Vaping Information and Help

Vaping Basics

Check out our Help Centre for information on vaping, troubleshooting and more. 

What is vaping?

Vaping is the act of inhaling vapour produced by a vapouriser (electronic cigarette). The vapour is produced by heating e-liquid.

What is a vapouriser, and how does it work?

A vaporiser is also known as a vape or e-cigarette. It comprises 3 parts; a coil, a tank and a battery. An 'e-cigarette' or 'vape' is a battery-powered device that provides power to the heating element, often referred to as a coil. The coil vapourises e-liquid and produces vapour that is inhaled by the user. The purpose of a vape is to simulate a traditional cigarette sensation without the harmful carcinogens exposed when smoking cigarettes.

What is a coil, and how long do they last?

The coil is where the vaping happens! This is located within the tank and is generally made up of a coil of wire surrounded by cotton. Coils are disposable and will need to be replaced after 1-4 weeks, depending on usage. With less frequent use, you may find your coils lasting longer.

What is a tank?

The tank is a reservoir that holds the e-liquid/vape juice/e-liquid, feeding it slowly into the coil.

What is a mod (battery)?

Vaping mods are the powerhouse of your vapouriser. The mod is your vape's battery component that provides the coil power. This, in turn, heats the coil, heating the liquid into a vapour. There are many different mods, some of which are called 'regulated mods', which can change the power output; this will change how warm your vape is and affect the flavour and vapour produced.

What is E-liquid/E-juice/vape juice?

E-liquid or e-juice, as it is sometimes referred to, is the liquid that is used inside vaping devices that gets atomised (turned into vapour). E-liquid generally consists of three ingredients; propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG) and flavouring. E-liquid may also contain nicotine.

Here at VAPO, we use only the highest quality ingredients consisting of VG, PG and food-grade flavouring. V E-Liquid is manufactured to the highest standards in an ISO7 cleanroom in New Zealand by Myriad Laboratories. All of our e-liquid is tested by an independent lab in the UK to ensure it is free of diacetyl and acetyl propionyl.

Read more about choosing the right E-liquid for you here.

Can you vape while charging your device

Please do NOT use your vape while it is charging. It is safe to use once it is completely unplugged from the charging port.

Read our blog article for instructions and tips on charging your vape.

How To Vape

How do I vape? Are you supposed to inhale when you vape?

To start off vaping, make sure first that your coil is primed correctly. Begin inhaling and hold the fire button until you have finished your drag, then let go of the fire button. You never want the device to be firing while not inhaling through it, as this will cause the coil to burn out prematurely.

Knowing how to inhale correctly is important, especially for first-time vapers. This can make or break the experience for the newcomers and lead to an unpleasant experience. Also, be aware that you do not have to inhale if you don't want to.

There are essentially two types of inhalation techniques, one being Mouth-To-Lung and the other being Direct-to-Lung. The ideal technique varies depending on the person; ex-smokers will likely use the Mouth-To-Lung technique as it simulates a cigarette-type draw. To do this, follow the below steps:

1. Slowly draw vapour into your mouth, as much as you require
2. Hold in your mouth until you’re ready to inhale
3. Open your mouth and breathe in the vapour
4. Exhale right after vapour enters the lungs

The direct-to-lung technique will be ideal for larger vape devices with low resistance coils and low amounts of nicotine, such as 3mg and 6mg. To do this technique is simple; follow the steps below:

1. Quickly draw vapour directly into the lungs (Unlike Mouth-to-Lung)
2. Exhale the vapour immediately after it enters the lungs

Some vaping devices give you the option of adjusting the Airflow Control (AFC) so that you can find your own sweet spot. Some may like a restricted direct lung hit so they can slightly close their airflow on their Direct Lung device, while others may want a Mouth-To-Lung hit with a little more air, simply open the Airflow Control wider.

How do you prime the coil?

You need to' prime' every time you use a new coil. This is the act of soaking your coil in liquid, which will help preserve the life of the coil and ensure it doesn't burn out prematurely. To prime the coil, drop 2-3 drops of e-liquid directly down the centre of the coil, fill the tank to the top and let it soak into the cotton for 15-20 minutes before usage.

How do I turn my vape on/off?

Most devices are turned on/off by clicking the fire button 3 or 5 times consecutively. We recommend turning your vape off if you aren't using it to ensure it doesn't accidentally fire while not in use, which can lead to the coil burning out or batteries overheating.

