How Does Your Vape Produce Vapor?
Ever wonder what's really happening when you use a vaporizer? What are the components of your vape? And how do these components come together to produce vapor? We have the answers to your questions! First, let’s break it down.
What are the components of a vape device?
Though specific components vary by type of device, the basic pieces remain the same. A vape device is made up of:
- A rechargeable battery. Basic mouth-to-lung devices and most mods can be charged using a USB cord connected to a computer while certain mods require external batteries and a charger.
- A cartridge for e-juice. Most vaporizers (unless it's an RDA) have an area that you can fill up with your e-juice of choice!
- An atomizer. The head of the atomizer is comprised of a coil of thin wire and wicking material that serve to heat e-juice.
- A sensor. This component is critical because it senses when you take a pull and activates the atomizer.
How do these components work together?
It’s the same principle as a fog machine or hookah. Basically, a vaporizer heats up liquid to the point that it turns into vapor. It goes like this:
- When you take a drag, a sensor activates your vape’s atomizer.
- The atomizer heats up the e-liquid.
- The e-liquid undergoes a phase change, or vaporization, and turns to vapor.
- You inhale the vapor!
But why do some devices produce large clouds of vapor while others only produce a little?
The ingredients in your e-juice and your device determine the size of your clouds. Here is a quick summary of facts:
- E-liquid is made up of four basic ingredients. Two of these ingredients affect vapor production: vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG). Juices high in VG produce a lot of vapor, while juices high in PG produce more of a flavored throat hit. For a more detailed explanation of VG versus PG, check out our blog on e-liquid ingredients.
- The type of device you use is the main factor when it comes to vapor production. Basic e-cigarettes and mouth-to-lung devices produce minimal vapor. For real clouds, you need a mod with a powerful battery and sub-ohm tank. A sub-ohm tank is just an atomizer with coils that have less than one ohm of resistance. Moral of the story? If you dream of chasing clouds, invest in a mod with a sub-ohm tank, or if you want to go even further, check out mech mods and RDAs or drippers with specialized coils for mass vapor and immense flavor!
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