Vaping Glossary

Considered the standard threading for electronic cigarettes. 510 is the most common style of threading available for electronic cigarettes. Male threaded.

A style of threading available for electronic cigarettes.

A female style of threading available.

Used to classify sizes of Li-Ion batteries


A base with two different types of threading used to convert to the threading needed. Example: You have a 510 threaded e-cigarette and a 901 threaded tank. You would use a 901 to 510 adapter.

Stands for Advanced Personal Vaporiser. Used as a more accurate name for modern day devices used for the vaporisation of e-liquid.

A style of vaporiser/battery that does not have a fire button. A special sensor inside the battery detects the change in air flow when a user inhales. When triggered it activates the device automatically.

Automatic Shutoff
This is a common safety feature found in many personal vaporisers that automatically terminates power after a set period of time. This is usually 10 seconds however a smaller amount of time can be found in smaller electronic cigarette batteries and disposables.


The most important part of an electronic cigarette! There are a few different types of batteries. 18350/18650/22650 batteries are separate batteries that go into enclosures (tubes, boxes, etc.) that provide power to the device that contains the heating element. Other types of batteries directly power the heating element and cannot be changed.

Stands for Bottom Coil Clearomiser. The coil atomizer sits at the base of the clearomiser tank.

Stands for Bottom Dual Coil. This is similar to BCC however the heating element is two coils instead of one.

Cartridges and cartomisers with a dry wicking material that is then filled with e-liquid.

Box Mod
A personal vaporiser that comes in a square or rectangular box shape.

Abbreviation for Brick & Mortar. A physical store where you can view and buy products.

Designed to wick the e-liquid from the cartridge this is a U-shaped covering on the inside of an atomiser coated in steel mesh.


Car Adapter
A device that you connect to the 12V socket in your car that has a USB connector that you use to charge your personal vaporiser.

A plastic or covered metal mouthpiece that is filled with an absorbent material to hold e-liquid.

Cartomiser (Carto)
Combination of a disposable cartridge and atomiser. These do not last as long as a standard atomiser but are less expensive. Generally used in a tank form these devices can come pre-punched or un-punched requiring you to punch your own holes to allow juice to come into contact with the wicking material found on the inside of the cartomiser. Cartomisers are available in single and dual coil forms.

Cartomiser Punch (Carto Punch)
A device used for punching holes into cartomisers.

Any personal vaporiser that has a similar appearance of a traditional cigarette

A battery charger used to recharge the battery in your personal vaporiser.

Similar to a cartomiser tank a Clearomiser tank is transparent and generally made of plastic or Pyrex glass. They utilize replaceable coils instead of cartomisers and can be bottom coil (coil is located at the base of the tank) or top coil (wicks from the top down)

Exhaled vapor is commonly referred to as a ‘cloud’ because of the highly dense water content in vapor.

When talking about a clearomiser’s coil it is the replaceable unit that screws into the clearomiser that has wick or a wicking hole that is used to absorb the e-liquid. ‘Coil’ refers to the wrapped wire found inside the unit. It is also used in rebuildable atomisers and is generally made of either Nichrome or Kanthal wire. The coil is the main heating element in most personal vaporisers that vaporises the liquid.

Cone Thread
A new threading implemented used by some to better secure atomisers to batteries.

This is the threaded piece that allows an atomiser/cartomiser/clearomiser to screw in.

A safety feature found in many e-cigarettes that will automatically power down the device after a set time. This time is generally 10 seconds but can be lower depending on the device. This is to prevent overheating of the battery. Usually when this happens the LED on the battery will flash.


Stands for Dual Coil Tank. Usually a large tank with a replaceable dual coil cartomiser.

To remove the bridge/wick from an atomiser.

The flat base that the positive and negative posts sit on in a rebuildable atomiser that houses the juice.

Removing the wick from an atomiser.

Digital Cigarette
Another name for an Electronic Cigarette

Disposable E-Cig
Electronic Cigarettes designed to be used once and thrown away.

DIY (Do-It-Yourself)
Generally used when describing the process of making your own e-liquid.

brand of variable wattage boards built for mods.

To inhale vapor.

To drip e-liquid onto an atomiser.

Vaping by dripping your e-liquid directly onto the coils of the atomiser. This method provides the best flavour and vapor production.

Drip Tip
A mouthpiece accessory that comes in varying shapes and sizes with an opening that allows e-liquid to be dripped directly onto the cartomiser/atomiser without removing the tip.

Dry Burn/Dry Hit
Done purposefully this is used to clean coils. If your wick is not saturated however it can be done accidentally and produces a harsh hit and very bad taste.


ECF is one of the largest forums on the internet for electronic cigarettes.

eGo/eGo Style
A style of electronic cigarette that uses 510 threads and allows you to use 510 components with a much larger battery.

The solution used in e-cigarettes that carries the flavour and nicotine. It is generally composed of PG (Propylene Glycol) Vegetable Glycerine (VG) Flavouring and Nicotine.


Filler Material (Filler)
Material placed inside of a Cartridge that is absorbent. It is used to keep the liquid inside of the cartridge and regulate flow to the atomiser so no flooding occurs.

Flavour Cartridge
Another term for a cartridge, containing nicotine and flavors.

This refers to the particular flavour of your e liquid.

When too much liquid is put into the atomiser. Indicated by a gurgling sound or a tight draw.


