Vaping buzz words you say. This is perhaps the most important A- Z of vaping ever. Confused by the distressing world of vaping jargon? Let us guide you.
How to unravel the world of vaping buzz words
Once you start to dive into the world of vaping, it can become a confusing place. Filled to the brim with acronyms, vaping buzz words and fantastical made up words, Squonking we’re looking at you.
But is it really all that complicated? The short answer is no, vaping can be as simple or as complex as you would like it to be. Once you have a grasp on the basic e-cig terminology, navigating your way to your shiny new box mod will be a breeze.
Our complete vaping A – Z is here to help you become a true vaping linguist, allowing you to wax lyrical with even the most advanced of vapers. Get ready to boast about your BDC, chat about cloud chasing or rap about your RDA.
A
ADV – All day vape AKA the unicorn of the vaping world. An e-liquid you enjoy vaping all day, every day.
Atomizer – If your e-cig is the body, the atomizer is the heart. Your vape won’t work without it, these are consumable and will need replacing.
B
BDC – Bottom dual coil. A dual coil atomizer that sits at the base of your e-liquid tank.
Box Mod – An e-cig with a box shape.
C
Clearomiser – Old terminology for an e-liquid tank.
Ceramic coil – An atomizer head that has ceramic parts within it, can withstand high heat and some vapers say they produce superior flavour.
Coil – The heating element that sits inside your atomizer head or you build yourself. It looks like a coil…hence the name.
Clapton wire – Named after the famous guitarist, this wire looks like a guitar string, neat.
Cloud chasing – The practice of producing huge, thick clouds of vapour.
D
Dripping –Instead of filling an e-liquid tank with your juice, you drip it directly on your exposed coils and wick.
Diacetyl – An ingredient used in e-liquid by some juice manufacturers. This is simply known as a ‘nasty’, it can produce a thick creamy flavour, but is not good in high concentrations and can cause harm.
DL – Direct lung, inhaling directly in one big breath.
Dry hit – Heating dry wicking material and inhaling it, once you’ve done that at 100W you will make sure it never happens again!
E
E-cig – An electronic cigarette.
E-liquid – Flavoured liquid to refill your e-cig.
F
Flavour chaser – A vaper hunting for fantastic flavour from their e-liquid.
Flooding – Too much e-liquid is introduced to your atomizer, it floods and cannot vaporize the juice fast enough. Que gurgling and possibly some spitting.
G
Genesis – A style of rebuildable atomizer. The coils are installed vertically with your wicking material hanging down into a well of e-liquid.
Gurgling – See flood above, a bubbling / gurgling sound from your e-cig when it’s flooded.
H
Herbert Gilbert – Did you know the electronic cigarette is not a modern invention? Over 50 years ago Herbert Gilbert invented a ‘smokeless non-tobacco cigarette’ that was intended to replace burning tobacco with a ‘heated, moist flavoured air’. Neat.
Han Lik – The inventor of the modern electronic cigarette.
Hybrid – Usually found on mechanical mods, the connection of your tank sits directly on top of your battery. Not recommended for many as you need to have a firm grasp of battery safety and ohms law.
I
IBVTA – Independent British Vape Trade Association. A group of the UK’s leading independent vaping manufacturers, importers and vendors, this not-for-profit organisation supports members through the challenges of the TPD / TRPR implementation.
J
Juice – An alternative name for e-liquid.
We aren’t done with the vaping buzz words yet. Let’s keep going.
K
Kanthal – A type of heating wire for atomizer heads.
L
Liquid – E-liquid without the E-.
Low resistance – Old terminology for sub-ohm.
M
MTL – Mouth to lung, the most common way to vape, inhaling into the mouth then breathing in.
Mechanical mod – An e-cig with no internal regulation, imagine
mAh – The measurement used for the capacity of your battery. E.g 5000mAh.
mg – The measurement used for the nicotine content of your e-liquid. E.g 6mg/ml.
Mod – Normally used to describe any e-cig that isn’t a cig-alike or pen style. “Have you seen this new 80W mod”
N
Nicotine – The stimulant part of e-liquid, this is what your body craves when you quit smoking.
