We’ve been mulling it over and we’ve come up with our top 10 biggest vaping pet hates:
1. Leaky tanks / cartomisers
There are few things worse than getting oily e-liquid in your mouth or all over your hands. It makes a mess and is generally just a pain. A leaky tank can be a nuisance, but it can also create other problems for the rest of your kit. As the e-liquid dries, it begins to oxidise and create a sticky residue on the battery contacts, which can then be transferred to the charger. Regular cleaning of your kit should be already be part of your routine, but luckily, there are a few things that you can check that in many cases will quickly resolve the leak. Firstly, you should always take care when filling your vape tank to avoid the pipe in the centre. Any e-liquid that makes it into here will not be vaporised, and will be pulled back up into your mouth when you inhale. To address this, simply unscrew the tank from the vape battery and blow through it. This is usually enough to clear any excess. Also look out for a gurgling noise when inhaling or sudden drop in performance. Keeping your tank well maintained is the key to ensuring you get as much use from it as possible.
2. Burnt wicks
Another common problem almost as bad as a leaking tank, burning a wick can seriously ruin your vaping experience particularly if you are away from home without a spare. Burnt wicks are almost always the result of dry-burning (firing your tank or cart before it has been filled, or without giving the wicks long enough to saturate). Once burnt, there is nothing that can be done to restore their performance, and any further liquid put through your tank will be tainted until the wick has been replaced. You can avoid this, however, by always making sure the wicks are kept properly saturated with e-liquid. Remember, however, a burnt taste can also be a sign that your coil is reaching the end of its lifespan (an average of 10 fills). If you’ve given the coil a good workout and it starts to develop a burnt taste, it may be a sign that it needs replaced.
3. Busy-bodies
We’ve all been there. You’ll be having a quick vape while waiting for the bus, and some kind-hearted soul will happily begin preaching about how bad ‘those things’ are for you. It can be infuriating, especially when they won’t listen when you explain just how wrong they are.
4. Ill-informed media opinion
This brings us neatly to the media. Over the past year, hardly a week has gone by without a poorly researched, inflammatory article appearing somewhere in the press, describing the imagined risk inherent in the use of e-cigarettes. This is despite the active campaigning carried out by the likes of ECITA and many active members of the vaping community.
5. Public Health Bodies
Much like the media, hardly a week goes by when a public health body’s ill informed opinion on e-cigarettes is quoted as fact. Contrary to reports that e-cigarettes could normalise smoking and encourage people to take it up, the most recent ASH report points to the opposite. What we really need is better education and support between public health organisations, electronic cigarette brands and electronic cigarette trade bodies to ensure that smokers (10 million in the UK) who can benefit most from e-cigarettes are given the opportunity to do so without prejudice.
6. The nanny state
If there has been one thing in the past year that has caused anger and resentment among vapers, it was the misguided and legally questionable attempt at lumping e-cigs in with tobacco cigarettes, as legislation made its way through the EU Parliament. Thankfully the TPD wasn't as awful as it could have been, but it is still horribly flawed, read Clive Bates' blog for up to date information http://www.clivebates.com/?p=1747#more-1747. Hopefully vapers will be left in peace and common sense shall prevail in the near future, especially as the number of UK vapers is now estimated at 2.1 million.
7. Overdoing it
We’ve all done it. A new battery or tank arrives, or a new flavour has appeared that you absolutely love, and your e-cig barely leaves your hand all day. Not long after, you start to get a headache, or begin to feel a little nauseous. It’s sometimes easy to forget that you are vaping a substance that contains nicotine, and the physiological effects that will have on your body. Nicotine will naturally increase your heart-rate and blood pressure, but vaping too much can amplify this to the point where you can begin to feel a little sick. Thankfully, giving things a rest for an hour or two is usually enough for any headache or nausea to pass. Drinking plenty of water is also advisable. If you find you are experiencing these symptoms on a regular basis, you may wish to consider moving down to a lower strength e-liquid.
8. ‘Vaper’s tongue’
One for those who are perhaps inclined to find a flavour and stick with it, this relatively little-known issue is often directly related to the over-use of a single e-liquid. If you find that suddenly your favourite e-liquid loses all flavour, despite the fact you are still getting great vapour, you may wish to try something else for a little while. Exposing your taste-buds to the same flavour day-in, day-out is enough for them to occasionally pack up. A couple of days using another flavour and you’ll be ready to head back to your favourite Strawberry- Mint -Tobacco blend.
9. E-cigarettes
Bear with me on this one. I think we can all agree that e-cigarettes in their various shapes and forms are great products, but sometimes the names and terminology can be a little off-putting. Cigarettes, by and large, are something that we have all left behind for good reason, and it can be a pain to be constantly reminded of our former vice by referring to our shiny new devices as e-cigs. Unfortunately, there isn’t an all-round alternative that rolls off the tongue as easily. ‘Vaporiser’ has pre-existing connotations. ‘Electronic Vaping Device’ is a bit of a mouthful. Until the industry agrees on a suitable catch-all name, we’re stuck with a term that may not be to everyone’s taste.
10. Elitism
Venturing into the world of vaping for the first time can be a little daunting. Things can be made worse when comparing your kit with a friend or colleague who explains that their set up is clearly better. The reality is that every user has different requirements and builds a collection of items that best meets their needs. So, you may favour a small automatic battery as you value discretion over capacity, while your friend swears by his 1300mAh variable voltage battery paired with a 3.5ml tank for the biggest hit and longest battery life possible. Find the e-cigarette kit that works for you (if you are ever unsure, get in touch with us at sales@jacvapour.com) and don’t worry so much about what works for someone else.
Those are our top 10 common problems. If you know others please let us know!