Vaping Terminology, Vape Dictionary - Vaping 101

• Posted on 7 August 2019
• By Cameron
• Posted in How To, Vaping 101, Video
• 0

This is the dictionary you can follow to get up to speed with all the different terms you'll want to know with vaping! Vaping 101 is a series dedicated to teaching new vapers all the important info they'll need on their journey.

Welcome back to episode 4 of Vape 101, Terminology!

There’s a lot of terminology that’s used in the vape world and if you’re new it can be very confusing. Learning the lingo can help you out a lot when you’re trying to find out information about a new product, visiting a vape shop, and especially if you’re trying to troubleshoot any issues you may be having. I’ve left timestamps on the screen so you can see what we’re covering, and I’ve also left the timestamps in the description in case you want to skip to a specific part of the video! Now, let’s jump right into it.

Watts - This is the unit of measurement for power. Most modern devices run off wattage which automatically adjusts the voltage output. It is used more commonly than volt measurements as it allows the user to easily understand how much power is being outputted without using ohm’s law to calculate!

Tank - The tank is the vessel that holds your liquid and coil, usually constructed of stainless steel with a glass or plastic cylinder to view your liquid. Every tank is unique, and using a different one will completely change your experience!

Coil - the coil is the heating element that actually creates the vapour. They use cotton to feed liquid to the element to be vapourized! Most tanks use coils that are premade with the element and cotton, and are replaced when burnt out. More advanced kits allow you to build your own coil and replace the cotton, this takes some patience but saves you money!

Mod - This is your device that contains the battery and provides the power sent to your atomizer. Most mods are regulated meaning they have a chipset that regulates the power output, usually adjustable by the user. Some mods are mechanical or unregulated meaning that you have no control over the power sent to your atomizer, and need to understand Ohm’s law to be able to use them safely. Some mods have built-in batteries, and other are external, common batteries used are 18650s, 20700s, 21700s, and 26650s!

Pod - These are the tank, coil, and mouthpiece built into one small package! They are usually designed to be replaced entirely, however some take replaceable coils to reduce waste.

RDA/Dripper - An RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer) is sometimes known as a dripper because of the act of dripping liquid onto the coil required. With RDAs you need to install and sometimes even wrap your own coils and install your own wick. These atomizers create much broader flavour and can save you a lot of money compared to buying premade coils.

Atomizer -  The atomizer is the term used for your tank or RDA, and is the unit that actually creates the vapour!

Ohm - The resistance of your coil is measured in ohms. Sub-ohm devices (meaning the coil reads less that 1.0 ohms) are able to handle more wattage to give you more vapour, and vice versa with coils above 1.0 ohms.

Mech - Mechs, known as Mechanical Mods, are usually in the shape of a tube with the firing switch at the base of the device. These are constructed from metal, and provide power directly from the battery with no electronics to regulate the power. These are sometimes “hybrid” meaning that the atomizer is touching the battery directly, so using an atomizer with a protruding pin is required to ensure safe connection. Knowledge on ohm’s law and battery safety procedures are a must when using these devices, as improper use can cause battery venting. Only rebuildable atomizers (dripping or tank) are meant to be used on these types of mods.

Clapton Coil - Clapton coils are constructed very similarly to guitar strings, and received the name in homage to Eric Clapton! It has a core wire with a thinner wire that wraps the entirety of the coil. These coils provide much more surface area, which means they will give you much stronger flavour.

Mesh Coils - Metal mesh is a relatively new method to use as a heating element in vaping. It’s generally a very fine mesh constructed from Kanthal or Stainless Steel, and provide much more surface area compared to traditional coils which in turn provides more flavour.

Squonk - Squonk is the term created by vapers when referring to bottom-fed devices. A squonk mod is a device with a refillable bottle built in thats attached to the 510 pin, squeezing it will pump juice through the pin into the atomizer instead of having to drip liquid on top of the coils. A squonk atomizer is any atomizer that has a hollow 510 pin that allows for juice to pass through to saturate the coils.

Juice/Liquid -  E-Juice/E-Liquid is generally shortened to juice and liquid, this is the liquid containing flavouring and nicotine to be vaporized. It’s composed of 3 main ingredients, being Vegetable Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, and flavouring, with optional nicotine.

Now that you know the lingo, you'll be able to walk into any vape shop with confidence when you're looking for new hardware, or have questions about your own hardware! We hope this guide has helped you become more knowledgable and comfortable when switching to vaping, make sure to check out the other blog posts or click here to watch the video playlist!