So you've finally got your new vape, you go to fill it up and now it's leaking e-liquid. The first step is to not panic! Due to the nature of these products, a small amount of leaking is normal and nothing to be concerned about. If the liquid is pouring out, something isn't set up correctly. Most of the time, it comes down to the coil in your vape.

Check the coil
Pour any excess juice back into your e-liquid bottle, or keep your vape tank in a position that won't allow excess juice to pour out. Now carefully unscrew the coil. We recommend a paper towel to wipe up any excess juice as this can be a messy job! Now dry all the juice from the coil and the vape tank. Once it's all clean, screw the coil back in finger tight (not too tight!) and replace the tank, then fill it up. Resetting the coil usually fixes any leaks.

Replace the coil
If your vape is still leaking, it's time to replace the coil. It is likely that there is a spare coil in your vape kit. Grab a spare coil from the original kit or from a spare pack of coils. Make sure everything is dry again, and try the new coil. We have to remember that these coils are mass-produced, so there can be some defects that can lead to a coil leaking. A fresh coil will solve this issue, and you'll be back vaping in no time!

Other issues
Thin e-liquid can mean vape leaks - we recommend using higher VG e-juice like the VAPO line of liquids.

Seals may have worn and need replacing
The tank may be cracked - you will need to buy a new tank or replacement glass.

Keep your vape pen vertical
Lying a vaporiser on its side makes it prone to leaking.

Battery Light Flashing - No Atomiser/Check Atomiser/Ohms too low error:

This issue is quite common in all vapes. Generally, it is due to a short circuit in the coil or a broken coil. The easiest way to fix this is just to replace the coil!

Vape is not charging

We highly recommend using an external charger to charge all mods with external batteries. You can grab a NiteCore i2 here for super cheap. This is the easiest solution to a mod that isn't charging.
The Micro USB ports can get damaged through rough use, which isn't cheap to repair. If your mod with an internal battery isn't recharging, check that you are using an appropriate charger.
Pen devices should only be charged at 0.5A. Your instruction manual will have more information on this.

You can find chargers here.

If you are using the right charger and it's still not working, try to hard reset it by following the instructions in your manual. If this doesn't help, you may need to contact us for technical assistance

Ex-smokers who used vaping to help kick the habit often describe their journey as pleasant and much more effective than patches or gum. Vaping provides a similar experience without the thousands of deadly carcinogens that cigarettes contain. Another reason why vaping is so popular among ex-smokers is because it tastes a lot better, smells much more pleasant, and does not stick to your fingers or clothes or ruin taste buds as cigarettes do.

In addition to this, vaping is so popular because of the evolution of the devices themselves. Traditional cigarettes were the most effective way of consuming nicotine but in a harmful manner. The latest vaping devices are small, discreet and don’t produce the large amounts of clouds that some larger devices do, which means that people can use them in most places, all the time. These devices will produce a similar amount of vapour as a cigarette does smoke and is much more socially pleasant than the smell of a cigarette burning.

How is vaping different from smoking?

The main difference between vaping and smoking is that smoking delivers nicotine by combusting tobacco which causes exposes the user to thousands of deadly carcinogens and chemicals, causing smoking-related illnesses such as lung cancer.
Using vaping to switch from smoking provides the user nicotine by heating e-liquid in a much less harmful way - vaping has been proven to be up to 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes - read more about it here.

Smoking traditional cigarettes do not allow you to control and dictate the amount of nicotine that is delivered to your body, whereas with vaping, the nicotine is dependent on the nicotine strength you choose. For example, if you smoke 1 pack of cigarettes daily, you can request a nicotine strength in your e-liquid that is most suited to you and gives you the same satisfaction as a cigarette. This also allows you to simulate the feeling you get from a traditional cigarette and decrease your nicotine intake over time.

Vaping is not smoking, but most people find that vaping works to help them kick their habit because it offers a similar experience and satisfaction to smoking in a lot less harmful manner. Vaping has a very similar hand-to-mouth action to smoking which also helps ex-smokers transition a lot more seamlessly.

Please go to the Ministry Of Health NZ’s amazing campaign called Vaping Facts which provides excellent information around the facts of vaping!

Is vaping cheaper than smoking?

Vaping is significantly cheaper than smoking traditional cigarettes!

Aside from the initial set-up cost, which can range from $30-$150, vaping can cost approximately 10% of what you would spend on cigarettes.
For example, smoking a pack daily will cost you approximately $8000-$9000 a year, whereas vaping could cost approximately $800-$900.

Check out the Vaping vs. Smoking Cost Calculator and see how much you can save