Frequently Asked Questions

Here at Troposphere Vapors in Lafayette, LA, & Scott, LA, we want you to understands the ins, the outs, the dos and do nots of the vaping industry so that you can have the ultimate vaping experience. If you’re wondering about something, check out our list of frequently asked questions below.  If you can't find your question on this list, please stop in and see us, or fill out the contact form. We will make sure to answer all of your questions!

What is an Electronic Cigarette?

An electronic cigarette or e-cig uses vapor instead of tobacco to deliver flavor and nicotine to the user. E-juice is vaporized in an “Atomizer,” which creates the warm flavorful vapor.

What is an atomizer?

An Atomizer is the most important part of an e-cig. The Atomizer contains the coil, which converts the e-Juice to a warm vapor. Since the Atomizer is an electric coil, it does eventually burn out. Atomizers have a life expectancy of about 2-3 weeks and should be replaced when your vapor production decreases or you start getting a burnt taste from the e-cig.

How do atomizers work?

Atomizers consist of positive and negative posts, a coil (Kanthal, Nichrome, Nickel, Wire, etc.) that connects from one post to the other, and a wick that is pulled thru the coil. When you press the fire button, a current passes thru the coil to heat it up. When the coil heats up to the proper temperature, it vaporizes the e-Liquid. Be careful not overfill the cartomizer or you will “flood” the unit (see flooding below).

To replace your atomizer, typically you will unscrew the device, then unscrew the atomizer, screw in the new atomizer, fill the tank, and screw it all back together! You should always give a new atomizer at least 5-10 minutes before you press the fire button. This will let your wick prime and prevent you from dry-firing a new atomizer.

What is Flooding and how do I fix it?

Flooding is a term that is used by vapers when the e-juice travels down the center of the atomizer/cartomizer and into the path in which you inhale from (chimney). You will know when your e-cig is flooded by the following symptoms:
- Little to no vapor
- Gurgling sound when you try to vape
- No light on the battery button

To prevent flooding, be sure to use a properly charged battery and do not overfill your cartridge or cartomizer. If you do experience flooding, simply remove the excess e-juice from the cartomizer, and clean the battery contacts with a tissue to remove the excess e-Juice. It also helps to hold your device upside down and blow thru it. This should expel all of the excess e-Juice that is caught up in the chimney.

What is e-Juice or e-Liquid?

The base liquid used in the e-cig is commonly called e-Juice. It usually has 3 or 4 ingredients.

Propylene Glycol (PG) or Vegetable Glycerin (VG) are the most common base liquids.

The flavor of e-Juice is achieved thru the addition of food grade flavoring in the e-Juice. We personally make sure that each company we do business with uses high quality food flavoring. We also offer Juices that only contain organic flavoring.

Depending on your needs, nicotine can be added to the e-Juice, but it is not necessary. Many people start with a nicotine level equal to the regular cigarette brand they normally use.

How many parts are in an electronic Cigarette?

There are different types of vaporizers, but they all follow the same concept. Usually there are a few main parts - the battery, the coil, the wick (Cotton, Silica, Rayon, etc.), and the juice. Most of the time, there is a tank that holds the juice, and self-primes the wick for the user. But in some styles, users drip the juice directly onto the wick. These are called RDA's (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers), also known as Drippers. Drippers are for experienced vape users, and shouldn't be used by someone who doesn't fully understand battery safety or basic laws of electricity. We would be happy to educate you on the subject if you would like.

Tanks come in a few different types:
Disposable Atomizers last anywhere from 1-3 weeks before they need replacement, depending on your vaping habits. These types of cartomizers are disposed of completely and are not rebuildable.??

Rebuildable cartomizers are just that, rebuildable. You can remove the atomizer from the cartomizer and replace it with a new one. The atomizer contains the coil which heats up the e-Juice and produces the vapor. The coil is typically the component that burns out. Rebuildable cartomizers are generally little more expensive but save money in the long run since the replacement atomizers are cheaper than the disposable cartomizers.

How do the batteries work???

There are two types of batteries, manual and automatic.

Automatic batteries will activate when you start to puff on the e-cig. And will automatically stop after a few seconds.

Manual batteries have a button that you press, which starts the e-cig. Manual batteries allow the user to “Pre-Heat” the atomizer and deliver a slightly warmer vapor. The manual batteries also have a safety feature that allows you to turn the battery off by quickly pressing the button 5 times. This prevents the units from starting accidentally.

We only offer IMR (Lithium Manganese Rechargeable) and Li-PO (Lithium Polymer) Batteries. If you decide to upgrade your device and go to buying Manual Batteries, it is very important that you buy SAFE CHEMISTRY batteries.

Batteries come in various sizes. The most common battery used is 18650's. The (18) in 18650 is the measurement of the diameter of the battery (18mm). The (650) in 18650 is the measurement of the length of the battery (650mm). This holds true with most batteries. We offer 18350, 18650, and 26650.

What if  I am having problems with my e-cig?

If you are new to vaping and are experiencing problems with your e-cig, don’t panic! Here are few things you should try to get your e-cig working properly and some Do’s and Don’ts:
1. Make sure your battery is “turned on” (press button 5 times to turn on and 5 times when ready to turn off).
2. With MOD units make sure your battery is inserted correctly.
3. Atomizers last an average of two (2) weeks. Remember to change your Atomizer when it tastes burnt.
4. Atomizers must be primed or you will burn them out.
5. Make sure you take good care of your batteries. Charge them regularly. Don't over-charge them, and don't over-discharge them. This leads to battery failure.
6. How to tell when your battery is charged? Your USB charger has an LED, when you attach your battery a Green light indicates charged a Red light indicates it needs charging. Also, if you have manual batteries, Your charger should have an indication light that will tell you if it is charged or not.
7. Do not press the button down when your not vaping, this can burn out the coil or wick.
8. Low batteries CAN cause flooding.
9. Be careful with your electronic cigarette. It can break if misused or dropped.
10. If you get a metal taste or you are not getting the same amount of vapor, your coil or clearomizer may need to be changed.
11. Rebuildable tanks may be reused and you only change the coils. Coils last an average of two (2) weeks.
12. If juice changes color that’s fine, the nicotine tends to oxidize over time and it should not affect the flavor. There is a 1 year expiration date on e-liquid. Make sure to keep your e-Liquid bottles out of UVA light (Sun, Plant Bulbs, etc...). UVA light will break down the nicotine in your e-Juice, and change the taste of it.
13. When attaching your tank to the battery, please take care to avoid cross-threading and over-tightening.
14. When filling your tank, hold the bottle on side of tank and slowly fill the tank, do not fill past the line, this may cause flooding.
15. Do I have to turn the battery off? It’s safer to turn your battery off or you might accidently press the button and burn out your battery or atomizer.
16. How long does the battery last? This all depends on your vaping habits. Only you can tell. We can give you general rules of thumb but in the end every person will be a little bit different.
17. Basic starter kits are suggested until you learn and are comfortable with “vaping”. Once you are an experienced vaper you will want to upgrade to a larger more sophisticated model where you will get more of a “vaping experience”- more flavor, more vapor!
18. Enjoy your Vaping Experience! And feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions.