw – A term to describe the act of inhaling vapour from the mouthpiece of your vape device into your mouth. It can also be described as a ‘hit’ or a ‘drag.’
Drip (Dripping) – The method of vaping where a few drops of e-liquid is dripped directly onto the atomiser coil. This is the common method when using an RDA or ‘dripper tank’.
Dripper – An RDA Tank. A tank that is essentially just a build deck, chimney and drip tip. You can build your own coils or purchase premades, wick your coil with cotton, then drip your e-liquid directly on the atomiser. Generally, drippers provide superior flavour and vapour production.
Drip Tip – Most commonly used to describe the mouthpiece of your vaping device; the section you put in your mouth to draw on and inhale vapour. Drip tips can be purchased separately and are available in different materials and sizes. This allows the user to customize not only the look of their vaping device, but also the amount of vapour, the performance and comfort levels.
Dry Burn – The act of firing your coil without a wick saturated in e-liquid. Why you ask? To burn off any impurities or residue, thereby ‘cleaning’ your coil! Generally a process with DIY building.
Dry Hit – Taking a draw on your vaping device without a properly saturated wick/cotton. It is generally a sign you’ve run out of juice or your wick isn’t saturating efficiently.
Dry hits occur when there’s not enough e-liquid left in your tank, or the e-liquid hasn’t had enough time to soak into the wick – often the case with a new coil. It can also be the result of chain vaping. This is when you’re continuously vaping on your device, thereby sucking all of the juice that’s in the cotton out, and the cotton not having enough time to re-soak itself back with ejuice before you take your next inhale. Hence a ‘dry hit’
Dry hits can damage your coils and aren’t good for your lungs.
DTL – See Direct to Lung
Dual-Coil Cartomisers – A cartomiser with two coils rather than a single coil.
E
E-cigarette – A term used to describe a vaping device; A device used to vaporise eliquid. Designed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. An e-cigarette can come in a variety of styles, for example: cigalikes, pen, pod and box devices. Most vapers, tend to dislike the term e-cigarette’, preferring terms such as ‘vape’ or ‘vaping device.’
eGo – For many years the eGo vape devices were the world’s bestselling and most recognized starter vape devices. They were a ‘pen style’ shape. The terms ‘eGo threading’ and ‘eGo Style’ you might read about refer to a vape device that uses the male thread that fits into the female thread on the base of your clearomiser/tank.
E-juice – Also juice, e-liquid, vape liquid or vape juice. Some people also wrongly name it ‘vape oil’. They all mean the same thing. This is the solution that’s vaporized to create the vapour you inhale from your vape device. It is a liquid solution containing varying ratios of Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and Propylene Glycol (PG) is usually flavoured and can contain nicotine. Currently as of writing this (2023) all juices sold in Australia cannot legally contain nicotine.
F
Fire Button – The button that activates the coil to start heating and creating the vapour you then inhale. The fire button should only be pushed as you inhale and then released when you stop inhaling.
Flavour – This means the particular flavour(s) of your e-liquid e.g. ‘grape,’ ‘tobacco,’ ‘coffee’ etc.
Flavour Chaser – These vaping enthusiasts are all about the amount of flavour they can get from their vape device. They often experiment with different flavours and devices to acheive optimal flavour to keep their vaping experience interesting.
Flooding – This is what happens when an atomizer /tank has been overfilled or left sitting for an extended amount of time. without the ejuice being inhaled from the coil. Common indications of flooding are juice leaks, a gurgling sound when having a draw or a reduced amount of vapour, and even juice spitting into your mouth.
Coils can also cause flooding from a lack of use. If a tank sits for extended periods of time, the cotton breaks down under the weight of the ejuice which then slowly seeps through the coil and begin to flood the tank.
G
Glassomizer – A clearomizer with the glass reservoir instead of plastic one.
Grub Screw – Common screw posts found on the decks of rebuildables (RDAS) or (RTAS) that hold the coil in place.
