By maytenelson

eHow Community Member
 
Article Rating:  (3 Ratings)  The days of going out into the stifling heat or freezing cold in order to get one’s nicotine fix are over. The electronic cigarette allows smokers to once again sit in restaurants and sports bars alongside of non-smokers without clashing because E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco nor do they require an open flame. The smoke-like puff upon exhale of an electronic cigarette consists of a harmless, odorless water vapor that disappears within seconds.

The new electronic cigarettes as well as the e-cigars and e-pipes are available through various retailers both in malls and various brick and mortar stores and online. The models vary from brand to brand but the electronic cigarettes all function alike. In addition, E-cigarettes contain none of the 4000+ carcinogens expelled by smoking a tobacco-filled cigarette, which is coming to be known as an “analog” cigarette. The costs between analogs/tobacco cigarettes and the electronic counterpart are amazing after the initial cost of a starter kit consisting of 1 to 2 rechargeable batteries, 1 to 2 atomizers, USB or AC charger for batteries, and usually a pack of 5 cartridges pre-filled with liquid vapor and nicotine. A user manual is included with each kit purchased including information about the e-cigarette, battery life, cartridge life, cleaning instructions, and more.

The nicotine is available in varying milligrams much like the various nicotine patches and gum products available over-the-counter to adults who are trying to quit smoking or as a way to help a smoker get through a long flight where smoking of tobacco-filled cigarettes is not allowed. Many electronic cigarette users managed to quit smoking even though the electronic cigarette cannot claim to be a cessation device due to questionable reasons asserted by the FDA.

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 Difficulty: Moderately EasyInstructionsThings You'll Need:
Electric Cigarette Starter Kit
Pre-filled or Blank Cartridges (optional)
Bottle of e-liquid (optional)
Step 1 Primary E-Cig Parts: Battery, Atomizer, CartridgeIt is wise to read the user’s manual in order to correctly charge the battery or batteries included in the kit. Once the amount of charge time is complete, it is time to get started in assembling the E-cigarette.

Wash hands thoroughly then lay a clean cloth or towel on a flat stable service that is easy to access. This is especially important if one chooses to fill blank cartridges versus using the pre-filled cartridges.

Lay out all the items from the E-cigarette kit on the cloth including the pack of pre-filled cartridges with 5 cartridges inside. Include any additionally ordered items such as e-liquid, blank cartridges, or pre-filled cartridges of varying kinds. If using blank cartridges to fill with e-liquids, include either a toothpick or at the least a 16-gauge syringe with needle, and a pair of tweezers.
Bring the battery, which is a long cylindrical piece to the front where it is easy to grasp along with an atomizer and one of the pre-filled cartridges.

Everything should be right in front and easy to access for assembly.

*If the plan is to fill blank cartridges with e-liquid, then set out a blank cartridge, bottle of one’s choice in e-liquid, the toothpick or syringe, and the tweezers.

Step 2Pick up the battery and the atomizer parts. Align the threads so the two pieces screw together without much force, paying special attention not to cross thread the items.

*If the E-cigarette ordered has a button on the battery's side, one can press it to ensure the the atomizer heats up. Only press this button a maximum of 5 seconds. Less is preferable.

Step 3 Cartridges (cartridge colors vary upon model & type): Courtesy of http://www.e-cigs.co.ukOpen the box with the pre-filled cartridges. Each set of five pre-filled and blank cartridges come with a type of rubber covering at the end. This little rubber stopper earned the name of cart-condom among the many users that frequent online forums whose thread pertain to electronic cigarettes.

Remove the rubber stopper from the cartridge. Make sure the fibers inside the cartridge are not pulled out so far as to allow them to touch the atomizer. If a few strands are out of place, use the tip of a toothpick, pair of tweezers, or even a syringe needle (for those who will be filling blank cartridges) in order to press the material back into the cartridge yet not far. Press the filler to a point where it sits just inside the edge of the cartridge.

Hold the battery with atomizer in one hand while pressing the pre-filled cartridge into the opening of the atomizer. Do not apply overdue pressure. Sometimes it requires a slight twist; however, if twisting be sure to hold the battery and atomizer so neither are turning as this can pull the wires within the atomizer loose thus rendering the E-cigarette's atomizer useless.

