Finding the optimal voltage for vaping might be tricky. Fortunately, we have already gone ahead and conducted the research. Simply put, there is a generally helpful range within which you can operate your vape.
There's a good reason this range is recommended for beginners, but that's all it is, a recommendation.
Your vaping experience will depend on the voltage you select to vape with, and that’s why it’s paramount that you tailor your vaping experience based on your specific needs and preferences and select a certain voltage to vape with.
While talking about voltage, one might face confusion regarding the wattage and voltage of their vaping devices.
Wattage and voltage are two different things, and we will discuss the distinctions between these two things when it comes to vaping before diving into the discussion regarding voltage.
In this article, we will also look into the difference between higher and lower voltage levels, how voltage levels can affect your vaping, and specifically what range of voltage you should choose for your vaping device while vaping based on your certain needs and preferences.
What Does “Voltage for Cartridges” Mean?
It's understandable if cartridge voltage has you scratching your head. "Voltage" is the unit of measurement for energy input.
The voltage can be adjusted to achieve a specific temperature. When the voltage increases, so does the temperature. That's all there is to it. What do higher and lower voltages actually mean? We'll get into that in more detail below.
Distinctions Between Voltage and Wattage
This part can be a bit tricky to get, as this physics stuff can get complicated fast.
Both wattage and voltage refer to the amount of power available from your vaping device, but they are not the same thing.
What Actually is Voltage for Vaping?
Electrons and ions, or electric charges, can only move around in a conductor because of voltage. The 'push' in a wire or other electrical conductor is what makes the charges flow.
Imagine the power flowing through your vaping device at this rate. However, remember that coil resistance and other factors can also affect your power output.
What Is Wattage When It Comes to Vaping?
Wattage refers to the quantity of power that your device can generate. In other words, the voltage output of your device will be proportional to the wattage setting of the vape (considering the device’s coil and the ohm level it’s generating).
You can consider the wattage as an "autopilot" of sorts. When the coil's resistance rises over time due to use, the device automatically compensates for the change.
For instance, the resistance changes from 1.8 to 2.0 ohms. You must now modify your voltage so as to account for this change.
This is something you'll have to adjust manually whenever you use a vape pen with a variable voltage. As the coil resistance increases, you'll find that your hits are becoming progressively weaker.
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How to Convert Volts to Watts
If you want to know how much wattage your e-cigarette is receiving, you can do a quick conversion from volts to watts.
Remember that if you increase the voltage, the wattage will also rise, allowing you to force the battery to discharge at a higher wattage. And the converse is also correct: as wattage rises, the voltage rises. What you get from your voltage is determined by the coil's resistance (measured in ohms).
Distinctions Between Different Ranges of Voltages
To use a cartridge, the coil in your vape must first heat the e-liquid, transforming it into a vapor that can then be inhaled.
Thanks to its variable voltage, your vaping device can control the temperature of the liquid it is heating.
Please be aware that not all electronic gadgets support variable voltage. Most disposable pens don't; thus, the harder you hit it, the more voltage will heat up the vape juice in the device.
While it would be impossible to provide an exact numerical representation of the sensations you may expect from vaping, there are a variety of options from which to choose.
With variable-voltage vaping, the heat can be adjusted to your liking (increase the voltage to increase the heat). This implies that the type of experience you have is entirely up to you.
If you are vaping a THC or CBD cartridge, consider the various cannabinoids and terpenes that become active at certain temperatures while you experiment with your preferred voltage.
Different strains' flavors and effects will be at their best at different temperatures.
So, let's have a look at the various voltage settings and the experiences they provide.
A variable-voltage battery can regulate the following:
- Intensity of flavor
- Smoothness
- THC and CBD Content
- Overall level of potency and intensity
- Thick clouds of vapor
Lower Voltage
A lower voltage also means a lower production of heat. Liquids like terpene-rich e-liquids and live resin benefit from being heated at a lower temperature. The more vapor the liquid can release, the faster it will heat up. Therefore, you don't have to produce more heat for these vape juices.
Lower voltages should be your go-to setting if you are a beginner or intend to microdose.
Lower-voltage devices may have more nuanced flavors, but their mellowed effects make them simpler to take hits. In this method, you can determine the appropriate dosage, even if it takes more puffs (or "hits") than usual to obtain the desired effect.
By reducing the voltage, you may extend the life of your cart without sacrificing performance or flavor. As a bonus, your coughing will be reduced because your lungs won't be blasted with a sudden, intense blast of hot vapor.
Using a lower voltage on your vape refers to-
- Reduced coughing
- Subtle and discreet flavors
- Dosage is easier
- Milder effects
- Increased longevity of the cartridge
- Smoother
Higher Voltage
More heat is generated at a higher voltage. This works well with distillates and other vape juices that are thicker and more viscous.
The higher voltage will produce a more robust and intense flavor and more noticeable effects, and they might hit you more quickly as well.
Because the liquid in your cartridge is being burned at a higher temperature, the cartridge will not survive as long as it would with a lower voltage setting.
Using a higher voltage on your vape refers to:
- Enhanced efficacy
- More intense
- Intense flavor
- Fewer puffs or hits needed for the desired effect
Effect of Voltage on Your Vaping
The vaping experience you're after will heavily influence the voltage settings you choose.
It will have an influence on the throat hit, the effect you're going for when vaping, the flavor of your vape juice, the strength of the flavor, and everything else.