H
Heatsink – Heatsinks sit just below the tank or atomiser and are designed to dissipate the heat created by the atomiser. They essentially allow for greater airflow to your atomiser.
Heat Steeping – This term refers to the method of placing your e-liquid in a hot environment in order to speed up the steeping process.
High Resistance – An atomizer/ coil with a high ohm reading – anything 1 ohm and over. This is used for low wattage vaping or MTL vaping.
Hit – To take a ‘hit’ or inhale vapour from your device.
Hot Spot – Hot spots on vaping coils are characterised by spots of increased glow on the coil. This usually indicates that the coil hasn’t been wrapped properly or evenly. Hot spots are typically a cause of dry hits. When you see a hotspot, it may also be caused by having two wraps of a coil touching each other.
Hybrid or Hybrid Connection – The type of connector on top of the mechanical mod with 510 threading and a hole in the middle. With the hybrid top cap, the positive pin of the 510 connection directly touches the battery in the mod. Not designed for use with sub-ohm tanks with a negative pin. Also referred to as hybrids or hybrid mods. When the tank is fitted directly to the battery like this, it is able to transfer power better and sits more flush to the device.
I
ICR – A rechargeable battery made from Lithium Ion Cobalt.
IMR – A rechargeable battery made from Lithium Ion Manganese. This is a certain chemistry type of Li-on batteries.
Inhale -The act of breathing vapour into your lungs or mouth. There are two kinds of inhale: Direct to lung and mouth to lung.
J
Juice – Another name for e-juice, e-liquid, vape juice, vape liquid etc.
Joules – Temperature controlled mods use joules to measure power. Some mods have joule settings which cn be adjusted. Higher Joule setting = more heat.
K
Kanthal – A brand of wire used in coil building. It is an iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy wire used in high-wattage devices. This alloy has very slight temperature alterations.
Kick –
A) A term used to describe a throat hit – the feeling when a large amount of vapour enters the throat.
B) A term used to describe how fast/powerful a mod fires
L
Leaking – When the e-liquid leaks from the tank/atomiser through the air flow hole. This can cause damage to your vape device if the e-juice starts to leak through the 510 connection and into the battery. Dropping or hard bumps can also create a leaking device.
LED – (Light Emitting Diode) The flashing light you will see when you turn on and off the device or adjust any of the settings.
Liquid – Another name for e-juice, e-liquid, vape juice, vape liquid etc.
Li-ion – The term for lithium ion batteries which are regarded as the highest quality and most powerful rechargeable electronic cigarette batteries available. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and capacities.
Li-Po -A rechargeable battery made from Lithium Polymer. Typically the battery of choice in internal battery devices.
Low resistance (LR) – When an atomiser/ coil has a low Ohm rating which causes the heating element to heat faster producing more vapour quickly. Lower ohm coils will generally provide more cloud, more flavour, and a warmer vape than high resistant coils. However it will also drain the battery quicker. Typically refers to ohm readings 0.9 ohm and under.
Lung Hit – When the vapour is inhaled directly into the lungs compared to mouth to lung when the vapour is held in the mouth before being inhaled to the lungs.
M
mA – A unit of measurement to denote power (1/1000th of an amp to be precise). This unit is most often seen in reference to the output of batteries/chargers.
Macro Coil – Macro coils characteristically have a larger diameter and a much larger surface area to that of a micro coil. The increased surface area increases the amount of vapour produced.
mAh – An acronym for milliampere-hour, this term is used to describe the capacity or life of a battery. The higher the mAh rating, the longer it will generally last before needing a recharge. Batteries with higher mAh ratings tend to have lower CDR (continuous discharge rating) and may be unsuitable for high-powered devices.
Manual Shut-off – This is the term used to describe the ability to simply turn off your vaping device. Therefore, this makes the device safer to carry in a pocket while preventing accidental firing. Most devices can be shut off by clicking the firing button five times, except for Innokin branded devices, in which case it’s 3 clicks.