Genesis Atomiser
A rebuildable atomiser that uses stainless steel mesh as a wick instead of cotton/silica that sits on top of a tank with holes in the deck leading to the tank.


Hot Spot
Areas of excess heat on an atomiser coil. Known cause of dry hits.

A battery and rebuildable atomiser combined into one unit. Can also be used to describe a direct connection between a standalone rebuildable atomiser and the battery via the rebuildable atomiser’s contact pin.


Lithium Ion Cobalt Rechargeable Battery

Lithium Ion Manganese Rechargeable Battery


Another name for e-liquid


Knuckle Head
A rotatable drip tip that can be adjusted to any angle desired.

Kanthal Wire
Trademark for a family of iron-chromium-aluminium (FeCrAl) alloys used in high temperature applications.

Kanthal (A1)
A Specific brand of resistance wire that is used in building coils for electronic cigarettes. A1 is a specific grade of Kanthal which is widely considered the best wire for coil use.


E liquid can leak out of the bottom of the clearomiser/atomiser/cartomiser and onto the battery, which in some cases can cause damage to the device and causing a shortage.

Also referred to as e liquid, e juice, smoke juice, or just juice. This is the liquid that is vaporised when using an electronic cigarette.

The Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery; made of different material than the Li-Ion batteries.

Lithium Ion Batteries (Li-Ion)
Considered the strongest and most powerful batteries in the electronic cigarette market, coming in many different sizes and shapes.

Low Resistance (LR)
An atomiser or cartomiser with a lower Ohm rating than the standard equipment. Causes the heating element to get hotter faster and produces vapor more quickly.


Stands for Milliampere-hour and is used to describe the capacity and energy charge that a battery will hold.

Manual Shut-Off
A safety feature that allows the user to manually turn their battery off and on with rapid successive clicks. It is generally 5 rapid presses to turn on or off.

Mechanical/Mech Mod
An electronic cigarette that has no electronics or wiring. Simply a battery enclosure and a conductive metal connection (usually copper) that connects the battery to either the 510 connection or in the case of Hybrid mechanicals, no conductive metal is used and the battery is directly connected to the contact pin of the atomiser when fired.

Milligrams. Generally used when describing nicotine content in e-liquid. For example 6mg is 6mg of nicotine per ml and is 0.6% nicotine.

Micro Coil
One of many different types of coils. This type is commonly used. A micro coil is a coil that is wrapped so that all of the loops in the coil are touching.

A unit of measure. 1/1000th of a gram.

Milliliter (mL)
A unit of measure. 1/1000th of a liter.


Nichrome Wire
A type of resistance wire used in atomiser coils. Made from nickel, chromium, and often iron. Generally considered inferior to Kanthal.

A substance found as a common ingredient in e-liquid. An alkaloid found in tobacco and other plants of the nightshade family. It is used in e-liquid at many different strength levels and can also be completely absent from e-liquid.


Ohm (Ω)
The standard unit of electrical resistance. The lower the number, the lower the resistance. Lower resistance coils heat faster.


A device that has a micro USB outlet usually located on the side or the base that can be used to charge the unit while it is in use.

Propylene Glycol
A GRAS substance found in many products such as coffee, ice cream, and asthma inhalers. It is also often a primary ingredient in e-liquid.


Rebuildable Atomiser
Varying greatly in design, rebuildable atomisers are meant to save on cost and be easily repaired and rebuilt. Some have fabric wicks like cotton, some use mesh.

Rebuildable Dripping Atomiser

The measurement of ohms that allows you to calculate the right amount of voltage to apply to get the best wattage necessary. It comes in two common different variations; low and standard.


The part of the e-cigarette battery that detects when the user has taken a drag.

Material used for building wicks. This is generally used to refer to braided silica cord. Silica has a very high melting point, so it can be cleaned with an open flame like a butane torch.

The practice of taking two batteries and stacking them atop one another usually in a mechanical tube mod. One should always practice proper battery safety when stacking batteries and make sure you use fresh batteries and alternate their placement every charge. 1-2 2-1 1-2 etc.

Standard Resistance
A standard resistance cartomiser is typically 3.0ohm. A standard resistance atomizer is 2.5ohm.

Starter Kit
A kit that typically includes everything needed to begin vaping. Most starter kits come with 1 or more atomisers, 1 or more batteries, a charger and pre-filled cartridges or e-juice.

Allowing your e-juice to sit in a cool dark place to allow the flavours to settle and blend together. Generally done for weeks at a time though the optimal time does vary from juice to juice.


Throat Hit
The feeling of vapor hitting your throat on inhale. Many desire it to feel like a cigarette with a full yet smooth hit. The Propylene Glycol content in e-juice is what provides most of the throat hit.


The name given to the user of an electronic cigarette.

The atomisation of e-liquid which results in vaporisation and produces the vapor that you inhale and is exhaled as (primarily) water vapor.

Vented Battery Cap/Vent Holes
A hole or series of holes that allow a battery to vent harmful gas in the event of a catastrophic failure.

Vegetable Glycerine (VG)
A colourless, odourless, viscous liquid widely used in pharmaceutical formulations and found in e-juice. This is the primary component in e-juice that produces the most vapor.

The amount of kinetic energy which when paired with resistance creates wattage.

VV (Variable Voltage)
An e-cigarette that allows the user control over the voltage output of their device.


Watt (wattage)
The amount of raw heat that the atomiser coil uses to vaporize your e liquid.

Wicks are used to deliver e liquid to the coil in electronic cigarettes.