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A Guide To E-cigs For Beginners.
Edit: This guide was written a while ago and while most of the info is still relevant, it doesn't include much info about tankomizers and tankmods and other things which have become prevalent. I'll try and improve it when I get time or someone else might too if they want to.
If I break it down to its most basic, there are three kinds of e-cigs: Standard e-cigs (we'll call them), cartomizer style e-cigs and 'mods'.
A standard E-cig
A standard e-cig consists of battery, an atomizer and a cartridge.
A cartridge holds e-liquid. An atomizer heats e-liquid. The battery powers the atomizer.
These e-cigs were given model numbers by their manufacturers. They differ in size but not in function.
The first widely sold model e-cig was called 'the pen-style'.
There were a few of different manufacturers of the pen-style. One called it a RN4072 and the other called it a DSE801.
Nowadays, that style is most often referred to as an 801 and made by many manufacturers. Some work better than others.
The pen-style size though isn't as popular as it once was, but I still like some makes.
Just because anything is given a model number like '801' does not mean it was made by one manufacturer in particular.
It just now denotes the size so you know what it is compatible with.
Some companies (who re-brand Chinese made e-cigs) choose not to use commonly understood model numbers.
Soon after the 801 style, came the 901 which was smaller and then finally the 510 which was around the same size.
There was also very small models made which aimed to resemble a cigarette, sometimes called a 401.
For the most part, these didn't work well due to their small size.
Some people do still like 401 atomizers though and fit them to mods.
These 401's which resemble the size of a cigarette are different to the cartomizer e-cigs which came later and also more closely resemble a cigarette.
A Cartomizer E-cig
A Cartomizer (as you can probably guess) is basically an atomizer and a cartridge combined.
This means the e-cig is in two parts: the battery and the cartomizer.
More about cartomizers later.
'Mod' E-cigs
A 'mod' is short for 'modified'
When the term was first used in conjunction with e-cigs, It described a type of e-cig that used some sort of modified item to work better.
This usually meant that the battery was tossed away and a larger battery case was fashioned from a flash-light so that bigger batteries could be used.
A huge complaint people had and still have with standard sized e-cig batteries is that they don't last long before you needed a charge and they broke often.
Once a standard e-cig battery broke, you had to throw away the whole thing. You couldn't open it up and just remove the tiny battery inside.
Due to the popularity of the 'mods', Eventually some Chinese manufactures started making e-cigs with larger batteries, some removable.
These are usually still referred to as 'mods' though strictly speaking they are not as that is they way they are manufactured to begin with. A lot of the 'mods' today are built by machinists (both professionals and hobbyists) in Europe and America and designed specifically for vaping. The body of some mods are made from wood.
Other mods now come with juice feeding systems to replace carts altogether. Others have variable voltage systems.
Other people made USB passthroughs out of various modified objects so they could screw their atomizer into it and use their USB ports to power their vaping. These are also 'mods'.
When e-cigs first came on the market, all of them had a vacuum switch inside the battery compartment which meant in order to get a drag, you had to inhale.
They also had a microchip which shut the battery off after someone had dragged for a certain amount of time (2-3 seconds).
This annoyed a lot of vapers. The 'mods' solved this issue by having a button switch which you had to physically press to get a drag. This system became known as 'having a manual switch'.
There was one manufacturer called joytech at the time too though who did have a button on their pen-style e-cigs. These were very popular.
Today if you buy a standard e-cig with a standard sized battery, you will sometimes have the choice to either have one with a vacuum switch or a physical button.
Check which one you are getting when deciding on a purchase. Personally I advise one with a button.
I think all of the big battery 'mods' have physical buttons.
More about standard e-cigs.
Some people don't find the cartridges that fit standard atomizers (801, 901, 510 etc) ideal.
How they work briefly is that a piece of fiber inside the cartridge holds the liquid in place like a sponge.
This fiber touches a 'bridge' inside the atomizer which transfers the liquid to a wick which is wrapped by a heating coil.
The coil heats the liquid and produces the vapor which you inhale.
The problem is that the cartridges don't do a great job of transferring the liquid to the wick.
This wick has to remain saturated or you will get a burnt taste.
You can refill a cartridge with liquid but a lot of people soon started dripping e-liquid down into the atomizer itself.
This became known as 'dripping'.
You had to remove the cartridge to drip but shortly after someone came up with the idea of a 'drip-tip', which basically installs in place of cartridge leaving you with a hole adequately wide enough to drip through. Here's some pics. I'm giving credit here to the inventor. Many people now make drip tips. There are plastic versions and metal versions to fit all e-cig sizes.
More about Cartomizers
The first cartomizer type e-cigarette was made by a company called loong totem in China.
Although sort of popular as they were a lot less messy they were expensive. They were also a little more cumbersome to refill.
Some American companies rebranded them. These were even more expensive.
Then another Chinese manufacturer started making cartomizers with the model number 'KR808d-1'
These proved very popular as they were significantly cheaper. You can now usually buy 5 cartomizers at around the price of one standard atomizer.
This is strange because they are both comprised of the same basic components.
The cartomizers look just like the filter of a cigarette.
Inside, a heating coil is wrapped inside a wick which in turn is wrapped in the material that is usually stuffed inside standard cartridges.
One problem with this is that after the liquid runs dry, the stuffing can burn easily without you noticing at first. You have to keep them full.
To address this issue, some manufacturers started making cartomizers without any stuffing. These are often called 'ceramic cartomizers' or filter-less or fiber-less. Sometimes they have the prefix E2.
Instead of stuffing they have a well and the liquid is drawn up into the heating element by two large wicks either side.
More lately there are versions sometimes called 'clearomizers' which just means that they made with a plastic see-through tube.
The two main size cartomizers now are 510 (which fit any 510 battery thread) and KR808d-1. (sometimes compatible with 901 battery threads)
You can get XL versions and ones with different ohm ratings. More about Ohm ratings now.
More about mods, voltages and ohm ratings.
Since people started modding, they started experimenting with different voltages.
A standard e-cig has a 3.7 volt battery and uses an atomizer with a resistance of about 2.6ohms.
People discovered though that if they used two 3.7 batteries for a combined 7.4 volts and then knocked that down to 5 volts by using a resistor, they got a far more satisfactory drag (more vapor and more flavor) with a standard atomizer.
Some people preferred using two 3 volt batteries (for a combined 6 volts) and used a resistor to knock that down to 5 volts.
Usually anything around or above 6 volts would sizzle a standard atomizer and it would burn out shortly. Some people do vape at six volts though.
Two things were then invented: high resistance atomizers and low resistance atomizers.
High resistance (HR) atomizers have an ohm rating of about 3.4
Low resistance (LR) atomizers have an ohm rating of about 1.8.
If you use a Low resistance atomizer with a standard e-cig battery (3.7 volts), it is roughly the equivalent of vaping at 5 volts.
If you use a high resistance atomizer with two 3 volt batteries (combined 6 volts) it is roughly the equivalent of vaping at 5 volts.
Using low resistance atomizers with standard batteries is the most popular choice to get 5 volt vaping but some mods could use any system.
If you are buying a standard e-cig kit I highly recommend you buy LR atomizers to try them and see the difference yourself.
Juice Feeding systems
Juice feeders are a relatively new invention. They are usually found inside some mods but there are a few that you can attach to any standard e-cig.
They are usually just a bottle of liquid with a tube that feeds liquid directly into the the atomizer by squeezing it.
There are bottom feeders (my favourite) and top feeders.
Very recently there is a new atomizer with a juice feeding system - The tankomizer.
== Adapters.==
It's very easy to try out different sized atomizers as there are adapters available very cheaply that fit most any battery to any atomizer.
E-cig Mods
Below is a list of what are sometimes called 'e-cig mods' or big battery e-cigs'. Beneath that is a list of miscellaneous e-cig addons or parts.
If anyone wants to get a mod, I highly recommend researching it thoroughly and check the forums etc for reviews before you purchase. Some mods will be available from lots of stores while others are only sold by the manufacturer so make sure you shop around too.
After their name and external link on the list, the mods are tagged with various initials. If for example you want to search only mods that are juice feeders, hit ctrl+f on your keyboard, type in [JF] and your browser should scroll through all the mods that tagged that way.
I am only specifying the voltages that the supplier mentions/advises. You might be able to get a mod working with other voltages by configuring it some other way, for example there is one supplier in the list who sells a custom 5v battery now. It should be known too though that some mods might break if they are supplied with voltages/batteries they weren't designed to take. If you are using higher voltages, stacking batteries or using LR atomizers, it is commonly advised to use high drain batteries.
This is what the tags mean:
E-cig Mod List Legend
[JF] = Juicefeeder: The mod has some kind of juice feeding apparatus.
[VV] = Variable Voltage: You are able to adjust the voltage output on the mod.
[MV] = Multiple Voltages available: The mod is capable of handling different voltages.
[MB] = Multiple Batteries: The mod is capable of accepting different sized batteries or there are versions of the mod which accept different batteries.
[3.7v][6v][5v][7.4v]: Denotes the capable voltages
[PT] = USB Passthrough: The mod has a USB passthrough, meaning you can plug into a USB port and it will charge while you use it.
List of E-cig Mods
The Ali'i [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][JF][VV]
The Precious - L v2 [JF][VV]
The Journeyman [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][5v][JF]
The Wet Box [MV][3.7v][5v][JF]
The Reo Mini/Grand/Woodvil [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][JF]
The Grip Mod [MB][MV][3.6][6][7.4][JF][VV]
The Sweet Vape [MB][JF][VV]
The Integrity [3.7v][JF][PT]
Monkey Box [MB][MV][3.7v][7.4v][JF][VV]
Old Goat Mods 3.7v bottom feeder [3.7v][JF]
The Mark I, II, III, and IV from Red Sky Mods [MB][MV][VV][3.7v][5v][JF][Also sells a DIY kit for $45]
The Phidias-now with feedimus [3.7v][JF]
Apex Alpha Ultramax [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][JF][uses a juice resevoir]
The Eclipse eq [JF][VV]
The Vapage VMOD [JF]
VaporLuxe Rev.2 [VV][PT]
HotBox [PT]
Various e-pipes from epipemods [JF][MB][3.7v][only some models contain a juice feeder]
Pearl [MB][MV][3.7][5v][VV]
Turbo [MB][MV][3.7][5v][VV]
MPV - Modular Personal Vaporizer [MB][VV]
Joker [MB][MV][3.7][5v][VV]
The Infinity [VV]
The Buzz [VV]
The Big Daddy [VV]
The Big Brother [VV][3.7v]
The Little Sister [VV][3.7v]
The Provari [VV]
Touchwood ecig [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][7.4v]
Galileo Configurable Telescoping Electronic Cigarette [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][7.4v]
The Precise from Super T Manufacturing [MB][MV][3.7v][6v]
X-haler/XS-haler [MB][MV][3.7v][6v]
The Chuck [MB][MV][3.7v][6v]
The Prodigy V3 [MB][MV][3.7v][6v]
The Puresmoker Icon [MB][MV][3.7v][6v]
The copper [MB][MV][3.7v][6v]
Little Gem Sidewinder [MB][MV][3.7v][6v]
The Alloy [MB](MV)[3.7v][6v]
The Chameleon [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][PT]