Mechanical Mod (Mech Mod) – A mechanical mod is a vaping device without protection circuitry, otherwise known as unregulated. Essentially, this is often just a metal tube, a battery, a connector and a firing button. The manual fire button that is pressed completes the circuit. Due to the lack of safety features or circuitry it’s essential to take care when building your coil, specifically with regards to the final resistance. As they offer little to no protection they are for advanced users only.
Mesh/Mesh Coils – This term is used to describe a coil type used in both rebuildable and prebuilt tanks. The coil itself resembles a woven fabric of wire.
Mg – Stands for milligrams This is used to determine the nicotine strength of e-liquid. For example, “6mg” means 6mg of nicotine per ml, or 0.6%.
Micro Coil – A micro coil is a coil wrapped specifically with the ‘wraps’ touching.
Mod – the most common term used in vaping to describe the bottom half/power source of a vaporizer. A mod can contain a built-in or removable battery and can be mechanical, hybrid mechanical, or regulated. This is a very general term.
Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) – A very similar inhalation experience to a cigarette. It is the act of first inhaling into the mouth then inhaling down to the lungs. Usually requires a reduced (tighter) airflow and is often preferred by new vapers when first switching from smoking. Mtl style vaping is also usually associated with lower power devices using higher resistance coils.
Mouthpiece – (see Drip Tip) The end from which users inhale the vapour. This can either be built-in or customizable using drip tips.
N
Nichrome Wire (NiCr) – Nichrome is a type of resistant wire used in coil building. It is generally used when building for a variable wattage/voltage vaping device. With a lower resistance than Kanthal, a Nichrome coil will heat up much faster but it’s not as flexible or easy to build with. This makes it a great option for those who like using their vape for short amounts of time on short notice.
Nickel Wire/Ni200 – Nickel is another resistant wire type for coil building. Positives include a low resistance and fast ramp up time. Negatives are, that due to the fast heat up, it may end up melting; it is also an extremely flexible wire and can lose its shape easily.
In particular Ni-200 is good for the extremes of vaping with both temperature control and sub-ohm vaping. However when used for more average vaping this makes them slightly worse. This makes it a better coil material for experts rather than anyone new.
Nic – Shortened for Nicotine
Nic Juice – A vaping term for e–juice that contains nicotine. Note – be aware of Australian Laws regarding the sale, possession and use of nicotine.
Nicotine Level/Strength – Your nicotine level is the amount of nicotine within your e-liquid. This level is generally measured in mg per ml (mg/ml) or as a percentage value. For example, 8mg of nicotine per ml or 0.8% nicotine.
Nicotine Shot – A Nicotine shot is a 10ml bottle of flavourless nicotine which you add to your e-liquid or shortfill bottle. The nicotine is suspended in either PG or VG, or a combination of the two.
Noob – A beginner or someone new to vaping and the vaping culture. Also referred to as a ‘newbie’.
NRT – Common acronym for what’s known as ‘Nicotine Replacement Therapy’. Basically, the term for the process of getting your nicotine ‘fix’ from means other than tobacco.
0
Ohm – The standard unit of measurement of electrical resistance.
Vaping with coils with a resistance of less than 1 ohm (0.9 – 0.1). is referred to as sub-ohm vaping, which usually requires more power and produces more vapour and produces a warmer vape than higher resistance coils. A higher ohm (coils including and above 1.0 ohm) indicates slower heating, less vapour and a generally a cooler vape experience.
Organic Cotton – A type of wicking material, organic cotton is easy to work with and provides amazing flavour. You don’t want to use regular cotton like cotton balls because you may risk inhaling bleach or other chemicals.
P
Parallel – Generally mods that use two batteries are wired as parallel. This setup increases battery life, effectively doubling the mAh. The voltage and voltage drop remain the same.
Pass-through – A feature on certain vaping devices that allows you to vape while charging via a USB.
Pen Style – A vaping device similar to the shape of a ball point pen.
Personal Vaporizer (PV) – This is another name for a vape device. This term is generally used in relation to larger style vape devices over pod or pen devices.
Pod – A refillable or pre-filled tank used in Pod systems (see below)
Pod System/Device – A vape (typically a starter kit) that uses a pod (instead of a tank) allowing for a very small form factor overall. Pod systems are typically easier to use than a mod and tank type system.
Propylene Glycol (PG) – One of two base substances used in e-liquid. PG is a thinner liquid that creates a throat hit to assist in simulating the feeling we get when smoking a traditional cigarette. PG is also a great flavour carrier (whereas VG is what creates the vapour). Ratios in e-liquids vary in percentages from 50/50 to higher VG percentages. Read more about this here.
Priming – Is the act of dripping a few drops of e-juice onto the cotton wick of a new coil before activating the fire button to avoid dry burn. This only needs to be done before using a new atomizer/coil. This allows the cotton in the coil to soak up the e-juice for a few minutes so as to avoid a dry burn. Another option to prime is just to fill the tank/pod ect and let it sit for 20 minutes to allow the ejuice to soak into the cotton.
Puff – A short drawing action on the mouthpiece or drip tip of a vape. Pulling vapour into the user’s mouth.
R
Rebuildables/rebuildable (RBA) – This can refer to either tanks or atomizers/coils.
A ‘rebuildable’ setup (RBA) – which can be an RDA, RDTA, RTA – includes a build deck and a tank section to enclose the e-liquid. This set up requires the user to build and wick their own coils, which allows for a customised vaping experience!
Used mostly by advanced users, rebuildables allow vapers to adjust resistance, change out different wicks and wires and therefor experiment with various setups to achieve their preferred vape style. These have many different variations (see below)
RDA – The abbreviation for “Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer” Typically a smaller atomizer that doesn’t hold much of a reserve of e-liquid. Therefore, you drip e-juice directly onto the coil as often as needed. RDA’s are a popular choice to achieve rich flavours and great clouds.
RDTA – The abbreviation for ”Rebuildable Drip tank Atomizer”
The RDTA tank combines the RDA and RTA setups into a single atomizer/tank.
Similar to an RTA in that there is a liquid reserve and you need to wick your cotton and build your own coils. However the setup is such that the build deck sits above the ejuice reserve, with the cotton hanging down into it.
RTA – Rebuildable tank atomiser. Just like a regular tank, however you rebuild your coils and wick your cotton. Unlike an RDA this system DOES has a reserve of eliquid.
Regulated Mods – A regulated mod is a device that includes a circuit board to regulate the current. It will also generally include functions to allow the user to control the output wattage of the device. A regulated mod also provides safety features such as low battery cut-off, short or open circuit protection etc ,making them far safer than a mechanical mod.
Resistance – Measured in ohms, the resistance of your coil determines the voltage/wattage you can apply. The resistance of your coil will have a significant impact on the vapour and flavour produced. The resistance depends on many different variables; the thickness of the wire used in a coil, the number of coils, how the coils are wired (series/parallel), the circumference of the coils, and how thick the coils are wound.
Resistance Wire – The type of wire used in your coil. The level of resistance affects the amount of vapour and flavour you can obtain.
Standard wire types include Kanthal, Nickel, Nichrome or Stainless Steel. When a current is applied through the wire, it heats your coil then in turn the ejuice in your tank and bingo, you have vapour.
Restricted Direct to Lung (RDL) – Very similar to DTL, but a bit more restricted. It is not as restricted as an MTL vape, but not as airy as a DL vape,
S
Sensor – This is a feature in certain vaping devices that detects when you’re inhaling and provides power to your coil. As a result, those of us too lazy to lift a finger don’t need to worry about pressing the firing button…
Series -This term refers to mech mods with dual battery configurations that are wired in ‘series’. By placing the batteries in series, we get double the voltage output but the same capacity as a single battery.
Shortfill -Shortfills are bottles of nicotine free e-liquid that isn’t completely full. These are sold in a bottle that’s “short filled” to allow enough space to add Nicotine Shots.
