Understanding How E-Cigs Work Is Interesting, But Not Required

March 4th, 2010 · No Comments

by Mary Kay Rivers

The way in which electronic cigarettes work is surprisingly simple. We may think of complex systems when the word “electronic” is mentioned but in the case of e-cigarettes there is nothing complicated to worry about.

This is a simple product to use and required no special training or higher education to understand. Technological development has two faces when it’s done well. The first is the technical aspects of creating a product that fills a need or solves a problem in a new and unusual way. The second face of development is creating technology that provides a friendly user experience.

E-cigarettes are a good example of a well designed product that provides a good user experience. E-cigs are a simple system combined with advanced design. When you use your e-cig you don’t have to be concerned about the circuitry or the heating element as they work without effort from you.

There are two parts used in most electronic cigarettes. These are the battery and the atomizer. Charging the battery for 2-3 hours before initial use of a new cigarette is required. After that one battery can be on the charger which is included in the starter kit while the other battery is in use. Starter kits for the best electronic cigarettes contain one short and one longer batter similar to regular and king sized cigarettes.

Putting together your new e-cig does not involve a plastic bags fill with tiny parts to assemble. You only need to take the atomizer and screw on the charged battery and you are ready to go. That’s not so hard, is it?

The atomizer is the mouthpiece and the terms are used interchangeably. A small cup inside holds absorbent material saturated with a flavored nicotine solution. Other models come with cartridges pre-filled with e-liquid and are disposed of and replaced as needed. A small heating element located in the atomizer is activated by the battery producing a vapor mist for the smoker to inhale.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are commonly used. The frequency of use of your electronic cigarette, the size of the battery and the quality of the e-cig will determine the life of the battery. An LED light at the tip of the battery was originally added to replicate the image of a burning cigarette tip. Originally orange or red for realism, the LED lights on models today can be almost any color you choose.

The best electronic cigarettes are automatic and produce vapor when the user draws (puffs) on the mouthpiece. The movement of air through the e-cig activates the heating coil powered by the battery and the result is vapor released by the heating of the nicotine laced e-liquid. As you can see, the electronic cigarette operates on the same principle as a tobacco smoke. With tobacco products, drawing air through the cigarette increases the heat of the fire at the tip and creates smoke. The difference lies in the health benefit of inhaling a vapor mist that quickly dissipates while avoiding the chemical compounds of toxic tobacco smoke.

About the Author:

Mary Kay Rivers is a true expert on all facets of electronic cigarettes. Her publications “Are Electronic Cigarettes Safe?” and about the best e-cigarette have become very famous.

Tags: Health Products