HOW DO VAPES WORK?
Your vape kit might be small enough to fit inside your pocket but - trust us - there’s a lot going on inside a vape. We’ve created this guide to help you understand how vapes work and exactly what they are made of.
In this guide, you’ll discover:
WHAT DOES A VAPING DEVICE DO?
A vaping device heats a flavoured liquid, called e-liquid or vape juice, with the different parts of a vape working together to transform the e-liquid into an inhalable vapour. This vapour often contains nicotine, offering a similar experience to smoking but, as confirmed by the NHS, with fewer harmful elements.
HOW DOES A VAPE WORK?
When properly assembled, the parts of a vape all work in harmony to create those vapour clouds you love. Here’s how a vape works.
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1 - Safety checks confirm the device's readiness, including battery health and coil resistance |
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2 - The battery delivers power to the vape device, and when the vaper presses a button or inhales, the circuit board sends power to the coil |
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3 - Electricity flows through the coil and the coil heats up |
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4 - E-liquid is absorbed by the wick, and then moved through the hot coil |
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5 - The coil turns the e-liquid into vapour |
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6 - The vapour moves up through the chimney and into the mouthpiece |
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7 - The vaper draws on the mouthpiece and inhales the vapour to experience the flavour and throat hit |
WHAT’S IN A VAPE?
In order to understand how vapes work in more detail, we need to break down the crucial components inside a vape and the part they play in delivering that delicious vapour.
1. BATTERY
This powerhouse supplies the necessary energy to your vaping device. It can either be built-in or removable, depending on your device. Rechargeable vapes come with a USB port, while removable batteries can be charged externally. A single charge typically lasts a day or longer, depending on your device's settings and how often you vape.
2. COIL
The coil is one of the big hitters inside a vape. It’s responsible for heating the e-liquid. The coil is usually made of resistance wire - most often stainless steel, nickel, or mesh - that is wrapped around a wick made of cotton.
3. WICK
The wick is technically part of the coil, but it's fundamental in understanding how vapes work. It absorbs e-liquid from the tank and delivers it to the coil to be heated. This little piece of cotton ensures consistent vapour and flavour by keeping the coil saturated. If the coil dries out, it can overheat, causing dry and harsh hits.
4. TANK OR POD
If you’re using a traditional vape, you’ll have a tank. Compact pod systems use a pod. Either way, the tank or pod holds the e-liquid and houses the coil.
Tank systems are usually refillable and come with a glass reservoir, chimney, and replaceable coil. Pod devices are a more simple construction, with integrated coils and magnetic or clip-on pods containing e-liquid, like Riot Connex.
Disposables used a pod-like construction and so refillable pods, like the Riot Aspire Cyber G Slim, are great if you want a disposable alternative.
5. MOUTHPIECE
This bit is self-explanatory - the mouthpiece is the part of vape where you draw in the vapour. Inhaling through the mouthpiece can activate the vape in draw-activated systems. For button-activated systems, you’ll need to press a button at the same time as using the mouthpiece.
Mouthpieces come in different shapes and sizes. The one you choose can affect airflow and the vaping experience; for example, wide-bore tips allow more air in, creating larger clouds. Narrower tips are good for mouth-to-lung draws and often give you more of a flavour hit.
6. LOGIC BOARD, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, AND FIRMWARE
Vaping devices are electronic gadgets, so you’ll find lots of clever components working together inside a vape. A logic board, integrated circuit (IC) and firmware manage power delivery and safety features. This might include:
- Automatic timer
- Temperature control
- Battery monitor
- Puff counters
- Safety cutoffs
Most vapes also have an OLED or TFT screen to display this information, and control buttons for vapers to adjust any settings.
7. THREADING OR POD CONTACTS
This part connects your vape's tank or pod to the battery. It's essential for reliable power delivery and proper communication between the coil and the logic board. In pod systems, metal plates connect to the attached pod, while traditional vape tanks have a spring-loaded centre pin for connectivity.
8. RESERVOIR AND CHIMNEY
The reservoir holds the e-liquid inside a vape. It surrounds or sits below the coil assembly (the coil and wink unit).
The chimney is where the vapour travels through to get to the mouthpiece. It runs through the centre and helps to reduce condensation and leaks. Chimney design impacts the draw and flavour intensity. A wider chimney works in tandem with a wider mouthpiece for direct-to-lung vaping (DTL), and a narrow chimney pairs with a narrow mouthpiece for mouth-to-lung vaping (MTL).
DIFFERENT TYPES OF VAPE COILS
As one of the most crucial parts of a vape, the coil rightly gets its share of attention. There are different types of coils, each with different features. You can expect most vape kits to use either a mesh coil or a standard coil.
STANDARD COILS
Standard coils are usually made from a single strand of metal wire. This is typically either kanthal, nichrome or stainless steel. Standard coils are popular because they are a simple design that’s easy to heat and replace.
They are known for moderate vapour production and good flavour distribution, and are commonly found in basic tanks and starter kits.
MESH COILS
Mesh coils are made from a fine metal mesh sheet. They heat more quickly and evenly than standard coils, meaning fewer dry hits. With a mesh coil, you get strong flavours and a smoother draw. They also tend to last a bit longer and are most used in pod and sub-ohm systems.
HASSLE-FREE VAPING WITH RIOT
This guide should have explained how vapes work enough for you to understand the different parts of a vape and how all those seemingly simple elements work together inside a vape. There’s no need to stress about it though, as Riot has created fuss-free vape kits and delectable e-liquid flavours for vaping connoisseurs and newcomers alike. From the Oxva to the Aspire, our vape pens are easy to use, quick to recharge and recyclable. Reject bog-standard vapes and join the flavour revolution with Riot.