A 60 ml shortfill e-liquid bottle, for example, is usually sold under the name “50 ml shortfill” because it only contains 50 ml of e-liquid. You complete the bottle by adding your nicotine or a nicotine shot.
Silica – This is a type of wicking material with a high melting point. Silica is an exceptionally durable material that, unlike cotton, doesn’t burn when it’s dry.
Smart Chip – The term used to describe an electronic chip found in high end vaping devices. The Smart Chip provides additional features and allows you to customise your vaping experience.
Squonk – A term used to describe the action of using a squonk device.
Squonk Mod – This is a specific kind of vape that houses a juice bottle inside the device along with the batteries. E-liquid is fed through a tube in the bottle straight to the coil. The Advantage of this is that you can use a dripper tank and rather than having to continuously drip your eliquid to the wick, this way you can just squeeze that juice into the wick.
Stacking – A practice of stacking batteries end-to-end in a mech mod for amplifying the power compared to what a single battery can deliver. This “stack” of batteries effectively connects them in a series configuration.
Starter Kit – A common term used to describe a vape device kit that usually includes everything a vaper needs to get started, except the ejuice. Usually included pieces – Tank, Mod, spare atomisers/coils, charging cable, instruction manual, warranty card. If the battery is built-in then it is included, but for the most part, devices with removable batteries will not be included in the kit.
Note that (confusingly) ‘starter kits’ are not necessarily designed for beginning vapers. “Starter” simply means that the kit contains everything you need to get started vaping with that particular device. Many vendors sell “starter kits” that have very high power and are designed for experienced vapers.
Stealth Vaping – Vaping on your device so as not to draw attention to yourself by exhaling small amounts of vapour or using smaller devices that don’t produce much vapour. Some devices include a Stealth Mode in the settings.
Steeping – This is the term used to describe the process of improving the taste of your e-liquid with time, heat, etc.
Examples are:
- Letting a juice sit unused for a period of time to let certain flavors mature and become stronger.
- Giving your e-liquid a good shake is the most basic steeping method.
Sub-ohm – Used to describe a coil that has a resistance lower than 1.0ohm.
Sub-ohming – The practice of vaping with a device that is using coils that read below 1.0ohm, but often lower than 0.5ohms, specifically to increase vapour and flavour production. Subohm tanks are airier than mouth to lung setups
Sub-ohm Tank – A vape tank that uses coils under 1.0 ohm. These tanks with their coils, generally offer an airier draw and are designed to be inhaled straight down to your lungs rather than held in your mouth like a cigarette would. See DL above
Sweet Spot – That perfect hit! The highest level of personal vaping satisfaction achieved by finding ‘your own’ perfect combination of wattage, resistance, vaping device, e-juice and air flow. EG: On my 0.3ohm Clapton coil, the e-liquid I’m currently vaping hits the ‘sweet spot’ for me at around 45 watts…
T
Tank – A tank is the top part of your vape device. It houses the coil and ejuice, is fitted with a drip tip (mouthpiece) and screws to the top of your mod.
Temperature Control (TC) – A feature found in most modern regulated vaping devices. TC automatically adjusts the voltage/wattage to provide a consistent temperature. Requires Nickel (NI) or Titanium (Ti) wire/coils. Don’t use this mode with your regular stock standard coils.
Thermal Runaway – The last thing you want to happen to your battery… Put simply, this is an uncontrollable rise in temperature that can result in the explosion of your battery. This can be caused by a short circuit, overcharging, damage to the battery itself etc.
Titanium wire – A type of wire used to build a coil, specifically on temperature control devices. Good crisp flavour with a higher resistance than certain other wire types. However, there are concerns regarding the safety of Titanium wire so be sure to do a little research yourself!
Throat Hit – The sensation after vapour hits the throat. Many vapers look to simulate the harsh throat hit of cigarettes, while some prefer a smoother throat hit. The sensation can depend on the flavour of E-Liquid and if the liquid has nicotine or not. The higher nicotine level strength the stronger throat hit you will get. Menthol or ‘ice’ will also attribute to a throat hit.
