How to Set Up and Use an E-Cigarette: Vaping Instructions for Beginners

Vaping represents your best – maybe even your last – chance to quit smoking and rid yourself of tobacco for good.

15:56 25 April 2022

If you’re a smoker who has made the decision to switch to vaping, you’re probably going to find that the day on which you receive, open and set up your first e-cigarette will be one you’ll remember for a long time. Perhaps it’s because so many of the smokers who switch to vaping have already tried to quit by other means. Just when they’re on the verge of losing all hope of quitting smoking, they discover vaping and begin to believe that quitting might actually be possible after all.

 

So, opening your first e-cigarette and taking the device out of the package is a moment of great hope and anticipation. Vaping represents your best – maybe even your last – chance to quit smoking and rid yourself of tobacco for good. You’re committed to making it work. 

 

First, though, you’ve got to figure out how to use the thing – and that’s where this article is going to help. E-cigarettes from major brands such as V2 Cigs UK all work in essentially the same way. They use heat to vaporize a flavoured liquid called e-liquid, turning it to vapour. You inhale the vapour in the same way you would inhale cigarette smoke, and the nicotine absorbs into your body through your lungs. While the different types of vaping devices are fundamentally the same, though, they tend to have subtle differences in how they’re used.

 

In this article, we’re going to walk you through the process of setting up and using your first e-cigarette. This article will provide instructions on how to use the three most popular types of vaping devices for beginners: cartridge-based “cigalikes,” vape pens and pre-filled and refillable pod-based devices. Let’s begin.

 

How to Charge an E-Cigarette

An e-cigarette will always come with a solution for charging the device’s battery through your computer’s USB port. If your e-cigarette is the type that uses screw-on cartridges, the e-cigarette will screw directly into the charger. If it’s the type that uses drop-in pods, it’ll charge via a magnetic dock or a USB port on the side of the main body of the e-cigarette. Regardless of the type of charger that your e-cigarette uses, you should charge the device only by connecting it to your computer. Most vaping devices are incompatible with the high-speed chargers that typically come with mobile phones and tablets; using a quick charger with your e-cigarette could cause the battery to overheat.

 

The indicator light on your e-cigarette will signify that the charge cycle is complete by shutting off or turning green.

 

How to Fill an E-Cigarette

Most beginner-oriented e-cigarettes store their e-liquid in pre-filled cartridges or pods. If that’s the type of device you have, there’s nothing to fill when you want to load your device with vape juice. You’ll simply screw a cartridge into the battery or drop in a pre-filled pod depending on the design of your device.

 

If you have an e-cigarette with a refillable pod or tank, you’ll need to fill your device with e-liquid before you can start vaping. If you have a pod system, the filling hole will probably be on the side of the pod or under the pod’s mouthpiece. If your device uses a tank, you’ll most likely need to slide the tank’s top hardware or push a release button to open the tank for filling. Add e-liquid to the tank or pod until it is nearly full, making sure to leave a little room for air at the top. Close the tank or pod and wait several minutes for the e-liquid to absorb fully into the coil.

 

How to Turn an E-Cigarette On

If your e-cigarette has an activation button, you may need to turn it on before you can start vaping. You can usually do that by pushing the button five times quickly. If your device doesn’t have an activation button, it has an automatic puff-based firing mechanism and is always on.

 

How to Use an E-Cigarette

If your e-cigarette uses automatic puff-based firing, you can vape simply by puffing on the device as if you were puffing on a cigarette. If the device has a manual activation button, you’ll vape by holding the button while puffing on the device. Some e-cigarettes offer both manual and button-based firing. If your device has both options, you can vape in the way you prefer. Many people find that using a device with automatic puff-based firing feels more like smoking a cigarette. With automatic firing, however, there’s always a split-second delay before the device begins producing vapour. You’ll get slightly larger clouds with an e-cigarette that uses button-based firing.

 

Knowing When to Refill Your E-Cigarette

If your e-cigarette uses pre-filled pods or cartridges, knowing when it’s time for a new pod or cartridge is fairly easy; you’ll simply vape until the pod or cartridge is empty. Vape pods are translucent, so you can examine the pod to see how much e-liquid is left. Cartridges are usually opaque, so you can’t see your e-liquid supply; you’ll simply replace a cartridge when its flavour is gone.

 

If you have a refillable e-cigarette, you should always refill the pod or tank as soon as you notice that the level of e-liquid is low. When a tank or pod is nearly empty, there’s a risk that the coil’s wick will dry out while you vape. If that happens, the wick may burn, and the coil’s flavour will be ruined. 

 

Using a refillable e-cigarette also means that you’ll need to replace your pod or atomizer coil periodically. You should do that when you’re no longer satisfied with your e-cigarette’s flavour. You can usually refill a pod or tank several times before its flavour begins to change. After a few days of vaping, residue from your e-liquid will cause the pod or tank to acquire a burnt taste. That’s when it’s time for a new coil or pod.

 

Knowing When to Recharge Your E-Cigarette 

E-cigarettes manage their power delivery in two different ways. Your device may have regulated power, which limits the vapour production slightly but ensures that the e-cigarette will produce the same volume of vapour per puff until the battery is dead. Alternatively, your device may simply output the battery’s full available voltage. In that case, you’ll get more vapour when the battery is fully charged, and the vapour production will decrease as you use the device. You should recharge your e-cigarette when the vapour production decreases noticeably or if the indicator light blinks when you try to vape.