What is in an electronic cigarette?
All Electronic cigarettes have 3 things in common: Battery, Atomizer, E-juice
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| "mod" battery |
Batteries come in many shapes and sizes. The most common is what most people start off with- one that resembles a cigarette. However, there are many variations on a theme. The length of the overall battery and the mAh are the 2 major differences. The models most people are used to seeing are slender and about the same length as a cigarette but vary widely in the mAh, or milliamps, they are charged with. Some are only 150mAh some are 1100 mAh. The life of the battery is about 3 months with average use. The day to day life of a battery is very individual. Some people have a battery last throughout one day, some need to use a second battery half way through the day. Largely dependant on your individual "vaping" habits. Virtually all "starter kits" come with 2 batteries and this is the reason. There are many "mods" (modifications) on the market now, all with the intent of expanding the users experience without the battery running out!
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| various colors |
Batteries also have the choice of "manual" or "auto". The older style e-cigarettes were all manufactured as manual, with a small button to activate the battery that heated up the atomizer. Technology has improved and many (most) models are "auto" batteries that have a tiny switch inside that activates when the user sucks on the end on the cartridge.
Atomizers are the next part. That is actually the heating element that heats up the "juice" creating steam. Atomizers last for months.
These have some type of "cartridge" on the top that has an absorbent material to hold the "e-juice" or, liquid nicotine.
The whole process of filling the cartridges, popping the end caps off, or worse, using a syringe, spilling the juice, getting it on hands and clothes became a hassle... so.. along came the cartomizer! Atomizer and cartridge in one, handy little unit!! These are dubbed as "disposable" but, can be re-filled a few times.
These took the place of the other 2 pieces and revolutionized electronic cigarettes! The colorful ones are usually pre-filled with flavored e-juice. Did I say "flavors"?? YES!
That brings us to the last, perhaps the most IMPORTANT ingredient, ... E-JUICE!
There are literally thousands of variations on a theme when it comes to e-juice. There are hundreds of "regular" tobacco flavors made to resemble familiar brands as well as menthol or "mint". There are flavors to match every person's taste for the "perfect" blend. Much of the juice on the market is still from China, but many companies in the U.S. are making quite a claim to fame manufacturing e-juice.
The main ingredients in e-juice are: propylene glycol, a widely used substance used in many things and listed by the FDA as GRA (generally regarded as safe), or vegetable glycerine, also GRA by the FDA; natural and/or artificial flavorings (generally from flavorings made for candy making); Nicotine and water. The most important thing about e-juice, that most people are not aware of, is the concentration of the nicotine. Most of it is 16 to 18 mg/ml. That is 16mg per milliliter. Since a normal regular cigarette has about 1mg of nicotine, a pre-filled cartomizer labeled as 18mg should equal approx. a pack of cigarettes. Or, if re-filling, 1ml of 18mg juice should last about a day. Cartomizers typically come in standard concentrations of 18mg, 11mg, 8mg, sometimes 6mg and always, 0mg. Zero is very good for people who have the urge to smoke in, say, social situations but don't want to light up that first one!
