Beginners Guides

Stock Coil Tanks

Most vapers begin with an Evod/Protank-style set-up or move on to them after using ecigalikes/CE4s/5s.

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Will I continue using a beginner’s device?

The trend shown by research is that vapers use these as a stepping stone before moving to more complicated tank systems, but many still keep some in the vape kit because they are a good size while out or travelling and very handy for a stealth vape.
Not forgetting, they are quite cheap and advances in design has improved the vape quality no end – especially in models that use a twin coil system.

Will it be useful to me if I want to progress to other devices?

Although replacement heads are readily available at all good vendors, with nothing more than some wick and some wire you can begin to practise coil building.

But if I don’t want to coil my own heads?

Loads of vapers never rebuild a head, the replacement ones are easily fitted by unscrewing the old one and screwing the new one in.

So, how does a clearomiser work?

Juice in the tank is fed to the coil by cotton wick. 
Because it can be a slow process for the wick to get soaked, it is best to allow the atomiser to stand for a few minutes after filling it.
Air is drawn in, as you inhale, from the bottom of the clearomiser and meets the coil.
The coil heats the e-Liquid causing it to vaporise. The more airflow to the coil the greater the volume of vape produced.
More air also reduces the flavour experienced. On adjustable airflow clearomisers, it is a case of finding your own "sweet spot".

I’m having a problem with a burnt taste.

The burnt taste is probably down to the wick being too dry but if it is an old head try replacing it.
Juice fails to get to the coil fast enough if it is thick and moves more slowly or you are vaping the blazes out of your atomiser. They can be corrected by taking fewer, shorter vapes with a higher nicotine strength juice or moving to a higher PG/lower VG juice.

PG/VG what now?

E-juice comes in different ratios of the two main parts, the higher the concentration of vegetable glycerin (VG) in your juice the more viscous (sticky) it will be (it’s thicker and wicks more slowly).
Some people are allergic to the PG part of eLiquid and it suits them to have a high ratio of VG.

Nope, tried that and it still tastes burnt.

Maybe the wick is packed too tightly – you can try to remove some strands with tweezers. Do it a bit by bit, you won’t be able to put back what you’ve removed.

Could it have something to do with my battery mod?

Yes, absolutely.
It could be that you have set the voltage/wattage too high. The juice is vaporising faster than the wick can carry replacement juice to the coil. Try starting at the lowest setting and gradually increase the voltage/wattage.

I have a leak/flood – help!

If you have juice flooding out of the mouthpiece then too much liquid is getting to the coil. This is caused either through using an old head or a damaged wick. Replace the head.
If the flooding is coming out of the base then check the head is fully screwed in.
Other leaks can be caused by age and require a new head/atomiser or the plastic being attacked by certain types of juice. Cheap atomisers and heads are built down to a price and will not last as long or be as reliable as quality made parts. Compared to smoking they cost very little, it’s a false economy to go budget.

 

Toby Kilroy avatar

Toby Kilroy

Writer at POTV
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Toby has been vaping since early 2012 and has used an array of devices and kit in that time. He sometimes writes up reviews but is often found with his head stuck in pages of code with a confused smile on his face. Toby also helps run his wife's site gethistory.co.uk and has two children. He sometimes fondly remembers having free time and occasionally manages to sneak away to put his head into a good book!

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