HOW DO ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES WORK?

Electronic cigarettes offer smokers many features over smoking traditional cigarettes. They are free of tar along with the 3000 plus other harmful chemical substances which are found in analog cigarettes. It is a non-flammable product which means there is NO danger of second hand smoke and it is reusable (rechargeable by an electric outlet).
Most smokers enjoy the substantial and emotional feelings of smoking. Individuals who use electronic cigarettes also feel an experience similar to smoking an analog cigarette without the fire, flame, tobacco, tar, carbon monoxide, ash, or smell found in traditional cigarettes. The main reasons people switch to electronic cigarettes include: a tar-free way to smoke, freedom to vape most anywhere and everywhere, does not create first or second hand smoke, no smoke or tobacco odor, non-flammable, convenient and cheaper than traditional cigarettes (based on one pack per day smoker).

Basically, all brands of electronic cigarettes consist of 3 main parts: a battery, a nicotine cartridge and an atomizer.

 
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510 electronic cigarette

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eGo T with DCT (Dual Coil Tank)

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eGo T electronic cigarette

BATTERY:

Inside the 510 battery is a small circuit board at the tip with an LED, a lithium-ion battery, a small microchip and a very tiny mechanical switch which is turned on when you draw on the mouthpiece. The LED indicates to you if it is activated or if the battery needs recharged. They will also flash if your drag is longer than 5 seconds. This lets you know it has cut power to the atomizer and you must wait a few seconds before taking another drag. A long rapid flash means the battery needs recharged. The EGO battery also has an indicator light that will flash. The batteries are typically lithium ion rechargeable that are powerful and compact.  The batteries also contain some additional circuitry for lighting the tip that simulates the glowing “cherry” like that of a real cigarette.

CARTRIDGE:

The 510 cartridge consists of a mouthpiece, a small plastic or metal cup that is filled with a sponge or polyester filler material. The atomizer steel wick contacts the filler material and draws your flavored juices toward the heating coil. The cartridge is designed to simultaneously send your e liquid or juice into the atomizer while sending vapor to the mouthpiece of the cartridge. Some other types of e-Cigs, such as the EGO-T type B, contain a cartridge that does not have any filler material. The nicotine cartridge includes a mouthpiece and a reservoir for the nicotine solution.  The cartridges can be purchased in various flavors (tobacco, menthol, cherry, vanilla, etc.) and levels of nicotine (zero, low, medium, high). The nicotine solution in the cartridge mainly consists of water and propylene glycol which is a substance used in medicines, cosmetics, food, toothpaste etc.  The only other ingredients include some flavoring and nicotine of course.

DRIP TIP:

The drip tip is inserted on the end of the cartomizer and acts as a mouthpiece.

ATOMIZER/CARTOMIZER:

The Atomizer is where most of the action happens.  Inside the atomizer compartment is a small heating coil.  Above the heating coil is a steel wick or in some cases two wicks.  This steel wick extends into the cartridge and is the component that draws the e liquid or juice towards the heating coil, thus creating vapor. Some other types of e-Cigs, such as the EGO Dual Coil Tank or DCT, contain a cartomizer, which is an integrated atomizer and cartridge. The cartomizer is inserted through the tank and contains a drip tip as a mouthpiece. The atomizer is activated when the user takes a drag on the device just as when a smoker puffs on a traditional cigarette.  The atomizer is a 2 part device which contains a heating element and a chamber for the e-liquid or juice. In the atomization chamber, when the smoker puffs on the device, the e liquid or juice is drawn into the atomization chamber device which in turn creates a vapor-like smoke, just like a real cigarette. This vapor is a result of the nicotine that is found in the cartridge, heating up by the atomizer device and creating vapor smoke, but without the smell of smoking real tobacco. This is how the smoker gets the nicotine hit that smokers crave, and the smoke like illusion, but without having to smoke the traditional cigarette.

TANK:

The tank serves as a reservoir for your flavored juices or e liquids. Tanks are generally larger than cartridges so the vaper does not have to keep refilling with his or her e liquid or juice.

THREAD COVER:

The function of the thread cover is to make the e-Cig look uniform. Some vapers do not use the thread cover, since it is basically just for appearance.