New Nicotine Alliance – Also known as the NNA, a group of vaping advocates who promote and support tobacco harm reduction.
Nickel – A type of heating wire for atomizer heads. Traditionally used with temperature control e-cigs.
Nichrome – A type of heating wire for atomizer heads.
O
Ohm – A unit of electrical resistance used to describe your atomizer’s resistance.
Ohms law – A mathematical formula that is used to calculate the wattage that will be given out depending on atomizer resistance and battery voltage.
P
Passthrough – The ability to charge your e-cig battery and vape at the same time.
PG – Propylene Glycol, an ingredient in e-liquid. One of two diluents usually used, this one is responsible for ‘throat hit’.
Priming – The method of ensuring your atomizer has e-liquid on the wicking material before you vape, this is done by either dripping a few drops straight onto the atomizer or by leaving it to sit for a period of time after your tank is filled with e-liquid.
Q
QCS – Quick Change System. A type of atomizer technology that allows you to rewick your atomizer head quickly.
R
RTA – Rebuildable Tank Atomizer, a tank in which you build then install your own coils.
RBA – Rebuildable Atomizer, an atomizer that can be rebuilt with your own coils.
RDA – Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer, build and install your own coils, drip your e-liquid directly onto the wick, fit a sleeve over the top and vape.
Resistance – Relating to the coil within your atomizer, resistance describes how the coil material reduces the electrical current flowing through it. Lower resistances will generate larger power output on fixed voltage devices.
S
Squonking – A dripping atomizer that is fed from the bottom using a squeezy bottle housed inside an e-cig mod. This allows vapers to drip on the go.
Stealth vaping – Vaping on the sly, think micro kits and no huge clouds.
Sub-ohm – Vaping with an atomizer below 1.0ohm.
Steeping – Some e-liquid is shake and vape, i.e it can be vaped as soon as it has been made. Some will require steeping, which is leaving it for a period of time to let the flavour mature. Normally reserved for dessert type e-liquids. There is a debate if steeping actually does anything, but the majority of vapers swear by it.
T
TC – Temperature control. Using specifically designed coils you will be able to set a target temperature on the device in Fahrenheit or Celsius. This will help stop your coil overheating thus reducing the risk of a dry hit or prematurely burnt out atomizer.
TPD – Tobacco Products Directive. EU legislation covering tobacco and electronic cigarettes.
TRPR – Tobacco and Related Products Regulation. The UK’s implementation of the TPD.
Tank – The component that sits on top of your battery and houses your atomizer and e-liquid.
Titanium – A type of heating wire for atomizer heads. Traditionally used with temperature control e-cigs.
U
Unregulated – An e-cig that has no internal regulation and instead uses the voltage of the battery
V
Voltage – A unit of power that allows you to control the output of your battery. The higher the number the more voltage is outputted to your atomizer, meaning it gets hotter quicker.
Vapers tongue – Ever not been able to taste your favourite e-liquid after vaping it for a while? Welcome to the world of vapers tongue. Try vaping menthol for a week before going back to your ADV.
Vape porn – Unusual coil builds, beautiful wicking techniques, polished high end mods, all examples of vape porn.
Venting – What can happen to batteries if you don’t use them correctly (This goes for all batteries not just the ones for your e-cig). If your battery gets too hot, due to being pushed to its limit or not taken care of, it will enter something called a ‘thermal runaway’ meaning it cannot cool itself down. The gases and chemicals inside will escape through the casing of the battery. Read your battery safety guide and be sensible.
Vooping – Vaping while you poo…seriously.
W
Wattage – Another unit of power that allows you to control the output of your battery. The higher the number the more wattage is outputted to your atomizer, meaning it gets hotter quicker.
Wicking – Usually cotton, that sits against or through your coil and allows your e-liquid to be drawn up and vaporised.
X
X-Ray e-cig – Ok this one is made up, but it would be pretty awesome
Y
Do you know a vaping term starting with y? Help us out and comment below.
Z
Zero nic – An e-liquid with no nicotine in it.
This was a look at the world of vaping buzz words. Any questions? Let us know in the comments.