*Others who will be filling blank carts should open a blank cartridge, ensure the filler is not hanging out of the cartridge, and then either use the e-liquid bottle as a dropper or if it includes a dropper use this to drop liquid into the cartridge filler a drop at a time. Stop when the liquid is beginning to puddle in the cartridge. It is also possible to draw the e-liquid into a syringe then press the needle into the cartridge in order to press the plunger thus filling the blank cartridge's absorbent filler with e-liquid of personal choice; however, do not overfill as this can flood the atomizer. If there is too much liquid simply draw it back into the syringe via the needle and return to the e-liquid bottle.

As mentioned above with pre-filled cartridges, add the cartridge to the battery and atomizer sections already put together by pressing the cartridge into place. It is extremely important NOT to twist the atomizer if a slight twist to insert the cartridge is necessary as this can damage the atomizer beyond repair, which will require the use of an extra atomizer included in some kits or a new purchased atomizer.

Step 4 E-Cig Vapor Image: Courtesy of http://www.popsugar.com for all celebrity, beauty, and lifestyle newsThe E-Cigarette is ready for use. Tobacco "analog" cigarettes are for smoking; however, since the E-Cigarettes have only water vapor instead of smoke, the term used for puffing on an E-cig is vaping. It's time for the first vape.

Depending on whether the E-cigarette has a manual switch or not will make a difference in the type of puff one will take to vape. If the E-cigarette has a button, then press the button for no more than 5 seconds while inhaling the vapor. Anyone using the E-cigarette can either hold the vapor in one's mouth or inhale as is done with an analog cigarette. Many users tend to hold the vapor then exhale allowing the nicotine to absorb without inhaling into the lungs but others prefer to inhale as one would an analog cigarette so it is clearly left to preference.

If the E-cigarette in questions does NOT have a manual button on the battery then it is necessary to take a short quick puff/drag/inhale to tell the chip inside the battery it is time to work and then take another puff afterward to take in the vapor from the cartridge as it's heated by the atomizer.

It is important not to allow the atomizer to become too hot regardless of whether the battery unit has a manual button or requires the primer puff to activate the atomizer. High temperatures can damage the atomizer causing it to go out completely with no hope of reprieve thus requiring one to use the alternative atomizer included in the kit, if said kit includes an extra atomizer or the purchase of a new atomizer. Many companies do offer a warranty on the atomizer (or one of the two atomizers - JantyUSA.com) and the battery/batteries. The average time frame seems to be anywhere between 14 days to as high as 6 months.

Step 5The E-cigarette will eventually reach a point where it feels dry when vaping or reach a point where there is little to no vapor coming from the unit. It is time to either "top off" the cartridge by adding a few drops of e-liquid to the cartridge or if one is using pre-filled cartridges, it's time to replace the spent cartridge with another pre-filled cartridge.

*Those who opt to refill the cartridges should rinse the filler material well every few days and when changing flavors of liquid say from tobacco-flavored to cherry. This way the flavor mix will not come out with some unique but YUCKY taste. It is important to note that some suppliers offer non-flavored e-liquid with a variety of E-cig save flavorings and bottles to allow one to experiment with mixing flavors. A prime example is mixing a cherry flavor with a coke flavor making the E-cig taste like an old-fashioned Soda from the old drug store days of Cherry Coke. Other flavors are available including peach, mango, cream, praline, grape, lemon, vanilla, french vanilla, and etc... In addition, there are tobacco flavors available WITHOUT the tobacco smell of second-hand smoke as it is still vapor without odor and harmless to others. Tobacco flavors including a taste much like those of Virginia Slims, Marlboro, Benson Hedges, 555 (Popular in the UK), and others including a variety of menthol brands. Someone somewhere even created a jerky-like flavor though this E-How writer and E-cigarette user will not be testing that flavor! Hey, but to each their own.

Over time, the parts of the E-cigarettes will require replacement. The length of time for the batteries and atomizers last generally includes the quality of the parts, frequency of use, allowing the atomizer to get too hot, twisting the atomizer causing breakage of wires, and the build up from the flavorings; however, it is possible to clean the atomizer to remove much of the build up. Sometimes this will lengthen the working time. Users that choose to refill cartridges will need to replace cartridges and filler from time to time even with washing the filler material out when needed or when changing flavors of liquid. The cartridges will need replacing as well over time.

Still, when comparing E-Cigarettes to analog cigarettes, the E-cigarettes tend to be much cheaper to use. In some cases, users have actually been able to kick the nicotine habit for good dropping from the highest milligram of 36mg down to