Using a vape pen is quite enjoyable and can be used on the go too! This makes the vape pen such a trendy phenomenon. However, depending upon how much you use the vape, you might find that you might have to fill your vape pen sooner or later.
There are different types of vape pens like some are meant for cbd , these are called cbd vape pens and depending on which type of vaping pen you get, you have to know how to fill a vape pen.
Types Of Vape Pens
Primarily there are two types of vapes pens. Based on their working mechanism and system, you have to fill them up.
1. Closed System Pens
In closed system pens, you will find that the e-liquid is filled inside the cartridge, and cannot be opened for refilling. The cartridge has to be replaced once you find out that it’s empty.
You will understand that it is time for a new cartridge when the vapors are less and the flavors weak. Once you fit in the new cartridge, you have to charge it, and then you are done.
For maximum usage, make sure that your pen is charged, and you change the cartridge properly. It is easier to use as you neither have to refill the vape all by yourself, nor have to carry around the e-liquid.
2. Open System Pens
Unlike the Closed System Pens, this type is different. As you might have guessed, you have to fill in the e-liquid yourself in the cartridge for the Open System. The Open System Pens can be disassembled into three parts: mouthpiece, clearomizer, and the battery.
The e-liquid is stored in the clearomizer. So when you feel that the e-liquid is almost finished, you have to refill it on your own. Usually, people with a bit more experience prefer open system pens.
There are good reasons for that. As they have to be filled manually, the draw is much smoother. Additionally, the battery lasts longer for these. You might indeed have to carry the e-liquid with you; however, in terms of quality, it is worth it.
Items Required
Knowing how to refill a vape isn’t enough; you need to know the items required for doing so. Usually, you will get these things from where you bought your vape pen or online. If you are getting them online, make sure it is a safe site.
- Cartridges
- Viscosity Booster
- THC/CBD Oil or Concentrate
- Pure Terpenes- Cannabis or Plant Derived
- Hot Water Bath
- 10ml Syringe
- Alcohol Wipes
- Metal Mixing Ramiken
- Digital Scale
What Are These?
If you are just a beginner, you might be hearing these items for the first time. To clear your confusion, we will be discussing some of the important items on the list.
1. Cartridges
This is the part where your e-liquid will be stored. Choosing a quality cartridge is important. If you don’t go for quality ones, there are high chances of leakage and breaking.
Usually, cartridges are chosen based on the design and the viscosity of the oil. There are tons of mouthpiece designs you can choose from, like wood, ceramic, plastic, and metal. There are various shapes and sizes for the cartridges too.
If you observe closely, you will find a 2mm diameter hole in the cartridge tank. Through this, the oil in the cartridge will be meeting with the atomizer. The atomizer helps to vaporize the oil. Once vaporized, you can inhale it.
2. Viscosity Booster
There are two types of oils. On with high viscosity and another with a low one. So what is the difference between them? High viscosity oils are usually considered to be the purest form for vaping. If you put the high viscosity oil in the cartridge, you will notice that an air bubble is formed on top. If you turn the cartridge upside down, you will find the air bubble is barely moving. This air bubble is useful to control any sort of leakage in the cartridge. The low viscosity oils have a small and fragile air bubble that cannot handle the leakage in the cartridge.
Viscosity Booster helps the oil to vaporize with it. This would ensure that you have a smoother smoke. This enables you to control your dosage and you to intake more products than just the vapor.
3. THC/CBD Oil Or Concentrate
This is the most important item of all. The oil or the concentrate is what you have to put in the cartridge. Usually, people use Cannabis/Hemp Oil, as it is easier to use. You can go for other concentrates like Rosin, Shatter, Budder, Sugar, Sauce, etc.
Usually, the oil and the concentrates are mixed. However, if you just have the concentrate, you can mix it with liquefier and terpenes. Just make sure that you blend it hard enough so that the liquid is emulsified. Then you can easily put it in the cartridge.
4. Pure Terpenes
Usually, the e-juice requires only cannabis, however, terpenes are in the trend recently. Terpenes give an additional flavor to cannabis for a better experience. Certain terpenes will increase your energy, and some will help you relax. Therefore, before getting it, make sure you know its effects and if that is what you want.
There are over 200 distinct terpenes available for mixing with Cannabis and 50 types of terpenes for one strain. It is important to have a good experience with your vape that you know which type of terpene suits your needs. To find that out, you have to try different types of terpenes. You can start by getting those flavors that appeal to you the most.
How To Fill A Vape Pen?
Now we will come to the main question. How to refill a vape? If you are a beginner, it is advised to have an expert beside you usually. There are a lot of measurements and mixing involved in the process. It might get messy too. However, with practice, soon you can refill a vape with just a blink of an eye, without making a single mistake.
1st Step
First off, start warming the Concentrate or Oil at about 85-90℃. Notice that we have said to warm it and not heat it. That means it has to be warmed in a low flame.
2nd Step
After some time, make sure the oil is warmed up. If you find the oil fully liquified, it is the signal that you are good to go. Also, make sure that there are no chunks of concentrate at the bottom. However, if you are using the concentrate without the oil, you can mix the concentrate and the viscosity booster in heat. For a beginner, two to one ratio should work fine. If you want to increase the potency and viscosity, add more concentrate. However, if you want to lower them, then add more viscosity booster.
3rd Step
Now that your basic mixture is ready, you can add in the Terpenes and Viscosity Booster. However, if you have added that in the previous step, you don’t necessarily have to add it again, but if you want more, you can go for it.