The GG + UFS [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][7.4v][JF][The UFS 'Uninterrupted Feed System' is sold separately and connects only to GGs]
The VYPR SS [MB][MV][3.7v][5v]
The Billet from MetroVapor [MB][5v][3.7v]
The Mako [MB][MV][3.7v][5v][6v][7.4v]
The Megalodon [MB][MV][3.7v][5v][6v][7.4v]
The cube from Siam Mods [MB][MV][3.7v][6v]
The Magnum [5v]
Triple V Mod [MB][MV][3.7v][5v]
The Big KaZoo [5v]
The Indulgence [MB][MV][3.7v][5v][6v][7.4v][PT]
The GLV [MB][MV][3.7v][5v][6v]
The Bartleby [MV][3.7v][5v]
The Tekk Mod [5v]
5v E-cigcity Boxmod [5v]
The Omega [3.7v]
The BB [3.7v]
he Silver Bullet [3.7v]
The Bulli [MB][3.7v]
The Mantis [MB][MV][3.7v][7.4v]
The VYPR [3.7v]
VP1 Kit [3.7v]
VP2 Kit [3.7v]
The Spade Kit [3.7v]
The AA box [3.7v]
JamBox Black [3.7v]
The Roughstack [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][7.4v]
The BombShell Mod [MB][MV][3.7v][6v][7.4v]
The Revolution, Also here [3.7v][Built in atomizer]
The Leo [3.7v]
Box Mod [3.7]
The Provape [3.7v]
The Adaptever 2 [Coming Soon]
The ScrewDriver [3.7v]
The ScrewDriver Mk II [3.7v]
The XXL [3.7v]
DSE 905 [3.7v][Sailbao product sold by many]
Vapre51 [3.7v]
he Nautilus [3.7v]
The Sparkplug [3.7v]
E-cigCity Boxmod V2 [3.7v]
DSE 601 E-pipe [3.7v][Sailbao product sold by many]
JoyeStick/JantyStick [3.7v][Commonly rebranded Joyetech product sold by many]
Joye Ego [3.7v][Commonly rebranded Joyetech product sold by many]
Joye Ego Tank System [3.7v][Commonly rebranded Joyetech product sold by many]
Sailbao Ego [joyetech ego clone, don't know who sells this one]
VV Ego Kit [VV]
noego [3.7v][Like the ego but takes a bigger replaceable battery, also called the 18650 E-Power and sold by others like Liberty Flights and BreezeSmokes?. A 14500 version is available]
510N Mod [MB][3.7v]
The VP-PTv [PT]
VP-PT BB [PT]
Joye Ego passthrough [PT][Sold by Many]
Ego Variable Voltage Passthrough [PT][VV]
VV egos direct from China [VV][PT]
Boge Lea [made by bogetech this kit comes uses tank carts similar to the ego-T]
The Ploom [Butane Powered]
List of Miscellaneous E-cig Parts/Addons
The Regulator [Turn 6v into 5v]
The Terminator [Stand Alone Variable Voltage Addon]
510 Tank Cartridge [Fit a tank to a standard 510 atomizer]
The Vapemate [Stand Alone Top Feeder]
TTT Gooseneck -UK | TTT Gooseneck -USA
The Fog by Funstore [stand alone auto liquid feeder system for ego type batteries]
The Bulli-Smoker A2 "repairable" atomizer [unscrew to change coil and wick]
ego booster [VV][Screws onto an ego battery to turn it into a variable voltage device]
Tank Mods
MAP tank [You rip the inside of a CE2 cartomizer out and put it into one of these tanks which hold a larger volume of liquid, often called a tank-mod)
Arry tank [tank-mod, same as the MAP tank]
Arry Carto Tank V2 [Tank-mod but works with standard cartomizers like the boge 2ohm cartomizer. You need to punch a hole in the cartomizer with something like a center punch, see this video though you really only need one size punch and you don't need a vice, just something to hold it steady]
MAP tank DCT [Tank-mod that works with dual coil cartos]
Torpedo Tank [Like the MAP tank]
VPX CARTOMATOR Cartomizer Tank [tank-mod that works with standard cartomizers like the boge 20hm cartomizer]
j-tank [tank mod that works with standard atomizers like the boge 2ohm cartomizer]
Dual Coil 510 Tank Cartomizer [Mass produced tank mod made in China]
Liquinator [both 510 cartomizer and dual coil sizes]