Toot – Another term for the pull, draw or puff on an e-cigarette/vape.
Tube Mod – A term used to describe a vape device that comes in a tube shape about the size of a small flashlight. This term is quite commonly used to describe mechanical mods.
U
Unprotected Battery – A type of battery without protection circuitry. As a result, you need to be mindful of overheating, short circuiting or overcharging.
The majority of batteries used in vaping are an unprotected battery, as they allow for a fast ramp up time. They are made of safe chemistry materials that won’t react violently. This is why it is recommended to always buy your batteries from a trusted vendor.
Unregulated -A term attributed to mechanical mods because there is no circuit board in them to regulate the current. Due to the lack of safety features or circuitry it’s essential to take care when building your coil, specifically with regards to the final resistance. As they offer little to no protection they are for advanced users only.
USB Charger – A charger you can plug directly into a USB power source, such as a laptop for example. Normally a cable you plug directly into your vaping device, however this can also refer to a separate charger used to charge external batteries.
USB Passthrough – Same as ‘Pass-through’ above. A feature on certain vaping devices that allows you to vape while charging via a USB.
V
Vape –
a. (Noun) An electrical cigarette or e-cig.
b. (Adjective) The action of inhaling vapour from your e-cigarette. ‘I am going to have a vape’
Vaper – The commonly used name of someone who uses an electronic cigarette/e-cig/vape. Someone who vapes.
Vaper’s Tongue – The loss of flavour you experience when vaping one flavour too often. Your taste buds are desensitised to that flavour and it’s time to switch up those juices! Other measures can be to chew a coffee bean, eat a lemon, chew some strong mint etc.
Vaporiser – Just another term for an electronic cigarette, vaping device etc.
Vapour – Sometimes referred to as ‘clouds’, this is the simulated smoke produced as a result of heating your e-juice in the saturated wick.
Vapour Production – The term used to describe the amount of vapour produced by a vape device or e-liquid.
Vegetable Glycerin – One of the main ingredients in e-liquid; this is the thicker ingredient when compared to PG. VG is a viscous (thick) liquid that provides the dense vapour. VG provides less of a throat hit than PG but doesn’t carry flavour as efficiently. It’s possible to mix using 100% VG for those of you with a PG Intolerance. Read more about VG and PG and your desired ratios here.
Vent Holes – A safety feature found on most personal vaporisers. Vent holes are designed to prevent your battery from overheating. Cheap devices (Chinese black market disposables) often don’t have this saftey feature built in.
Venting – If you place too much demand on your battery, you run the risk of the battery overheating or ‘venting’. This is not good for your battery!
Vertical Coils – A coil placed vertically. Generally, a vertical coil will improve airflow and potentially flavour as the coil is much closer to the chimney/drip tip.
Voltage – This denotes the amount of power you vape at. It’s the amount of electrical energy provided from the battery. Voltage paired with resistance = wattage.
VV (Variable Voltage) – A feature that allows you to control the voltage output of your vaping device. It is different to regular vaporisers that have a static voltage outputs.
VW (Variable Wattage) – This feature allows you to control the wattage output of your device. A higher wattage will create more vapour and a lower wattage will create minimal vapour.
W
Watt (wattage) – The measurement of power used to heat the atomiser coil. The higher wattage – the hotter the vape, and the larger amounts of vapour (bigger clouds) is produced.
Wick/Wicking – (see Cotton) The wick is the material that is wrapped around the heating coil to absorb the e-juice prior to being heated to create the vapour. Wicks can be made of organic cotton, silica, hemp, ceramics, stainless steel mesh or fiberglass.
Wire – Refers to the material used to make the heating element in an atomizer’s coil. E.g Kanthal, Nichrome etc.
Wrap – The term used to describe a single revolution of a wire in the coil building process, where one wrap equals one revolution of wire around a coil. The term is derived from ‘wrapping’ the wire around a tool to create the coil shape. The more wraps a coil has, the higher the resistance.