Usually, people go for 5-10% terpenes and 5-10% viscosity booster. This means that your mixture will make a total of 10-20% of the whole e-juice.
4th Step
This is the part where you have to mix/blend well. It is a tiresome and a bit long process, but it is an important one too. While mixing, you have to make sure that neither the color nor the viscosity changes. It should be constant. Keep mixing till the whole mixture is emulsified.
5th Step
After you have blended the mixture properly, you have to put it in the syringe. Make sure to clean the syringe beforehand; it shouldn’t have any impurities. Impurities will only interfere with your smoking experience.
While using the syringe, make sure that you don’t spill the mixture anywhere, as it will be a waste of products.
6th Step
This step requires a lot of measurement. Therefore, it would help you a lot if you have your syringe marked in millimeters. The first step of filling up the mixture is to put 1ml of the mixture and pour it into a 1ml cartridge. Next, take 0.50 ml and pour it into half a gram or 0.5 ml cartridge.
If your cartridge has the fill line, make sure you fill it until that line accurately. However, if your cartridge doesn’t have any filling line, then make sure to leave a little bit of space in the top while pouring. This space is for the air bubble to form, which will prevent the leaking of the liquid. However, the air bubble will form only if the mixture is made with oil. If it’s made of just concentrate and viscosity booster, then there is a very little chance of an air bubble formation.
7th Step
After you have filled up your cartridges, make sure you cap them tightly. After that, flip the cartridges. This process is for letting the mixture rest and settle in the cartridge properly. Leave it for an hour.
This process will let out all the air and its pressure through the intake holes. While you are mixing and pouring the mixture in the cartridge, there are high chances that the air also gets in. This would later cause problems while smoking. Always make sure to flip the cartridge and keep it at rest for some time for a smooth experience.
8th Step
Now it is time for the final step. After an hour or so, your vape is all set to be used. However, before using it, make sure to clean up the place.
You cannot clean this mixture with just normal water and cloth. Therefore, we have mentioned in the list to keep the alcohol wipes handy. If you have spilled the mixture while taking it in the syringe or while pouring, make sure to clean that area carefully.
Then clean up the body of the cartridge. You should do this as you don’t want the inside of your vape pen to be dirty. Use the alcohol wipes and clean the body of the cartridge carefully.
Now you are all set. Test out your product with small hits. This will ensure that the ceramic coil or the heating element in the vape is primed and ready for use.
What Is Priming?
In the last step, we talked about priming. Now you might wonder what that is if you are a beginner. The priming process is done to make sure that the ceramic coil is completely soaked with the e-liquid before you start vaping.
If you don’t prime your coil, there is a high chance of you getting a “dry hit”. A dry hit is when you smoke the vape, and the coil isn’t soaked well with the e-liquid; this sends a type of burning sensation in your mouth. If you are using a flavor, you won’t even get the flavor. This is a very unpleasant experience. If you don’t prime properly, you will keep getting these dry hits, completely ruining your smoking experience.
Tips To Keep In Mind
Now that we have an idea of how to fill a vape or how to put juice in a vape pen, there are certain points we must keep in mind. Here are some of them:
1. Use The Tools
Always try to use the tools, as suggested. After a bit of practice, you might feel that you don’t need the syringe; or you feel like cleaning the little mess with water is fine. We would ask you not to do that. All these tools are required, and using them would enhance your result.
2. Take Time
Never be in a hurry while making the mixture or filling the cartridge. Take your time; let the process take its own time. If you rush through it, there are chances that you won’t be satisfied with the result, or you might make a huge mess. If you feel that sometimes you don’t have that much patience or time, we recommend using the closed system pens.
3. Be In A Well-lit Area
Make sure to carry out the procedure in a well-lit area. There is a lot of mixing and measurements involved here. You have to make sure that there aren’t any chunks in the mixture, and you have to pour certain amounts into the mixture or the cartridge. If you have a well-lit area, you will be able to see it properly.
4. Don’t Over Pour Or Overwork
Another thing to keep in mind is never to over pour in the cartridge or overwork your vape. You
might feel that if you put in a bit extra of the cartridge mixture, it will last longer. It is a common misconception and should be avoided at all costs. If you keep over-pouring, there is a high chance that your vape might stop working.
Overworking a vape means that even if the oil cartridge is dead, you keep using it, meaning that you still keep using it when it is time to refill the cartridge. This is dangerous, as it might burn your tongue and even make it numb. If you keep overworking your vape, your vape pen might not last long even.
5. Don’t Put Water
There are tons of people who want to vape water. You might have heard about it, and you can be curious. However, we will ask you not to follow that. If you are putting just water in the cartridge, you will be vaping extremely hot vapor. This could be dangerous as there are high chances that your mouth will get burned. There are a lot of soothing materials in the oils that are used, which protects your mouth from such accidents.
6. Check The Parts
Always make sure to check if the atomizer and the battery are correctly connected before you start vaping. If the parts aren’t properly connected, you won’t find the vape pen working properly, which would be a hindrance. Therefore, make sure you put everything in place properly and connect the parts tightly enough.
Vape Responsibly
We understand that vaping is a trendy thing to do, and it might have far fewer health effects than smoking a cigarette. However, addiction isn’t a good thing. There are a lot of people who vape to get rid of the addiction to cigarettes. However, some of them end up getting addicted to vaping. Therefore, if you feel that you are getting addicted, make sure to take charge from the start. Try out different things which would help you to get rid of it. Staying healthy should be your prime goal in life. If you find any of your closed ones getting addicted, make sure to talk with them and help them out.