Finding your optimal voltage and knowing the benefits and drawbacks of both higher and lower voltages will help you choose the proper voltage setting for you and provide you with the best possible vaping experience. Now let’s have a look at how voltage levels will affect different aspects of your vaping-
Temperature
Vapor produced at a higher voltage will be hotter, more abundant, and burn up e-juice in the tank more quickly.
However, if you go for a lower voltage, the resulting vapor will be considerably cooler, thinner, and less dense.
Flavor
It's possible that the temperature at which you're vaping will affect the flavor. The higher the voltage, the higher the temperature, and the more intense the flavor.
Due to the more complex nature of dessert-type flavors, they are best used at a higher temperature, and to achieve that, you will need to operate your vaping device at a higher voltage.
On the other hand, to achieve a cooling effect when vaping menthol e-liquid, a lower temperature will be optimal, and you’ll require a lower voltage for that.
Hit
When using a higher voltage setting, your device heats the coil much faster, leaving little time for the cotton to soak up. This can lead to a burnt taste if you take multiple puffs at once.
On the other hand, vaping at too low a voltage might cause spit back from too much liquid building up in the cotton and can cause your coils to clog more quickly (particularly if you're using a dessert-flavored e-juice).
Lifespan of Vape Coil
The higher the voltage you put through your coils, the quicker they will wear out. Each coil has a specified range, and it’s better for a vaper to stay within that range.
You can safely operate at the maximum power output of your coil without damaging your device, but eventually, it will give out on you.
On the flip side, using your vape at a lower voltage will increase the lifespan of your coil.
Inhale
A higher voltage setting heats the juice considerably faster, so keep in mind that it will be very hot when you inhale the vapor.
So, if you're a fan of deep and prolonged inhales, turning the voltage down is the way to go. If you don't want your throat to get burned by really hot vapor, make sure not to get the voltage too high.
Battery Life
A pattern can already be seen in the previous points. A higher voltage will wear off your battery sooner, while a lower voltage will help your battery run for longer. Is your vaping device’s battery low, and you're nowhere near a charger? If you turn down the voltage, the device will last longer.
In addition to coils, juice, cotton, etc., a variable-voltage battery can be negatively impacted by burning through your vape juice.
Airflow Settings
The voltage has an impact on which airflow setting is best for you, though ultimately it is up to personal preference.
With a lower voltage, you have more wiggle room, allowing you to reduce the airflow to the point where you're confident nothing inside your vape will burn as the temperature rises slowly.
Choosing the Right Voltage Setting for Your Vape
Since every device has its own performance curve—a range of conditions under which it functions optimally and produces optimal results—"ideal voltage" is a vague concept.
While it would be hard to name every single vaping device and its optimal performance, there are a few guidelines to follow before you dive too deeply into the experimenting phase. Remember that the voltage range for most vaping devices is between 2.0 and 4.8 volts.
If you are a beginner, it’s recommended to start with a low voltage level and then increase the level gradually. It’s not like you should begin with 0.1 volt and increase it by 0.1 every so often. As I indicated before, your coil will provide you with a rough estimation and the operating range.
Your vaping experience will not get automatically better if you start using your vape at a higher voltage. In order to preserve the flavor, use your higher-resistance coils for longer, and puff out discreet vapor, it’s better to keep the voltage below 3.1 volts.
Furthermore, you may find that most vaping devices and coils do not require full power. If, for instance, your voltage is already close to 4 volts, you will probably feel the same as you do at full capacity.
Best Voltage for Flavor
If your vaping device isn't operating at a certain temperature, you won't get the full flavor of your tobacco-flavored e-juice. Since the voltage you are operating your vaping device at controls how hot your coils get, there is a connection between the flavor of your vape juice and the voltage level.
While you can use some of the delicate e-juice flavors at a lower temperature and voltage level, tobacco-flavored liquids will require higher levels. The truth is that there is no universally applicable temperature setting.
When it comes to flavor, keep the temperature of your vape between 320–356 degrees Fahrenheit (160–180 degrees Celsius) for an amazing taste, and keep it between 356–392 degrees Fahrenheit (180–200 degrees Celsius) for a good taste.
The separation between great and good is needed because, at lower temperatures, the vapor production will be less noticeable. So, let's say that the sweet spot for optimal flavor and vapor generation occurs between 356 and 392 degrees Fahrenheit.
Best Voltage for Clouds
A massive part of a great vaping experience is being able to release huge clouds of vapor. Simply increasing the voltage on your vaping device will cause it to produce more vapor.
However, you need to keep in mind that you'll need to sacrifice taste, battery life, coils, and cotton to get thick vapor clouds. Your tank will also get empty really soon and you will risk dry hits as well.
So, it’s fine to use your vaping device at a higher voltage to produce thick vapor once in a while, but you shouldn't make it a habit. Vaping devices are not usually built to handle producing really thick vapors constantly.
If you're a serious cloud chaser, it’s better if you get yourself one of the more powerful vaping devices.
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Final Words
It's time to pick the ideal voltage for your vaping device now that you know how voltage will affect your vaping experience. If you give more importance to experiencing a better flavor than the production of thick vapor clouds, try vaping at a lower voltage, somewhere between 2.3 and 3.5 volts, until you reach the perfect voltage for you.
But if you want consistent usability as well as good clouds, you'll need to adjust your variable voltage accordingly.
Keep in mind that a vaping device with adjustable voltage requires more manual handling. But it's not difficult to figure out. It may take some trial and error to find the perfect voltage setting for your particular vaping device and personal preferences. But keep trying to find the sweet spot while prioritizing your vaping needs and an amazing vaping experience.